Tuesday 29 September 2015

Day of Encouragement in Ancaster: October 17

On Saturday, October 17, CPRSE Director and ICS Professor Ron Kuipers will be leading a workshop on justice and faith with Steve van de Hoef, ICS alum and CRC Justice and Faith Project Coordinator. The workshop is part of the CRC Day of Encouragement in Ancaster, Ontario, and will explore themes related to the CPRSE's partnered research project on Justice and Faith, including a viewing of the one-act play Just Faith?

Junior Member Baby Boom!

Junior Member Joe Kirby and his wife Nanako welcomed their first child, a son, Akito, born on Sunday September 6. Everyone is thrilled and doing well!

Junior Member Timothy Skulstad-Brown and his wife Lara have a new addition to their family. Joshua Arne Skulstad was born on Friday September 18. Both Lara and Joshua are healthy and doing well. Big sister Dania has been greeting her new brother with great joy and curiosity.

Prayer Letter: October 2015

Thursday, October 1:  As the second month of the fall semester begins, we ask God's guidance and wisdom for all our Junior Members who are working hard in their courses and for a sense of balance as they deal with families and jobs as well.

Friday, October 2:  Today the ICS Centre for Philosophy, Religion and Social Ethics (CPRSE) is co-sponsoring a symposium with the Centre for Ethics at U of T and the Institute for Global Prosperity (Baha’i). We pray for blessings on everyone who attends.

Monday, October 5:  We offer prayers of joy for Junior Members Joe Kirby and Timothy Skulstad-Brown and their families. Both families welcomed new baby boys last month. We thank God for these wonderful new lives!

Tuesday, October 6:   Please pray for the ICS Board recruitment process, that committed and able candidates for Board vacancies will be offered to the ICS membership for approval this fall.

Wednesday, October 7:  We pray for energy and enthusiasm for those who are involved in working on the next issue of Perspective.

Thursday, October 8:  Today, ICS Manager of Information Technology and Communications Daryl Kinsman will be undergoing surgery. Please pray that the Lord will bring healing through the surgeon’s hands and that Daryl’s recovery will be comfortable and complete.

Friday, October 9:  We pray for blessings for the Friends of ICS Board and all those who are doing advancement work in the US.

Monday, October 12:  Today is Thanksgiving Day in Canada. As we celebrate and give thanks for the bounty of the harvest, may we reflect on the grace of God and the rewards of our labour. We are grateful that ICS is sustained by both God's grace and the dedicated work of its support community, administrative staff, and Senior and Junior Members.

Tuesday, October 13:  As the Thanksgiving weekend ends, we offer prayers of gratitude for the many people who have given ICS gifts of prayers, money, concern and appreciation. It is truly a blessing to have the interest and support of so many people.
The Board meets this evening. Please pray for God’s wisdom to guide this meeting.

Wednesday, October 14:  We pray for stamina and wisdom for Senior Member Bob Sweetman as he continues in his role as Academic Dean.

Thursday, October 15:  We ask for God's blessing on those who are planning the Annual General Meeting to be held in November. We pray for energy and enthusiasm for all who are involved.

Friday, October 16:  Today we offer prayers for the general well-being of the ICS. We ask for blessings and energy for ICS faculty and staff as they work together.

Saturday, October 17:  The Day of Encouragement will be held in Ancaster, Ontario today. We pray for blessings on everyone attending.

Monday, October 19:  We continue to pray for blessings and energy for ICS President Doug Blomberg, as he manages his many responsibilities.

Tuesday, October 20:  Today we pray for God's help for those who are struggling with illnesses. We ask God for strength, patience and for good results from treatment.

Wednesday, October 21:  The Academic Council meeting meets this afternoon. We pray for God's wisdom to guide the discussions and decisions at this meeting.

Thursday, October 22:  We ask God to bless and guide Senior Member Ron Kuipers and Allyson Carr as they continue their work with our Centre for Philosophy, Religion and Social Ethics.

Friday, October 23:  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.

Monday, October 26:  Reading Week begins today! Please pray that our Senior and Junior Members will be able to use this break from classes to catch up, get ahead, or use the week for whatever they may need to help them in their studies.

Tuesday, October 27:  Many of our Junior Members are working on their their Masters and PhD thesis projects. We pray for our Junior Members and ask that they will have time, focus and wisdom.

Wednesday, October 28:  As Reading Week continues, please pray that it will be a fruitful week for the academic body at ICS as many Senior and Junior Members have projects they are working on beyond normal class work. Whether these are publications, papers for conferences, or other scholarly activities, pray that this week will afford extra time to make progress in these areas.

Thursday, October 29:   Today we pray for the work of Senior Members. Bless their ongoing tasks, both administrative and academic. Give them the relief they need when things pile up.

Friday, October 30:  Please pray for the Institute and the continued mission of ICS. To be even more specific, we ask that you pray with us that we have good responses to our donor appeals in the remaining months of 2015.

Tuesday 15 September 2015

Oct. 2: Religion and Citizenship in a Post-secular Society

On October 2, 2015 the ICS Centre for Philosophy, Religion and Social Ethics (CPRSE) is co-sponsoring a symposium with the Centre for Ethics at U of T and the Institute for Global Prosperity (Bahai). ICS senior member Ronald A. Kuipers, Director of the CPRSE, will be one of the speakers.

The purpose of this symposium is to inquire into the ethics of citizenship in a post-secular society. The term ‘post-secular’ refers to the apparent failure of secularization theory’s prediction that the influence of religion in public life would steadily diminish to a vanishing point. The continued flourishing of public religion raises new questions about the ongoing role of religion in society. These questions include the ways in which religious and secular citizens are to engage each other in public discourse on matters of common concern. How does a new consciousness of a post-secular society influence thought and practice regarding citizenship? In an increasingly diverse society, what are the sources of our shared identity, and what are legitimate means of promoting them? How should we consider the ethical potential present within religion to promote social and political participation? What can we learn from religious and secular practices of inclusion and solidarity extended to minority populations, non-citizens and refugees? How can they deepen a prevalent culture of human rights in society at large? Furthermore, when religious and diaspora communities are connected through transnational ties, what new pressures are placed on citizenship as it is understood and practiced?

Despite the possible benefits offered by a ‘multi-faith’ approach to this inquiry – which underlines differences and distinctions made among traditions of thought – we propose to pursue areas of convergence or commonality. That is, we wish to look within religious and secular traditions to develop new ways of thinking about social and political membership that can contribute to the creation of new resources for solidarity amidst religious (and other) differences.

Fri, Oct 2, 2015
09:00 AM - 05:00 PM (Lunch and refreshments provided)
Room 200, Larkin Building
15 Devonshire Place, Toronto

Registration is free but seating is limited. Go to
ethics.utoronto.ca/events/233/religion-and-citizenship-in-a-post-secular-society/

Speakers:
Prof. Simone Chambers (University of California, Irvine)
Prof. Phil Triadafilopoulos (University of Toronto)
Prof. Ronald A. Kuipers (Institute for Christian Studies)
Prof. Ingrid Mattson (University of Western Ontario)
Prof. Howard Adelman (York University)
Dr. Mary Jo Leddy (Regis College; Romero House)
Dr. Benjamin Schewel (University of Virginia)

Keynote lecture:
Prof Armando Salvatore (McGill University)
“Religion, citizenship, and the challenge of transnationalism: Historical roots, convergences and divergences”

Symposium sponsored by:
Centre for Ethics, University of Toronto
The Institute for Studies in Global Prosperity
Centre for Philosophy, Religion, and Social Ethics, Institute for Christian Studies
Trudeau Foundation

• Get the Programme

Genesis begins on October 1

There's a little time left to register for the first module of our Thursday evening continuing education series: the module that will focus on the book of Genesis. Although there are no prerequisites for any module in the series, this first module is not one to miss if you can make it.

The overall program will work through much of the Old Testament and New Testament, paying special attention to three key themes: the evocative-provocative call of wisdom, the meaning and significance of gender, and the nature of power and violence.  Sessions will be a mix of lectures, presentations and group discussion, and last approximately two hours each.

Click here for more information and registration.