Fellowship Meetings

We will examine whether there are places in the university where science and religion might fruitfully connect and models scientists with faith have for participating in religious communities.

Elaine Howard Ecklund is Assistant Professor of Sociology at Rice University, where she also serves as a Rice Scholar of the James Baker III Institute for Public Policy, and Director of the Program on Religion and Public Life at the Institute for Urban Research.

Eleonore Stump is the Robert J. Henle, S.J., Professor of Philosophy at Saint Louis University. Author of several works in medieval philosophy, philosophy of religion, and metaphysics, Stump has served as president of the Society of Christian Philosophers, and president of the American Catholic Philosophical Association. She delivered the prestigious Gifford Lectures at the University of Aberdeen, Scotland in 2002.

Professor Chignell will speak about the issues raised by his recent article "Whither Wheaton." You can find the "back story" of the article and links to the many articles about the article at www.whitherwheaton.org.

Three science fiction films were made almost exactly a decade and a half apart: 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), Blade Runner (1982), and The Matrix (1999). Each raises important questions about what it means to live in a world of technology. We'll watch clips from all three films, identify the questions each film raises, note how the issues change over time, and reflect on them in a conversation together.

"Spirituality" and "Values" are fashionable topics these days in higher education circles--perhaps in the wake of 9/11 and the recent financial crisis. While these discussions are primarily taking place at conferences of deans and presidents, rather than at disciplinary professional meetings, the fact that they are occurring at all raises interesting questions. What do they say about our culture? about the academy? about the perceived role of higher education in preparing future leaders of our society?

Our society gives us a false choice between two powerful forces: cynicism and sentimentality. Both are used to trash the Christian faith but both also carry enough elements of truth to be very seductively confusing to us in our own attitudes to God, life, other people, church, marriage, politics..... What is it to live out the Biblical vision that we are all 'glorious ruins?'

Speaker Bio:

Health care costs have become an increasingly difficult issue for many in light of the global economic downturn, yet the decisions we make speak loudly about our value system. Medical costs are largest at the fringe of a utilitarian society, the very young, old and sick, which applies tremendous pressure to adjust our values to reduce their significance. Balanced with this is the fact that many of the next generation medical strategies have the potential to extend life and its quality through the manipulation and engineering of living matter far more than any pharmacist has.

This year's Institute of Biblical Studies on the important topic of Identity kicks off Friday evening in Call Auditorium. Our guest is Rev. Dr. Richard Lints. Dr. Lints will continue this annual weekend conference all day Saturday (register here) and Sunday morning. Friday's lecture is free and open to the public. We usually draw about 350 students and community members for this event. Please join us and be a part of the largest annual gathering to talk about theology in Ithaca!

For any and all Christian alumni and relatives, including (but not limited to) those who were involved with Campus Crusade for Christ, Chesterton House, Chi Alpha, Chinese Bible Study, Cornell Christian Fellowship (InterVarsity), Cornell International Christian Fellowship, Grace Christian Fellowship, Graduate Christian Fellowship, Navigators, and others. Join us for breakfast, fellowship, and updates on campus ministry activity. For more information, call Karl Johnson at 607-319-4038.