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Nadia Bolz-Weber, “Let There Be Snacks (and Sex and Songs): Finding a Defiant Hope in What Makes Us Most Human,” the Fourth of Five Finite Futures Lectures 11/7/24

What if it’s too late to avoid some kind of ecological catastrophe? Maybe it’s not, and we should be doing everything we can so that it isn’t. Still, what if it is? Shouldn’t we also be talking about that? What kind of a future do we want to create for ourselves on such a horizon? What might it mean to collapse well?

Renowned speaker, Nadia Bolz-Weber, presents “Let There Be Snacks (and Sex and Songs): Finding a Defiant Hope in What Makes Us Most Human,” the fourth lecture in a series of free public lectures by internationally renowned scholars and public intellectuals made possible by the Henry Luce Foundation

Thursday, November 7th at 4pm

Thwing Center, Excelsior Ballroom

11111 Euclid Ave. Cleveland, OH 44106

An Explore Event, Free to the Public, Register Here

Nadia Bolz-Weber is an ordained Lutheran Pastor, founder of House for All Sinners & Saints in Denver, Co, creator and host of the podcast The Confessional (produced in conjunction with The Moth), and author of three NYT bestselling memoirs. She writes and speaks about personal failings, recovery, grace, faith, and really whatever the hell else she wants to. She always sits in the corner with the other weirdoes. Nadia can be found a couple days a week inside the Denver women’s prison where she is a volunteer chaplain.

You can subscribe to The Corners to receive her writing in your inbox weekly

Find her bestselling memoirs here: Pastrix: The Cranky, Beautiful Faith Of A Sinner & Saint (2013, and re-released in 2021), Accidental Saints: Finding God In All The Wrong People (2015), and SHAMELESS: A Sexual Reformation (2019).

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“Qurʾān Translations and US Muslim Pamplets: Lived Religion, Revivalist Aspirations, and the Culture Wars” Dr. Justine Howe Online Lecture

Dr. Justine Howe will be presenting her talk “Qurʾān Translations and US Muslim Pamplets: Lived Religion, Revivalist Aspirations, and the Culture Wars” as a part of the GloQur Conversations on Qurʾān Translations Online Talk Series.

Tuesday, October 29th 2024

9am – 10:20am EDT

Online: Zoom

Register here

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Third of Five Finite Futures Lectures: Mayra Rivera, “Icons for Tempestuous Times” 10/24/24

What if it’s too late to avoid some kind of ecological catastrophe? Maybe it’s not, and we should be doing everything we can so that it isn’t. Still, what if it is? Shouldn’t we also be talking about that? What kind of a future do we want to create for ourselves on such a horizon? What might it mean to collapse well?

Mayra Rivera, professor of Religion and Latine Studies at Harvard University, presents, “Icons for Tempestuous Times,” the third lecture in a series of free public lectures by internationally renowned scholars and public intellectuals made possible by the Henry Luce Foundation

Thursday, October 24th at 4:00pm

Clapp Hall, Room 108

2080 Adelbert Rd. Cleveland, OH 44106

Free to the Public, no registration required

Mayra Rivera works at the intersections between philosophy of religion, literature, and theories of coloniality, race and gender — with particular attention to Caribbean thought. Rivera is currently working on a book that explores the relationships between coloniality and ecology through Caribbean thought

Find her most recent book here: Poetics of the Flesh (2015)

Read more about the lecture series and the Finite Futures project

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Associate Dean, Professor Joy Bostic, featured for her focus on community inclusive environments

Dr. Joy Bostic, Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusive Engagement, and an associate professor of religious studies, was featured on the College of Arts and Sciences News page for her dedication to fostering an inclusive academic environment through initiatives that promote diverse faculty recruitment and community involvement. With a background in social justice and leadership, Dr. Bostic emphasizes empathetic listening and collaboration as essential tools for building a more inclusive campus.

Read the feature here

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Religious Studies Courses for the Spring 2025 Semester

With the first exams of the Fall semester behind us, it’s never too early to look toward the future! Registration for the Spring 2025 semester begins on November 11th, are you ready to beat the crowd and build your dream schedule? Now is your chance to plan ahead; spring courses are officially live on SIS!

See the complete list and descriptions for all RLGN classes offered, here.

For JWST, visit here.

For AFST, visit here.

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Second of Five Finite Future Lectures: Andrea Jain, “Swallowing the Future: Cynicism, Nostalgia, and Other Capitalist Techniques for Going Nowhere” 10/10/24

What if it’s too late to avoid some kind of ecological catastrophe? Maybe it’s not, and we should be doing everything we can so that it isn’t. Still, what if it is? Shouldn’t we also be talking about that? What kind of a future do we want to create for ourselves on such a horizon? What might it mean to collapse well?

Andrea Jain, professor of religious studies at Indiana University, presents “Swallowing the Future: Cynicism, Nostalgia, and Other Capitalist Techniques for Going Nowhere,” the second lecture in a series of free public lectures by internationally renowned scholars and public intellectuals made possible by the Henry Luce Foundation

Thursday, October 10th at 4:30pm

Clapp Hall, Room 108

2080 Adelbert Rd. Cleveland, OH 44106

Free to the Public, no registration required

Andrea Jain is editor of the Journal of the American Academy of Religion | Oxford Academic (oup.com)

Find her books here: Selling Yoga: From Counterculture to Pop Culture and Peace Love Yoga: The Politics of Global Spirituality

Read more about the lecture series and the Finite Futures project

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Building Human-Earth Connections through Ecological Action: A talk with Dr. Chris Chapple

Religious Studies is happy to welcome Dr. Chris Chapple, Doshi Professor of Indic and Comparative Theology and founding director of the Master of Arts in Yoga Studies at Loyola Marymount University. Dr. Chapple will be presenting a short lecture on Wednesday, October 2nd in the Tomlinson Hall Library. The event is free to attend, no registration required, refreshments will be provided

Wednesday, October 2nd

12pm – 2pm

Tomlinson Hall Library, Rm 239

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Professor Jue Liang to present, “To Be A Woman: Mothers, Yoginis, & Tantric Teachers in Tebetan Buddhism” at the Frank Musem of Art

Professor Jue Liang (along with Professor Kati Fitzgerald from Wittenberg University) has been invited to speak at the Frank Museum of Art, Otterbein University on Friday, October 4, 4pm-5:30pm. Titled “To Be a Woman: Mothers, Yoginis, & Tantric Teachers in Tibetan Buddhism,” this is a special lecture in conjunction with the museum’s current exhibition, Gateway to Himalayan Art. Find out more here: https://www.otterbein.edu/gateway-to-himalayan-art-the-rubin-museum/.

Free to the Public, no registration required

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First of Five Finite Future Lectures: Bayo Akomolafe, “Death is a Distraction: Responsibility at Posthuman Precipices” 9/25/24

What if it’s too late to avoid some kind of ecological catastrophe? Maybe it’s not, and we should be doing everything we can so that it isn’t. Still, what if it is? Shouldn’t we also be talking about that? What kind of a future do we want to create for ourselves on such a horizon? What might it mean to collapse well?

Bayo Akomolafe, the 2025 Hildegarde and Elbert Baker Visiting Scholar in the Humanities, presents “Death is a Distraction: Responsibility at Posthuman Precipices,” the first lecture in a series of free public lectures by internationally renowned scholars and public intellectuals made possible by the Henry Luce Foundation

Wednesday, September 25th at 6pm

Thwing Center, Excelsior Ballroom

11111 Euclid Ave. Cleveland, OH 44106

Free to the Public, no registration required

For more on Bayo Akomolafe visit: www.bayoakomolafe.net and www.emergencenetwork.org

For more on Finite Futures visit: Finite Futures | h.lab | Case Western Reserve University

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An Article by Dr. Deepak Sarma, “Gestational Surrogacy and Hindu Bioethics: The Karma of Genetics and the Genetics of Karma”

Professor Deepak Sarma has written an article for Canopy Forum: On the Interactions of Law & Religion, diving into the cross-racial surrogacy and surrogacy in India from a Hindu perspective, a perspective not yet studied significantly. The article raises critical questions about surrogacy between Hindu surrogates and non-Hindu parents, highlighting concerns over bodily exchanges and their effects on purity and karma. While the Brahminical perspective stresses maintaining caste boundaries, it notes that most Hindus don’t follow these strict beliefs. Dr. Sarma also addresses the 2018 ban on commercial surrogacy in India and the lingering bioethical concerns surrounding earlier surrogacy cases.

Click here to read the full article

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