ICS Worldview Conference—Spring 2012 Edmonton, Calgary and BC

Edmonton, Calgary and Surrey readers, join us for a screening and discussion of the documentary Songs of Love and Sorrow: Re-engaging the Social Ethics of Music. A review of the Institute for Christian Studies’ Art Talks event of 2010, the documentary considers the nature of music’s role in the public sphere. Can music have a social impact? Should it? When does it cease to be music and become propaganda? What is the role of faith in socially engaged music? We will consider these and other questions as we watch the film together and discuss. The film portrays the work of several contemporary composers who engage with themes of social relevance and the interaction of these composers with contemporary philosophers and ethicists. The discussion will be introduced and led by Dr. Rebekah Smick, Senior Member in Philosophy of the Arts and Culture and ICS Junior Member Rebecca Tait.

Locations and times for the event are:

Edmonton: Monday, February 27 at 7pm at The King’s University College, 9125 - 50 Street.

Calgary: Wednesday, February 29 at 7pm at Emmanuel CRC, 3020 51 Street SW

Surrey: Friday, March 2 at 7pm at Fleetwood CRC, 9165 160 Street

Watch future issues of Channel 229 for more information about these upcoming events.

ICS Annual General Meeting Held on November 16

We are pleased to welcome four new Board members, approved at the AGM held on November 16: Alyce Oosterhuis, Matt Bonzo, John Valk and Sally Jongsma. In addition, Henriette Thompson and Aileen Van Ginkel will each begin a second term. We look forward to working with all of them.

Special thanks go to outgoing Board members Kevin van der Leek, Co Vanderlaan, Bill Van Groningen, Vicki Kok, Kathy Vandergrift and Carol Veldman Rudie, each of whom completed two terms of office.

The usual administrative and financial reports were accepted and passed; thank you to all who participated.

Nov 23-24: Cal Seerveld at Redeemer University College

Senior Member Emeritus Cal Seerveld's translation of the Biblical books of Ecclesiastes and The Song of Songs is being presented at Redeemer College in Ancaster, Ontario during the week of November 21-26. These Scriptures are conceived as unified choruses of diverse voices, and are performed along with song and musical interludes as interpretive commentary. Cal will be presenting lectures on November 23 and 24. For more information about this unique theatrical experience, visit www.redeemer.ca/mainstage.

Nov 17: John Suk in Grand Rapids

Former ICS president John Suk has recently published a book titled Not Sure: A Pastor's Journey from Faith to Doubt. Published by Eerdmans, the book chronicles both the history of faith and John's struggle with doubt. An article about the book in Northumberland Today can be found at: http://www.northumberlandtoday.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=3320660.

You can now order the book from Amazon.ca or Amazon.com (which also has the Kindle version). The introduction to the book is available on Suk's blog at http://faithisntwhatyouthink.blogspot.com/.

John will be speaking as part of Eerdmans 100th anniversary authors' series, on Thursday, November 17, at 7 pm. Eerdmans is located at 2140 Oak Industrial Drive NE, Grand Rapids.

Jeff Hocking at the AAR in San Francisco

Junior Member Jeffrey Hocking will be presenting material related to his dissertation research at the American Academy of Religion's annual meeting in San Francisco. The presentation will take place Saturday, November 19th from 9:00-11:00 in the morning as a part of the first convening of the AAR/SBL Theopoetics working group. The title of his paper is “Liberating Language: Rubem Alves, Theopoetics, and the Democratization of God-Talk”. Jeff will also be attending a special session prior to the conference celebrating Clark Pinnock's life and work.

Nov 24 - Heaven: Is It Part of Creation?

The Institute for Christian Studies presents "Heaven: Is it Part of Creation?" a public lecture by Professor Donald Sinnema.

In this lecture, Prof. Sinnema will challenge the popular Christian conception that heaven is an eternal spiritual realm outside of creation, a realm that includes God, angels, and the souls of deceased believers.

CPRSE Celebrated at Gala Launch

ICS was very pleased to host the Gala Launch of the Centre for Philosophy, Religion and Social Ethics at a reception and banquet held on Monday evening, October 24th at the University of Toronto Faculty Club. The evening began with a reception at 5:30 in the main lounge, at which several invited speakers offered congratulatory remarks from various academic institutions and the Reid Trust. The reception also included a draw for five prizes of a choice of one of Lambert Zuidervaart’s two recent books: Art In Public and Dog Kissed Tears.