Public forums at UW-Parkside offer different looks at religious topics

By Lee Roberts

Saturday, October 1, 2005 2:03 AM CDT

It's not often that such a wide range of topics comes together under one roof. From now through May, everything from stem cell research to the tensions within Islam will be discussed in the same room on the University of Wisconsin-Parkside campus in a series of public forums.

The common thread that links them all together is religion. And, as the series' name implies, the goal of "Perspectives on Religious Issues" is to present a variety of perspectives on spiritual subject matter.

"This year's series might rightly be called `Exploring the Edges of Faith,' " said Wayne Johnson, emeritus professor of philosophy at UW-Parkside and one of the forums' coordinators. And, while the discussions are meant to be intellectually interesting, sometimes they are also fun, Johnson said.

Topics such as "Value and Virtue in a Godless Universe" and "The Future of the Catholic Church Under Benedict XVI" are designed to expand people's thinking about religious issues in a variety of faiths. And, those attending the talks get to have some input into what direction they'd like to see those explorations take as coordinators ask for feedback from regular attendees as to what subjects they'd like to see on the schedule.

"It is important to allow people to see that there are alternatives to traditional religion," said Morris Firebaugh, emeritus professor of computer sciences at UW-Parkside and co-coordinator of the forum. "I feel that stimulating people to think about and evaluate their own religious convictions is a good thing."

Edginess is nothing new for this series, which was first offered in 1998. Through the years speakers have addressed many controversial issues including "Segregation, Racism and The Churches," "A Feminist Liberation Look at the Bible," and "Were Our Founding Fathers Really Christian?" They have also explored the connection between science and spirituality in discussions such as "Darwin's Religion: The Devolution of a Faith," and "The Age of Spiritual Machines: What Happens When Computers Exceed Human Intelligence."

Ethics, morality, history, philosophy - it's all here. Such variety and scope is what keeps Sandra Pendell coming back to Parkside each month for the forums.

"It is fun to hear all the different viewpoints about religion," she said. "It is also a wonderful way to heighten understanding between cultures."

One of Pendell's favorite sessions was Rabbi Dena Feingold's talk about women in Judaism.

"She talked about how it came to be that women in Judaism have positions of leadership," she said. "She is a brilliant, funny speaker and I feel very fortunate that I got to hear her speak. For me it was a very profound experience."

While the speakers are all professionals (professors, clergy, authors, etc.) who present well-researched topics, Pendell said she also appreciates the relaxed, informal atmosphere of the forums.

"You can come and eat your lunch, and sometimes there is a discussion afterward," she said. "Students and professors sometimes drop in and everyone can get to know one another a little."

An average of 40 people attend each forum, according to Firebaugh, and the majority of them are retirees. He and Johnson would like to see more students get involved and encourage anyone who is interested in learning to come and check out the series.

Such thirst for knowledge is what brought Earl and Geri Christianson to the series years ago. The stimulation they found there has kept them coming back month after month and year after year.

"We've made every one of them," said Earl Christianson, former director of corporate security for Case-New Holland. And he and Geri are still as intrigued by the topics today as they were several years ago.

"Geri was so thrilled when I showed her the list of topics for this year," he said. "They are all over the spectrum."

Each speaker has something unique to offer and the insights gained reach beyond an increased knowledge of religion to a better understanding of many things from politics to world issues, Christianson said.

"Reading the newspaper makes more sense," he said. "It allows you to go behind the story."

Having a series like this on campus helps to fulfill the university's role in opening people's minds and brings people from outside the university to the campus, Christianson said.

He said he also appreciates Johnson and Firebaugh volunteering their time to organize the series and line up all the speakers.

"They are doing a very good thing for the community," he said.

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