BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Cobb Institute - ECPv6.15.17.1//NONSGML v1.0//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH X-WR-CALNAME:Cobb Institute X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://cobb.institute X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Cobb Institute REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H X-Robots-Tag:noindex X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/Los_Angeles BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0800 TZOFFSETTO:-0700 TZNAME:PDT DTSTART:20230312T100000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0700 TZOFFSETTO:-0800 TZNAME:PST DTSTART:20231105T090000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0800 TZOFFSETTO:-0700 TZNAME:PDT DTSTART:20240310T100000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0700 TZOFFSETTO:-0800 TZNAME:PST DTSTART:20241103T090000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0800 TZOFFSETTO:-0700 TZNAME:PDT DTSTART:20250309T100000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0700 TZOFFSETTO:-0800 TZNAME:PST DTSTART:20251102T090000 END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240827T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240827T120000 DTSTAMP:20260407T055240 CREATED:20240815T192921Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240815T193311Z UID:10001053-1724752800-1724760000@cobb.institute SUMMARY:John Cobb & Friends Gathering: Zhihe Wang\, Meijun Fan and Friends DESCRIPTION:Topic: Celebrating the Summer Programs in China \n\n\n\nPresenters: Zhihe Wang\, Meijun Fan and Friends \n\n\n\nFor many years the Institute for Postmodern Development of China has been sponsoring learning events in China to explore the “process way.”  After a COVID-related hiatus\, the program was back this summer!  With Zhihe Wang and Meijun Fan we will celebrate their report.  Also\, participants in these cross-cultural learning opportunities will be sharing their experience.  We’ll hear from Jay McDaniel\, Bob Mesle\, Barbara Hiles Mesle\, Paul Bube\, John Becker\, and Kevin Clark.   \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTo receive the Zoom info for this gathering\, click the Going button and enter your name and email. \n\n\n\n\n\nIf you would like to receive regular announcements and updates about activities and events at the Cobb Institute\, please join our list of Friends. \n\n\n\nCan’t make it to the live session? Click here to access our archive of Cobb & Friends recordings. URL:https://cobb.institute/event/john-cobb-friends-gathering-zhihe-wang-meijun-fan-and-friends/ LOCATION:Online Via Zoom CATEGORIES:Cobb & Friends ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cobb.institute/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Cobb-Friends-header-1300x500-1.png ORGANIZER;CN="Cobb Institute":MAILTO:events@cobb.institute END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240820T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240820T120000 DTSTAMP:20260407T055240 CREATED:20240815T191631Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240815T192409Z UID:10001052-1724148000-1724155200@cobb.institute SUMMARY:John Cobb & Friends Gathering: Alyn Ware DESCRIPTION:Topic: Pursuing Peace\, Security and Nuclear Disarmament through our Common Humanity \n\n\n\nPresenters: Alyn Ware \n\n\n\nAlyn Ware began his career as a kindergarten teacher\, helping kids learn to get along.  This grew into educational strategies to promote peace in his native New Zealand\, a country that chose to  remain a “nuclear free” zone.  See this description of his role as Interim Director of the World Federalist Movement Institute for Global Policy\, including a long list of awards\, such as the Right Livelihood Award (the alternative Nobel Prize).  Check out his biodata in Wikipedia.  He’s coming to invite our support of current interfaith initiatives aiming for nuclear disarmament now.   \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTo receive the Zoom info for this gathering\, click the Going button and enter your name and email. \n\n\n\n\n\nIf you would like to receive regular announcements and updates about activities and events at the Cobb Institute\, please join our list of Friends. \n\n\n\nCan’t make it to the live session? Click here to access our archive of Cobb & Friends recordings. URL:https://cobb.institute/event/john-cobb-friends-gathering-alyn-ware/ LOCATION:Online Via Zoom CATEGORIES:Cobb & Friends ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cobb.institute/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Cobb-Friends-header-1300x500-1.png ORGANIZER;CN="Cobb Institute":MAILTO:events@cobb.institute END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240813T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240813T120000 DTSTAMP:20260407T055240 CREATED:20240805T011547Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240816T042130Z UID:10001051-1723543200-1723550400@cobb.institute SUMMARY:John Cobb & Friends Gathering: Thomas Atwood DESCRIPTION:Topic: Akashic Follies:  A Fool’s Journey into Mysticism \n\n\n\nPresenters: Thomas Atwood \n\n\n\nWelcome to our play!  Thomas Atwood\, a Cobb Institute regular and retired fool\, will discuss his first large-scale creative writing project: a three-act play with musical elements called Akashic Follies. An imaginative story suffused with historical verité\, this “work in process” traces the co-evolution of four characters through multiple incarnations that span 3\,000 years — from the siege of Jericho to an NPR newsroom. A panexperientialist worldview is assumed\, revealed for the most part in non-coercive dialogue and action. Thomas will reveal a bit of his personal journey and influences\, followed by a brief scene synopsis and summary of next steps toward completion. The presentation will close with a dramatic reading of a draft scene titled Deception\, assisted by four readers familiar to the Cobb Institute community. \n\n\n\nBio:  In 1976\, Thomas Atwood earned a Bachelor’s degree in music education and voice from Boston University. Never one to allow formal schooling to interfere with his education\, he retired from a global software enterprise in 2014 with a job classification of Software Engineer\, without ever having taken a computer science class. He’s an anachronistic dinosaur as well as a fool. Other formative experiences include 30 years as an Associate Member of the Westar Institute (convener of the Jesus Seminar) and a community internship with the Faithful Fools Street Ministry in San Francisco. In retirement\, he co-founded a sister organization on the San Francisco Peninsula called Fools Mission. After a year and a half with the Cobb Institute community\, he is overjoyed to share this “process report” on his play in such excellent company. You can visit his blog site at Fool’s Tales. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTo receive the Zoom info for this gathering\, click the Going button and enter your name and email. \n\n\n\n\n\nIf you would like to receive regular announcements and updates about activities and events at the Cobb Institute\, please join our list of Friends. \n\n\n\nCan’t make it to the live session? Click here to access our archive of Cobb & Friends recordings. URL:https://cobb.institute/event/john-cobb-friends-gathering-2024-08-13/ LOCATION:Online Via Zoom CATEGORIES:Cobb & Friends ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cobb.institute/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Cobb-Friends-header-1300x500-1.png ORGANIZER;CN="Cobb Institute":MAILTO:events@cobb.institute END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240806T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240806T120000 DTSTAMP:20260407T055240 CREATED:20240804T233320Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240816T042000Z UID:10001050-1722938400-1722945600@cobb.institute SUMMARY:John Cobb & Friends Gathering: Jared Morningstar DESCRIPTION:Topic: Process and Neoplatonic Theologies: Panentheism\, Theodicy\, and Ecology \n\n\n\nPresenters: Jared Morningstar \n\n\n\nIn this presentation\, Jared Morningstar will explore the resonances and contrasts between process theism and theologies influenced by Neoplatonic thought. He will show how Neoplatonic theologies think about the Divine and the cosmos in valuable ways that are distinct from the rigid “classical theism” process thinkers rightly critique.  Jared will explore the valuable contributions Neoplatonic thought can have on areas of concern for process thinkers such as the God-world relation\, the problem of evil\, and ecological awareness. He will also suggest ways that Neoplatonic and process perspectives can balance each others’ weaknesses and blindspots.  \n\n\n\nJared is an independent scholar living in Madison\, Wisconsin with academic interests in philosophy of religion\, Islamic studies\, comparative religion\, metamodern spirituality\, and interfaith dialogue. His work in these areas seeks to offer robust responses to issues of inter-religious conflict\, contemporary nihilism\, and the “meaning crisis\,” among other things. Jared graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College in 2018 with degrees in religion and Scandinavian studies and currently works for the Center for Process Studies\, the Cobb Institute\, and the Psychedelic Medicine Association.  \n\n\n\nTo get a head start exploring Jared’s topic for the day\, download his more detailed description.  Also\, he suggests these relevant resources:   \n\n\n\nParsing Process and Traditional Theodicies: A Hope for Synthesis and Collaboration; \n\n\n\nSeeing Beauty in All People through the Mystical Philosophy of Plotinus (on Open Horizons). \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTo receive the Zoom info for this gathering\, click the Going button and enter your name and email. \n\n\n\n\n\nIf you would like to receive regular announcements and updates about activities and events at the Cobb Institute\, please join our list of Friends. \n\n\n\nCan’t make it to the live session? Click here to access our archive of Cobb & Friends recordings. URL:https://cobb.institute/event/john-cobb-friends-gathering-2024-08-06/ LOCATION:Online Via Zoom CATEGORIES:Cobb & Friends ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cobb.institute/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Cobb-Friends-header-1300x500-1.png ORGANIZER;CN="Cobb Institute":MAILTO:events@cobb.institute END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240730T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240730T120000 DTSTAMP:20260407T055240 CREATED:20240702T042853Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240708T190920Z UID:10001018-1722333600-1722340800@cobb.institute SUMMARY:John Cobb & Friends Gathering: Charles Betterton & Friends DESCRIPTION:Topic: Living Earth Movement:  A Progress Report \n\n\n\nPresenters: Charles Betterton & Friends \n\n\n\nThe Living Earth Movement is the latest organization founded in the vision of John Cobb.  Charles Betterton is bringing his networking gift of radical collaboration to the work of this earthist movement\, founded in the hope of cooperation of the United States and China\, aiming toward mutual contributions to an emerging ecological civilization.  See the website at https://livingearthmovement.eco and watch for further details of the guests who will assist us in this progress report. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTo receive the Zoom info for this gathering\, click the Going button and enter your name and email. \n\n\n\n\n\nIf you would like to receive regular announcements and updates about activities and events at the Cobb Institute\, please join our list of Friends. \n\n\n\nCan’t make it to the live session? Click here to access our archive of Cobb & Friends recordings. URL:https://cobb.institute/event/john-cobb-friends-gathering-2024-07-30/ LOCATION:Online Via Zoom CATEGORIES:Cobb & Friends ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cobb.institute/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Cobb-Friends-header-1300x500-1.png ORGANIZER;CN="Cobb Institute":MAILTO:events@cobb.institute END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240723T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240723T120000 DTSTAMP:20260407T055240 CREATED:20240702T002630Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240708T190902Z UID:10001017-1721728800-1721736000@cobb.institute SUMMARY:John Cobb & Friends Gathering: Ernie Tamminga DESCRIPTION:Topic: Teilhard\, Technology and Technolatry: The Internet is Not the Noosphere \n\n\n\nPresenters: Ernie Tamminga \n\n\n\nErnie Tamminga describes himself as a “planet empath.” He is a member of the board of the American Teilhard Association and has been reflecting on Teilhard’s vision for over 50 years. He earned his PhD at the University of California\, Santa Barbara where\, under the mentorship of Raimon Panikkar\, his dissertation was an analysis and critique of Teilhard’s notion of a “privileged axis” of evolution. Ernie is a trained Spiritual Director\, and a former member of the board and teaching faculty of Stillpoint: The Center for Christian Spirituality. In the 1960s and 1970s he was a board member of “The Phenomenon of Man Project\,” a nonprofit that introduced thousands of people to Teilhard’s vision through illustrated lectures and retreats. For the past two years\, Ernie has been convening a Learning Circle for the Cobb Institute\, entitled “An Awakening Planet?” For the American Teilhard Association\, he is currently offering an extended study of Teilhard’s magnum opus\, “The Human Phenomenon.” Ernie and his wife Alison have\, between them\, 12 grandchildren and one great-grandson\, a fact that intensifies his sense of urgency about what we are doing to our beloved planet. \n\n\n\nABOUT THE PRESENTATION: In The Human Phenomenon\, Teilhard de Chardin (1881-1955) traces the evolution of reflective consciousness in the universe and on Planet Earth. He identifies major “thresholds” through which this process has unfolded so far\, including the emergence of life\, of consciousness\, and of reflective consciousness. “Noosphere” is the word Teilhard uses to describe the “sphere of reflective consciousness” around the Earth. He posits a “Point Omega\,” still ahead\, where the Noosphere will become conscious of itself. In recent years\, some voices in the “Teilhard community” have equated the Internet—and\, more recently\, AI—with the Noosphere\, some even maintaining that through technology\, the Noosphere is already aware of itself. In this regard\, Ernie is a “Teilhardian contrarian\,” insisting that the Internet/AI are not the Next Step in the evolution of human consciousness\, but rather (and only) powerful tools for the kind of consciousness we (humans) already have and already are. Crucially\, the fixation on technology has the effect of “defining-out” other-than-human forms of life on Earth. Echoing his late teacher Raimon Panikkar\, Ernie says he is “holding out for a mutation\,” for an emergent form of planetary consciousness that includes not only humans and machines but all life on this planet. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTo receive the Zoom info for this gathering\, click the Going button and enter your name and email. \n\n\n\n\n\nIf you would like to receive regular announcements and updates about activities and events at the Cobb Institute\, please join our list of Friends. \n\n\n\nCan’t make it to the live session? Click here to access our archive of Cobb & Friends recordings. URL:https://cobb.institute/event/john-cobb-friends-gathering-2024-07-23/ LOCATION:Online Via Zoom CATEGORIES:Cobb & Friends ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cobb.institute/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Cobb-Friends-header-1300x500-1.png ORGANIZER;CN="Cobb Institute":MAILTO:events@cobb.institute END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240716T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240716T120000 DTSTAMP:20260407T055240 CREATED:20240702T001835Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240708T190840Z UID:10001016-1721124000-1721131200@cobb.institute SUMMARY:John Cobb & Friends Gathering: Nancy J. Ramsay DESCRIPTION:Topic: A Conversation about Moral Injury \n\n\n\nPresenters: Nancy J. Ramsay \n\n\n\nNancy J. Ramsay\, Director of the Soul Repair Center\, Brite Divinity School\, will discuss “Moral Injury\,” a new term for an ancient idea.  We find it described in ancient Greek mythology and in the Hebrew Bible or Christian Old Testament such as when after battle the Hebrew men would have a ritual of cleansing from the moral harm of killing and witnessing killing before they returned to their families. During the Crusades\, when soldiers returned home\, they spent a year in practices of penance including meeting regularly with a priest before they could once again take communion. This was not punishment\, but a recognition of the moral harm of taking the life of others and the need for ongoing reflection and hopefully coming to terms with the burden of one’s conscience—the awareness that each of us as reflective persons know the reality of failing to be who we intend to be or failing to act in ways that reflect our deepest conscience. These illustrations of such ancient practices remind us of the morally injurious power of suffering and the need to acknowledge it.  Moral Injury seeks to name this deep suffering that calls for our response. It is an experience of witnessing\, failing to prevent\, or learning about unnecessary violence as a betrayal of our obligations to one another.  \n\n\n\nMoral injury arises in two forms:  \n\n\n\nAgential moral injury describes harm we cause. It is our own failure to act in ways that align with our deepest values. \n\n\n\nReceptive moral injury is the harm that arises from the actions of others that cause our pain such as sexual and domestic violence and gun violence.  \n\n\n\nPastoral Theologian\, Larry Kent Graham: described moral injury as “soul wounds” (Moral injury: Restoring Wounded Souls\, Abingdon\, 2017). \n\n\n\nDr. Ramsay says\, “In our conversation\, I will draw on Graham; Holocaust survivor and philosopher Emmanual Levinas; medical sociologist\, Arthur Frank; marriage and family therapist\, Pauline Bos\, and scriptures such as Gen. 32:24-32 (Jacob wrestling at the Jabbok).  \n\n\n\nIn my experience\, moral injury—both agential and receptive—is familiar to any reflective person\, and I hope we will have a rich conversation about ways it informs our lives and relationships and convictions as citizens and persons of faith.”   (See her attached biodata.) \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTo receive the Zoom info for this gathering\, click the Going button and enter your name and email. \n\n\n\n\n\nIf you would like to receive regular announcements and updates about activities and events at the Cobb Institute\, please join our list of Friends. \n\n\n\nCan’t make it to the live session? Click here to access our archive of Cobb & Friends recordings. URL:https://cobb.institute/event/john-cobb-friends-gathering-2024-07-16/ LOCATION:Online Via Zoom CATEGORIES:Cobb & Friends ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cobb.institute/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Cobb-Friends-header-1300x500-1.png ORGANIZER;CN="Cobb Institute":MAILTO:events@cobb.institute END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240709T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240709T120000 DTSTAMP:20260407T055240 CREATED:20240708T191024Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240708T191140Z UID:10001039-1720519200-1720526400@cobb.institute SUMMARY:John Cobb & Friends Gathering: The Legacy of James M. Lawson Jr. DESCRIPTION:Topic: The Legacy of James M. Lawson Jr. \n\n\n\nPresenters: TBA \n\n\n\nA memorial service on July 6 at Holman United Methodist Church in Los Angeles honored the legacy of Dr. James M. Lawson\, Jr.\, who was their pastor for 25 years. He served the American civil rights movement by training young people in the methods of non-violent resistance. There were tributes from Los Angeles mayor Karen Bass\, President Joe Biden\, educators\, and leaders of labor organizations. Pulitzer prize winning presidential historian Jon Meacham said\, “James Lawson is a latter day founding father\, an architect of America as worthy of our respect and our reverence as Washington or Jefferson\, Adams or Hamilton\, Douglass or King.” We will listen to selected portions of that service and reflect on his legacy. You may find a collection of Lawson videos on the Holman website\, including Lawson’s tribute to the late John Lewis. You’ll find an archived recording of James Lawson’s January 11\, 2022 conversation with Cobb and Friends\, marking the publication of his book\, Revolutionary Nonviolence: Organizing for Freedom. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTo receive the Zoom info for this gathering\, click the Going button and enter your name and email. \n\n\n\n\n\nIf you would like to receive regular announcements and updates about activities and events at the Cobb Institute\, please join our list of Friends. \n\n\n\nCan’t make it to the live session? Click here to access our archive of Cobb & Friends recordings. URL:https://cobb.institute/event/john-cobb-friends-gathering-2024-07-09/ LOCATION:Online Via Zoom CATEGORIES:Cobb & Friends ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cobb.institute/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Cobb-Friends-header-1300x500-1.png ORGANIZER;CN="Cobb Institute":MAILTO:events@cobb.institute END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240625T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240625T120000 DTSTAMP:20260407T055240 CREATED:20240620T055133Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240708T190721Z UID:10001015-1719309600-1719316800@cobb.institute SUMMARY:John Cobb & Friends Gathering: Brian McLaren DESCRIPTION:Topic: Life after Doom: Wisdom and Courage for a World Falling Apart! \n\n\n\nPresenters: Brian McLaren \n\n\n\nThis popular religion writer will discuss his most recently published book\, Life after Doom: Wisdom & Courage for a World Falling Apart. Sheri Kling\, director of the Process & Faith program\, will assist our conversation. \n\n\n\nBrian McLaren’s website describes this prolific author/lecturer in this way: \n\n\n\n\nBrian D. McLaren is an author\, speaker\, activist\, and public theologian. A former college English teacher and pastor\, he is a passionate advocate for “a new kind of Christianity” – just\, generous\, and working with people of all faiths for the common good. He is an Auburn Senior Fellow\, a contributor to We Stand With Love\, and a leader in the Convergence Network\, through which he is developing an innovative training/mentoring program for pastors and church planters. \n\n\n\n\nHe has been appreciated by those who do theology in process and open and relational ways. Tripp Fuller describes his interview with McLaren about Life After Doom. “In it\, we wrestle with redefining faith\, civilization\, and ecological consciousness. We delve into theological reflections\, reinterpreting religious practices to align with Jesus’s teachings\, advocating for a paradigm shift in societal structures\, and emphasizing the urgent need for sustainable living. Moreover\, we discuss creating inclusive spaces for spiritual growth and action.” For a discussion of McLaren’s work from a process point of view\, see Jay McDaniel’s “Seven Lessons We Can Learn from Brian McLaren” in Open Horizons. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTo receive the Zoom info for this gathering\, click the Going button and enter your name and email. \n\n\n\n\n\nIf you would like to receive regular announcements and updates about activities and events at the Cobb Institute\, please join our list of Friends. \n\n\n\nCan’t make it to the live session? Click here to access our archive of Cobb & Friends recordings. URL:https://cobb.institute/event/john-cobb-friends-gathering-2024-06-25/ LOCATION:Online Via Zoom CATEGORIES:Cobb & Friends ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cobb.institute/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Cobb-Friends-header-1300x500-1.png ORGANIZER;CN="Cobb Institute":MAILTO:events@cobb.institute END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240618T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240618T120000 DTSTAMP:20260407T055240 CREATED:20240610T211726Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240708T190747Z UID:10001013-1718704800-1718712000@cobb.institute SUMMARY:John Cobb & Friends Gathering: Lynn De Jonghe DESCRIPTION:Topic: Truth Under Attack: Talking Past Each Other in a Polarized Society \n\n\n\nPresenters: Lynn De Jonghe \n\n\n\nLynn De Jonghe frequently participates in our Tuesday conversations.  On June 18 she’ll ask how we should respond to those who profoundly disagree with us without dissembling and without further inflaming the spirit of growing hatred in our struggling democracy. Discussions in liberal and academic communities may assume that most intelligent people possess a shared understanding of truth and goodness. However\, Amy Chua has argued that this thinking fails to address the increasingly tribal spirit of society polarizing the politics of this country. In fact J.D. Vance has declared\, “The professors are the enemy.” \n\n\n\nDe Jonghe argues that many fierce policy disagreements and clashing truth claims have their roots in different understandings of the meanings of goodness and truth. After examining the historical roots of these disagreements\, she shows how these differences can be manipulated and even weaponized by individuals for their own political ambitions. She then turns to address those whose righteous anger may be genuine. She concludes that grappling with such different perspectives may require strategies that go beyond philosophical argument to more direct forms of informal communication. \n\n\n\nLynn De Jonghe’s career in progressive education has spanned more than forty years.  She served as the founding Head of East Bay Sierra School\, which later merged with another school to form Prospect Sierra School\, to become one of the preeminent schools in the San Francisco Bay Area. Prior to her work in independent schools\, Lynn spent fifteen years in public education administering federal funds to innovative programs\, advocating for project learning as an alternative to textbooks\, and pushing for integration in Massachusetts schools. She received her BA degree in History from Harvard University and an MS in Library Science from Simmons College before completing her PhD in Education at Cornell University.  Her doctoral work on children’s problem solving led her to push for challenging educational programs that encourage all students to pursue learning in depth and to use problem solving skills\, collaborative learning\, and exploration of values in an integrated curriculum. She has served as a trustee of numerous non-profit educational organizations. Her book\, Starting with Whitehead: Raising Children to Thrive in Treacherous Times was published by Rowman Littlefield August 2022. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTo receive the Zoom info for this gathering\, click the Going button and enter your name and email. \n\n\n\n\n\nIf you would like to receive regular announcements and updates about activities and events at the Cobb Institute\, please join our list of Friends. \n\n\n\nCan’t make it to the live session? Click here to access our archive of Cobb & Friends recordings. URL:https://cobb.institute/event/john-cobb-friends-gathering-2024-06-18/ LOCATION:Online Via Zoom CATEGORIES:Cobb & Friends ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cobb.institute/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Cobb-Friends-header-1300x500-1.png ORGANIZER;CN="Cobb Institute":MAILTO:events@cobb.institute END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240611T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240611T120000 DTSTAMP:20260407T055240 CREATED:20240610T205727Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240708T190602Z UID:10001012-1718100000-1718107200@cobb.institute SUMMARY:John Cobb & Friends Gathering: George Strawn DESCRIPTION:Topic: AI Today Means Machine Learning \n\n\n\nPresenters: George Strawn \n\n\n\nGeorge Strawn is a life-long professional computer scientist who also has a keen life-long interest in History\, Philosophy\, Religion\, Physics\, and Biology. As a former trustee of the Claremont School of Theology\, he counts it a privilege to know John Cobb\, and to have participated in the 2015 Claremont conference\, “Seizing an Alternative.” He says\, “After 80 years of development\, Machine Learning may have reached an ‘inflection point\,’ called Generative AI—that is\, rather than just finding cute cat pictures on the Web\, it can generate cute cat pictures from scratch. It can also generate articles\, computer programs\, and other artifacts that we thought only humans could create.” In Tuesday’s talk George Strawn will relate the history of this important development\, describe how complicated it is on the inside\, and how simple and powerful it is on the outside.  \n\n\n\nGeorge Strawn has been a life-long professional computer scientist. For 30 years he was on the faculty of Iowa State University’s Department of Computer Science\, where he was sometime department chair and director of the computer lab.  For another 30 years he served at the National Science Foundation\, assisted the Office of Science and Technology Policy in the White House\, and worked with the National Academy of Science. See this article about his Distinguished Service Award from ISU.  \n\n\n\nPrior to joining the Academies\, Strawn was the director of the National Coordination Office (NCO) for the Networking and Information Technology Research and Development (NITRD) Program and co-chair of the NITRD interagency committee. Strawn held these positions while on leave from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to the Office of Science and Technology Policy in the Whitehouse. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTo receive the Zoom info for this gathering\, click the Going button and enter your name and email. \n\n\n\n\n\nIf you would like to receive regular announcements and updates about activities and events at the Cobb Institute\, please join our list of Friends. \n\n\n\nCan’t make it to the live session? Click here to access our archive of Cobb & Friends recordings. URL:https://cobb.institute/event/john-cobb-friends-gathering-2024-06-11/ LOCATION:Online Via Zoom CATEGORIES:Cobb & Friends ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cobb.institute/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Cobb-Friends-header-1300x500-1.png ORGANIZER;CN="Cobb Institute":MAILTO:events@cobb.institute END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240604T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240604T120000 DTSTAMP:20260407T055240 CREATED:20240604T214156Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240708T190530Z UID:10001014-1717495200-1717502400@cobb.institute SUMMARY:John Cobb & Friends Gathering: Andrew Schwartz DESCRIPTION:Topic: Learning from Living Systems:  Biomimicry and the Principles of Ecological Civilization \n\n\n\nPresenters: Andrew Schwartz \n\n\n\nWe’re familiar with Dr. William Andrew Schwartz for his long-time leadership roles in the process community:  Executive Director of the Center for Process Studies\, and Co-founder and Executive Vice President of the Institute for Ecological Civilization.  He earned his Ph.D. in Philosophy of Religion and Theology at Claremont Graduate University.  As Assistant Professor of Process and Comparative Theology at Claremont School of Theology\, his academic interests are broad\, including Comparative Religious Philosophies\, Process Thought\, Ecology\, Education and more.  He’s been focused on high-impact philosophy and the role of big ideas in the transition toward ecological civilization.  Explore his website to find podcasts\, publications\, and courses to remind you of the breadth of his experiences exploring various aspects of ecological civilization.   \n\n\n\nThis Tuesday he will expand upon the lecture he prepared for last month’s Eco Forum at Claremont\, sponsored by the Center for Postmodern Development of China.  Biomimicry is his focus.  What can we learn from living systems about the principles of ecological civilization? \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTo receive the Zoom info for this gathering\, click the Going button and enter your name and email. \n\n\n\n\n\nIf you would like to receive regular announcements and updates about activities and events at the Cobb Institute\, please join our list of Friends. \n\n\n\nCan’t make it to the live session? Click here to access our archive of Cobb & Friends recordings. URL:https://cobb.institute/event/john-cobb-friends-gathering-2024-06-04/ LOCATION:Online Via Zoom CATEGORIES:Cobb & Friends ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cobb.institute/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Cobb-Friends-header-1300x500-1.png ORGANIZER;CN="Cobb Institute":MAILTO:events@cobb.institute END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240528T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240528T120000 DTSTAMP:20260407T055240 CREATED:20240523T051449Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240523T052023Z UID:10001011-1716890400-1716897600@cobb.institute SUMMARY:John Cobb & Friends Gathering: Mark VanderSchaaf DESCRIPTION:Topic: A Path Towards Sustainability and Biodiversity in Metropolitan Los Angeles \n\n\n\nPresenters: Mark VanderSchaaf \n\n\n\nMark VanderSchaaf had a thirty-year career as an urban and regional planner in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul Metropolitan Area where he ultimately served as the regional planning director for that area’s seven-county Metropolitan Council from 2004 to 2016. In that role Mark also became a national leader in the field of public sector sustainability planning\, serving as the chair and immediate past chair for the Regional and Intergovernmental Planning Division of the American Planning Association (APA) upon retirement. More recently Mark has focused on sustainability planning issues in Metropolitan Los Angeles\, working pro bono with Pando Populus to help address sustainability priorities of the Chief Sustainability Officers Task Force of Los Angeles County\, and APA. That work culminated in April\, 2024 with the publication of a free e-book\, Sustainability Planning in Metropolitan Los Angeles: Products and Processes. In future years he will be focusing his work on biodiversity issues as a new appointee of the Biodiversity Expert Council of the City of Los Angeles. \n\n\n\nMark’s Cobb and Friends talk on May 28 will introduce national perspectives on urban and regional sustainability planning\, and how such planning is occurring throughout Metropolitan Los Angeles. It will especially consider how varying law and policy frameworks in the United States make it challenging to ensure that sustainability strategies in this country are well aligned with one another. He will emphasize similarities and differences between sustainability planning in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul Area and Metropolitan Los Angeles as examples of such challenges. He will talk about how planning products and processes in Metropolitan Los Angeles may well serve as helpful models for the rest of the United States. Finally\, he will consider how and why biodiversity planning is poised to become a key focus of sustainability efforts in the future\, and how the City of Los Angeles’ biodiversity index is poised to engender a “best practice” strategy for biodiversity protection and enhancement as the impacts of climate change become increasingly severe. L.A.’s biodiversity work will have consequences not only regionally and nationally\, but throughout the world. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTo receive the Zoom info for this gathering\, click the Going button and enter your name and email. \n\n\n\n\n\nIf you would like to receive regular announcements and updates about activities and events at the Cobb Institute\, please join our list of Friends. \n\n\n\nCan’t make it to the live session? Click here to access our archive of Cobb & Friends recordings. URL:https://cobb.institute/event/john-cobb-friends-gathering-mark-vanderschaaf/ LOCATION:Online Via Zoom CATEGORIES:Cobb & Friends ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cobb.institute/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Cobb-Friends-header-1300x500-1.png ORGANIZER;CN="Cobb Institute":MAILTO:events@cobb.institute END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240521T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240521T120000 DTSTAMP:20260407T055240 CREATED:20240514T163034Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240515T080334Z UID:10000990-1716285600-1716292800@cobb.institute SUMMARY:John Cobb & Friends Gathering: Richard Rose DESCRIPTION:Topic: Building the Beloved Community \n\n\n\nPresenters: Richard Rose \n\n\n\nCobb Institute board member\, Dr. Richard Rose\, is Professor of Religion and Philosophy at the University of La Verne\, where he is also Coordinator of the Ecumenical Center for Black Church Studies.  He has developed a course on “Building the Beloved Community” that engages ULV students in practical experiences of community building\, enriched by readings from Robin Wall Kimmerer\, Mahatma Gandhi\, Howard Thurman\, and Martin Luther King\, Jr.  His current research examines global issues related to Interfaith dialogue and Religious Pluralism.  His teaching was recognized by a recent Life Worth Living Grant from the Yale Center of Faith and Culture.  This provided an opportunity for him to share that course with an International Ubuntu Festival in South Africa\, where he was able to bring Beloved Community in dialogue with the concept of Ubuntu.  This article in his hometown Claremont Courier celebrates that experience.  Dr. Rose says\, “I think we’re in a time right now where people need hope. People need to see something that allows them to say ‘Maybe there’s a chance that we can get out of the mess that we are in.’  Rose’s course offers “concrete examples of where things are actually working\, where people are actually getting along. . . . It doesn’t have to be so doomsday about the future. I think providing that kind of hope is good.” \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTo receive the Zoom info for this gathering\, click the Going button and enter your name and email. \n\n\n\n\n\nIf you would like to receive regular announcements and updates about activities and events at the Cobb Institute\, please join our list of Friends. \n\n\n\nCan’t make it to the live session? Click here to access our archive of Cobb & Friends recordings. URL:https://cobb.institute/event/john-cobb-friends-gathering-2024-05-21/ LOCATION:Online Via Zoom CATEGORIES:Cobb & Friends ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cobb.institute/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Cobb-Friends-header-1300x500-1.png ORGANIZER;CN="Cobb Institute":MAILTO:events@cobb.institute END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240514T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240514T120000 DTSTAMP:20260407T055240 CREATED:20240501T190656Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240501T191220Z UID:10000977-1715680800-1715688000@cobb.institute SUMMARY:John Cobb & Friends Gathering: Sandra Lubarsky\, Emily Schneider\, Sean Parson\, Rabbi Nahum Ward-Lev DESCRIPTION:Topic: A Conversation on Zionism and Anti-Zionism in a Time of Political Turmoil \n\n\n\nPresenters: Sandra Lubarsky\, Emily Schneider\, Sean Parson\, Rabbi Nahum Ward-Lev \n\n\n\nReferring to the current Israel-Gaza conflict\, Michelle Goldberg of the NYTimes spoke of a “fanatically Manichaen moment.” It is a moment that can be compressed into the two words\, “Zionism” and “anti-Zionism.” How are we to understand these terms\, their multiple forms\, their relation to nationalism\, and the possibilities for a political solution that they open up or close down? In what ways do they help or hinder us from moving to a humane future in this region of the world and internationally? John Cobb asked Sandra Lubarsky\, President of Flagstaff College and Communiversity and emeritus faculty in Sustainable Communities at Northern Arizona University to help us reflect on Zionism and Anti-Zionism from a Jewish perspective.  She will moderate the conversation with these colleagues. \n\n\n\nDr. Emily Schneider is a professor in the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Northern Arizona University. She received her PhD in sociology from the University of California\, Santa Barbara\, and she was previously a visiting assistant professor of sociology at Colorado College.  Prior to her academic career\, Dr. Schneider served as the Director of Development at a joint Israeli-Palestinian NGO\, Windows – Channels for Communication\, where she founded one of the first tour programs to bring young Jewish Americans to the Occupied Palestinian Territories in 2010. She is completing a manuscript on the role of Jewish allyship and tourism in the Palestine Solidarity Movement. \n\n\n\nSean Parson is a professor in the Department of Politics and International Affairs and the Program in Sustainable Communities at Northern Arizona University. He is the author of Cooking Up a Revolution: Food Not Bombs\, Homes Not Jails\, and Resistance to Gentrification\, co-author of Superheroes and Critical Animal Studies: The Heroic Beasts of Total Liberation\, and serves on the editorial board for Abolition: A Journal of Insurgent Politics. He holds a Ph.D. in political science from the University of Oregon.  See his website here. \n\n\n\nRabbi Nahum Ward-Lev is the author of The Liberating Path of the Hebrew Prophets: Then and Now (Orbis Books)\, described as “a great gift at a crucial moment in human history” (Susannah Heschel). He is founder and leader of Beit Midrash of Santa Fe\, a multi-faith sacred learning community. He holds an MA in Hebrew Education\, Ordination and a Doctor of Divinity degree from the Hebrew Union College and is a Fellow of the Rabbis Without Borders Initiative. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTo receive the Zoom info for this gathering\, click the Going button and enter your name and email. \n\n\n\n\n\nIf you would like to receive regular announcements and updates about activities and events at the Cobb Institute\, please join our list of Friends. \n\n\n\nCan’t make it to the live session? Click here to access our archive of Cobb & Friends recordings. URL:https://cobb.institute/event/john-cobb-friends-gathering-2024-05-14/ LOCATION:Online Via Zoom CATEGORIES:Cobb & Friends ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cobb.institute/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Cobb-Friends-header-1300x500-1.png ORGANIZER;CN="Cobb Institute":MAILTO:events@cobb.institute END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240507T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240507T120000 DTSTAMP:20260407T055240 CREATED:20240422T192533Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240501T190853Z UID:10000976-1715076000-1715083200@cobb.institute SUMMARY:John Cobb & Friends Gathering: Kat Reeves DESCRIPTION:Topic: I Sing the Body Electric: A Process Relational Critique of Compartmentalized Medicine \n\n\n\nPresenters: Kat Reeves \n\n\n\nKat Reeves\, CCS\, BCC\, will join John Cobb and Friends for an eye-opening exploration into the shortcomings of modern medicine and relational healthcare advocacy. Kat will illuminate the issue of fragmentation within medicine\, shedding light on the overlooked aspects of holistic well-being\, the emotional state of patients and their families and clear communication. Kat will guide us through the compartmentalized medical system through storytelling and real-life examples.  \n\n\n\nIn today’s medical landscape\, there’s an undeniable emphasis on treating organs and isolated body parts\, often at the expense of understanding the broader context of a patient’s life. Kat will dissect this prevalent approach\, delving into the ramifications of neglecting the process relational understanding of the intricate interplay between family dynamics\, social systems\, and the psychological impacts of medical choices. We will also consider the profound significance of the soul and spiritual life in the realm of healthcare. By daring to broach these often-dismissed topics\, Kat unveils the true essence of holistic healing\, where the body\, mind\, and spirit are intricately interconnected. \n\n\n\nWe know Kat Reeves as the Cobb Institute Community Relations Specialist but before her work with us Kat worked in acute hospital settings such as Riverside Community Hospital\, Arrowhead Regional Hospital and Loma Linda University Medical Center. Kat’s work involved Health Information Management and she especially enjoyed cardiology\, trauma\, and interventional radiology.  Kat shares that\, yes\, she can read doctor handwriting. Aside from that skill\, Kat analyzed patient medical records looking for diagnoses that were present based on labs\, radiology\, and symptoms but not charted by the doctors. Kat also had to capture the details of surgeries for documentation such as what veins and arteries were sutured together in a Coronary Artery bypass. \n\n\n\nMore recently Kat has worked as a Hospice chaplain and facility chaplain working with the elderly. She works part time at John Cobb’s retirement community at Pilgrim Place. Check out Kat’s workshop for the Cobb Institute on Death and Dying: https://cobb.institute/learning-lab/process-of-dying/ \n\n\n\nKat also contributed an essay on chaplaincy in the book Preaching the Uncontrolling Love of God: Sermons\, Essays\, and Worship Elements from the Perspective of Open\, Relational\, and Process Theology\, which can be found here. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTo receive the Zoom info for this gathering\, click the Going button and enter your name and email. \n\n\n\n\n\nIf you would like to receive regular announcements and updates about activities and events at the Cobb Institute\, please join our list of Friends. \n\n\n\nCan’t make it to the live session? Click here to access our archive of Cobb & Friends recordings. URL:https://cobb.institute/event/john-cobb-friends-gathering-2024-05-07/ LOCATION:Online Via Zoom CATEGORIES:Cobb & Friends ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cobb.institute/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Cobb-Friends-header-1300x500-1.png ORGANIZER;CN="Cobb Institute":MAILTO:events@cobb.institute END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240430T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240430T120000 DTSTAMP:20260407T055240 CREATED:20240422T191241Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240429T220717Z UID:10000975-1714471200-1714478400@cobb.institute SUMMARY:John Cobb & Friends Gathering: Thandeka DESCRIPTION:Topic: Putting Our Emotions on the Couch \n\n\n\nPresenters: Thandeka \n\n\n\nThandeka will lead a discussion/workshop session exploring process metaphysics—experientially.    \n\n\n\nThree exercises will be used to achieve this end\, based on Contemporary Affect Theology\, which was founded by Thandeka. Contemporary Affect Theology advances insights from Schleiermacher’s affect theology and Jaak Panksepp’s affective neuroscience—the brain science of emotions. She will use three exercises (two created respectively by Friedrich Schleiermacher and Wilhelm Dilthey and one created by Thandeka) as part of her affective theological strategy.  \n\n\n\nThandeka’s goal here is to explore how undisclosed premises of affect-laden engagement\, volition\, moods\, attitudes\, and a history of patterning principles that motivate persons to make judgments about some facts and not others (as Dilthey noted) can get exposed today with compassionate understanding?  \n\n\n\nCan small group work advance and sustain the emotion-based paradigm shift now underway—for an ecological civilization of networked local communities millions upon millions strong?  \n\n\n\nIs small group work vital for this kind of empathic\, bridge-building work?  \n\n\n\nWe will explore answers to these questions based on personal insights and collective reflections. \n\n\n\nThandeka’s Bio: \n\n\n\nThandeka is a black American\, former Emmy award-winning television producer\, and Unitarian Universalist minister and theologian who has spent most of her life trying to figure out the sources of America’s dysfunction and how to heal it. She founded Contemporary Affect Theology\, which investigates the links between religion and emotions using insights from the brain science of emotions: Affective Neuroscience.  Jaak Panksepp\, the founder of affective neuroscience commends her work as “decisive historical-philosophical analysis” that can provide “a universal substrate for nondenominational religious experience” (The Archaeology of Mind\, 391).  \n\n\n\nShe has taught Contemporary Affect Theology at The Czech Unitarian Academy in Prague\, Williams College\, Harvard Divinity School and has been a Fellow at Stanford University’s Humanities Center\, and a visiting scholar at Union Theological School and The Center for Process Studies. John Cobb Jr. was a member of her dissertation committee at Claremont Graduate University. Her books and essays helped secure her place as a “major figure in American liberal theology\,” as Gary Dorrien notes in The Making of American Liberal Theology: Crisis\, Irony\, and Postmodernity\, 1950-2005 (John Knox Press\, 2006).  \n\n\n\nThandeka spent more than a decade as a small group consultant testing various ways to turn her theological insights into small group practices to advance the participants’ ability to heal and transform themselves and eventually\, hopefully\, the world.  \n\n\n\nThandeka used insights from affective neuroscience to track down the trauma foundational to 2000 years of Christian antisemitism (as densely argued in her book Love Beyond Belief: Finding the Access Point to Spiritual Renewal) and 300 years of American racism (as detailed in her book Learning to Be White: Money\, Race and God in America).  The foundational insight of her work is that the human brain handles pervasive feelings of fear and rage in neurologically predictable ways to ensure survival.  \n\n\n\nHer present work focuses on Untrolling America’s emotions [https://www.youtube.com/@TheUntrollingProject] and Universal Connections [https://universalconnections.world] small group work. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTo receive the Zoom info for this gathering\, click the Going button and enter your name and email. \n\n\n\n\n\nIf you would like to receive regular announcements and updates about activities and events at the Cobb Institute\, please join our list of Friends. \n\n\n\nCan’t make it to the live session? Click here to access our archive of Cobb & Friends recordings. URL:https://cobb.institute/event/john-cobb-friends-gathering-2024-04-30/ LOCATION:Online Via Zoom CATEGORIES:Cobb & Friends ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cobb.institute/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Cobb-Friends-header-1300x500-1.png ORGANIZER;CN="Cobb Institute":MAILTO:events@cobb.institute END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240423T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240423T120000 DTSTAMP:20260407T055240 CREATED:20240416T173916Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240429T220731Z UID:10000974-1713866400-1713873600@cobb.institute SUMMARY:John Cobb & Friends Gathering: Thomas Jay Oord & Tripp Fuller DESCRIPTION:Topic: God after Deconstruction \n\n\n\nPresenters: Thomas Jay Oord & Tripp Fuller \n\n\n\nTom and Tripp are both familiar voices in the community of folks influenced by Process and/or Open and Relational theologies.  They have agreed to discuss with us their book God after Deconstruction\, recently published by SacraSage Press. Watch for more details. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTo receive the Zoom info for this gathering\, click the Going button and enter your name and email. \n\n\n\n\n\nIf you would like to receive regular announcements and updates about activities and events at the Cobb Institute\, please join our list of Friends. \n\n\n\nCan’t make it to the live session? Click here to access our archive of Cobb & Friends recordings. URL:https://cobb.institute/event/john-cobb-friends-gathering-2024-04-23/ LOCATION:Online Via Zoom CATEGORIES:Cobb & Friends ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cobb.institute/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Cobb-Friends-header-1300x500-1.png ORGANIZER;CN="Cobb Institute":MAILTO:events@cobb.institute END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240416T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240416T120000 DTSTAMP:20260407T055241 CREATED:20240416T172431Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240429T220748Z UID:10000973-1713261600-1713268800@cobb.institute SUMMARY:John Cobb & Friends Gathering: Jeff Wells\, Vikki Randall\, Nichole Torbitzky DESCRIPTION:Topic: Preaching the Uncontrolling Love of God \n\n\n\nPresenters: Jeff Wells\, Vikki Randall\, Nichole Torbitzky \n\n\n\nPastor Jeff Wells is lead pastor of Church of the Village (Greenwich Village in New York City).  He invited John Cobb to preach there when ZOOM opened creative opportunities for cross-country connecting.  At the time of the 50th Anniversary celebration of the Center for Process Studies\, Jeff shared with Mary Elizabeth Moore his idea for a book of process-oriented sermons and worship resources\, and she said\, “Don’t wait!  Do it now!  We need that book!”  At the church’s sermon archive\, you can find the January 28\, 2024 message where he introduces the book to his congregation. \n\n\n\nJeff assembled an editorial team\, which included Thomas Jay Oord\, theologian who has written much about the “uncontrolling love of God.”  Team members Vikki Randall and Nichole Torbitzky will be present with Cobb & Friends for our discussion.  John Cobb wrote the Foreword and contributed two sermons he preached at Church of the Village. The book is a compilation of sermons\, essays\, and worship elements from the perspective of open\, relational\, and process theology. They have 68 contributors from across North America and about ten from other parts of the world.  They represent a broad range of denominations and traditions in this valuable resource for lay persons and clergy\, worship leaders\, and congregations.  This important book is the first of its kind to bring together sermons\, essays\, and worship elements from the perspective of Open\, Relational\, and Process theology.  \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTo receive the Zoom info for this gathering\, click the Going button and enter your name and email. \n\n\n\n\n\nIf you would like to receive regular announcements and updates about activities and events at the Cobb Institute\, please join our list of Friends. \n\n\n\nCan’t make it to the live session? Click here to access our archive of Cobb & Friends recordings. URL:https://cobb.institute/event/john-cobb-friends-gathering-2024-04-16/ LOCATION:Online Via Zoom CATEGORIES:Cobb & Friends ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cobb.institute/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Cobb-Friends-header-1300x500-1.png ORGANIZER;CN="Cobb Institute":MAILTO:events@cobb.institute END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240409T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240409T120000 DTSTAMP:20260407T055241 CREATED:20240402T184157Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240402T212800Z UID:10000971-1712656800-1712664000@cobb.institute SUMMARY:John Cobb & Friends Gathering: Helena Norberg-Hodge in Conversation with John Cobb DESCRIPTION:Topic: Local Futures and the Economics of Happiness \n\n\n\nPresenters: Helena Norberg-Hodge\, John Cobb\, Anja Lyngbaek \n\n\n\nFrom her home in Australia\, Helena Norberg-Hodge recorded an interview with John Cobb specifically to be shared with Cobb and Friends.  Linguist\, author and film maker\, Helena Norberg-Hodge is the founder and director of the international non-profit organisation\, Local Futures\, a pioneer of the new economy movement\, and the convenor of World Localization Day.   \n\n\n\nShe is the author of several books\, including ‘Ancient Futures: Learning from Ladakh’\, an eye-opening tale of tradition and change in Ladakh\, or “Little Tibet”. Together with a film of the same title\, Ancient Futures has been translated into more than 40 languages\, and sold half a million copies.  Her latest book is ‘Local is Our Future: Steps to an Economics of Happiness’. Other publications include ‘Bringing the Food Economy Home’ and ‘From the Ground Up: Rethinking Industrial Agriculture’. \n\n\n\nAnja Lyngbaek\, Managing and Programs Director\, will join us for discussion of the pre-recorded conversation between John and Helena.  Anja has worked with Local Futures since 1986 on many projects\, including the International Alliance for Localization\, the Economics of Happiness Conference Series and World Localization Day. Fluent in Spanish\, English and Danish\, she has been a spokesperson for localization on several continents. Anja divides her time between a Mexican ecovillage and a small island in the Danish Archipelago. She is a passionate food grower and is happiest with her hands in the soil. Anja holds a BSc in Rural Resource Management and a MPhil. in Agroforestry. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTo receive the Zoom info for this gathering\, click the Going button and enter your name and email. \n\n\n\n\n\nIf you would like to receive regular announcements and updates about activities and events at the Cobb Institute\, please join our list of Friends. \n\n\n\nCan’t make it to the live session? Click here to access our archive of Cobb & Friends recordings. URL:https://cobb.institute/event/john-cobb-friends-gathering-2024-04-09/ LOCATION:Online Via Zoom CATEGORIES:Cobb & Friends ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cobb.institute/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Cobb-Friends-header-1300x500-1.png ORGANIZER;CN="Cobb Institute":MAILTO:events@cobb.institute END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240402T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240402T120000 DTSTAMP:20260407T055241 CREATED:20240329T042101Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240329T042259Z UID:10000950-1712052000-1712059200@cobb.institute SUMMARY:John Cobb & Friends Gathering: An Interview with Ted Peters DESCRIPTION:Topic: Astrotheology Now and Then: An Interview with Ted Peters \n\n\n\nPresenters: Ted Peters and Andrew M. Davis \n\n\n\nWe invited frequent Cobb & Friends guest Andrew M. Davis\, program director for the Center for Process Studies\, to share thoughts prompted by his recent book\, co-edited with Roland Faber\, Astrophilosophy\, Exotheology\, and Cosmic Religion:  Extraterrestrial Life in a Process Universe.  He accepted our invitation\, and he invited Rev. Dr. Ted Peters to join him for a dialogue on “Astrotheology Now and Then.”  Both will be on the program of the Star Island conference sponsored this coming June by IRAS\, the Institute for Religion in the Age of Science.  Andrew\, described on his website as a “scholar of cosmological wonder\,” will say a bit about his recent book\, and Ted will give history concerning his own engagement in the topic and the significance of the process voice as now formally a part of it. Ted Peters\, a Lutheran pastor\, co-edits the Journal of Science and Theology at the Francisco J. Ayala Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley\, California. An acclaimed author\, he most recently published Astrotheology: Science and Theology Meet Extraterrestrial Life. (Cascade Books\, 2018). Find more about Ted Peters and his range of interests  at his Wikipedia entry and at his home page. You’ll find at this YouTube link Andrew Davis’s recent lecture at Villanova University on “Metaphysics Beyond Earth: Whitehead\, Teilhard\, and the Emergence of Process Exo-Theology.” \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTo receive the Zoom info for this gathering\, click the Going button and enter your name and email. \n\n\n\n\n\nIf you would like to receive regular announcements and updates about activities and events at the Cobb Institute\, please join our list of Friends. \n\n\n\nCan’t make it to the live session? Click here to access our archive of Cobb & Friends recordings. URL:https://cobb.institute/event/john-cobb-friends-gathering-2024-04-02/ LOCATION:Online Via Zoom CATEGORIES:Cobb & Friends ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cobb.institute/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Cobb-Friends-header-1300x500-1.png ORGANIZER;CN="Cobb Institute":MAILTO:events@cobb.institute END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240326T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240326T120000 DTSTAMP:20260407T055241 CREATED:20240314T210446Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240318T231736Z UID:10000949-1711447200-1711454400@cobb.institute SUMMARY:John Cobb & Friends Gathering: The Raven Poets DESCRIPTION:Topic: Perceptions and Occasions \n\n\n\nPresenters: The Raven Poets \n\n\n\nProcess thinkers understand creativity as an active engagement with the world that generates new possibilities and actualizes them through a process of becoming. In this sense\, creativity is an essential aspect of both human experience and the broader cosmos. Experiences often inspire art\, music\, poetry\, and storytelling. The Raven Poets have been meeting and telling their stories since 2010; some are original members and they have picked up more poets along the way. A few names may be familiar to you. Over the years\, they have become like a family. One reason for their deep bonds is that they have shared their hopes\, pain\, frustrations\, joys\, and inspiration with each other over the years. They have shared human experience of our interconnected world\, opening themselves to compassion. \n\n\n\nThe Raven’s poetry shares an honest look at the events of life in its movement and changes. Please join Lynn De Jonghe\, Veronica Michalowski\, Ernie Tamminga\, Georgette Unis\, Kathleen Reeves\, Ellen Livingston\, Richard Luftig\, Richard Bunce\, Mary Elizabeth Moore. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTo receive the Zoom info for this gathering\, click the Going button and enter your name and email. \n\n\n\n\n\nIf you would like to receive regular announcements and updates about activities and events at the Cobb Institute\, please join our list of Friends. \n\n\n\nCan’t make it to the live session? Click here to access our archive of Cobb & Friends recordings. URL:https://cobb.institute/event/john-cobb-friends-gathering-2024-03-26/ LOCATION:Online Via Zoom CATEGORIES:Cobb & Friends ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cobb.institute/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Cobb-Friends-header-1300x500-1.png ORGANIZER;CN="Cobb Institute":MAILTO:events@cobb.institute END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240319T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240319T120000 DTSTAMP:20260407T055241 CREATED:20240314T205217Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240314T205717Z UID:10000948-1710842400-1710849600@cobb.institute SUMMARY:John Cobb & Friends Gathering: Thomas Hermans-Webster DESCRIPTION:Topic: Cooking and Eating with Love \n\n\n\nPresenters: Thomas Hermans-Webster \n\n\n\nThomas Hermans-Webster is the son of Alabama Methodists whose experience of Christianity has led him to ordination and a PhD degree from Boston University School of Theology for more ecologically-just food ways rooted in Holy Communion. By academic training\, he is a process theologian currently developing Norman Pittenger’s ecclesiology as a valuable tool for bringing about ecological justice and peace within our world through love-in-action.  He is an active participant in the Open and Relational Theology section of the American Academy of Religion\, in conversations with the Process & Faith planning group\, and he was a presenter at the 50th Anniversary conference of the Center for Process Studies.  We were intrigued by his article in the Process Studies journal (52:1):  “Cooking and Eating with Love:  A Whiteheadian Theology of Meals for Planetary Well-Being.”  His current position as an editor for Orbis Press allows him to pursue his research interests in matters of ecojustice.  Find his biodata at Linked In.  \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTo receive the Zoom info for this gathering\, click the Going button and enter your name and email. \n\n\n\n\n\nIf you would like to receive regular announcements and updates about activities and events at the Cobb Institute\, please join our list of Friends. \n\n\n\nCan’t make it to the live session? Click here to access our archive of Cobb & Friends recordings. URL:https://cobb.institute/event/john-cobb-friends-gathering-2024-03-19/ LOCATION:Online Via Zoom CATEGORIES:Cobb & Friends ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cobb.institute/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Cobb-Friends-header-1300x500-1.png ORGANIZER;CN="Cobb Institute":MAILTO:events@cobb.institute END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240312T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240312T120000 DTSTAMP:20260407T055241 CREATED:20240305T175806Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240305T180820Z UID:10000947-1710237600-1710244800@cobb.institute SUMMARY:John Cobb & Friends Gathering: Eugene Shirley DESCRIPTION:Topic: Pando’s Civic Engagement Incubator for Sustainability \n\n\n\nPresenters: Eugene Shirley \n\n\n\nThe invitation called it “the sustainability event of the year.”  When Eugene Shirley\, founder and director of Pando\, sent us notice of the April 14 Pando Sustainability Awards we promptly invited him to bring us up to date on the activities of universities\, middle schoolers\, and common folks to promote and live into the Sustainability Goals of Los Angeles County.  He says\, “What I can talk about is our civic engagement model and how it emerged as a way of framing our work; what it means in terms of how we conduct our work; and what it implies re next steps.  I’ll want to tie this into education — both formal and informal learning.” \n\n\n\nWhile you’re thinking about Pando\, check out Pando’s January interview\, “Living in Strange Times\,” with John Cobb and Mary Elizabeth Moore. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTo receive the Zoom info for this gathering\, click the Going button and enter your name and email. \n\n\n\n\n\nIf you would like to receive regular announcements and updates about activities and events at the Cobb Institute\, please join our list of Friends. \n\n\n\nCan’t make it to the live session? Click here to access our archive of Cobb & Friends recordings. URL:https://cobb.institute/event/john-cobb-friends-gathering-2024-03-12/ LOCATION:Online Via Zoom CATEGORIES:Cobb & Friends ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cobb.institute/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Cobb-Friends-header-1300x500-1.png ORGANIZER;CN="Cobb Institute":MAILTO:events@cobb.institute END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240305T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240305T120000 DTSTAMP:20260407T055241 CREATED:20240304T173210Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240304T173717Z UID:10000945-1709632800-1709640000@cobb.institute SUMMARY:John Cobb & Friends Gathering: Jonathan Foster DESCRIPTION:Topic: Indigo: The Color of Grief \n\n\n\nPresenters: Jonathan Foster \n\n\n\nJonathan Foster\, the first to graduate under Thomas Jay Oord’s supervision in the doctoral program in Open and Relational Theology at Northwind Theological Seminary\, has created indigo: the color of grief\, which he calls “my newest writing on life\, loss\, love\, theology\, beauty and being a human in the midst of it all.”  Peter Rollins calls Jonathan’s writing “a stunning reflection on loss and suffering.”  Catherine Keller says\, “The dark beauty of grief working as art glows through every stanza of this long\, slender epic.” \n\n\n\nBrian D. McLaren called the book “poignant and profound.”  “If you’re considering loss you’ll be grateful for this book. . .which is simultaneously heart-breaking\, heart-opening\, and heart-expanding.” To learn more see jonathanfosteronline.com\, where you can connect to his many podcasts or subscribe to his substack publication\, “at the intersection of mimetic theory\, open and relational theology\, grief\, and life.” In October\, 2022\, Jonathan Foster shared with Cobb & Friends his dissertation\, published by Sacra Sage Press as Theology of Consent\, combining the mimetic theory of Rene Girard\, and the Open and Relational theology so strongly influenced by Thomas J. Oord. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTo receive the Zoom info for this gathering\, click the Going button and enter your name and email. \n\n\n\n\n\nIf you would like to receive regular announcements and updates about activities and events at the Cobb Institute\, please join our list of Friends. \n\n\n\nCan’t make it to the live session? Click here to access our archive of Cobb & Friends recordings. URL:https://cobb.institute/event/john-cobb-friends-gathering-jonathan-foster/ LOCATION:Online Via Zoom CATEGORIES:Cobb & Friends ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cobb.institute/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Cobb-Friends-header-1300x500-1.png ORGANIZER;CN="Cobb Institute":MAILTO:events@cobb.institute END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240227T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240227T120000 DTSTAMP:20260407T055241 CREATED:20240226T225938Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240226T230257Z UID:10000935-1709028000-1709035200@cobb.institute SUMMARY:John Cobb & Friends Gathering: Evaggelos Vallianatos DESCRIPTION:Topic: The World’s First Computer of Genius \n\n\n\nPresenters: Evaggelos Vallianatos \n\n\n\nScience historian and environmental strategist Evaggelos Vallianatos will tell the story of the Antikythera Mechanism\, a device discovered in 1900 that has become a window into the genius of ancient Greeks. In the second century BCE\, the Greeks brought together the knowledge and philosophy they had been gathering for millennia into an astronomical computer designed primarily to predict the eclipses of the Sun and the Moon. The Cosmos was sacred to the Greeks\, but they had a special affection for the Sun and the Moon because these two stars gave them life and light. Besides\, like the rest of the stars\, the Greeks considered the Sun and his sister\, the Moon\, to be gods. Further\, the Sun and the Moon arrange the time of the day\, month and year. So\, the metal astronomical computer with toothed gears was very important. Predicting the eclipses of the Sun and the Moon had a psychological virtue as many Greeks were frightened by the temporary disappearance of these two stars from the sky. In addition\, the computer had a 19-year Meton accurate calendar and an 18-year Saros eclipse predictive dial. In fact\, the computer also predicted the Olympics\, so it united the heavens and Earth. \n\n\n\nThe Antikythera device was discovered in 1900 in the deep waters of the tiny Greek island of Antikythera in the Aegean. International scientists have been studying its fragments for more than 120 years. \n\n\n\nEvaggelos Vallianatos\, a frequent participant in our Cobb & Friends conversations\, earned his Ph.D. in history from the University of Wisconsin. He also did his postdoctoral studies in the history of science at Harvard. He worked on Capitol Hill and the US Environmental Protection Agency. He taught at several universities and authored hundreds of articles and 7 books\, including The Antikythera Mechanism: The Story Behind the Genius of the Greek Computer and its Demise.   \n\n\n\nHe has published several articles about this marvel of Greek civilization\, including:  \n\n\n\n1: https://skepticalinquirer.org/2022/10/the-antikythera-mechanism-the-greek-computer-of-science-and-reason.2: https://www.counterpunch.org/2023/12/05/why-was-the-antikythera-mechanism-so-far-ahead-of-its-time/. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTo receive the Zoom info for this gathering\, click the Going button and enter your name and email. \n\n\n\n\n\nIf you would like to receive regular announcements and updates about activities and events at the Cobb Institute\, please join our list of Friends. \n\n\n\nCan’t make it to the live session? Click here to access our archive of Cobb & Friends recordings. URL:https://cobb.institute/event/john-cobb-friends-gathering-2024-02-27/ LOCATION:Online Via Zoom CATEGORIES:Cobb & Friends ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cobb.institute/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Cobb-Friends-header-1300x500-1.png ORGANIZER;CN="Cobb Institute":MAILTO:events@cobb.institute END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240220T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240220T120000 DTSTAMP:20260407T055241 CREATED:20240212T212210Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240212T212629Z UID:10000915-1708423200-1708430400@cobb.institute SUMMARY:John Cobb & Friends Gathering: Lynne Juarez DESCRIPTION:Topic: Tule Elk Park: A Cautionary Tale \n\n\n\nPresenters: Lynne Juarez \n\n\n\nIt’s about children and the environment\, always an important focus for Lynne Juarez\, who worked for 33 years with the San Francisco Public School District. Her B.A. was earned at University of San Francisco\, and she has an M.A. in early childhood education from San Francisco State University. In 1991\, the year of the Gulf War\, she was working in an Early Education Program in a school that served over 300 children aged three through the third grade. Many images of that war were flashed on the TV screen each night…the black smoke coming from the burning oil fields\, the eerie photos of soldiers\, faces obscured by gas masks. The images that were seared into Lynne’s brain were those of the many oil soaked birds. In the face of so much death and destruction\, she felt compelled to do something. But what? And so began a journey that lasted seven years\, the building of Tule Elk Park. The school with an asphalt playground was turned into a park\, and named after the animals that used to roam there. She takes great pride in creating something life-affirming despite the time of war. In her retirement she went to Namibia to work with young adults to work with lower income students who wanted to teach early childhood education.   \n\n\n\nFriends at the Institute for Postmodern Development in China encouraged Lynne to write a paper to be delivered at a Conference in China in 2014. Although a family emergency prevented her from doing so\, a companion traveler did make the trip and presented the paper to Chinese educators interested in children and the environment.  Lynne herself delivered the paper in 2015 for the Cobb Claremont conference on Seizing an Alternative.  A resident of Pilgrim Place in Claremont\, she is still active with its Environmental Concerns Committee\, including creating booths at its annual festival to educate young people about environmental concerns. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTo receive the Zoom info for this gathering\, click the Going button and enter your name and email. \n\n\n\n\n\nIf you would like to receive regular announcements and updates about activities and events at the Cobb Institute\, please join our list of Friends. \n\n\n\nCan’t make it to the live session? Click here to access our archive of Cobb & Friends recordings. URL:https://cobb.institute/event/john-cobb-friends-gathering-2024-02-20/ LOCATION:Online Via Zoom CATEGORIES:Cobb & Friends ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cobb.institute/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Cobb-Friends-header-1300x500-1.png ORGANIZER;CN="Cobb Institute":MAILTO:events@cobb.institute END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240213T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240213T120000 DTSTAMP:20260407T055241 CREATED:20240212T204021Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240212T210405Z UID:10000914-1707818400-1707825600@cobb.institute SUMMARY:John Cobb & Friends Gathering: Celebrate John Cobb's 99th/100th Birthday DESCRIPTION:Topic: Celebrate John Cobb’s 99th/100th Birthday \n\n\n\nPresenters: Many Tributes Will Be Offered \n\n\n\nAccording to custom in China\, one’s 99th birthday is counted as 100 years. Zhihe Wang and Meijun Fan will share a portion of a China-centric audience’s tribute to Dr. Cobb\, “the Eco-Sage of our time\,” on this auspicious birth anniversary. Over a hundred persons experienced the celebration live\, and over 4000 have viewed the recorded tribute. How has John Cobb impacted your life? We’ll hear from several who have known John well. Come prepared to share your own word of greeting. Perhaps Jay McDaniel’s affirmation\, shared on Open Horizons\, will prompt some thoughts you’d like to share. The Open Horizons link also includes John Cobb’s thoughts on his own vocation in response to the Call of Abba. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTo receive the Zoom info for this gathering\, click the Going button and enter your name and email. \n\n\n\n\n\nIf you would like to receive regular announcements and updates about activities and events at the Cobb Institute\, please join our list of Friends. \n\n\n\nCan’t make it to the live session? Click here to access our archive of Cobb & Friends recordings. URL:https://cobb.institute/event/john-cobb-friends-gathering-2024-02-13/ LOCATION:Online Via Zoom CATEGORIES:Cobb & Friends ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cobb.institute/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Cobb-Friends-header-1300x500-1.png ORGANIZER;CN="Cobb Institute":MAILTO:events@cobb.institute END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240206T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240206T120000 DTSTAMP:20260407T055241 CREATED:20240124T032633Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240124T032743Z UID:10000912-1707213600-1707220800@cobb.institute SUMMARY:John Cobb & Friends Gathering: Wesley J. Wildman DESCRIPTION:Topic: Thinking Outside All the Boxes: AI Applications and Ethical Challenges \n\n\n\nPresenters: Wesley J. Wildman \n\n\n\nAI and related computational techniques are transforming economies. They’re also rocking universities. Everyone has heard about the effect of generative AI on teaching and learning. Surprisingly\, however\, computational methods are also revitalizing the humanities\, arts\, and social sciences\, and demonstrating the value of those disciplines to the rest of the university. This presentation\, from the Co-Chair of Boston University’s AI Task Force\, will reveal what is happening in these parts of the university\, opening a discussion about the multidimensional power and ethical challenges of these technologies. \n\n\n\nWesley J. Wildman is a philosopher of religion and a computational social scientist. He is Professor of Philosophy\, Theology\, and Ethics\, and of Computing and Data Sciences at Boston University\, where he teaches AI ethics and philosophical theology (including process theology)\, among other topics. He is Professor II in the Institute of Global Development and Planning in the University of Agder\, Executive Director of Just Horizons Alliance\, and Chief Scientist of the Center for Mind and Culture. Author of nearly 200 articles and two dozen books\, his most recent book (with F. LeRon Shults) is Modeling Religion: Simulating the Transformation of Worldviews\, Lifeways\, and Civilizations (Bloomsbury\, 2014)\, which employs AI methods to study the role of religion in world history. His first novel\, which appeared in 2023\, is called The Winding Way Home. For more information\, see www.WesleyWildman.com. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTo receive the Zoom info for this gathering\, click the Going button and enter your name and email. \n\n\n\n\n\nIf you would like to receive regular announcements and updates about activities and events at the Cobb Institute\, please join our list of Friends. \n\n\n\nCan’t make it to the live session? Click here to access our archive of Cobb & Friends recordings. URL:https://cobb.institute/event/john-cobb-friends-gathering-2024-02-06/ LOCATION:Online Via Zoom CATEGORIES:Cobb & Friends ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cobb.institute/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Cobb-Friends-header-1300x500-1.png ORGANIZER;CN="Cobb Institute":MAILTO:events@cobb.institute END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240130T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240130T120000 DTSTAMP:20260407T055241 CREATED:20240124T031903Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240124T032040Z UID:10000911-1706608800-1706616000@cobb.institute SUMMARY:John Cobb & Friends Gathering: Lília Dias Marianno DESCRIPTION:Topic: Love and terror: gender\, diversity\, and inclusion in biblical narratives \n\n\n\nPresenters: Lília Dias Marianno \n\n\n\nWe were delighted to hear from Dra. Marianno\, a member of the International Process Network who has been a Fellow of the Center for Process Studies that she had just published the book\, Love and terror:  Gender\, diversity and inclusion in biblical narratives.  She said\, “It is with great joy that I announce the launch of my first book on biblical exegesis with process-relational hermeneutics\, which is\, in fact\, the 10th book I have authored.”  Here is what she shared with us: \n\n\n\n“Since Ronald Farmer was at a Biblical Research conference that I coordinated in 2012 in Brazil I have persisted in process hermeneutics as the methodological path for resolving conflicts of religious intolerance in several areas\, especially in the field of gender diversity and unrestricted inclusion of LGBT+ people in faith communities\, which in Brazil is still a major problem.“It is my way of paying tribute to Jorge Pixley\, a long-time friend in Latin American biblical research and who was the person responsible for  my first contacts with Processual Thought in Biblical Theology. Who knows\, maybe one day we can publish it in English? If any editor is interested I can think about the translation. \n\n\n\n“Summary: \n\n\n\nPresentation………………………………………………………….Introduction………………………………………………………….1. Understand this book…………………………………………..2. Process exegetical approach in Judges 19-21…………….3. Exegesis in Genesis texts……………………………………..4. Exegesis in Leviticus 18 and 20……………………………..5. Exegesis in “texts of horror” from Paul……………………6. Loving texts through the Bible………………………………7. Inconsistent holiness………………………………………….. \n\n\n\nEpilogue……………………………………………………………….   \n\n\n\nWhen we asked Doctora Marianno to introduce her book to Cobb & Friends\, she said\, “I am very\, very glad to return to Cobb and friends a little about the big education about Process Thought that I received from you.”  Here are various ways you may learn more about her:  Linked In\, ORCID\, Academia.edu\,     \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTo receive the Zoom info for this gathering\, click the Going button and enter your name and email. \n\n\n\n\n\nIf you would like to receive regular announcements and updates about activities and events at the Cobb Institute\, please join our list of Friends. \n\n\n\nCan’t make it to the live session? Click here to access our archive of Cobb & Friends recordings. URL:https://cobb.institute/event/john-cobb-friends-gathering-2024-01-30/ LOCATION:Online Via Zoom CATEGORIES:Cobb & Friends ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cobb.institute/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Cobb-Friends-header-1300x500-1.png ORGANIZER;CN="Cobb Institute":MAILTO:events@cobb.institute END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR