Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Falmouth

Adult Religious Education

"If it's Wednesday, it must be Adult RE."

The Adult RE Committee would like to extend a special invitation to singles and new members. If you cannot drive in the evening, and would like to attend an event, please contact Win Munro, 508 548-4695, and we will arrange a ride for you.

Peacemaking

The Adult Religious Education Committee wishes to call your attention to a Statement of Conscience on Peacemaking drafted by the UUA in November 2009. Major categories of the Statement are: I. Where We Stand; II. Historical and Theological Context; and III. Calls To Action.

Wednesday, September 1, at 7:00 pm, Family Game Night

Adult RE joins with the Youth Group to sponsor a family game night at the Fellowship. There will be games for all ages and light refreshments. Please come and bring your children and grandchildren, your parents, and your friends. If you have a game you especially like, please bring it along. Babysitting for children too young to participate in the games will be provided.

Wednesday, September 8, at 7:00 pm, "ZEN: It’s Not What You Think.” A Conversation with Sangaku Dan Joslyn, STO.

Dan, a newcomer to our fellowship, has been a Unitarian Universalist since the early 70’s and is a Soto Zen Buddhist of the Silent Thunder Order [STO]. Dan’s “Conversation” with us will take the form of a modified Soto Zen Dharma Talk (sermon/audience participation) and meditation service, so attendees will experience how a Soto Zen Sangha (congregation) would participate in a typical service. There will be an overview of the history of Zen Buddhism, Soto Zen Buddhist chanting, sitting (Zazen) and walking (Kinhin) meditation and Mondo (questions and answers). Please bring two large beach-towels. These will be used for sitting on the floor. If you need to you may sit in a chair.

Dan has also offered to give a community lecture series and to begin a Soto Zen Sitting Group (meditation and service) at the Fellowship building.

Wednesdays, September 15, 22, 29 and October 6: at 7:00 pm, Lecture series by Donna Oglesby, "What's Religion Got To Do With It?"

Surprisingly perhaps to the heirs of the enlightenment, in the 21st century there appears to be a worldwide resurgence of religion whose effects on international order and global politics seem significant.

Yet liberals tend to discount religious motivations for global actions, looking to poverty, corruption and greed as the true sources of conflicts and economic development, incentives or reform for their solutions.  In this view, religion may be instrumental (be a useful rhetorical device) but faith is not a motivator for human political behavior, material interests are.

Realists on the other hand, believe that self-preservation is the primary directive of human nature. They look to considerations fear, power and the quest for survival to find their explanations of war and peace.

Diplomats also tend to have a secular and cosmopolitan orientation. They see their work as bridging the gaps created by the “common problem of living separately and wanting to do so, while having to conduct relations with others.” Yet, the modern practice of diplomacy was established along with the Westphalian order when religion was privatized and removed from the global public square to avoid war. To some extent then religion is the missing element in statecraft and diplomats, along with others, may misread international situations because of their secular blinders.

Join us in the exploration of religion and international relations over the course of four evenings of adult religious education. We will begin with an effort to excavate our own preconceptions becoming more relective about the lenses through which we see world politics. Once aware of the habits of our eyes, we will explore alternative ways of explaining global events -- making room for spirit as well as appetite and reason. And, then we will apply our alternative lenses on a few historic or current cases where religion may or may not be (have been) a factor in conlicts and challenges: globalization, political Islam, climate change.

Reading materials will be available on-line or in the office to support the series.