MIT: Independent Activities Period: IAP

IAP 2017 Activities by Sponsor - Blue Ocean Faith

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BON VOYAGE: Leaving Faith on Good Terms

Sebastian Garza, Secular Society of MIT, President, Sohan Dsouza, Secular Society of MIT, Editor of The Reason Review, Adam Reynolds, Blue Ocean Faith Chaplain

Feb/01 Wed 07:00PM-09:00PM TBD

Enrollment: Unlimited: Advance sign-up required
Sign-up by 01/30

MIT is a place of discovery; sometimes we discover that that our beliefs and values have shifted. Maybe we even find ourselves shedding one identity and embracing another. A significant chunk of people at MIT are leaving or have left Christianity to explore and embrace a more secular approach to life. For some this transition may happen naturally and smoothly; for others it may be significantly difficult and painful.

The exit process is often made worse by things like preachy, dogmatic threats of eternal punishment, social ostracism, severed friendships and lots of attempts to persuade and argue instead of sincere listening. Arrogance, self-righteousness and certitude leave little room for honest doubt, healthy skepticism and true exploration of what’s compelling and meaningful.

In this special IAP event, the Secular Society of MIT will offer a warm welcome into community to those exploring secularism while one of MIT’s Christian chaplains will offer parting words of blessing and affirmation to those whose authentic journey is leading them out of Christianity. There will also be a time for sharing stories of leaving faith and offering support for those who are in a spiritual transition or contemplating one.

Plus FREE DINNER and DESSERT!

You can register for this event here.

 

Sponsor(s): Secular Society of MIT, Blue Ocean Faith
Contact: Adam Reynolds, ADAM1@MIT.EDU


Shadow Magicians: Finding Freedom to Become Yourself

Adam Reynolds, Blue Ocean Faith Chaplain

Jan/10 Tue 02:00PM-04:00PM 36-144
Jan/13 Fri 02:00PM-04:00PM 36-144
Jan/17 Tue 02:00PM-04:00PM 36-144
Jan/20 Fri 02:00PM-04:00PM 36-144
Jan/25 Wed 02:00PM-04:00PM 36-144
Jan/26 Thu 02:00PM-04:00PM 36-144
Feb/01 Wed 02:00PM-04:00PM 36-144
Feb/02 Thu 02:00PM-04:00PM 36-144

Enrollment: Limited: Advance sign-up required
Sign-up by 01/09
Limited to 10 participants
Attendance: Repeating event, participants welcome at any session
Prereq: None

Whether through bad habits, negative thought patterns, or counterproductive behaviors, we all have a 'shadow' that sabotages us at times.

This unique experiential course will teach key concepts and skills for exploring our shadows through analyzing emotions and addressing the impact of formative experiences on our operating beliefs and behaviors. We will gain a higher level of self-awareness and begin the process of troubleshooting deep-seated obstacles to success and happiness.

Issues that can be explored include:

 

Concepts and skills taught include:

 

You must register for the sessions you will attend. We have 10 spots per session. You will be placed on a wait-list if registration for a session is full.

Timeliness: Due to the personal nature of the course, the door will close at 10 minutes past the hour. No one will be admitted to the day’s session after that point, although you are welcome to attend future meetings.

Email shadow-magicians-staff@mit.edu with questions.

shadowmagicians.mit.edu

Sponsor(s): Blue Ocean Faith
Contact: Adam Reynolds, W11-011, 617-359-7457, ADAM1@MIT.EDU


STAR WARS: A Spiritual Journey

Karl LaClair, Protestant Chaplain, Adam Reynolds, Blue Ocean Faith Chaplain

Enrollment: Advanced sign-up appreciated (but not required)
Limited to 20 participants
Attendance: Participants welcome at individual sessions

Have you ever found yourself swept up in a galaxy far, far away with a sense of wonder and amazement at the possibility of living a truly heroic life?  Have you ever wondered if our fascination with heroic journeys might mean we are destined to someday embark on our own epic life journey?  

In this series we will be examine the quintessential mythology of our generation to see what we can learn about living a life of heroic purpose. We’ll focus on the hero’s journey of Luke Skywalker from Star Wars and how his story is one of personal and spiritual growth.  We will look at clips from Star Wars Episodes IV, V, and VI and key scenes where we see Luke struggle and grow in his own epic spiritual journey.  We’ll explore how the archetypal spiritual journey of Luke Skywalker can inspire our own personal and spiritual growth. 

Whether you’ve seen Star Wars a million times or zero times, anyone is welcome at this series, which will explore the impact of a hero’s spiritual journey and how it can speak to us in our own lives.

Plus FREE FOOD - A feast fit for a Wookie! (or an Ewok)

Hosted by Karl and Adam (<--- These ARE the droids you're looking for.)

Sign up here: https://goo.gl/forms/1BIADygnp6VvP6162

Sponsor(s): Blue Ocean Faith
Contact: Karl LaClair, W11-011, 617-252-1780, klaclair@mit.edu


Episode IV

Jan/16 Mon 07:00PM-08:30PM 4-153

Karl LaClair - Protestant Chaplain, Adam Reynolds - Blue Ocean Faith Chaplain


Episode V

Jan/23 Mon 07:00PM-08:30PM 4-153

Karl LaClair - Protestant Chaplain, Adam Reynolds - Blue Ocean Faith Chaplain


Episode VI

Jan/30 Mon 07:00PM-08:30PM 4-153

Karl LaClair - Protestant Chaplain, Adam Reynolds - Blue Ocean Faith Chaplain


The Heretic's Club: Jesus-"The Way" OR "in the way"? (Dinner)

Adam Reynolds, Blue Ocean Faith Chaplain

Jan/25 Wed 07:00PM-08:30PM 5-231

Enrollment: Limited: Advance sign-up required
Sign-up by 01/23
Limited to 20 participants

The Heretic's Club is a new IAP series combining good food and good conversation on spirituality, religion and the big questions of life. As the name would imply, diverse viewpoints and backgrounds are welcome and the doors are wide open to non-traditional and outside-the-box ways of thinking.

Jesus: “The Way” OR “in the way”? (Dinner)

A large percentage of people lean toward believing in some kind of “God”. In the U.S. and elsewhere, many people have also been exposed to various expressions of Christianity where belief in God is equated with belief in Jesus as “God’s Son,” “the savior of the world,” “fully God and fully man,” etc. While Jesus as either myth or historical figure has much to recommend him, many people take issue with the idea that those who have faith in Jesus are “saved” while all others are damned for all eternity. This is sometimes called “the problem of exclusivity” and it is, understandably, a dealbreaker for many people. Are there other paradigms that might disrupt this impasse? What about other world religions? How do they and how can they relate to faith in Jesus?

While not claiming to have any definitive answers, this Heretic’s Club conversation will hazard directly into this tension with hopes of promoting more inclusivity and less divisiveness.

Includes free dinner!

Please register here.

Other Heretic's Club Sessions:

 

Sponsor(s): Blue Ocean Faith
Contact: Adam Reynolds, W11-011, ADAM1@MIT.EDU


The Heretic's Club: Science and Spirituality (Lunch)

Adam Reynolds, Blue Ocean Faith

Jan/24 Tue 01:00PM-02:30PM 5-231

Enrollment: Limited: Advance sign-up required
Sign-up by 01/23
Limited to 20 participants

The Heretic's Club is a new IAP series combining good food and good conversation on spirituality, religion and the big questions of life. As the name would imply, diverse viewpoints and backgrounds are welcome and the doors are wide open to non-traditional and outside-the-box ways of thinking.

Science and Spirituality (Lunch)

Have you ever had your breath taken away by a mountain-top view or an incredible piece of music? Have you ever felt goosebumps from an equation that captures a physical observation or from the biochemistry of DNA? Science is alive with the sacred and our lives are pregnant with purpose and meaning. Yet we often compartmentalize our intellectual and spiritual selves into different boxes, imposing barriers that limit and constrain us. How can we move towards integration of our scientific and spiritual selves and gravitate towards being whole, authentic people?

In this Heretic’s Club discussion, we’ll explore potential points of harmony between science and spirituality such as wonder, beauty, creativity and awareness. We’ll also brainstorm and compare notes on various spiritual practices that actually fit into the MIT lifestyle and promote spiritual thriving.

Includes free lunch!

Please register here.

Other Heretic's Club Sessions:

 

Sponsor(s): Blue Ocean Faith
Contact: Adam Reynolds, W11-011, ADAM1@MIT.EDU


The Heretic's Club: Somewhere between Faith and Atheism (Dinner)

Adam Reynolds, Blue Ocean Faith Chaplain

Jan/18 Wed 07:00PM-08:30PM 5-231

Enrollment: Limited: Advance sign-up required
Sign-up by 01/16
Limited to 20 participants

The Heretic's Club is a new IAP series combining good food and good conversation on spirituality, religion and the big questions of life. As the name would imply, diverse viewpoints and backgrounds are welcome and the doors are wide open to non-traditional and outside-the-box ways of thinking.

Somewhere between Faith and Atheism (Dinner)

These days many people find themselves somewhere in the gray area between having faith in a divine being and being convinced that there is no God. The religious side of things may feel too rigid, dogmatic, intolerant and exclusive while the secular side may feel too closed-off to wonder and spiritual experience and/or perhaps too isolated from positive and supporting community. Not fitting into either category can leave some people feeling “spiritually homeless”—especially those who appreciate having active spiritual engagement and community as a part of their life. What sort of opportunities and possibilities are there for those of us who live in this kind of ambiguity and yet still crave spiritual engagement?

This Heretic’s Club session will provide no definitive answers! Yet we think there will be a lot of value in exploring this topic together and sharing our own stories of embarking on an unscripted spiritual journey.

Includes free dinner!

Please register here.

Other Heretic's Club Sessions:

 

Sponsor(s): Blue Ocean Faith
Contact: Adam Reynolds, W11-011, ADAM1@MIT.EDU