Dr. Jim Pleasant on Infinity

Next Sunday, December 17th we'll hear a presentation from our own Dr. Jim Pleasant, retired faculty in the Department of Mathematics at ETSU. Jim has a talk on infinity and its multiple forms. We look forward to a fascinating and engaging presentation. Please join us at 9:45 in Martin Hall

Dec 10 Richard Rohr

On December 10th we listened to this recording of Fr. Richard Rohr https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9_EHq3UO7I. It was worth it.
On December 3rd we heard member Jim Wilson give his story based on his manuscript "Survival of the Fittest: How God saw me Through." This presentation was thoroughly enjoyable, carried by Jim's naturally good nature and upbeat spirit. He is a man who regularly counts his blessings and feels a deep sense of gratitude and joy in his life.

Carrie Newcomer via On Being

On November 19 and 26 we listened to Carrie Newcomer interviewed by Krista Tippett, host of On Being. I thought was deep, and beautiful. Here's the link: https://onbeing.org/programs/carrie-newcomer-a-conversation-with-music/. See what you think.

Three Sundays

I'm posting to keep track of what we've done. Last week we watched the second half of Krista Tippet's interview of Jonathan Haidt. Today, Nov. 5th, we watched the first half of the indie film, "Living on One Dollar." Next Sunday we'll watch the rest of it. Good stuff.

Jonathan Haidt — The Psychology of Self-Righteousness

Krista Tippet interviews Jonathan Haidt. Preview here: https://soundcloud.com/onbeing/jonathan-haidt-the-psychology-of-self-righteousness-oct2017

Thich Nhat Hanh talks to children about a bell.

For Oct. 15, we'll hear Buddhist monk speak to children about a bell. What could be more interesting than that? Join us at 9:45ish. Preview here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmoZMZJIxbU

One Last Thing Before I Go - My Uncle's Keeper

This Sunday, October 8, we'll listen to a story of reconciliation and redemption. It's an episode of This American Life. In the story, a nephew works to heal the rift between his father and uncle as they discovery how a minor misperception created a decades-long rift. It's an uplifting episode.  We might have listened to this last year. Doesn't matter, it's still good. Please join us. We'll be happy to see you. Preview here: Click

Can a divided America heal?

This Sunday, October 1st, we'll view and discuss an interview with psychologist Jonathan Haidt as he speaks on the origin and faintly possible resolution of a divided America. Haidt references Shakespeare, John Lennon, Robert Putnam ("Bowling Alone"), Jesus and Buddha.
Join us. This'll be good and we'll be happy to see you. 9:45, downstairs in Martin Hall.
Preview here: https://www.ted.com/talks/jonathan_haidt_can_a_divided_america_heal#t-1205418

Revising the Fault Line

This Sunday, July 23rd, we'll hear excerpts from an episode of Radiolab: Revising the Fault Line. Within the story we are confronted with one of the long-standing challenges of Neuroscientists, Mental Health providers and the legal system: where is the boundary of accountability, personal responsibility and free will? A careful look at our history reveals that as scientific knowledge advances, we repeatedly move the "fault line," more so than we may have imagined. But not moving the line is an affront to compassion. Please join us. It's a worthy a challenge.

Dr. Rebecca Nunley, Living for our resume, or for our euolgy

This coming Sunday, July 9th, the Adult Forum will be led by Rebecca Nunley, starting with a recent TED-Talk by David Brooks: "Should You Live for Your Resume...or Your Eulogy?" You can preview Brooks' presentation here: click me.
Please join us at 9:45 in Martin Hall. We'll be delighted to see you, and we're interesting and fun!

Dr. Allysha Martin: Latin American Womens' Narrative

"This coming Sunday, July 2, The Adult Forum will host Dr. Allysha Martin, Assistant Professor of Spanish and Humanities at Milligan College. Her presentation will be extracted from her dissertation on late twentieth-century Latin American womens' narrative with a focus on the role of consumption.

Allysha earned her B.A. at Union University, her M.A. at Middlebury College and Middlebury Sede Prim in Madrid, Spain, and her doctorate in modern languages at University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a specialization in Spanish, where she also received a graduate certificate of study in women’s and gender studies. 

Please join us in Martin Hall at 9:45. We'll be delighted to see you."

To Treat Me, You Have to Know Who I Am

Coming to the Adult Forum, Sunday, June 25th:

To Treat Me, You Have to Know Who I Am 

As part of FPCe’s annual celebration of the LGBTQ community, the Adult Forum will focus on the special issues faced by the LGBTQ individuals as they navigate the health care system. After viewing “To Treat Me, You Have to Know Who I Am,” a short 2011 video produced by New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation and comments by guest speaker Dr. Michael Kauzlarich, participants will share stories, air challenges, and brainstorm solutions. 

Please join us. Tell your friends. All are warmly welcome at 9:45 in Martin Hall.

Rev. Roger Ray -- Spirituality Beyond Theism

Many of you will be familiar with Rev. Roger Ray, pastor at Community Christian Church in Springfield, Mo. This Sunday we hear and discuss one of Rev. Ray's recent sermons on Spirituality Beyond Theism. If you'd like to preview, here's the video: Click me. As always, please feel that you'll be warmly welcome. Join us at 9:45 in Martin Hall.

More Rohr!

This coming Sunday, May 14 (Mother's Day) we will hear another bit by Fr. Richard Rohr. This one is an interview with Krista Tippett and On Being. Here's the link: https://onbeing.org/programs/richard-rohr-living-in-deep-time/
We'll listen to the second half.
9:45, Martin Hall.
Join us.
We're fun!

Fr. Richard Rohr

Richard Rohr's style is light and deep at the same time. He's not shy about taking on contemporary issues, and casting them in a light of familiarity. From the website: "Spirituality writer and commentator, Brandan Robertson sits down with Fr. Richard Rohr, one of the leading contemplative teachers in our modern world to discuss how to respond to Donald Trump and unjust leaders while maintaining a non-dualistic mindset."
Please be warmly welcome. Join us at 9:45 in Martin Hall.
Here's the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnTC4NNIACk 

Carl Jung in Don Cupitt's "Sea of Faith" Redux

This coming Sunday, April 30 we'll have a second look at part of Don Cupitt's excellent series, "Sea of Faith" In this series Cupitt compares psychiatrists Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung to show their striking similarities and profound dissimilarities with respect to religion and spirituality. It's a good show. Join us 9:45.
Preview here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcthKnvY2hE

Frank Schaeffer, an atheist who believes in God

Frank Schaeffer, Jr., son of one of the worlds most influential evangelicals, abandoned conservative Christianity to take up a life of painting and writing. His recent book, "Why I'm an Atheist Who Believes in God" reveals his conviction that if your faith is not informed by doubt, it doesn't qualify as faith, but rather is an addiction to a doctrine of certainty. This Sunday, April 23rd we'll hear excerpts of his talk at Google, which you can preview, here. Please join us in Martin Hall at 9:45

Bishop Spong -- "He did not die for your sins"

This Sunday, April 9th we'll view and discuss a sermon by Bishop John Shelby Spong entitled, "The Cross as the Moment of Glory -- He Did Not Die for Your Sins." The sermon is taken from the Gospel of John, and in part from Isaiah 40. It's a powerful message. Please join us.

John Dominic Crossan -- The Last Week

This Sunday, April 2, we'll hear and talk about a sermon by John Dominic Crossan as he takes a close look at Jesus during his last week. A well-known progressive scholar and author, Crossan has an engaging talent of putting the life and actions of Jesus in the first century into practical, accessible language. Please join us in Martin Hall at 9:45. If you'd like to preview the video, click here.

Our Opioid Problem

Our US prescription narcotic problem, by a wide margin, is greatest in Republican states that have the lowest levels of state spending, and surprisingly, where citizens claim the highest rates of church attendance. These are demonstrable, objective facts. Tennessee and Alabama appear to be ground zero. Several states, including Tennessee have enacted laws to reduce prescriptions for narcotics, but the demand for and use of heroin is on the rise, especially among white, middle-class women.
This coming Sunday, we'll look at the scope of the problem, some of its associated social, political and economic factors, and we'll entertain your thoughts and recommendations about where to go from here.
Please join us for a lively discussion at 9:45 this coming Sunday, March 12, in Martin Hall. All are welcome.

Celebrating Evolution with Dr. Julie Wade

This Sunday, February 12, we begin our annual celebration of Evolution with a multi-session discussion led by our own Dr. Julie Wade. Julie is a retired professor of biology at Milligan College. She earned her master's degree at Cornell University and her doctorate at the University of Tennessee in mammalian biology.
Please join us for a fascinating look into the workings of evolution, and what evolution means to us in our lives.

from the FPCe newsletter:

Evolution Sunday  

 

Celebrations for Darwin Day begin in Adult Forum on 

Feb. 12 at 9:45 am. For the 13th year, Julie Wade will present a series of talks on evolution designed to enlighten folks who do not understand what an amazing process evolution is and how it is still occurring.  This year we shall be looking at how evolution is impacting our daily lives and changing us in ways Darwin could not have imagined.  We shall look at our genome, our epigenome, our microbiome, and our virome, all of which as they work together have changed the speed at which evolution is occurring. 

In today's world we have gone from natural selection to unnatural selection by modifying our internal and external environments.  We shall also look at CRISPR used in bioengineering which is allowing us to change our genomes in ways that may be wondrous but that may also be frightening.  Come and join us.

Coming back from Hiatus with Alain de Botton

The Adult forum blog as taken a break and beginning in February, it'll resume. We'll try to give you a preview of the upcoming topics along with serving as a history of where the Adult Forum has been over the past few years.

One thing to be aware of is that we'll be doing our annual series around Evolution Sunday, with Professor Julie Wade leading the discussion. Typically, Julie takes 3 or 4 weeks to go through the topic.

This coming Sunday, we'll hear Alain de Botton's TEDTalk on Atheism 2.0. This is an important talk, not because it advocates atheism, but because it focuses on what's good about religion. Ironic, yes, but worthwhile.

Please be warmly invited to join us at 9:45 in Martin Hall. Childcare is provided.