Women in Abrahamic Traditions

The Institute for Interfaith Dialog (IID) cordially invites you to a panel discussion about “Women in Abrahamic Traditions.”

Tuesday April 6 at 6:30 p.m.

The Institute of Interfaith Dialog

4444 N. Classen Blvd.

Oklahoma City, OK 73118

A panel discussion by the women leaders of the three Abrahamic Faiths:  The three distinguished panelists are:

Rabbi Abby Jacobson, Rabbi, Emanuel Synagogue

Dr. Barbara Boyd, Outreach Director, OU Religious Studies

Sheryl Siddiqui, Director from community relations for the Islamic Society of Tulsa

The panel will be moderated by Dr. Jill Irvine from OU Women’s and Gender Studies.  The event is not exclusive to women.  Men are encouraged and welcome to attend.  Some of the areas of discussion include: 1) How has feminism impacted the discourse of women’s participation in society?  2) How might women of the various Abrahamic traditions work together today to address women’s issues worldwide?  3) How does each religious tradition respond to issues of women’s reproductive health such as the use of contraceptives and abortion?  4) And much more….

For more information: okosman@interfaithdialog.org; 405.702.0222.  This event is free of charge and open to the public.

Is the New Testament forged?

Thursday March 25th at the Sam Noble Museum of Natural History

Book signing at 6:30 p.m.

Public Lecture at 7:00 p.m.

The University of Oklahoma College of Liberal Studies, Honors College, Department of English and Religious Studies Program present

A FREE PUBLIC LECTURE:   “IS THE NEW TESTAMENT FORGED? Who Were the Authors of the Christian Bible?”

By:  DR. BART EHRMAN

James A. Gray Distinguished Professor and Chair, Department of Religious Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; author of over twenty-five books, including: Lost Christianities, Misquoting Jesus and recently, Jesus, Interrupted.

This lecture is supported by 2010 Presidential Dream Course Funds.  Presented in conjunction with the Feaver-MacMinn Seminar.  FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONTACT RELS OUTREACH 325-3350

Bangladesh Night 2010

Student Association of Bangladesh (SAB) cordially invites you to the BANGLADESH NIGHT 2010. This year, our theme is “Dola Dere”, meaning “Swing to the Melody”. The Cultural Show, featuring Bangladeshi Traditions and Heritage, is on February 20th, Saturday, at 6.30 pm at Meacham Auditorium.

An authentic Bangladeshi Dinner will be served at Old Town Hall followed by the Cultural Show. Cultural Show Entry and Dinner is FREE for all OU Students, Faculty and Staffs.

The Cultural Event will exhibit presentations about Bangladesh, Poem, Song, Dances, and Musical Performances from Bangladesh. Your presence at this event will be highly appreciated by the Bangladeshi Students and Community at OU.

For further information, please visit our booth at the OKLAHOMA MEMORIAL UNION from Feb 15th to Feb 19th, 2010 or email us at sab@ou.edu.

Journey Programs

Don’t miss your chance to study abroad this summer, and earn General Education credits in the process!

Journey Programs are designed exclusively for OU students in collaboration with our partner universities abroad.

This year we have three Journey programs: Journey to China, Journey to Latin America and Journey to Italy.

All program participants receive a $1,500 travel stipend.

Application materials are due by February 26, 2010.  For more information, please visit studyabroad.ou.edu or contact Education Abroad at 325-1693.

Roy Zimmerman Benefit

REAL AMERICA: Songs of War, Ignorance & Greed

Singer/Songwriter & Political Humorist, Roy Zimmerman

Saturday February 27th, 8 p.m.

Norman Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (1309 W. Boyd)

Roy’s music veers left of center and takes a light hearted, yet poignant and sometimes biting, look at war, the economy, poverty, ignorance, bigotry, neo-conservatism, homophobia, creationism, greed, lust, and fear.

Suggested donation: $15 at the door

For info, call Susan at 226-9627 or email at nuuf@cox.net.

Spanish Language Program in Puebla MX

OU students have the rare opportunity to fulfill their Spanish requirements during a five-week (May 23 – June 25) or six-week (May 23 – July 2) Study Abroad program in Puebla, Mexico, at a cost equivalent to taking five hours of Spanish while living on the Norman campus. In addition to studying Spanish, you will be immersed in Mexican history, culture, arts, architecture and family life. One of Mexico’s most beautiful cities, Puebla brings prehispanic and viceroyal heritage together with modern industry and a business influence.

The summer program is approved for Span 1115, 1225, 2113, 2223. Higher levels must be pre-approved through Shawn Gralla. The six-week program includes a one-week education or health professions emphasis. The immersion experience gained by students during the five/six week summer program is invaluable for any college major. The College of Education has worked with Education Abroad, and Puebla faculty to develop the Summer Immersion course in Puebla. The immersion experience gained by students during the six week summer program is invaluable for any college major.

If you’d like to learn more about getting outside the traditional classroom and into the global classroom, please plan on attending a formal information session being offered by the Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education. This session is scheduled for:

Thursday, February 18, 2010

5 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

Cate Center – Building 4 • Room 351

FREE PIZZA WILL BE SERVED

Any questions can be directed to Sherry Cox, Assistant Dean Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education, scox@ou.edu.

Beyond Apologetics Symposium Set for Feb. 25

Six nationally known scholars and pastors will propose new ways of thinking about ministry with transgendered, bisexual, lesbian and gay people during a public symposium at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 25, at the Tabbernee Conference Center of Phillips Theological Seminary, 901 N. Mingo Road in Tulsa.

Speakers will present summaries of their scholarly work and describe its importance to BLTG people, congregations, and the broader community. Topics include the dynamics of the “closet” in church settings, internalized homophobia and sexual shame, transgender experience as a resource for pastoral care, bisexual embodiment, and contextual care with GLBT-identified people.

There will be time for questions and discussion. The symposium is free and open to the public.

The event is part of a larger project titled Beyond Apologetics: Sexual Identity, Pastoral Theology, and Pastoral Practices, which brings together 12 North American scholars and pastors to begin creating a new generation of thought and practice for ministry with GLBT people.

“We are creating conversations among scholars, ministry professionals, and broader communities who share concerns about the health and well-being of LGBT people,” said Duane Bidwell, a former member of the Phillips faculty and currently on faculty at the Claremont School of Theology in California, who co-directs the project with Joretta Marshall of Brite Divinity School.

“Congregations can access a lot of resources that offer an ‘apologetics of inclusion’ for involving GLBT persons in the life of the church without condemning them,” he said.

“We want to move beyond arguments for inclusion to arguments for engagement. Pastors and others need theological stances and practices that take the experiences of GLBT persons seriously, so that those experiences shape the life of congregations and denominations.

“Our primary goal is to help spiritual caregivers and others engage in meaningful, informed, and proactive ministry with GLBT people.”

To that end, the project will contribute to pro-active pastoral care texts and models of education for seminaries, local congregations and pastoral care specialists, including mental-health professionals who integrate spirituality into their work.

The project was initiated by researchers at two Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) seminaries—Phillips Theological Seminary in Tulsa, OK and Brite Divinity School in Fort Worth, TX. Financial support is provided by the Carpenter Foundation.

Bidwell said “Beyond Apologetics” will create practical theologies that acknowledge and integrate GLBT experiences, theologies and theories. The spiritual and theological practices and understandings that will be generated—focused on gender, identity, sexuality, and community action—have the potential to benefit people of all sexual orientations, he said.

More than twenty local, state and regional LGBT organizations and faith communities have become local partners of the project, lending their names in support of its purpose.

Scholars and pastors presenting their preliminary work on Feb. 25 include:

• John Blevins, Emory University
• Malcolm Himschoot, United Church of Christ Minister
• Joretta Marshall, Brite Divinity School
• Darnell Moore, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey
• Jason Hays, Brite Divinity School
• Leanne Tigert, Andover Newton Theological School

Other participants in the “Beyond Apologetics” project include:

Duane Bidwell, Claremont School of Theology
Kathleen Greider, Claremont School of Theology
Jeanne Hoeft, Saint Paul School of Theology
David Mellott, Lancaster Theological Seminary
Benjamin Reynolds, Chicago Theological Seminary
Steve Sprinkle, Brite Divinity School

For more information, e-mail beyond.apologetics@ptstulsa.edu. You can learn more at www.beyondapologetics.wordpress.com, or on Facebook under Beyond Apologetics.

16th Annual Norman Mardi Gras Parade

When: Saturday February 13th at 6:45 p.m.

Where: We step off from the Santa Fe Depot on Jones St (Norman) and go north, then east along the 100 & 200 blocks of Main to Crawford, south to Comanche, and back around for another loop.

What: Food pantry collection bins will be placed along the route and volunteers with Community Action will also collect during the parade.  Donations of canned meats and vegetables, soups and chili, pasta and sauce, cereal, and peanut butter and jelly are especially appreciated.

King & Queen of Mardi Gras: Senator John & Beth Sparks

Theme: “All You Need Is Love”

Food Drive sponsored by the Norman Mardi Gras Parade Committee: The 2010 Norman Mardi Gras Parade is dedicated to Norman’s non-profit and public agencies who better the lives of our children, families, elders, and animal friends.

For more information: Email at – NormanMardiGrasParade@gmail.com or call Ed Kearns at – 360.3279.

Share Your Heart Food Drive

Between January 30th and February 12th, please bring food donations to the Children’s Department of the Norman Public Library.  Your donation will benefit Norman families through the Community Action Agency Food Pantry.  The pantry serves over 100 families and the need is growing due to the current economic situation.  Donations of canned meats and vegetables, soups and chili, pasta and sauce, cereal, and peanut butter and jelly are especially appreciated.

Faculty, Students Volunteer Time, Talent to Aid Haiti

Some faculty and students of the University of Oklahoma School of Music have volunteered their time and talents to present Hour of Need … Hour to Help, a benefit concert to help Haitian relief efforts at 4 p.m., on Sunday, Jan. 31, in Sharp Concert Hall. Musicians for the concert include Jonathan Shames, Stephanie Leon Shames, Irv Wagner and the OU Trombone Choir as well as a myriad of other performers. Gan Matthews, Norman bureau reporter for KWTV-News9, will emcee the concert.

The performance is free and open to the public. Donations are accepted at the door and will go toward the U.S. Fund for United Nations Children’s Fund, supporting UNICEF’s relief efforts for children in Haiti.

“I think Oklahomans can relate in a profound way to the devastation that Haitians experienced last week,” says Steven Curtis, director of the OU School of Music. “We have seen first-hand the impact powerful tornadoes leave behind and even with eye-witness experience of the 1995 Murrah building bombing’s aftermath, the widespread destruction of a 7.1 earthquake is still unimaginable.

“The dire need of day-to-day staples is why our faculty and students have volunteered their time and talent to put together an hour-long concert, to offer a venue to gather monetary aid for the children and people of Haiti. We chose to affiliate with UNICEF because of their core values as a humanitarian organization with 100 percent of the donation reaching the people who need it most.”

According to UNICEF’s Web site, the U.S. Fund for UNICEF is absorbing all, associated administrative costs so that 100 percent of every dollar given to the U.S. Fund for UNICEF will support UNICEF’s relief efforts for children in Haiti.

Cash and check donations are accepted at the door. Checks should be made out to U.S. Fund for UNICEF.

For additional information regarding UNICEF, please visit http://www.unicefusa.org/.

Additional information on the Hour of Need … Hour to Help concert can be found at http://music.ou.edu/.

For accommodations on the basis of disability, please call the Box Office at 405.325.4101.

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