unitarianfellowshipregina

Fred Campbell's four ways of being Unitarian -- humanist, naturalist, theist, mystic

Presenter: Karen Gitlitz, Visiting Minister
Many people identify with more than one way of being Unitarian, and this can be a great strength. A humanist-mystic will share many things with a humanist-naturalist, but they will likely appreciate different types of services. We will look at the four ways in turn, noting what makes them unique and where there are commonalities between them. This could help people who identify as humanist (for example) understand why they might feel more connection with naturalists than with mystics or theists. This could also encourage recognition of common threads.

Ethics Without God

Presenter: Eldon Soifer
Many people see religion as the cornerstone of ethics. Religion has been linked to at least two of the main strands of contemporary ethical thinking: deontology, which emphasizes acting in accordance with duty, and virtue ethics, which encourages us to foster settled character traits that are “virtues” and avoid “vices”. There are versions of each of these theories, however, that do not involve religion. Finally, Plato offers a famous and widely accepted argument to the effect that the existence of God is not really relevant to ethics.

The Sixth Presentation in the series "God is not One"

Presenter: Ethel Struthers According to Prothero, Yoruba religion varies widely across time and space, but practitioners of the different traditions are more closely connected than Mormons, Protestants, and Catholics. Together Yoruba practitioners share the view that the human problem is disconnection, and that the solution to this problem is to reconnect ourselves to our destinies, to one another, and to sacred power.

Equality from Within: Islamic Feminism in the Modern World

Presenter: Andrew Lawn
Along with jihad and issues of violence and terrorism, the place of women in Islam is one of the most contested and misunderstood issues pertaining to Islam in the modern world, particularly in our Western, North American context. Is Islam inherently patriarchal or unfair to women? If so, is this inequality a result of religious directives or is it culturally derived? Most importantly, what do Muslim women themselves have to say about their place in Islam and Islamic societies? In this presentation we consider the work of a number of Muslim feminists who have presented diverse perspectives on gender issues in Islam.

Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth

Book Presentation: Zealot: The life and times of Jesus of Nazareth by Reza Aslan, Presenter: Allyne Knox Reza Aslan is an Iranian-American writer and religious scholar. Zealot offers an interpretation of the life and mission of the historical Jesus.

Challenges of Educating Girls in Tanzania

Presenters:  Jeanette and Robb Taylor
Jeanette and Robb tell us about the important work they continue to assist with in Tanzania.  They explain why it is so important to make sure girls in developing countries like Tanzania get at least their primary education.  They explain how the benefits increase to their communities as the education levels of girls and women increase.

Love, Forgiveness, and Criminal Justice

Presenter:  Terry Fehr, Prison Psychologist, Prince Albert Penitentiary.
As a Mennonite-Unitarian with a distinctly Pagan bent, Terry presented her spiritual views on her work, our correctional/penal system, and our personal role in shaping the way in which we manage our relationships with those who breach trust with us and our community.

How we can help CoSA do its job

On August 25, Amanda Goddard visited us to bring us up to date with what is happening with "Circles of Support and Accountability".  Amanda is the Programme Coordinator of the South Saskatchewan Region and she was able to explain CoSA's purpose and methods in safely reintegrating released sexual offenders into the community.  She also answered questions from the congregation.

Confessions of a Perfectionist

On June 16, visiting Unitarian Minister Antonia Won delivered a presentation discussing her struggles involving living her Unitarian faith.  Can Unitarianism give us the answers we need?

Religion and Reality: a long-running competition

On June 9th Ethel and Jamie Struthers read some essays from Jim Struthers' book to give us a taste of what his collection of essays is all about.  A long time member of the fellowship, and a long time humanist, Jim often put pen to paper to express his view of the world and religion.  We thank Ethel and Jamie for presenting these essays and look forward to reading the book in its entirety.