Easter Greetings from ICS!

The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.'"

—Matthew 28: 5-7

As you celebrate Easter, may God bless you with peace and happiness.

Ethan Vanderleek in Eastern Europe

ICS Junior Member Ethan Vanderleek will be travelling to Eastern Europe with The King's University College Chamber Choir from May 4-16. Ethan sang with the choir for three years as an undergraduate student and now has the opportunity to accompany them on an international tour. The tour will take the choir through Poland, Hungary, and Slovakia and involves singing in various churches and cathedrals, as well as cultural and historical learning experiences. Musically, the tour program focuses on Ukrainian sacred music from the 18th-20th centuries and also includes contemporary composers such as Morten Lauridsen, Eric Whitacre, and even a pop arrangement of Billy Joel's "And So it Goes".

Economic Justice Conference Fast Approaching!

Have you registered yet? Plans for our partnered conference Are We There Yet? Economic Justice and the Common Good are taking final shape. The conference will take place in Edmonton on May 12-13, on the campus of our conference partner, The King’s University College. Go to thereyet.ca to see the schedule of interesting panels and exciting speakers we have lined up, as well as to register to attend. From oil sands development to food security, we’ve got it covered!

Conference on Economic Justice Receives a SSHRC Grant Award!

We have just received news that Are We There Yet: Economic Justice and the Common Good, the conference co-hosted by ICS’s Centre for Philosophy, Religion and Social Ethics and the King’s University College in Edmonton, has received a grant award from the Social Sciences and Humanities Council of Canada (SSHRC.) This award for $17,200 will help support many of the costs associated with the conference, and represents a recognition from the Council of the importance of the work the conference organizers have laid out on a wide range of topics related to economic justice.

The deadline for getting the early bird registration discount for this event is quickly approaching! April 12th is the last day to register at the discounted price. The conference will feature keynote addresses from Bob Goudzwaard and Diane Ablonczy, as well as panels on topics such as the oil sands, economically just business practices, First Nations and economic justice, faith communities and climate change, and addressing poverty. Registration can be done online: simply head over to the conference website www.thereyet.ca and click on registration. You can also find the schedule, which we will continue to update as the conference dates (May12-13) approach, on our website. We hope to see you there!

Grand Rapids Book Launch April 4

A book launch featuring recent publications by ICS faculty, students, and alumni will take place in Grand Rapids, Michigan on April 4. Featured publications include Truth Matters: Knowledge, Politics, Ethics, Religion, edited by Senior Member Lambert Zuidervaart, CPRSE Associate Director Allyson Carr, and ICS doctoral candidates Matthew Klaassen and Ronnie Shuker; A Levinasian Ethics for Education’s Commonplaces by ICS alumnus Clarence Joldersma; and two recent books by ICS alumnus James K. A. Smith: Who’s Afraid of Relativism? and How (Not) to Be Secular: Reading Charles Taylor. Nature’s Suit: Husserl’s Phenomenological Philosophy of the Physical Sciences by Lee Hardy (Philosophy, Calvin College) will also be celebrated.

The launch takes place in Calvin College’s Commons Annex Lecture Hall at 3:30-5:00 pm on Friday, April 4, with a reception to follow, and is sponsored by the Philosophy Department, Education Department, and Calvin Center for Christian Scholarship. Please join us in celebrating the work of these scholars. All are welcome to attend.

Doug Blomberg in Grand Rapids on April 19

Doug Blomberg, ICS Acting President, Academic Dean and Professor of Philosophy of Education, will be in Grand Rapids, MI on Saturday April 19 to attend the Christian Educators Journal Board meeting.

What’s in a Life

Senior Member Bob Sweetman is giving paper at the Pontifical Institute for Mediaeval Studies in Toronto on Wednesday April 9. The title of the paper is "What's in a Life: The Hierarchy of Forms and the Vita Christi in the Summa Theologiae of Thomas Aquinas"

Shannon Hoff in Arizona and Michigan

On April 17 Senior Member Shannon Hoff will be giving a talk at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona. In the week of April 21-25 she will be visiting Calvin College, where she will give a talk on April 22.

Why Study at ICS?

Professor Emeritus Jim Olthuis tells us that "there's a two-way movement between our academic activities and the leading of faith." Our new recruiting-oriented video seeks to show potential students how ICS is a place to think and learn about the big questions, freely, and with passion, without setting religion aside. You can find it on our home page now.

Allyson Carr in Kalamazoo

Allyson Carr, Associate Director of ICS' research centre (CPRSE), will be giving a paper at the upcoming International Congress for Medieval Studies, in Kalamazoo (May 7-10). The paper is called “What the Imagination Tells: Christine de Pizan's Lady Opinion on Aristotle's Metaphysics and Causation” and examines a medieval woman's use of Aristotle's work to argue with the political powers of her day.

Allyson will also be giving a paper at the conference on Economic Justice that the CPRSE and King's are co-hosting in Edmonton, May 12-13. That paper is titled “Speaking Stories Into Truth: Economic Justice for Women in Christine de Pizan’s Book of the City of Ladies and life in V Day’s City of Joy Today.”

Annual Phone-a-thon

It's Spring...

The time of the year when ICS connects with you through our annual Phone-a-thon.
Our Junior Members look forward to these informal chats and the opportunity to share some of their ICS journey with you. It is a simple and personal way for them to express their gratitude.

We’re going to be calling you soon to

• thank you
• share good news
• invite your prayers
• invite your continued support
• hear your feedback

Thank you for your commitment to ICS and to invite you to extend your support as we look to the future. Your generous support makes all of our work possible.

Let's talk!

Prayer Letter: April 2014

Tuesday, April 1: We offer prayers of thanks for the success of the ICS Art Talks The Byzantine Icon is Alive and Well held in Toronto last week.

Wednesday, April 2: We ask God's blessing on all Senior Members as they gather this afternoon for a Faculty meeting. We pray for guidance and wisdom.
There is a Board meeting this evening. We pray for God’s wisdom to guide their decisions.

Thursday, April 3: Today we pray for blessings for the Friends of ICS Board and all those who are doing advancement work in the US.

Friday, April 4: We ask for God's guidance for everyone who is involved in planning for next year, including those doing work on our budget.

Monday, April 7: This is the final week of the semester! We offer prayers of thanks for another semester of learning. We also ask God's blessings on Junior Members as they balance their course work with their families and jobs.
Today there will be a Scripture, Faith and Scholarship seminar, led by Senior Member Emeritus Henk Hart. We pray for blessings on all who attend.

Tuesday, April 8: We pray for stamina and wisdom for everyone who is preparing for the upcoming Senate and Board meetings next month.

Wednesday, April 9: The Academic Council meets today. We ask God to guide them in their discussions and decisions.
Senior Member Bob Sweetman is presenting a paper in Toronto. We pray for blessings on everyone attending.

Thursday, April 10: We offer prayers of gratitude for the generous spirit that is always shown by you, our many supporters, who have encouraged ICS with gifts of prayer, money, and expressions of appreciation. We are constantly blessed with your interest and support.

Friday, April 11: On this last day of classes we offer prayers of thanks for a fruitful semester and for energy and enthusiasm for students as they complete papers and assignments.

Saturday, April 12: ICS Faculty and Staff are participating in a Restorative Circle training workshop today. We pray for a fruitful session.
We are celebrating the end of another academic year at ICS. We look forward to an evening of celebration, reflection, and fun!

Monday, April 14: We pray for blessings for Senior Member Doug Blomberg as he continues in his roles as Acting President and Academic Dean.

Tuesday, April 15: The Finance and Fundraising Committee meets today. We pray for blessings and guidance for this important committee.

Wednesday, April 16: We ask God to bless Senior Member Ron Kuipers, Director, and Allyson Carr, Associate Director of our Centre for Philosophy, Religion and Social Ethics. We pray for energy and creativity for Ron and Allyson and all those who are involved in the planning for the upcoming conference on economic justice in Edmonton next month.

Thursday, April 17: Senior Member Shannon Hoff will be giving a talk in Arizona today. We pray for safe travel and blessings on all who attend this event.

Friday, April 18: As we look forward to Easter this weekend, we remember that the triumph of Jesus Christ over death gives us hope even in difficult times. We pray that everyone has safe travel and the gifts of peace and joy as they spend the Easter weekend with family and friends.

Saturday April 19: ICS Acting President, Academic Dean and Professor of Philosophy of Education Doug Blomberg will be in Grand Rapids on Saturday April 19 to attend the Christian Educators Journal Board meeting. We pray for safe travel and a fruitful meeting.

Monday, April 21: Today we pray for the general well-being of the ICS.

Tuesday, April 22: Senior Member Shannon Hoff will be giving a talk at Calvin College in Grand Rapids today. We ask for safe travel and blessings on all who attend.

Wednesday, April 23: There is a Leadership Team meeting today. We ask God to bless them and guide them in their discussions and decisions.

Thursday, April 24: We ask God's help and guidance for all those who are doing advancement work for ICS. Please pray that support for the vision and mission of ICS continues to grow.

Friday, April 25: Work continues to prepare the next edition of Perspective. We ask God's blessing and guidance for all those involved.

Monday, April 28: There is a Board Executive meeting this evening. We pray for God’s wisdom to guide their decisions.

Tuesday, April 29: Today we ask for God's help for those who are struggling with cancer and other illnesses. We pray for strength, patience and for good results from treatment.

Wednesday, April 30: We thank God for all the applicants to our programs. We pray that the successful applicants will be able to join us in our mission.