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Can atheists be "spiritual" or have "faith"?
Last year, prominent nontheists Sam Harris and Barbara Ehrenreich published popular books exploring spirituality without God. The year before, Oprah Winfrey challenged distance swimmer Diana Nyad's claim that she is both an atheist and a spiritual person. And this discussion has been going on for a long time, from The Little Book of Atheist Spirituality to agnostic astronomer Carl Sagan's call for naturalistic spirituality. (Speaking of which: The "Pale Blue Dot" photo -- see above -- just turned 25.)
In March, Vanessa Zoltan of Harvard's Humanist community will visit YHC to continue this conversation. And that's not all: We'll also host Practical Humanism Discussion Group meetings, pub and board game nights, dinner and lunch discussions, and more -- including launching a new discussion group. Plus: We're thrilled to announce the lineup for our second annual Humanism at Yale Week! Read on to learn more. We hope to see you soon!
Best,
Chris Stedman
Executive Director
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Announcing Humanism at Yale Week 2015!
After many months of planning, we're incredibly excited to announce the lineup for the second annual Humanism at Yale Week! We're upping the ante considerably this year: with panels, service projects, a Humanist Celebrant training, and more than seven guest speakers from across the United States, there's something for just about everyone.
Check out the poster below and click here for a larger version of the poster and details about all of the events -- and be sure to come to one (or all) of the events, going on April 5-12!
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March Humanist Haven: Vanessa Zoltan of Harvard
This  month's Humanist Haven speaker will be Vanessa Zoltan, Assistant Humanist Chaplain at Harvard and the author of a forthcoming book on Humanism and Jane Eyre. She is currently pursuing a Master of Divinity from Harvard Divinity School and has worked in the nonprofit/education sector for over ten years as a teacher, community developer and education policy advocate.
On Sunday, March 8, Vanessa will tell her story about practicing secular faith by using Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre, raising the question: Once we leave the world of religion, where can we turn for comfort, connection, and wonder?
Click here for details about all of our Spring 2015 Humanist Haven speakers, and be sure to follow the newsletter for updates on all of these events.
What: Vanessa Zoltan on secular spirituality
When: Sunday, March 8, 1 PM (with refreshments to follow)
Where: Clubhouse at The Grove (760 Chapel Street)
Who: Open to the public
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Launching this month: WTF? (Who to Follow?)
Can a nonreligious person follow Jesus? Muhammad? Buddha? What about Gandhi... or Darwin? In the pantheon of great thinkers, prophets, writers, scientists, artists, and leaders, to whom do you turn for inspiration, motivation, meaning, and ethical guidance? How do you implement their lessons in your life? Do you follow their examples?
YHC invites you to join WTF (Who to Follow?), a discussion group exploring these matters the fourth Tuesday of every month (beginning March 24) at 7 PM at The Grove. These discussions will be hosted by Tom Krattenmaker, a secular progressive, religion-in-public-life columnist for USA Today, and Communications Director at Yale Divinity School. Tom is currently writing a book exploring what it could mean to be a "secular Jesus follower."
What: WTF? Discussion Group
When: Tuesday, March 24, 7 PM
Where: The Grove (760 Chapel Street)
Who: Open to the public
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Are reason and emotion in opposition? Discuss!
Looking for a space to discuss how Humanists deal with tragedy and  celebrate joy? Join our Programs and Counseling Intern Olga Verbeek and Executive Director Chris Stedman for the Practical Humanism Discussion Group. This month, we will discuss dreams and nightmares (March 4) and rationality vs. feelings or emotions (March 25).
Meetings are free and open to the public, and include pizza and beverages. (Donations welcome.) Click here to get all of the details about each meeting -- and be sure to save the rest of the discussion meeting dates in your calendar!
What: Practical Humanism Discussion Group
When: Various Wednesdays, 7 PM
Where: The Grove (760 Chapel Street)
Who: Open to the public
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Open Party to host multifaith workshop at YDS
The Open Party at Yale Divinity School, a YHC-affiliated student group,  will host a multifaith training workshop on Friday, March 27. This training, which is free and open to the entire Yale community, will endeavor to prepare participants for multifaith realities in the fields of ministry, chaplaincy, education, and non-profit work through an intensive four-hour program. Through both small and large group discussions, participants will identify their own assumptions about multifaith work and critically engage multiple case studies pertaining to interreligious contexts. Small groups will be led by special moderators with professional experience in interfaith work. Lunch will be provided. Interested participants can register for this free workshop here.
What: Open Party Multifaith Training Workshop
When: Friday March 27, 12-4PM
Where: Yale Divinity School, specific room TBA
Who: Open to all Yale community members
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Weekly student meetings for undergrads and YDS students
Undergraduate students can join the Yale Atheists, Humanists,  and Agnostics for dinner every Thursday at 6 PM in Timothy Dwight College. Graduate students: See below for details about our monthly events. And if you're at the Divinity School, don't miss the Open Party's weekly lunch meetings on Wednesdays at 12:30 PM! Email us for location details.
What: Student lunches and dinners
When: Wednesdays and Thursdays
Where: Timothy Dwight and YDS
Who: Undergraduate & graduate students only
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Monthly young adult pub night and board game night
YHC's  group for graduate students, professionals, and young adults now hosts two events every month! The first is a pub night, every third Friday of the month at 8 PM at Firehouse 12. The other is a board game night, every first Sunday of the month at 6 PM. The board game night is BYOB, and we will order food when people arrive -- plan on contributing $5 if you are eating. For details, email Wendy Webber at wwebber@gmail.com.
What: Young Adult, Graduate Student, and Professionals events
When: First Sunday and third Friday
Where: Firehouse 12 and East Rock
Who: Graduate students, young adults, and professionals
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Please support YHC and help us build community
We think that there's more to being nonreligious than what you don't believe, and that nonreligious people deserve to have access to the same kinds of support and resources as religious people.
If you share this conviction, or if you just enjoy our events and programs, please dig deep and donate to support us in sustaining and growing a diverse community for atheists, agnostics, and Humanists at Yale and beyond.
As a new, small, and rapidly growing organization, this is an important moment for YHC, and we need your support. And as a 501(c)(3), YHC relies completely on your donations -- with no financial support or benefits from Yale University. To donate, please click here.
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Stay Connected
 
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Weekly Schedule
You can get involved in YHC just about any day of the week! In addition to guest lecturers and various collaborative events with faith communities, we host regular weekly and monthly events. Below is a day by day break down. Click here to learn more about these ongoing events and programs, and click here to see our calendar.
First Sunday of each month Location: Email for details Who: Open to the public Mondays
Weekly Location: The Grove Who: Open to the public
Tuesdays
Weekly
Location: YHC Office at The Grove or Davenport College
Who: Open to the public
Weekly Who: Undergraduate and graduate students only
Fourth Tuesday of each month
Location: The Grove
Who: Open to the public
Wednesdays Weekly Location: Yale Divinity School
Who: YDS students
First Wednesday of each month
Location: The Grove
Who: Open to the public
8 meetings from January to May on Wednesday evenings Location: The Grove
Who: Open to the public
Thursdays
Weekly
Location: YHC Office at The Grove or Davenport College
Who: Open to the public
Weekly Location: Timothy Dwight Who: Undergrad students only 7 PM: Interfaith dialogue and community service event with Saint Thomas More and other faith communities Bi-monthly Location: Saint Thomas More
Who: Undergraduate and graduate students only
7 PM: Guest lecturers
Several times per semester (This month: 2/5)
Location: Yale
Who: Open to the public
Fridays
Third Friday of each month Who: Open to the public
To learn more, click here or check out our calendar!
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Struggling with addiction?
Weekly YHC support group
Are you struggling with addictive behaviors? We host a weekly SMART Recovery support group meeting every Monday at 6:30 PM in at The Grove. The goal of SMART, which stands for Self-Management and Recovery Training, is to provide quality support and community for individuals struggling with addictive behaviors -- and a nontheistic alternative to twelve-step programs, which rely heavily on God and Christian theology. People of all faiths and beliefs are welcome to attend.
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Get involved: Join YHC's Community Life Committee!
Want to help YHC plan  community service events, invite speakers, educate the broader community about Humanism, or organize Humanist Haven? Get involved in this committee, which meets just once a month, and work to shape the direction of YHC's programs!
The committee meets at The Grove (760 Chapel Street in New Haven) at 6 PM on the first Wednesday of every month. Click here to learn more and get involved.
What: Community Life Committee
When: Wednesday, March 4, 6 PM
Where: The Grove (760 Chapel Street)
Who: Open to the public
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From our partners
Opportunity: Spring Break Service in New Haven
Join the Yale Chaplain's Office for Spring Break New Haven during the first week of spring break, March 7-13! Discover and dig into the many treasures and challenges of life in New Haven through this week-long immersion program. Explore FairHaven and enjoy lunch with community organizer Lee Cruz, lend a hand with the current restoration program in Newhallville with Neighborhood Housing Services, check out the art scene and small business incubation in the Ninth Square, prep for spring at Common Ground High School's working farm, enjoy delicious Turkish food in West Haven, see a show at Long Wharf Theater, and so much more!
Explore the city you live in and consider what it means to call this place home. Click here to learn more and register.
Applied Sentience: February posts from Yale writers
Check out February's posts written for Applied Sentience by Yale-affiliated writers!
By Claire Donnelly (Yale alum)
Claire's third installment of her Lessons from Malawi series addresses a topic often avoided in Western culture: breasts. In Malawi, "breasts enjoy a life on display." Claire discusses cultural differences and ends with a loving ode to mothers.
By Wendy Webber (YHC's Volunteer Coordinator)
Atheists talking to atheists about what evangelicals believe -- this is usually the way most atheists learn about Christianity. Wendy interviews Campus Crusade for Christ leader Matt Baehr to explain some of the most important features of Evangelical Christian dogma and practice.
By Aaron Gertler (current Yale student) Harvard psychologist and philosopher Joshua Greene, who recently spoke for YHC, explains the roots of morality in his book Moral Tribes. In Aaron's interview, Greene talks about putting these ideas into practice to make a better world.
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