Tuesday, March 24, 2009

HRT and the Women's Health Initiative

On Sunday, March 29 the Adult Forum will host Dr. Brooks Pond who will speak on the most recent findings of the Women's Health Initiative with respect to hormone replacement therapy.

Here's her synopsis of her talk:

"Is hormone replacement therapy right for you?
Menopause, which occurs in women at an average age of 51, results in diminished ovarian secretion of the hormones estrogen and progesterone. This results in a number of consequences, including “hot flashes”, sleep disturbances, mood changes, and urinary symptoms. In addition, post-menopausal women have a greater risk for coronary heart disease and osteoporosis. As a result, there has been a focus on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in postmenopausal women, which may include estrogen therapy or combined estrogen-progestin therapy. Although these hormones provide some obvious benefits during the reproductive years, there was still some concern about negative consequences of HRT after menopause. Therefore, in 1991, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and other units of the National Institutes of Health launched the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI), one of the largest studies of its kind ever undertaken in the U.S. The WHI study comprised two large clinical trials including estrogen-only and combined estrogen-progesterone studies that sought to determine definitively the benefits and possible risks of HRT in postmenopausal women. However, both trials were stopped early due to adverse effects. As a result, there is still quite a bit of debate and confusion among clinicians, researchers, and the public at large regarding HRT. In this discussion, we will examine the findings and limitations of the WHI in order to gain a better understanding of the safety and benefits of HRT."

Brooks is a native of Kingsport. She graduated from Centre College (Ky) prior to entering the Ph.D. program in pharmacology at Duke University Medical Center. Following her Ph.D. she worked as a post-doctoral fellow at the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis. Dr. Pond is currently on the faculty in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the Gatton College of Pharmacy at ETSU.

As always, please accept our warm welcome to join us on Sunday morning.

Sunday, March 22, 2009

More on the Myth Of Redemptive Violence

It seemed clear from the discussion that a lot of issues surround the meaning of the death of Jesus.

Our reading material identifies several interpretation of Jesus' sacrifice. Those are:

"Satisfaction Theory: Derived from ancient Jewish ritual practices (including the Day of Atonement) where animals were sacrificed to satisfy God’s need for blood. Jesus becomes the ultimate sacrifice to appease a God who is so offended by human sin, that only the spilling of his own son’s blood will bring satisfaction. Incidentally, Canaanite religions were not the only ones to sacrifice their children to appease Baal and other gods. There are a number of Biblical examples of Judean kings and leaders who also ritually sacrificed their children, much to Yahweh’s displeasure.

Substitution Theory: The death of Jesus is NOT a sacrifice, but a pay-offxto God. Human beings are so sinful that each of us deserves a horrible lingering and bloody death sentence. However, Jesus loves us so much that he was willing to step in and be our substitute. God would just as soon kill us for our sins, but the slaughter of the innocent satiates the Divine’s
blood lust.

Ransom Theory: If through sin, humanity is now stuck in and operating on the Devil’s “turf,” God had to pay off Satan in order to win our freedom. How? By paying with Jesus’ death.

Victory Theory: NOT a payment to the devil (which is the equivalent of giving in to terrorists), but a defeat-in-principle of the power of evil. Through Jesus’ “obedience unto death,” he showed he could take anything that the Devil could dish out.

Moral Theory: Embraces the idea that the real point of Jesus’ obedience and death was to provide an example for humanity to follow – to stay faithful to one’s convictions even in the face of injustice, brutality, and ignorance. The universe is structured to deal with consequences – and
consequences are not punishment. They’re just consequences. Jesus had to deal with the consequences of his actions and so do we."

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

The Myth of Redemptive Violence

For March 22,

It is with some genuine trepidation that I approach this topic. No other that I know will be more troubling for many Christians. No other topic is likely to so strongly stir passions, invoke despair or call so clearly on the anger intrinsic to our being.

Recently I mentioned to my beloved cousin, Catherine, that I did not accept the idea of substitutionary atonement. I do not believe the that Jesus died as a sacrifice necessary to save us from our sin.

Catherine asked, "Then why did he die?"

Why, indeed.

Jesus died because he was killed. He was killed by the establishment that refuses to encounter the presence of God in man. He was killed because he cast his net so broadly, because he called for justice, peace and inclusion, because he dared to tell the oppressed that their sins were forgiven. He was killed because he confronted an established power structure built on an inherent human trait: the love of power that uses fear and violence to control others and itself.

This trait is with us yet. It, along with our capcity for self-deception, is our original sin. But for many, it is sacred.

From the LtQ2 literature:
"The most potent religion in Western culture is not Christianity, but a belief in the redemptive power of violence. Although Jesus inaugurated a new order based on partnership, equality,
compassion and non-violence, his example and teachings have been eclipsed by an emphasis on a human unworthiness that demands and defends the need for Jesus’ violent, suffering, atoning death."

Walter Brueggemann points out that, “We are going to deal theologically with the problem of violence forever because it is intrinsic to our inheritance. The question for God for all of us who follow this God is whether we can resist that stuff that is intrinsically present in our existence.”

"Tennyson wrote that despite any love we may profess of God, despite our claims to revere love as Creation’s final law, we, and nature along with us, are 'red in tooth and claw.' After countless generations of ruthless competition for survival, it’s our nature as human beings to carry within us the primal urge to act out in violent ways. We are a violent species" – and we have folded that violence into out religion as a means of our salvation.

Myths are not 'true' or 'false'; they are alive or dead.
"In 1966, John Lennon was vilified for claiming that the Beatles were more popular than Jesus. While he was probably right, he could have also said that the Myth of Redemptive Violence is more popular than Jesus. From even the most cursory evaluation, it’s clear that the Myth of
Redemptive Violence is not only alive and well, but has completely eclipsed Jesus’ teachings, example, and the basic principles of Christianity. In fact, the Myth of Redemptive Violence managed to infiltrate the writings and teachings of Christianity from such an early date, that many people are unable to separate one from the other."

But if we reject the myth of redemptive violence and discard the notion that Jesus died for our sins, where are we? How are our sins forgiven? Who redeems our souls? From whence comes our eternal salvation?

As always, you're warmly welcomed to the Adult forum.

Friday, March 13, 2009

What about that Stimulus Plan?

Dr. Steb Hipple, professor of economics at ETSU will lead a discussion on the rationale and potential efficacy of current ecnomic stimulus plan.

Join us. You'll be welcome.

Sunday, March 1, 2009

The Life and Legacy of John Calvin

For March 8th, Harrison Taylor will be speaking on John Calvin. Harrison wrote his dissertation on Calvin so he is an authority. He presents a view of Calvin that is unlike the one preceived by most. Calvin was not exactly the man he has been made out to be in the popular press.

Here's Harrison's synopsis:

John Calvin-born 500 years ago - July 11, 1509 in Noyon, France. He was intended by his father [who was excommunicated from the Church] to be a priest---he studied at the University of Paris and other schools in the Classical tradition. Calvin converted to the Reforming movement-was forced out of Paris- and, while travelling, looking for a place to study quietly, was confronted by the Genevan reformer Wm. Farel, with a curse to stay. He began daily lectures [at 5AM] in Geneva on the Bible. His lectures used all the classical tools available. Farel and Calvin were told by the city Council to "preach the gospel of God and quit meddling in politics." Calvin replied "we serve a greater Master" and left for Strassbourg. In 1541 the citizens of Geneva asked Calvin to return. He walked back in September and sought to form a committee to write a church constitution resulting in a model of representative democracy. Calvin died in Geneva in 1564 leaving a legacy of eccumenical contacts, over 60 volumes of theological works and letters, and a grand educational system.

Please join us.