Solar Cross collections donations to help Oklahoma.

See link. http://www.thorncoyle.com/blog/2013/05/23/love-in-action-for-oklahoma/

GTU Women's Studies in Religion would like to inform you of the following event:

Dear Colleagues and Students:

Please join us this Monday at 1pm in CDSP's Gibbs Parlor for a Lunch and Discussion

Realizing this is the last week of the semester and short notice, we still hope some of you can join us for a presentation and conversation on the religious aspects of the terror attack in Norway in 2011. Professor Salomonsen was personally touched by the losses, and as a theologian has committed to exploring the religious aspects of the terrorist Breivik's motivational narrative. She attended most of the public trial last year and has begun to formulate an analysis and response to the questions of religious identity involved in the response to the events.

See the abstract below. We will provide food and drink, or bring your own lunch. Please spread the info widely and invite your students! 

Welcome all,

Marion Grau

Jone Salomonsen, Professor of Theology, University of Oslo

Massacre and theology in Oslo July 22, 2011.   

Over the course of the afternoon of July 22, 2011, a 32-year old Norwegian, Anders Behring Breivik, killed 77 people in and around Oslo. A majority of those killed where social democratic youth, camping on the island of Utøya. Dressed as a Norwegian policeman and carrying two heavy bags, Breivik rode the small ferry boat over to the island in the Tyrifjord under the pretext of reporting on the terror attack in Oslo, an attack he had himself orchestrated and perpetrated.  As soon as he stepped foot on the island, Breivik walked towards the camp and began to shoot at everthing that moved. Using a semi-automatic rifle and pistol, he killed sixtyseven campers and injured thirty three others within seventy two minutes.  When a special counter-terrorist police unit cornered him, he gave himself up without resistance, declaring his “mission accomplished.” After the trial in spring 2012, he was sentenced to 21 years in prison and subsequent detention....

Help a Colleague: Take a Survey on Pastoral Counseling!

Good day! We ask for your participation in a research study measuring the social attitudes and beliefs of professional helpers as they address a variety of sexual topics.The study is being conducted by Elizabeth Maynard, Ph.D., a member of the Pastoral Counseling faculty, and graduate students Amanda Dillehay, M.S., Melissa Lemons, M.S. & Nicole DiLella, M.A.  Any questions about the survey may be directed to Elizabeth Maynard at eamaynard@loyola.edu or at 410-617-7651. Your participation in this study will be greatly appreciated.  Most participants find that it takes 15-30 minutes to complete the survey, and your responses will remain anonymous.  Upon completion of the survey, five participants will be eligible to receive a $50 gift card. To participate, please select one of the links below:      

If the day of your birth is an even number (2, 4, 6, 8, etc.), click here:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/VWFYQLB

If the day of your birth is an odd number (1, 3, 5, 7, etc.), click here:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/BC2BRYS

Thank you for your consideration!

 Elizabeth A. Maynard,

Ph.D.Assistant Professor of Pastoral Counseling

Department of Pastoral Counseling and Spiritual Care

Loyola University Maryland

Columbia Graduate Center

8890 McGaw Road,

Suite 380P

Columbia, MD 21045

410-617-7651

eamaynard@loyola.edu

News

Sacred Snapshots this weekend, and new CUUPS website.

Dr. Farajajé on LGBT Religious Archives Network

GTU Professor and SKSM Provost Dr. Ibrahim Farajajé recently added to LGBT Religious Archives Network Oral History Library!

"Dr. Ibrahim Farajajé (formerly Elias Farajajé-Jones) is a pioneer who has worked to help faith communities of color create compassionate responses to the HIV/AIDS pandemic. He was born to a mixed racial heritage family in Berkeley, California, and his youth was spent in a religiously pluralistic, diverse mixed-class neighborhood...."

Listen to the interview here!

Blessings of the Spring and Summer!

GTU has announced courses for 2013-14. View the Searchable Course Schedule and our Courses page for recommendations for Pagan-related classes.

Courses include Queer Studies: Multireligious Perspectives, Mysticism and Social Change, NeoPagan Liturgy: Earth Ritual, & others!

Survey on Paganism for Michael York's research

From Michael York:

In preparation for a paper for the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion’s annual conference, I am seeking answers from pagan practitioners to the following questions. The title of my presentation is “Religion and Theology: A Contemporary Western Pagan Perspective on Identity Formation and Modern Policy.” The analytical framework I propose to use is one that differentiates paganism (broadly of course) from Abrahamic, dharmic and secular religions or perspectives, but for the questionnaire itself that differentiation need not be considered if it does not seem to be relevant for any respondent. There are five questions overall and concern theological and other distinctions of paganism from other religions. I welcome any and all answers that anyone wishes to supply. These answers will be presented anonymously in my paper unless a respondent explicitly allows me to use her or his name.

The questions are:

(1)  How is paganism different?

(2)  What is the significance of its difference?

(3)  What are the key issues in a modernity project?

(4)  What can paganism contribute to these issues in contrast to contributions from other religions?

(5)  How can or does paganism work with other religions in addressing issues of economic imbalance, corporate power, industrial pollution, global warming, disaster relief and constructive cooperation?

I am most appreciative for any responses anyone is able to return to me. My email address is exchange@michaelyork.co.uk.