Exploring the Place of Religion in Three News Stories
Philosophers’ Cafe with David Goa
September-November
Myanmar: the Rhoingya and Buddhist Crisis
When: September 26 • Wednesday • 1:30 – 3PM
Where: Central Lions Seniors Association, 11113 – 113 St, Edmonton
Is the crisis in Myanmar (formerly Burma) a religious war between Buddhists and Muslims? We will explore the depth of this unfolding story and the place Aung San Suu Kyi, Nobel Peace Prize winner, has at its centre. How do Buddhist monks known for a peaceful message in the modern West come to play a role in ethnic cleansing?
Should the Pope Apologize for Residential Schools?
When: October 25 • Thursday • 1:30 – 3PM
Where: Central Lions Seniors Association, 11113 – 113 St, Edmonton
We will explore and discuss the relationship between Roman Catholic religious communities, the Papacy, the Canadian government, and the legacy of residential schools. What is behind the demands? What are the consequences? What is the meaning of “apology” in light of the struggle for reconciliation?
Jerusalem: Holy City, Contested Site?
When: November 8 • Thursday • 1:30 – 3PM
Where: Central Lions Seniors Association, 11113 – 113 St, Edmonton
The government of Israel has welcomed the United States government’s moving of the American embassy to Jerusalem. What has led to this move? Why is it contested? Since the Jewish diaspora, in 70 of the common ere, Jewish religious thought has treasured sacred time over sacred place. Does Israel as a “Jewish nation” signal a shift or development in Jewish self-understanding?