Parliament of Worlds Religion 1993 Chicago IL

Author(s): Parliament of the World’s Religions
Publisher: USA Parliament of the Worlds Religions

Page 128

The Academy-Wednesday, September 1
SESSIONS 7–12, WEDNESDAY, 9/1
for a post-modern, depatriarchalized, and de-anthropomor
phized oulook? We will draw on various contemporary natuSESSION 7
ralisms and ontological creativity. This will be an exploration of
both theory and practice. 10:00 AM–10:30 AM Sandburg Wing #7
Rev. J. Harley Chapman-Ph.D., ordained United Church of Christ "The Seduction of Eve and
Minister; Dean, Liberal Arts Division, William Rainey Harper College. the Exegetical Politics of Gender"
2:30 PM–3:00 PM Sandburg Wing #7 Rabbi Reuven Kimelman
“Ecological Sustainability and This lecture presents a partial defense of the egalitarian reading of the opening chapters of Genesis. It presents a reading of the Eden
the Integrity of Creation" Story that underscores the significance of featuring both woman and Rev. Joseph E. Bush serpent. With regard to method, it links narrative studies, especially This presentation compares the World Council of Churches' those of the reader-response school, and studies on symbolism with recent reflection on the natural environment with the WCC's earworks on feminism, sexuality, and personality. It argues that the key
lier reflection in the 1970's about the sustainable society. The to the story lies in understanding the multiple meanings of the name fundamental tension in the WCC's thought about the natural Eve. In grasping these meanings the audience realizes that Adam environment is due not to basic theological or moral differences, and Eve were not so much historical prototypes as they are literary but to different perspectives on the social and natural world. archetypes, for the story, alas, is as much everyone's as it is theirs.
Rev. Joseph E. Bushchairperson, Board of Church and Society, Rabbi Reuven Kimelman-Ph.D.; Professor of Talmud and Midrash,
Northern New Jersey Conference of the United Methodist church; Brandeis University.
adjunct Assistant Professor of Ethics at New Brunswick Theology
Seminary; author of a dissertation for the Ph.D. degree from Drew 10:30 AM–11:00 AM Sandburg Wing #7
University on the subject of the WCC's environmental teaching "By an Immediate Voice':
3:00 PM–3:30 PM Sandburg Wing #7 The Feminist Rhetoric of Anne Hutchinson" "Dominion or Equality? Human Nature Dr. Helen Sterk
and Its Relationship to Nature" This presentation will begin with a brief description of Hutchinson's life. This will be followed by a presentation of
Rev. Roger A. Badham feminist rhetorical theory, and an application of the theory to
The preoccupation with the God of history (the human story) has Hutchinson's rhetoric.
led to a concomitant carelessness re: the God of creation, allowDr. Helen Sterk-Assistant Professor of Communication and
ing utliltarianism. Gordon Kaufmann is pessimistic that Rhetorical Studies. Marquette University, co-author, After Eden:
Christian theology can provide a convincing environmental ethi. Facing the Challenge of Gender Reconciliation; numerous articles on
cal framework. The enlightenment preoccupation with humanigender and communication.
ty over nature expanded the chasm between humankind and
nature. Attempts to construct a coherent ethics without a com11:00 AM–11:30 AM Sandburg Wing #7
prehensive understanding of human nature are bound for fail"Deciphering the Goddess:
ure. Biocentric ethicists demand that humans perceive them
selves as only part of nature yet they appeal to humans to act The Feminine Principle in
responsibly on behalf of nature. It is precisely our responsibility Puranic (Hindu) Accounts of Creation"
('ability to respond') that separates us from nature even while we
are biological entities. The paper concludes by exploring how a Tracy Pintchman
theology of inherent worth can be voiced from within the The essential identity of the Hindu Great Goddess appears to be Christian tradition and ways in which the Church may gain constructed at least in part in and by Puranic cosmogonies,
insight from other religious traditions. which provide the context for her definition. Whichever
Rev. Roger A. Badham-Drew University; former Assistant Director of Goddess is identified as "highest" in a given Purana or Puranic
Religious Work, Corness University; ordained in the United section is assimilated to certain cosmogonic and cosmological
Church of Christ; Plenary Speaker, USAID Conference, principles. These principles are often correlated with different
"Occupational and Environmental Health in Labor Relations," 1992; levels of this goddess's identity which in turn correspond to dif
publications include Constructing a Theology of the Environment, in ferent stages in the process of creation. The conflation of mytho
The Years Ahead: Perils, Promises and Problems; Jewish, Christian and
Muslim Perspectives on Jesus: The 1991 Corness Conference on Religion; logical and philosophical categories that we find in these
Must Scientists Help Define a Better World'? accounts sets the stage for the equation of goddesses and principles, the result is a unique, all-encompassing principle underitood theistically as a Great Goddess. This workshop has a lec
SESSION 9 bure followed by discussion.
2:00 PM2:30 PM Sandburg Wing #7 Tracy Pintchman-Assistant Professor in the Theology Department at a University Chicago; Ph.D., Religious Studies, University of
"Religious Diversity: California, Santa Barbara; area of specialty, the Hindu tradition. The Implications for Monotheism" SESSION 8
Prof. Rita M. Gross, Ph.D.
Because of their history of making exclusive truth claims, 2:00 PM–2:30 PM Sandburg Wing #7
monotheistic religions have had difficulty accommodating reli"Natural Piety as a Spiritual Discipline"
gious diversity and pluralism. Drawing on modern understand
ing of the origin of religion and its function in human life, the Rev. J. Harley Chapman
presentation explores ways in which monotheistic religions The concern with nature has been forced on Western Religious could fine-tune their self-understanding in a pluralistic world. raditions in our time. This presentation will consider natural
Prof. Rita M. Gross, Ph.D.--History of Religions, University of kety as a form of spiritual discipline. What would it mean to
Chicago; 5 years as program chair, Women and Religion section, practice the presence of God" in nature? What would it mean
American Academy of Religion; author, Unspoke Worlds: Women's Religious Lives; and Buddhism After Patriarchy: a Feminist History,
THE PARLIAMENT OF THE WORLD'S RELIGIONS, CHICAGO, 1993 • 127 Jain Education Interational 2010_03 For Private & Personal Use Only