IAP 2014 Activities by Category - Religion and Ethics

Kari Jo Verhulst, Lutheran Chaplain to MIT

Jan/23

Thu

12:00PM-01:30PM

W20 Coffeehouse Loun

Enrollment: Unlimited: No advance sign-up

Jewish, Muslim, and Christian scriptures all contain some version of the story of God commanding Abraham to sacrifice his son, and this text holds a central place in all three of the Abrahamic faiths. This open study will provide an opportunity to learn more about how the 3 traditions approach their texts, as well as open conversation about the challenging questions the story raises about obedience, sacrifice, trust, and God.

Absolutely no prior experience or knowledge required. MIT Chaplains Rabbi Gavriel Goldfeder, Imam Suheil Laher, and Rev. Kari Jo Verhulst will lead the discussion and serve as resources. A vegetarian kosher lunch will be provided. 

Sponsor(s): Hillel, Lutheran Ministry at MIT, Muslim Chaplaincy
Contact: Kari Jo Verhulst, W11-030, 617-252-2325, kverhulst@mit.edu

David Gray

Jan/20	Mon	07:00PM-09:00PM	W11-155 ComRoom
Jan/22	Wed	12:00PM-02:00PM	W11-155 ComRoom

Enrollment: Limited: First come, first served (no advance sign-up)
Attendance: Repeating event, particpants welcome at any session

What is identity? How is it defined by our current society? What role does it play in the pursuit of gender equality? Come explore these and other related topics in a roundtable discussion over a meal on the document ‘Advancing Toward the Equality of Women and Men’ authored by the Institute for Studies in Global Prosperity. Using the document as a framework, we will discuss important subjects such as identity, cultural relativism, the historical forces that have shaped the way people experience power differently, the role of media, and why the equality of women and men is of vital concern to all. The facilitators have experience working with various academic, NGO and faith-based representatives on these topics throughout the United States, Canada and particularly in Washington, D.C. No background is needed on the subject to participate. The rich expertise of all will be valuable to the conversation. Lunch on January 22 and dinner on January 20 will be provided.

Sponsor(s): Bahai Association
Contact: David Gray, (617) 413-0845, dgray@mit.edu

Ora Gladstone

Jan/26

Sun

12:30PM-08:45AM

Meet-Lobby W11-RAC, We will walk 1/2 mile to 1st Church

Enrollment: Unlimited: Advance sign-up required
Sign-up by 01/22
Prereq: RSVP and cell #-need to know who's coming

Join the Addir Fellows Interfaith Dialogue on our visit to 2 very different Christian services: 1) 8:00am-St. Paul's AME (African Methodist Episcopal), Cambridge

2) 10:00 - Cathedral of St. Paul (Episcopal).

Meet 7:45am, Lobby - W11.  RSVP - ora@mit.edu, 617-610-1060

Sponsor(s): Chaplain to the Institute, Addir Fellows Interfaith Dialogue
Contact: Ora Gladstone, W11-035, 617-610-1060, ora@mit.edu

Ora Gladstone

Jan/24

Fri

03:45PM-08:00PM

Meet-Lobby W11-RAC, Women-long sleeves, skirt or dress. No electronics

Enrollment: Unlimited: Advance sign-up required
Sign-up by 01/21
Prereq: RSVP and cell #-need to know who's coming

Join the Addir Fellows Interfaith Dialogue on our visit to two very different Friday night/welcoming-the-Sabbath services: 1) 4:30pm Young Israel of Brookline (Orthodox - ID required, cell phones off, no electronics/photos, women-no slacks). 2) 6:00pm Temple Beth Zion (Spiritual, Jewish Renewal, song-filled) followed by a kiddush/light meal.  Call Ora 617-610-1060 to participate and for meeting instructions.

Sponsor(s): Chaplain to the Institute, Addir Fellows Interfaith Dialogue
Contact: Ora Gladstone, W11-035, 617-610-1060, ora@mit.edu

Ora Gladstone

Jan/24

Fri

12:00PM-03:00PM

Meet-Lobby W11-RAC, Women-long sleeves, head scarf

Enrollment: Unlimited: Advance sign-up required
Sign-up by 01/21

Join the Addir Fellows Interfaith Dialogue on our trip to the I.S.B.C.C. (Islamic Society of Boston Cultural Center) for the weekly sermon, Jum'ah/Friday prayer, and a tour of this beautiful center. Women please no bare arms and if possible bring a scarf.  617-610-1060

Sponsor(s): Chaplain to the Institute, Addir Fellows Interfaith Dialogue
Contact: Ora Gladstone, W11-035, 617-610-1060, ora@mit.edu

Amanda Rothschild, PhD student Political Science

Jan/27	Mon	03:30PM-05:00PM	Location TBD
Jan/29	Wed	03:30PM-05:00PM	Location TBD
Jan/30	Thu	03:30PM-05:00PM	Location TBD

Enrollment: Unlimited: Advance sign-up required
Sign-up by 01/20
Attendance: Participants welcome at individual sessions

What are our responsibilities to other human beings in crises ranging from school bullying to mass atrocity? Where does moral courage come from on an individual level? What makes one person a hero and another a bystander? Will states take costly action for the sake of moral goals? Come explore these themes with other MIT students in this seminar series! The series will examine the sources of moral courage and responsibility through discussion of philosophical writings on the subject, individual stories of both heroes and bystanders, and recent events including NATO’s intervention in Libya and the recent suicide of Rutgers freshman Tyler Clementi. Material will be drawn from Camus’s The Plague, Fyodor Dostoevsky’s The Brothers Karamazov, Simon Wiesenthal’s The Sunflower, Phillip Hallie’s Lest Innocent Blood Be Shed,Christopher Browning’s Ordinary Men, and Samantha Power’s A Problem from Hell: America in the Age of Genocide, among others. Although this is a non-credit course, students are encouraged to keep a reflective journal detailing their responses and reactions to course material.

Sponsor(s): Political Science
Contact: Amanda Rothschild, rothscaa@mit.edu

Marissa Feinman, Director of Student Life and Programming, Hillel, Ora Gladstone, Coordinator of the Addir Fellows Program

Jan/30

Thu

03:45PM-07:30PM

Museum of Science, Meet at the museum, travel together to dinner

Enrollment: Limited: Advance sign-up required
Prereq: must pre register for ticket price to be covered

Enjoy this film in the company of an interfaith MIT field trip! After viewing the film at the Museum of Science we'll travel back to MIT and discuss our experience over a delicious free dinner.

Please click here to register in advance. 

Film Description: The Promised Land for the Jews, the Holy Land to Christians, and the Land of the Prophets to the Muslim world.

Explore for the first time in IMAX this crossroads of civilization and faith. Jerusalem is an historic media initiative that comprises a spectacular giant screen film and a multi-year, multi component public education programme.

The film will convey the story of Jerusalem in all its beauty and diversity, illuminating global public opinion and understanding about Jerusalem on a vast scale. We seek to present an exceptional vision of Jerusalem – as a city of universal historical, spiritual, cultural and archaeological importance – and to promote, with unprecedented impact, tolerance and goodwill between Jews, Christians and Muslims.

Sponsor(s): Hillel, Addir Fellows Interfaith Dialogue, MIT - Israel
Contact: Marissa Feinman, (617) 253-2982, mfeinman@mit.edu

Mine Gencel Bek, Visiting Fulbright Professor

Enrollment: Unlimited: No advance sign-up
Attendance: Sign-up and continuous attendance appreciated but not required

Seminar focusing on media and ethics will cover the most prominent issues such as the philosophical foundations, theoretical approaches and journalistic guidelines. Each session will consist of 50 minutes of presentation, followed by discussion. In the final session, participants will have the opportunity to present their own case studies.

Taught by Visiting Fulbright Professor Mine Gencel Bek, professor at the Department of Journalism, Faculty of Communication, Ankara University. Her publications cover a wide range of issues: the political economy of Turkish media; the media policies in the European Union and Turkey; media professionals and textual analysis of news in press and TV on issues such as tabloidization and representation of women and children. Common to all of her work is criticism of unethical practices of irresponsible media and the call for the democratization of societies for freedom and equality, and the democratization of the media, with a special focus on journalism.

Sponsor(s): Comparative Media Studies/Writing
Contact: Rebecca Shepardson, BSHEP@MIT.EDU

---

Jan/08

Wed

02:00PM-04:00PM

4-144

Philosophical foundations of ethics and communication ethics

---

Jan/15

Wed

02:00PM-04:00PM

4-144

Journalism ethics: Theoretical approaches (classical, dialogical and social responsibility)

---

Jan/22

Wed

02:00PM-04:00PM

4-144

Journalism guidelines.  Peace journalism and ethics.

---

Jan/29

Wed

02:00PM-04:00PM

4-144

Presentation and discussion of case studies of participants

Jimena Castro Godoy, Visiting Researcher at BU, Latin American Studies

Jan/15

Wed

10:00AM-12:00PM

66-156, With a short break in the middle

Enrollment: Unlimited: Advance sign-up required
Sign-up by 01/13

In this session we will explore the context and the writings by four nuns of Mexico, Peru, Chile and Spain of the 17th century. We will deepen into how they struggled to become writers in a very regulated environment and also get to understand their feelings, thoughts and the message they tried to communicate despite the male control that reigned in that moment of history.

Sponsor(s): SpousesandPartners@mit
Contact: Jimena Castro Godoy, jimenacastrogodoy@gmail.com

Kevin Ford, MIT InterVarsity Chaplain

Enrollment: Unlimited: No advance sign-up
Attendance: Participants welcome at individual sessions
Prereq: None

Christianity is a worldview that many perceive as inauthentic and unable to effectively engage with modern culture. This course will provide an atmosphere of instruction and dialogue that analyzes topics of faith and science, politics, sexuality, and religious exclusivity focusing on the coherence and application of Christian thinking in 2014.

Sponsor(s): Graduate Christian Fellowship
Contact: Kevin Ford, W11-071, 617-252-1782, IVCF@MIT.EDU

---

Jan/09	Thu	02:00PM-03:15PM	1-273
Jan/16	Thu	02:00PM-03:15PM	1-273
Jan/23	Thu	02:00PM-03:15PM	1-273
Jan/30	Thu	02:00PM-03:15PM	4-257, Note room change

Kevin Ford - MIT InterVarsity Chaplain, Nathan Rittenhouse - RZIM New England Fellow, Alycia Wood - RZIM New England Fellow

Adam Reynolds, Associate Chaplain

Enrollment: Advance sign-up helpful, not required
Sign-up by 01/08
Limited to 12 participants
Attendance: Attending all sessions strongly recommended
Prereq: Curiosity and an open mind!

Seek is a dinner discussion series offering an introduction to and exploration of faith in Jesus and connection with God. Seek is designed to be a non-preachy, non-dogmatic and zero-pressure environment that includes an emphasis on the practical aspects of faith, ample opportunities to ask questions, and informal discussions with a consistent group of similarly curious people.

seek.mit.edu

Sponsor(s): Vineyard Christian Fellowship
Contact: Adam Reynolds, 617-359-7457, ADAM1@MIT.EDU

---

Seek Sessions

Jan/06	Mon	07:00PM-09:00PM	W20-027, Seek #1: Why Consider Faith in Jesus
Jan/08	Wed	07:00PM-09:00PM	W20-027, Seek #2: What's So Important about Jesus?
Jan/13	Mon	07:00PM-09:00PM	W20-027, Seek #3: How Can I Expect Prayer to Work?
Jan/15	Wed	07:00PM-09:00PM	W20-027, Seek #4: How to Get the Best Stuff From the Bible?
Jan/20	Mon	07:00PM-09:00PM	W20-027, Seek #5: Can I Expect God to Guide Me?
Jan/22	Wed	07:00PM-09:00PM	W20-027, Seek #6: Why Friendships Are so Important
Jan/26	Sun	12:00PM-04:00PM	TBD, Seek Holy Spirit Day
Jan/27	Mon	07:00PM-09:00PM	W20-027, Seek #7: What about Evil?
Jan/29	Wed	07:00PM-09:00PM	W20-027, Seek #8: On the Road to Your Impossibly Great Life

Dinner is provided at each session! Each evening will include a presentation on a relevant topic followed by open discussion. 

Location: Student Center Basement Meeting Room (by the elevators).

Sign up at: seek.mit.edu

Adam Reynolds - Associate Chaplain

David Jimenez-Gomez

Feb/01

Sat

11:00AM-01:00PM

56-167

Enrollment: Unlimited: No advance sign-up
Attendance: Repeating event, particpants welcome at any session
Prereq: None

Stoicism is an Ancient Greek philosophical system, mostly devoted to practical ethics. It has a set of philosophical tenets, as well as a toolbox of techniques, which were immensely popular in Ancient Greece and Rome. Among others, writer and politician Seneca and emperor Marcus Aurelius used Stoicism in their daily life.

Despite their pragmatic attitude, Stoics based their philosophy on a wide theoretical background, encompassing physics and logic. Like "philosophical engineers", they strived to derive practical implications  from scientific principles.

After briefly introducing the basic concepts of the philosophy, we will talk about how to apply it through case studies. This workshop is hands-on: participation in the discussions is highly encouraged.

Sponsor(s): Secular Society of MIT
Contact: David Jimenez-Gomez, JIMENEZD@MIT.EDU

Patricia Weinmann, Associate Coordinator, Technology and Culture Forum, Samuel Brinton, Global Zero

Enrollment: Unlimited: No advance sign-up
Attendance: Participants welcome at individual sessions

UNCOVERING IRAN: What You Need To Know About the World’s Most Talked-About Nuclear Program in 2 Delicious Lunches:

Wednesday, January 22: "Persia: The Pertinent History of the Islamic Republic of Iran", with John Tirman, Executive Director, Center for International Studies
Friday, January 24: "Diplomacy in Danger: The Nuclear Build-up and Interim Deal with Iran", with Jim Walsh, Research Associate, Security Studies Program

12:00-1:30pm
4-253

Sponsored by MIT Global Zero and the Technology and Culture Forum at MIT

Sponsor(s): Technology and Culture Forum
Contact: Patricia Weinmann, W11, 617-253-0108, weinmann@mit.edu

---

A Brief History

Jan/22

Wed

12:00PM-01:30PM

(CANCELED)

UNCOVERING IRAN: What You Need To Know About the World's Most Talked-About Nuclear Program in 2 Delicious Lunches

Wednesday, January 22: "Persia: The Pertinent History of the Islamic Republic of Iran", with John Tirman, Executive Director, Center for International Studies

Jonn Tirman - Executive Director, Center for International Studies

---

The Nuclear Build-Up

Jan/24

Fri

12:00PM-01:30PM

4-253

UNCOVERING IRAN: What You Need To Know About the World's Most Talked-About Nuclear Program in 2 Delicious Lunches

Friday, January 24: "Diplomacy in Danger: The Nuclear Build-up and Interim Deal with Iran", with Jim Walsh, Research Associate, Security Studies Program

Jim Walsh - Research Associate, Security Studies Program