BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Cobb Institute - ECPv6.15.17.1//NONSGML v1.0//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH 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:20220313T100000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0700 TZOFFSETTO:-0800 TZNAME:PST DTSTART:20221106T090000 END:STANDARD 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 END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20231024T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20231024T120000 DTSTAMP:20260415T231859 CREATED:20231023T214137Z LAST-MODIFIED:20231023T214657Z UID:10000764-1698141600-1698148800@cobb.institute SUMMARY:John Cobb & Friends Gathering: Kevin Carnahan DESCRIPTION:Topic: Maintaining Moral Balance in Israel/Palestine. \n\n\n\nPresenters: Kevin Carnahan \n\n\n\nKevin Carnahan is Professor of Philosophy and Religion at Central Methodist University in Fayette\, Missouri. He served for five years as the co-editor of the Journal of the Society of Christian Ethics\, and three as the President of the Niebuhr Society. He is author of Reinhold Niebuhr and Paul Ramsey (Lexington Books\, 2010)\, and From Presumption to Prudence in Just-War Rationality (Routledge\, 2017)\, and co-editor of Paradoxical Virtue: Reinhold Niebuhr and the Virtue Tradition (Routledge\, 2020). He has an enduring interest in the politics of Israel/Palestine and has traveled frequently in the region.  \n\n\n\nTalk Summary: The story of Israel/Palestine is a story of compounded historical tragedy. There is no solution to the conflict that fulfills all the requirements of justice. In such a context\, it becomes tempting for participants in the conflict to deny the reality of some goods (usually the goods of their opponents) in order to present what appears to be a simple and satisfying moral analysis of the situation. Realistic moral analysis must resist such reductive rhetoric\, count the costs\, and take seriously the balance of power in the region. Such vision is necessary to find a way for Israel and Palestine to coexist at any point in the future. \n\n\n\nWatch for further details\, including information about a series of Saturday conversations with presentations by the authors.  \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-2023-10-24/ 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:20231021T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20231021T120000 DTSTAMP:20260415T231859 CREATED:20230922T222611Z LAST-MODIFIED:20231011T174727Z UID:10000758-1697882400-1697889600@cobb.institute SUMMARY:Intuiting Life DESCRIPTION:The Science Advisory Committee at the Cobb Institute invites you to join us for a conversation series with the editors and authors of Intuiting Life: Process-Philosophical Perspectives on Biology. Each session will feature presentations by two or more of the book’s contributors and conversations with all attendees. RSVP below to receive the Zoom information. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSchedule\n\n\n\n\nOctober 14: Arthur Araújo (co-editor)\, Federico Giorgo\n\n\n\nOctober 21: Philip Tryon\, Johanna Häusler\, and Nathaniel Barrett\n\n\n\nOctober 28: Spyridon Koutroufinis (co-editor)\, Matt Segall\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAbout the Book\n\n\n\n\n\nThis book challenges the reductionist\, materialistic metaphysics often adopted by biologists\, arguing that this approach overlooks the intricate complexities and essential characteristics of life. Instead\, the authors propose a process-philosophical approach\, grounded in the metaphysics of Alfred North Whitehead and other process thinkers\, which attributes subjectivity\, value\, and purposeful striving to all organisms\, from simple cells to complex animals. This fresh perspective aims to provide a more nuanced understanding of fundamental biological concepts such as organism\, development\, agency\, goal-directedness\, and environmental interaction. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPURCHASE\n\n\n\n\n\n\n“Whitehead is convinced of the ontological fundamentality of life in all of nature. He considers the problem of life to be the central question of science and philosophy. He insists that the basic principles of life are exemplified in rudimentary form in all forms of physical existence. Living nature can give us the key to understanding non-biological nature.” (Intuiting Life\, 31) \n\n\n\nScientific intellectual attitudes criticized by Whitehead and Bergson dominate the modern life sciences. They are particularly influential in one of the core problems of contemporary biology and philosophy of biology: the nature of explanation. In 20th century philosophy of science Carl Hempel’s theory of explanation was for decades the backbone of theorizing about scientific explanation. . . . In philosophy of biology there is broad consensus that the explanative relevance of biological modelling in contemporary biology—especially in mathematically operating systems biology and theoretical biology—cannot be captured by Hempel’s account. \n\n\n\nAs “life scientists commonly seek to uncover the mechanism responsible for the phenomenon of interest” (Bechtel and Abrahamsen 2010\, 322)\, in the life sciences phenomena are explained by mechanisms. Leading philosophers of science who advocate a school of thought that is often described as ‘New Mechanical Philosophy’ or ‘New Mechanism’ argue that in many fields of science what is considered a satisfactory explanation requires providing a description of a mechanism. Indeed\, much of the practice of science can be understood in terms of the discovery and description of mechanisms. Mechanistic explanations form the main theoretical basis of most\, if not all\, contemporary biological disciplines. \n\n\n\nThe neo-mechanistic school in biology is a specific manifestation of what Whitehead calls “scientific materialism.” It can also be seen as a typical product of the technological intellect striving to reduce reality for the purpose of manipulating it\, against the limitations of which Bergson warns. Some authors’ criticism of the biological relevance of mechanistic explanations echoes Bergson’s warning mentioned above: “The intellect is characterized by a natural incomprehension of life.” Consequently\, intuition must assist the life-studying intellect\, for only intuition can do justice to those aspects of life\, which\, for fundamental reasons\, transcend the discursive-analytic modes of thought. Intuitive knowledge is not the only conceivable response to neo-mechanistic thinking\, but it is certainly one that takes into account essential facts that neo-mechanicism simply ignores. \n\n\n\nPhilosophy\, and in particular process philosophy\, must breathe new life into what has been suppressed by scientific reductionism. Serving this purpose\, the present volume is committed to the following maxim: Starting from philosophical intuitions\, biophilosophy must unveil the abstractions of biology and overcome them with new metaphysical hypotheses. \n\n\n\n“[A]ll of [Whitehead’s] thinking draws from the following philosophical intuition: The main aim of contemporary metaphysics should be to resist the modern dogma that a truth cannot be scientific unless it hurts the deep intuitions of mankind\, and that we cannot be scientific unless we tame the authority of our intuition. […] Whitehead’s philosophical work can be seen as an alternative to the worldview that still prevails in the natural sciences of his and our time\, which arose in the 17th century and is described by Whitehead as ‘scientific materialism’.” (Intuiting Life\, 21) \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPresenter Bios\n\n\n\nArthur Araujo has a PhD in Philosophy from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro/Brazil (2001). He is currently a professor at the Federal University of Espirito Santo/Department of Philosophy (Brazil) and founding member (2016) and current Coordinator of the Semiotics Brazilian Association of Post-Graduation in Philosophy (ANPOF). His teaching and research focuses on Philosophy of Mind and Philosophy of Biology\, especially William James\, Uexküll\, Peirce\, Ryle\, Austin\, Wittgenstein\, Darwin\, and Whitehead. \n\n\n\nNathaniel Barrett is a research fellow and member of the Mind-Brain Group at the Institute for Culture and Society (Pamplona\, Spain). The main focus of his research is the nature of value and its role in experience\, mind\, and life\, especially as examined from the perspectives of pragmatism\, process philosophy\, and ecological psychology. His recently published book\, Enjoyment as Enriched Experience (Palgrave\, 2023)\, draws on the philosophies of John Dewey and Alfred North Whitehead and recent scientific research to develop a theory of affect as the enrichment or deterioration of conscious activity.  \n\n\n\nFederico Giorgi is a doctoral student at the University of Namur (Belgium). His doctoral research concerns the relevance of Whitehead’s theory of symbolism to the present-day philosophy of perception. Giorgi’s interests include process philosophy\, philosophy of film and artificial intelligence. \n\n\n\nJohanna Häusler studied biology and philosophy in Munich and works at the LMU in science communication. She currently writes her PhD in Philosophy about the problem of free will\, arguing for a libertarian account of freedom in a broadly Whiteheadian spirit. Her philosophical interests cover a wide range of topics like philosophy of mind\, the free will problem\, the philosophy of science\, theories of causality\, the philosophy of biology as well as classical metaphysics. \n\n\n\nSpyridon A. Koutroufinis is Privatdozent (Associate Professor) for philosophy at the Technical University of Berlin. Between 2012 and 2014 he was Visiting Associate Professor at the University of California\, Berkeley. He has specialized in process philosophy (Whitehead\, Bergson)\, biophilosophy (Canguilhem\, Uexküll et al.)\, classical metaphysics (Aristotle\, Leibniz) and complexity theory. His research focus is the establishment of a new theory of the biological organism based on process ontology. He is the author and editor of six books and numerous articles and book chapters. \n\n\n\nMatthew David Segall is a transdisciplinary researcher\, author\, and teacher applying process philosophy across the natural and social sciences\, including the study of consciousness. He is Associate Professor in the Philosophy\, Cosmology\, and Consciousness Graduate Program at California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco\, CA. He is the author of many articles and books including Crossing the Threshold: Etheric Imagination in the Post-Kantian Process Philosophy of Schelling and Whitehead (Revelore\, 2023) and Physics of the World-Soul: Whitehead’s Adventure in Cosmology (SacraSage\, 2021). \n\n\n\nPhilip Tryon did his graduate work in physics at the University of Wisconsin\, subsequently working as a development engineer on early automation projects for BioTek. He has a lifelong interest in quantum mechanics and how it relates organic systems and informs biological science. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nRSVP to receive Zoom Info\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTo receive the Zoom info for this event\, click the Going button and enter your name and email. URL:https://cobb.institute/event/intuiting-life-2023-10-21/ CATEGORIES:Conversation Series ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cobb.institute/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Intuiting-Life-header-1300x500-1.png ORGANIZER;CN="Cobb Institute":MAILTO:events@cobb.institute END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20231017T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20231017T120000 DTSTAMP:20260415T231859 CREATED:20231003T190506Z LAST-MODIFIED:20231003T190630Z UID:10000763-1697536800-1697544000@cobb.institute SUMMARY:John Cobb & Friends Gathering: Andrew M. Davis DESCRIPTION:Topic: Process Theology and Extraterrestrial Life: A History. \n\n\n\nPresenters: Andrew M. Davis \n\n\n\nA frequent Cobb & Friends presenter\, Andrew M. Davis\, Program Director of the Center for Process Studies\, is offering yet another opportunity for us to engage his creative thought.  He says\, “As word continues to spread about my new book Metaphysics of Exo-Life: Toward a Constructive Whiteheadian Cosmotheology\, I thought I would suggest another Tuesday Cobb meeting on the topic. While this book covers the presentation I gave the Cobb Institute with Steve Dick in much deeper form\, it is the appendix to the book which I think the Tuesday group would be interested in this time around. In it I offer a history of process theology and extraterrestrial life\, including key statements that are made by a variety of process thinkers\, and a summary of key affirmative points.”   Our Friends have come to enjoy Andrew’s attractive presentations and the discussion they prompt.  Follow these links to Amazon’s book description and its author information about  Andrew Davis.  See Andrew’s own website here. \n\n\n\nWatch for further details\, including information about a series of Saturday conversations with presentations by the authors.  \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-2023-10-17/ 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:20231014T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20231014T120000 DTSTAMP:20260415T231859 CREATED:20230922T220827Z LAST-MODIFIED:20231011T174549Z UID:10000757-1697277600-1697284800@cobb.institute SUMMARY:Intuiting Life DESCRIPTION:The Science Advisory Committee at the Cobb Institute invites you to join us for a conversation series with the editors and authors of Intuiting Life: Process-Philosophical Perspectives on Biology. Each session will feature presentations by two or more of the book’s contributors and conversations with all attendees. RSVP below to receive the Zoom information. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSchedule\n\n\n\n\nOctober 14: Arthur Araújo (co-editor)\, Federico Giorgo\n\n\n\nOctober 21: Philip Tryon\, Johanna Häusler\, and Nathaniel Barrett\n\n\n\nOctober 28: Spyridon Koutroufinis (co-editor)\, Matt Segall\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAbout the Book\n\n\n\n\n\nThis book challenges the reductionist\, materialistic metaphysics often adopted by biologists\, arguing that this approach overlooks the intricate complexities and essential characteristics of life. Instead\, the authors propose a process-philosophical approach\, grounded in the metaphysics of Alfred North Whitehead and other process thinkers\, which attributes subjectivity\, value\, and purposeful striving to all organisms\, from simple cells to complex animals. This fresh perspective aims to provide a more nuanced understanding of fundamental biological concepts such as organism\, development\, agency\, goal-directedness\, and environmental interaction. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPURCHASE\n\n\n\n\n\n\n“Whitehead is convinced of the ontological fundamentality of life in all of nature. He considers the problem of life to be the central question of science and philosophy. He insists that the basic principles of life are exemplified in rudimentary form in all forms of physical existence. Living nature can give us the key to understanding non-biological nature.” (Intuiting Life\, 31) \n\n\n\nScientific intellectual attitudes criticized by Whitehead and Bergson dominate the modern life sciences. They are particularly influential in one of the core problems of contemporary biology and philosophy of biology: the nature of explanation. In 20th century philosophy of science Carl Hempel’s theory of explanation was for decades the backbone of theorizing about scientific explanation. . . . In philosophy of biology there is broad consensus that the explanative relevance of biological modelling in contemporary biology—especially in mathematically operating systems biology and theoretical biology—cannot be captured by Hempel’s account. \n\n\n\nAs “life scientists commonly seek to uncover the mechanism responsible for the phenomenon of interest” (Bechtel and Abrahamsen 2010\, 322)\, in the life sciences phenomena are explained by mechanisms. Leading philosophers of science who advocate a school of thought that is often described as ‘New Mechanical Philosophy’ or ‘New Mechanism’ argue that in many fields of science what is considered a satisfactory explanation requires providing a description of a mechanism. Indeed\, much of the practice of science can be understood in terms of the discovery and description of mechanisms. Mechanistic explanations form the main theoretical basis of most\, if not all\, contemporary biological disciplines. \n\n\n\nThe neo-mechanistic school in biology is a specific manifestation of what Whitehead calls “scientific materialism.” It can also be seen as a typical product of the technological intellect striving to reduce reality for the purpose of manipulating it\, against the limitations of which Bergson warns. Some authors’ criticism of the biological relevance of mechanistic explanations echoes Bergson’s warning mentioned above: “The intellect is characterized by a natural incomprehension of life.” Consequently\, intuition must assist the life-studying intellect\, for only intuition can do justice to those aspects of life\, which\, for fundamental reasons\, transcend the discursive-analytic modes of thought. Intuitive knowledge is not the only conceivable response to neo-mechanistic thinking\, but it is certainly one that takes into account essential facts that neo-mechanicism simply ignores. \n\n\n\nPhilosophy\, and in particular process philosophy\, must breathe new life into what has been suppressed by scientific reductionism. Serving this purpose\, the present volume is committed to the following maxim: Starting from philosophical intuitions\, biophilosophy must unveil the abstractions of biology and overcome them with new metaphysical hypotheses. \n\n\n\n“[A]ll of [Whitehead’s] thinking draws from the following philosophical intuition: The main aim of contemporary metaphysics should be to resist the modern dogma that a truth cannot be scientific unless it hurts the deep intuitions of mankind\, and that we cannot be scientific unless we tame the authority of our intuition. […] Whitehead’s philosophical work can be seen as an alternative to the worldview that still prevails in the natural sciences of his and our time\, which arose in the 17th century and is described by Whitehead as ‘scientific materialism’.” (Intuiting Life\, 21) \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPresenter Bios\n\n\n\nArthur Araujo has a PhD in Philosophy from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro/Brazil (2001). He is currently a professor at the Federal University of Espirito Santo/Department of Philosophy (Brazil) and founding member (2016) and current Coordinator of the Semiotics Brazilian Association of Post-Graduation in Philosophy (ANPOF). His teaching and research focuses on Philosophy of Mind and Philosophy of Biology\, especially William James\, Uexküll\, Peirce\, Ryle\, Austin\, Wittgenstein\, Darwin\, and Whitehead. \n\n\n\nNathaniel Barrett is a research fellow and member of the Mind-Brain Group at the Institute for Culture and Society (Pamplona\, Spain). The main focus of his research is the nature of value and its role in experience\, mind\, and life\, especially as examined from the perspectives of pragmatism\, process philosophy\, and ecological psychology. His recently published book\, Enjoyment as Enriched Experience (Palgrave\, 2023)\, draws on the philosophies of John Dewey and Alfred North Whitehead and recent scientific research to develop a theory of affect as the enrichment or deterioration of conscious activity.  \n\n\n\nFederico Giorgi is a doctoral student at the University of Namur (Belgium). His doctoral research concerns the relevance of Whitehead’s theory of symbolism to the present-day philosophy of perception. Giorgi’s interests include process philosophy\, philosophy of film and artificial intelligence. \n\n\n\nSpyridon A. Koutroufinis is Privatdozent (Associate Professor) for philosophy at the Technical University of Berlin. Between 2012 and 2014 he was Visiting Associate Professor at the University of California\, Berkeley. He has specialized in process philosophy (Whitehead\, Bergson)\, biophilosophy (Canguilhem\, Uexküll et al.)\, classical metaphysics (Aristotle\, Leibniz) and complexity theory. His research focus is the establishment of a new theory of the biological organism based on process ontology. He is the author and editor of six books and numerous articles and book chapters. \n\n\n\nJohanna Häusler studied biology and philosophy in Munich and works at the LMU in science communication. She currently writes her PhD in Philosophy about the problem of free will\, arguing for a libertarian account of freedom in a broadly Whiteheadian spirit. Her philosophical interests cover a wide range of topics like philosophy of mind\, the free will problem\, the philosophy of science\, theories of causality\, the philosophy of biology as well as classical metaphysics. \n\n\n\nMatthew David Segall is a transdisciplinary researcher\, author\, and teacher applying process philosophy across the natural and social sciences\, including the study of consciousness. He is Associate Professor in the Philosophy\, Cosmology\, and Consciousness Graduate Program at California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco\, CA. He is the author of many articles and books including Crossing the Threshold: Etheric Imagination in the Post-Kantian Process Philosophy of Schelling and Whitehead (Revelore\, 2023) and Physics of the World-Soul: Whitehead’s Adventure in Cosmology (SacraSage\, 2021). \n\n\n\nPhilip Tryon did his graduate work in physics at the University of Wisconsin\, subsequently working as a development engineer on early automation projects for BioTek. He has a lifelong interest in quantum mechanics and how it relates organic systems and informs biological science. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nRSVP to receive Zoom Info\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTo receive the Zoom info for this event\, click the Going button and enter your name and email. URL:https://cobb.institute/event/intuiting-life-2023-10-14/ CATEGORIES:Conversation Series ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cobb.institute/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Intuiting-Life-header-1300x500-1.png ORGANIZER;CN="Cobb Institute":MAILTO:events@cobb.institute END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20231010T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20231010T120000 DTSTAMP:20260415T231859 CREATED:20230927T224104Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230927T224436Z UID:10000762-1696932000-1696939200@cobb.institute SUMMARY:John Cobb & Friends Gathering: Elvi Bjorkquist DESCRIPTION:Topic: Process Thought & Aesthetic Qualities and Beyond. \n\n\n\nPresenters: Elvi Bjorkquist \n\n\n\nUsing her own paintings\, Elvi Bjorkquist\, who recently completed the Cobb Institute Certificate Program\, will show the connection between Art and the Process thought of Whitehead. For both Whitehead and Buddhism the world is permeated by “aesthetic qualities.” It is these aesthetic qualities that are the content of religious experience within the Whiteheadian and Buddhist process traditions. Whitehead also believes that aesthetic apprehension is complementary to scientific apprehension and helps to complete it. He believes that deeply felt intuitions highlight and illumine nature and that there are multiple ways of knowing that can be jointly affirmed and harmonized. Thinking is actually a form of feeling; aesthetic wisdom and rational inquiry are complementary. Both can be contexts in which people discover higher ideals in which to live and give a sense for the mystery and beauty of the universe. It becomes a means to the end of cultural transformation. God has given all cultures choices on how to relate and this affects what kind of world we live in. By using Process thought and universal art we can help create an ecological change in our world relations. \n\n\n\nElvi Bjorkquist has been an artist all of her life. She graduated with a BFA degree in Art and Art History. A lifetime ELCA Lutheran\, she graduated with both a Master of Divinity and a Master of Theological Philosophy from Iliff School of Theology in Denver\, Colorado. When John Cobb taught a class at Iliff\, Elvi found and immediately loved Process thought.  \n\n\n\nShe was the owner of the Elvi Design Group which worked nationally and internationally for many years. She lives in Denver\, Colorado and is now painting and showing her artwork. She’s on the board of the Parker Artist Group. \n\n\n\nShe was invited to present her thesis\, “Andean Originality and Creativity Were Used to Survive and Redefine Selfhood\,” at the SARTS Convention in San Antonio in 2016. The paper\, titled “Counter-Hegemonic Aesthetics and Spiritual Aesthetics and Spiritual Transformation in the Viceroyalty of Peru\,” is presently on “Academia” online.  Also available on “Academia” is the Spring Board PowerPoint presentation she did to fulfill requirements for the Cobb Institute Certificate Program\, “Process Thought & Universal Art Creating Intertwining Between Cultures.” \n\n\n\nWatch for further details\, including information about a series of Saturday conversations with presentations by the authors.  \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-2023-10-10/ 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:20231003T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20231003T120000 DTSTAMP:20260415T231859 CREATED:20230918T230637Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230918T231032Z UID:10000756-1696327200-1696334400@cobb.institute SUMMARY:John Cobb & Friends Gathering: Matt Segall DESCRIPTION:Topic: Intuiting Life: Process-Philosophical Perspectives on Biology. \n\n\n\nPresenters: Matt Segall \n\n\n\nMatt Segall\, a frequent presenter for Cobb & Friends in his role as Cobb Institute’s chair of its Science Advisory Board\, will introduce a new book released in June by Cambridge Scholars Publishing\, Process-Philosophical Perspectives on Biology–Intuiting Life\, edited by Arthur Araújo and Spyridon Koutroufinis. In order to do justice to the complexity of biological phenomena\, the book aims to correct the materialistic metaphysics assumed by many life scientists. Its authors explore the viability of process metaphysics to advance our understanding of fundamental biological concepts such as organism\, ontogeny\, agency\, teleology\, environment\, and normativity\, based on the metaphysics of Alfred North Whitehead and other process thinkers. This book highlights the uniqueness and intrinsic value of living beings\, opening up new horizons in the thinking of philosophers\, philosophers of biology\, life scientists\, and environmentalists. Matt Segall wrote a chapter in the book\, “On the Place of Life in the Cosmos: Whitehead’s Philosophy of Organism and Contemporary Theoretical Biology.” Segall is a philosopher\, transdisciplinary researcher\, author\, and teacher applying process-relational thought across the natural and social sciences\, including the study of consciousness. He is Associate Professor in the Philosophy\, Cosmology\, and Consciousness Graduate Program at California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco\, CA. For details of his academic background\, his teaching\, and his writings\, see the curriculum vitae on his website\, https://footnotes2plato.com/. \n\n\n\nWatch for further details\, including information about a series of Saturday conversations with presentations by the authors.  \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-2023-10-03/ 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:20230926T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20230926T120000 DTSTAMP:20260415T231859 CREATED:20230912T220422Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230918T223854Z UID:10000754-1695722400-1695729600@cobb.institute SUMMARY:John Cobb & Friends Gathering: Vivian Song DESCRIPTION:Topic: Yunhe Centre:  Balancing Economic Development and Ecological Restoration in China. \n\n\n\nPresenters: Vivian Song \n\n\n\nVivian Song has been working with Yunhe Centre\, which is actually a collection of centers in China in places which border preservation areas. By combining social entrepreneurship and innovative education\, the Yunhe Center believes “a regenerative economy with all life at heart is possible.” Vivian Song\, a director of the program\, says\, “I’m happy to share my experience working with the Yunhe Centre\, and our current summer water restoration community learning and service initiative.” For more information about Yunhe Centre and access to their website\, see Jay McDaniel’s piece at this Open Horizons website. Vivian Song has provided leadership for the Youth Dialogues program of the Living Earth Movement\, which John Cobb has founded. She is a member of the Cobb Institute Board. \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-2023-09-26/ 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:20230919T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20230919T120000 DTSTAMP:20260415T231859 CREATED:20230912T215813Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230912T220104Z UID:10000753-1695117600-1695124800@cobb.institute SUMMARY:John Cobb & Friends Gathering: Sam Coker DESCRIPTION:Topic: John Coltrane’s Love Supreme: A Process Approach to (Popular) Music. \n\n\n\nPresenters: Sam Coker \n\n\n\nArguably a dominant “religion” of contemporary culture is popular music: jazz\, rock\, metal\, indie\, rap\, country\, etc. People form identities and communities around it\, and enjoy touches of transcendence while listening to it. It is\, in a certain sense\, the sacred scripture for many around the world: albeit sonic not textual. Recently Sam Coker\, a recent graduate of Garrett-Evangelical seminary\, with a Master of Divinity and a Master of Theological Studies\, wrote a thesis on theology and popular music. His research interests include hermeneutics and the intersection of contemporary theology and music\, which culminated in a master’s thesis entitled “Keeping Time: A Theological Reading of Temporality in Popular Music.” Building upon that MA thesis\, he will explore the role of popular music in contemporary culture\, in dialogue with Jay McDaniel\, who was Sam’s professor of religious studies at Hendrix College. Using samples from jazz to metal music\, they will discuss (1) how music works with a yearning for restoration with the divine reality and can\, at times\, embody that restoration in sonic form; (2) how music elicits a dual dialectic of the apophatic and cataphatic; and (3) how temporality itself\, understood as a lived passage from present to past to future\, is at the heart of all music.   \n\n\n\nIn developing his themes\, he uses John Coltrane’s Love Supreme as one of his examples. Sam will introduce the themes and Jay will link with process thought. Sam currently lives in Chicago and splits his time between working in the chaplain’s office at a senior living facility and as a barista at a midsize coffee company. In his spare time\, he listens to tons of music\, goes to a lot of concerts\, and collects vinyl records. He is excited to collaborate with Dr. Jay McDaniel\, who was Sam’s professor of religious studies at Hendrix College.   \n\n\n\nHe is a certified candidate for ordained ministry in the United Methodist Church and one day hopes to pursue a doctoral degree in theology and ethics.To further get acquainted with Sam Coker\, see this link to his thesis: https://www.proquest.com/docview/2819964804. Or check out his metal article here:https://www.openhorizons.org/metal-music-a-hunger-for-transgressive-spiritual-spaces.html. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nInformation about how to access each gathering is made available via email. To find out about a single meeting\, send an email to events@cobb.institute. If you would like to receive regular meeting announcements and updates about the 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-2023-09-19/ LOCATION:Online Event 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:20230912T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20230912T120000 DTSTAMP:20260415T231859 CREATED:20230912T215113Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230912T215303Z UID:10000752-1694512800-1694520000@cobb.institute SUMMARY:John Cobb & Friends Gathering: Mary Elizabeth Moore DESCRIPTION:Topic: To Repair Earth\, Learn from Trees\, Ants\, and Diverse Humans! \n\n\n\nPresenters: Mary Elizabeth Moore \n\n\n\nCobb Institute Board Member\, Dr. Mary Elizabeth Moore\, will share her thoughts presented in her keynote address to the International Academy of Practical Theology\, in Seoul\, Korea in June 2023. The conference focused on practical wisdom in the Anthropocene. Dr. Moore asks\, “What do trees\, ants\, and diverse human communities teach about the natural world and its care? The year 2023 offered the hottest spring and summer on record for the Northern Hemisphere; animals\, forests\, and people died in shocking numbers in the landmark heat. Such a year is a non-gentle reminder of the urgency of ecological understanding and action. Familiar tropes are no longer adequate to provide guidance. The planet insists that humans face critical questions: how will we deepen our knowing and understanding and how will we find the requisite courage and capacities to protect\, heal\, and repair the earth and solar system?” She argues that the place to begin is with the non-human natural world and the peoples who live closest to the earth. “In my current work\, I turn particularly to trees\, ants\, and diverse human communities to upturn anthropocentric\, individualistic\, and industrial-technocratic dominance.” \n\n\n\nMary Elizabeth Moore\, is Dean Emeritus of Boston University School of Theology and chair of the Cobb Institute’s Strategic Planning process. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nInformation about how to access each gathering is made available via email. To find out about a single meeting\, send an email to events@cobb.institute. If you would like to receive regular meeting announcements and updates about the 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-2023-09-12/ LOCATION:Online Event 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:20230905T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20230905T120000 DTSTAMP:20260415T231859 CREATED:20230828T222550Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230828T222658Z UID:10000742-1693908000-1693915200@cobb.institute SUMMARY:John Cobb & Friends Gathering: Patricia Adams Farmer DESCRIPTION:Topic: Grief\, Beauty\, and a Process Theology for the People. \n\n\n\nPresenters: Patricia Adams Farmer \n\n\n\nJay McDaniel appreciates the way Patricia Adams Farmer makes process theology accessible to lay people. Here are links to three of her essays that provide a springboard for discussion. Jay reports\, “One deals with grief in the death of her mother years ago; my wife Kathy has a copy of it in her wallet\, finding it so helpful in dealing with Kathy’s mother’s death. Another is Patricia telling the story of going blind through glaucoma. The third spells out the role Beauty plays in process theology. Explore these readings and come prepared for conversation! \n\n\n\nhttps://www.openhorizons.org/grief-takes-a-road-trip1.html \n\n\n\nhttps://www.openhorizons.org/beauty-in-the-darkness-patricia-adams-farmer.html \n\n\n\nhttps://www.openhorizons.org/my-religion-is-beauty-patricia-adams-farmer.html \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nInformation about how to access each gathering is made available via email. To find out about a single meeting\, send an email to events@cobb.institute. If you would like to receive regular meeting announcements and updates about the 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-2023-09-05/ LOCATION:Online Event 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:20230829T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20230829T120000 DTSTAMP:20260415T231859 CREATED:20230828T221905Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230828T222029Z UID:10000741-1693303200-1693310400@cobb.institute SUMMARY:John Cobb & Friends Gathering: Lynn DeJonghe DESCRIPTION:Topic: Critical Thinking as an Integrative Process: Debating Wolves in Yellowstone. \n\n\n\nPresenters: Lynn DeJonghe \n\n\n\nA frequent presenter for Cobb Institute on educational matters\, Lynn DeJonghe will share the lecture she gave at this month’s International Whitehead Conference in Munich.  She thinks of this as the “missing 15th chapter” of her book\, Starting with Whitehead:  Raising Children to Thrive in Treacherous Times (Hamilton Books\, a subsidiary of Rowman & Littlefield.)  She brings Whitehead’s wisdom to the educational task by reflecting on the experience of 8th graders debating this resolution:  \n\n\n\n\n“Resolved: In light of the successful reintegration of gray wolves into Yellowstone Park and surrounding areas\, gray wolves should be removed from the endangered species list in Wyoming\, Montana\, and Idaho.” \n\n\n\n\nDr. Lynn Sargent De Jonghe has had a long career in progressive education that spans 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 a 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. More broadly she is committed to social justice\, to moving society from divisiveness to compassion\, and to saving the sentient and becoming-sentient life on our planet. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nInformation about how to access each gathering is made available via email. To find out about a single meeting\, send an email to events@cobb.institute. If you would like to receive regular meeting announcements and updates about the 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-2023-08-29/ LOCATION:Online Event 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:20230822T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20230822T120000 DTSTAMP:20260415T231859 CREATED:20230811T223427Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230811T223534Z UID:10000739-1692698400-1692705600@cobb.institute SUMMARY:John Cobb & Friends Gathering: Ellen Brown DESCRIPTION:Topic: Banking on the People:  Democratizing Money in the Digital Age. \n\n\n\nPresenters: Ellen Brown \n\n\n\nEllen Brown is the founder of the Public Banking Institute and the author of a dozen books and hundreds of articles. She developed her research skills as an attorney practicing civil litigation in Los Angeles. In the best-selling Web of Debt (2007\, 2012)\, she turned those skills to an analysis of the Federal Reserve and “the money trust\,” showing how this private cartel has usurped the power to create money from the people themselves and how we the people can get it back.Her latest book is Banking on the People: Democratizing Money in the Digital Age and her 400+ blog articles are at EllenBrown.com.  She is visiting Claremont in conjunction with the visit of Wall Street veteran Scott Smith\, who will be speaking on Friday\, August 25 at Claremont Presbyterian Church about Another Look at the Financial Transactions Tax That Could Eliminate Need for All Others. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nInformation about how to access each gathering is made available via email. To find out about a single meeting\, send an email to events@cobb.institute. If you would like to receive regular meeting announcements and updates about the 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-2023-08-22/ LOCATION:Online Event 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:20230815T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20230815T120000 DTSTAMP:20260415T231859 CREATED:20230811T222633Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230811T222812Z UID:10000738-1692093600-1692100800@cobb.institute SUMMARY:John Cobb & Friends Gathering: Barkley Thompson DESCRIPTION:Topic: Is God in Control? A Pastoral Appreciation of the Process Understanding of God. \n\n\n\nPresenters: Barkley Thompson \n\n\n\n A sermon by his former student caught the attention of Jay McDaniel\, who posted a portion of the Rev. Barkley Thompson’s sermon\, affirming the pastoral wisdom in a process understanding of God. See the sermonic moment\, asking “Is God in Control?” on the Open Horizons website here. After a decade as dean of Christ Church Cathedral in Houston\, Texas\, the Rev. Thompson has returned to his home state of Arkansas\, where he is now rector of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Little Rock. Come prepared to join selected respondents in reacting to this pastor’s message to help folks through real grief. Barkley Thompson recommends this website as an introduction to his ministry\, which includes authoring several professional articles and three books. The publication date for his most recent book\, How Can We Know The Way?: Reflections on Belief\, Salvation and Eternal Life\, is August 22\, 2023. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nInformation about how to access each gathering is made available via email. To find out about a single meeting\, send an email to events@cobb.institute. If you would like to receive regular meeting announcements and updates about the 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-2023-08-15/ LOCATION:Online Event 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:20230801T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20230801T120000 DTSTAMP:20260415T231859 CREATED:20230725T163920Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230725T163926Z UID:10000706-1690884000-1690891200@cobb.institute SUMMARY:John Cobb & Friends Gathering: William Andrew Schwartz DESCRIPTION:Topic: Center for Process Studies Ventures Forward \n\n\n\nPresenters: William Andrew Schwartz \n\n\n\nIn February the Center for Process Studies celebrated 50 years as a faculty program of the Claremont School of Theology (CST)\, founded by John Cobb and David Griffin. The relocation of CST this summer to a new location in West Los Angeles is accompanied by re-affirmation of the Center’s mission under new circumstances. Dr. William Andrew Schwartz\, Executive Director of the Center for Process Studies\, will share emerging developments for its future programming and impact. Andrew has overall strategic and operational responsibility for CPS\, including development and implementation of the CPS mission\, programs\, and strategic vision.  \n\n\n\nSchwartz is also Assistant Professor of Process Studies & Comparative Theology at Claremont School of Theology\, 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. He was a principal organizer of the Seizing an Alternative conference\, from which his book emerged. His recent work has been focused on high-impact philosophy and the role of big ideas in the transition toward ecological civilization. Co-editor of Putting Philosophy to Work\, and co-author of What Is Ecological Civilization? His academic interests are broad\, and include Comparative Religious Philosophies\, Process Thought\, Ecology\, Education\, and more. His recent work has been focused on high-impact philosophy and the role of big ideas in the transition toward ecological civilization.  \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nInformation about how to access each gathering is made available via email. To find out about a single meeting\, send an email to events@cobb.institute. If you would like to receive regular meeting announcements and updates about the 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-2023-07-11/ LOCATION:Online Event 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:20230725T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20230725T120000 DTSTAMP:20260415T231859 CREATED:20230725T163512Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230725T163721Z UID:10000709-1690279200-1690286400@cobb.institute SUMMARY:John Cobb & Friends Gathering: Leslie King & Rolla Lewis DESCRIPTION:Topic: Process Certificate Program: Prospects for its Future \n\n\n\nPresenters: Leslie King & Rolla Lewis \n\n\n\nEleven people completed the requirements to receive the Cobb Institute’s first “Certificate in Process and Practice\,” a program which included online courses taught by Jay McDaniel\, Andrew M. Davis\, Jeanyne Slettom\, Sheri Kling\, and Marcus Ford. The program\, guided by Terry Goddard\, was designed as “A Transformative and Holistic Educational Experience to Cultivate a More Just\, Sustainable\, and Fulfilling World.”  See the list of graduates and their synthesizing capstone “Springboard” projects. Future leadership for the program has emerged from the first cohort of graduates.  Dr. Rolla Lewis has agreed to be the guiding Dean of the Certificate Program\, and Rev. Dr. Leslie King has agreed to be the overall guiding Chairperson of our educational programs.  Rolla and Leslie will share their experience in and hopes for the Certificate Program.  Other participants have been invited to share their experiences of the Certificate program and their hopes for its future.      \n\n\n\nRolla Lewis\, Professor Emeritus in Educational Psychology at California State University\, East Bay\, has had a long career as School Counseling Coordinator at CSUEB and Portland State University.  He is a Taos Institute Associate\, which promotes social constructivism.  In September\, 2019\, he shared with Cobb & Friends his perspective on “Lifescaping–Creating a World We Want to Live In.”  Now retired in Portland\, OR\, his active gardening became the focus of his Certificate study’s capstone project.   \n\n\n\nLeslie King\, pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Waco\, Texas\, studied process theology with Nancy Howell in the Doctor of Ministry program at St. Paul’s School of Theology. Find her biodata here\, and her blog here.  Her capstone project was “Forever Young:  Concepts of God and Launching Young Adults.”  In her new role of Education Chairperson\, she is a member of the Cobb Institute Board. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nInformation about how to access each gathering is made available via email. To find out about a single meeting\, send an email to events@cobb.institute. If you would like to receive regular meeting announcements and updates about the 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-2023-07-25/ LOCATION:Online Event 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:20230718T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20230718T120000 DTSTAMP:20260415T231859 CREATED:20230712T220516Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230715T125307Z UID:10000707-1689674400-1689681600@cobb.institute SUMMARY:John Cobb & Friends Gathering: Bruce Epperly DESCRIPTION:Topic: The Bible in Process Perspective: Learning from Stories \n\n\n\nPresenters: Bruce Epperly \n\n\n\nJoin our conversation with Dr. Bruce Epperly\, seminary teacher\, pastor\, lectionary commentator\, and prolific author of over sixty process-themed books. On his personal website he says\, “Process theology is an adventure of ideas\,” and “The Bible is an adventure book.” See his current Adventurous Lectionary blogs for Patheos\, or his archive of lectionary commentaries for Process & Faith. What follows is further information Dr. Epperly has shared with us. \n\n\n\nBruce Epperly served over forty years as a university chaplain\, congregational pastor\, seminary administrator\, and university and seminary professor. Prior to concluding his full-time ministry at South Congregational Church\, UCC\, Barnstable\, Massachusetts in 2021\, Bruce served in various administrative and academic roles at Lancaster Theological Seminary\, Wesley Theological Seminary\, Claremont School of Theology\, and Georgetown University. Bruce is the author of over seventy books in theology\, spirituality\, healing and wholeness\, scripture\, and clergy wellbeing\, including The Elephant is Running: Process and Open and Relational Theology and Religious Pluralism; The Jubilee Years: Embracing Clergy Retirement; A Center in a Cyclone: Twenty-first Century Clergy Selfcare;  Francis of Assisi: From Privilege to Activism; Mystics in Action: 12 Saints for Today; Prophetic Healing: Howard Thurman’s Vision of Contemplative Activism; 101 Soul Seeds for Grandparents Working for a Better World; and 101 Soul Seeds for a Joyful Retirement. His latest books are Taking a Walk with Whitehead: Meditations on Process Theology and Process Theology and the Revival We Need. He currently is working on manuscripts related to Teilhard and Whitehead and the importance of progressive/process-relational Christianity in saving the soul of the nation and planet. \n\n\n\n In “retirement\,” Bruce describes his life as spacious\, meaningful\, and busy enough. His days are filled with writing\, preparing for classes and talks\, walking\, watching British mysteries\, and spending time with his wife Kath and his grandchildren who live in the neighborhood. He wakes up eager at 4:30 a.m. for today’s holy adventure\, which always includes an afternoon nap!  On occasion\, he even does part-time ministry for congregations\, focusing on theological reflection\, preaching\, teaching\, and reviving congregation’s spirits. \n\n\n\n  \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nInformation about how to access each gathering is made available via email. To find out about a single meeting\, send an email to events@cobb.institute. If you would like to receive regular meeting announcements and updates about the 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-bruce-epperly/ LOCATION:Online Event 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:20230627T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20230627T120000 DTSTAMP:20260415T231859 CREATED:20230613T190429Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230613T190634Z UID:10000705-1687860000-1687867200@cobb.institute SUMMARY:John Cobb & Friends Gathering: John Becker DESCRIPTION:Topic: Babbling on About Pluralism \n\n\n\nPresenters: John Becker \n\n\n\nToday’s title is taken from a chapter Dr. Becker wrote in the book he co-edited with Marc A. Pugliese\, Process Thought and Roman Catholicism: Challenges and Promises. Becker\, a Research Fellow of the Institute for Postmodern Development of China\, has accompanied John Cobb to China. He is newsletter editor and board member of the Society for Buddhist-Christian Studies. He earned a Master’s degree in Historical Preservation at CalPoly Pomona\, and a Ph.D. in philosophy and religious studies from the Claremont School of Theology. He has taught courses at Loyola Marymount College\, University of the West\, and most recently at Lyon College\, where he has been Assistant Professor of Philosophy. (At his LinkedIn page scroll to his posts about the skateboarding course this Southern California native taught in the Arkansas school.) His research interests are broad\, including Buddhist-Christian studies\, eco-theology\, process philosophy\, and religious pluralism. He was honored to receive the 2017 Young Scholar Award of the International Process Network. Becker’s lecture at the 50th Anniversary Conference of the Center for Process Studies in the section “Beyond Dialogue and Deep Religious Pluralism” is available at this YouTube link. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nInformation about how to access each gathering is made available via email. To find out about a single meeting\, send an email to events@cobb.institute. If you would like to receive regular meeting announcements and updates about the 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-2023-06-27/ LOCATION:Online Event 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:20230620T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20230620T120000 DTSTAMP:20260415T231859 CREATED:20230604T162739Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230604T162745Z UID:10000703-1687255200-1687262400@cobb.institute SUMMARY:John Cobb & Friends Gathering: Kathleen Wakefield DESCRIPTION:Topic: Awakening Our Deep Earth Connections by Reading Poetry in Community \n\n\n\nPresenters: Kathleen Wakefield \n\n\n\nKathleen A. Wakefield\, a frequent participant in our Cobb & Friends conversations\, is skilled in creating poetry and in engaging others in the poetry experience.  She describes her time with us as    \n\n\n\n“Awakening Our Deep Earth Connections: how reading poetry in community inspires loving attentiveness to the natural world and each other.”  She invites us into this experience. \n\n\n\nPoetry is a deeply embodied art rising from the rhythms of breath\, the senses\, and the emotional and spiritual memories our bodies hold. Its music and image-making qualities are uniquely suited to expressing how our lives are bound up with the earth’s body\, attuning us to the sacred web of relationships of which we are a part. Poetry voices grief for the wounding of our home\, while also nourishing us as we seek to heal our relationship and move forward. Reading poems in community can be a transformative process as we share perceptions\, “ah-has” of insight\, and life experiences; the self is excavated at the same time surprising connections are made to the seeming “other\,” human and nonhuman. Our world is enlarged\, our compassion stirred.   \n\n\n\nKathleen A. Wakefield is the author of two books of poetry\, Notations on the Visible World (Anhinga Press\, 2000)\, which won the Anhinga Prize for Poetry\, and Grip\, Give and Sway (Silver Birch Press\, 2016). She has taught creative writing at the Eastman School of Music\, worked as a poet-in-the-schools\, and she shares poetry through public libraries. Her work has appeared in numerous journals\, including the Alaska Quarterly Review\, Christian Century\, Georgia Review\, Poetry\, Sewanee Review\, and Visions International. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nInformation about how to access each gathering is made available via email. To find out about a single meeting\, send an email to events@cobb.institute. If you would like to receive regular meeting announcements and updates about the 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-2023-06-20/ LOCATION:Online Event 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:20230613T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20230613T120000 DTSTAMP:20260415T231859 CREATED:20230528T224325Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230528T224353Z UID:10000702-1686650400-1686657600@cobb.institute SUMMARY:John Cobb & Friends Gathering: Merlin Sheldrake\, with Matt Segall DESCRIPTION:Topic: Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds \n\n\n\nPresenters: Merlin Sheldrake & Matt Segall \n\n\n\nMerlin Sheldrake is a biologist and author of Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds\, Change Our Minds\, and Shape Our Futures\, a New York Times and Sunday Times bestseller\, and winner of the Royal Society Book Prize and the Wainwright Prize. Matt Segall\, the Cobb Institute’s Science Advisor\, says of Sheldrake’s work: “He encourages us to wonder how our scientific image of nature would be transformed by the adoption of mycelial rather than mechanical metaphors.” Segall will continue the dialogue about Whitehead/process thought’s relevance to mycology and biology more generally. See this blog post for a sense of what Matt and Merlin have already explored: https://footnotes2plato.com/2021/09/27/towards-a-mycological-metaphysics/. Merlin’s presentation on this topic at the 50th Anniversary Conference of the Center for Process Studies has been posted to YouTube. \n\n\n\nMerlin received a Ph.D. in tropical ecology from Cambridge University for his work on underground fungal networks in tropical forests in Panama\, where he was a predoctoral research fellow of the Smithsonian Tropical Research institute. Merlin is a research associate of the Vrije University Amsterdam\, and works with the Society for the Protection of Underground Networks and the Fungi Foundation. Learn more at his website. Matt is an Assistant Professor in the Philosophy\, Cosmology\, and Consciousness program at the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco\, CA (CIIS.edu). He has published articles on a wide-array of topics\, including metaphysics\, Gaia theory\, religious studies\, psychedelics\, and architecture. He also blogs regularly at footnotes2plato.com.   \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nInformation about how to access each gathering is made available via email. To find out about a single meeting\, send an email to events@cobb.institute. If you would like to receive regular meeting announcements and updates about the 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-2023-06-13/ LOCATION:Online Event 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:20230606T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20230606T120000 DTSTAMP:20260415T231859 CREATED:20230524T002638Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230528T195804Z UID:10000700-1686045600-1686052800@cobb.institute SUMMARY:John Cobb & Friends Gathering: David Schwerin DESCRIPTION:Topic: My 20 year Spiritual Adventure in China \n\n\n\nPresenters: David Schwerin\, with responses by Zhihe Wang and Meijun Fan. \n\n\n\nDavid Schwerin comes highly recommended by Zhihe Wang and Meijun Fan. He has shared with the Institute for Postmodern Development of China his business acumen and wise counsel\, having been credentialed with an MBA in Finance (Bucknell) and a Ph.D. in religion (Temple).  David has over thirty years of business experience\, beginning as a financial analyst and senior investment officer with a large bank. He founded D J Investment Advisors\, Inc. and has served as its President since 1976.  Explore his website\, www.consciousthinking.com\, for “Speaking” and “Writing” primarily focused on his initial work in China on Socially Responsible Business. (Now it’s referred to as Corporate Social Responsibility\, CSR\, or most recently Environmental\, Social and Governance\, ESG.) \n\n\n\nSchwerin is author of Conscious Capitalism: Principles for Prosperity (Butterworth-Heinemann 1998) which has been translated into Portuguese and Chinese and is in its second printing in China.  John Cobb praised Schwerin’s book Conscious Globalism: What’s Wrong with the World and How to Fix It (Digital Junction Press\, 2005):  “David Schwerin is doing great work in reminding the business community of its enormous responsibilities. Economic globalization has given corporations great freedom; hence\, much depends on how they use it. Those who read Conscious Globalism will have their tendencies to conscientiousness and inclusive concern strongly reinforced.”  Conscious Globalism was published in China in October 2005.  \n\n\n\nSchwerin says\, “Because some authorities in China have misgivings about the word ‘Spiritual’ and what it entails\, I have purposely limited the spiritual aspects of my work on my website. That said\, I have spent many years working to introduce a spiritual path to China. It is called Pathwork and is based on Mystery School teachings that are thousands of years old. It consists of 258 lectures that were channeled over a 20-year period and are psycho-spiritual in nature. These profound teachings are drawn from ancient wisdom from both the East and West.”  See his current blogs at https://www.speakingtree.in/david-schwerin/blogs.  See also his most recent book\, co-authored with Diana Muenz Chen\, titled Know Your Soul: Bring Joy to Your Life. It will help you understand the term Soul as he understands it. \n\n\n\n   \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nInformation about how to access each gathering is made available via email. To find out about a single meeting\, send an email to events@cobb.institute. If you would like to receive regular meeting announcements and updates about the 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-david-schwerin/ LOCATION:Online Event 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:20230530T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20230530T120000 DTSTAMP:20260415T231859 CREATED:20230517T022825Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230517T022831Z UID:10000583-1685440800-1685448000@cobb.institute SUMMARY:John Cobb & Friends Gathering: Eugene Shirley & Friends DESCRIPTION:Topic: Pando: Leveraging Society’s Pillars for Change! \n\n\n\nPresenters: Eugene Shirley & Friends \n\n\n\nEarth’s largest organism\, Pando the Tree\, inspired graphics for the 2015 Claremont Conference\, “Seizing an Alternative.”  Pando the organization is a “non-profit producer of educational programs for civic engagement with the end goal of building a more sustainable California Southland.”  Eugene Shirley\, Founding President of Pando\, has rounded up a talented crew to creatively engage folks in Los Angeles County in aiming for its ambitious sustainability goals.  The CSO Strategic Task Force brings together Chief Sustainability Officers from government\, higher education\, business\, and NGOs to focus on the common good of strengthening community resilience in Los Angeles County.   \n\n\n\n         Heidrun Mumper-Drumm\, head of the CSO Task Force\, will join our conversation\, along with John B. Cobb\, Jr.\, Pando’s Founding Board Chair\, and Vice-Chair Ed Bacon\, former long-time pastor of Pasadena All Saints Episcopal Church.  A brief documentary film by award-winning Lyn Goldfarb will be shared during the presentation. \n\n\n\n          Conversation will focus on the traditional pillars of civil society and how we can utilize them to bring about change.  How do we involve education\, faith institutions\, professional organizations and others in a broad ambition to create the more ecologically balanced and socially just environment that the LA County sustainability plan\, integral ecology\, etc. envision?  Additionally\, what is the role for public agencies?  Pando is building a unique model in Pando Days\, Magenta House\, and the CSO Taskforce that we’ll explore as specific test-cases.   \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nInformation about how to access each gathering is made available via email. To find out about a single meeting\, send an email to events@cobb.institute. If you would like to receive regular meeting announcements and updates about the 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-2023-05-30/ LOCATION:Online Event 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:20230523T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20230523T120000 DTSTAMP:20260415T231859 CREATED:20230512T040220Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230517T000957Z UID:10000554-1684836000-1684843200@cobb.institute SUMMARY:John Cobb & Friends Gathering: Marjorie Hewitt Suchocki DESCRIPTION:Topic: 21 Psalms for the 21st Century \n\n\n\nPresenters: Marjorie Hewitt Suchocki \n\n\n\nNoted process theologian Marjorie Hewitt Suchocki shares wisdom gained from her spiritual practice of reading and re-reading the Psalms during the days of pandemic. In process-relational meditations\, she shares her journey\, and she also includes contemporary psalms by Blair Gilmer Meeks. See the Process Century Press website for a description of her recently published book\, featuring 21 Psalms\, of warning\, yet an on-going source of hope. Dr. Suchocki has had a long-time association with John Cobb\, having been his student at Claremont Graduate School. She was founder of the (Whitehead) Common Good Film Festival\, and Co-director Emerita of the Center for Process Studies. The Cobb Institute Educator’s Toolbox includes a ready to share slideshow summarizing Suchocki’s approach to Christian Process Theology  Access the Center for Process Studies bibliography of her books\, articles\, and videotapes\, and see her detailed biodata and major publications here.   \n\n\n\nBlair Gilmer Meeks\, past editor of Liturgy\, the quarterly journal of The Liturgical Conference\, writes and lectures on worship and preaching for Abingdon Press and The Upper Room. She was acting coach in the chancel drama program at the Center for Arts and Religion\, Wesley Theological Seminary.  \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nInformation about how to access each gathering is made available via email. To find out about a single meeting\, send an email to events@cobb.institute. If you would like to receive regular meeting announcements and updates about the 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-2023-05-23/ LOCATION:Online Event 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:20230516T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20230516T120000 DTSTAMP:20260415T231859 CREATED:20230501T054301Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230501T054638Z UID:10000553-1684231200-1684238400@cobb.institute SUMMARY:John Cobb & Friends Gathering: Thomas Jay Oord DESCRIPTION:Topic: The Death of Omnipotence and the Birth of Amipotence \n\n\n\nPresenters: Thomas Jay Oord \n\n\n\nTom Oord has been a frequent guest presenter with Cobb & Friends. A student of David R. Griffin\, Oord earned a Ph.D. at Claremont Graduate University. He will discuss his latest book\, The Death of Omnipotence and Birth of Amipotence. Respondents will bring multiple faith perspectives to bear on the conversation. A Buddhist perspective will be brought by Jay McDaniel\, Professor of World Religions Emeritus\, Hendrix College. He is currently board chair of the Cobb Institute.  An Islamic perspective will be shared by Adis Duderija\, Senior Fellow\, Centre for Interfaith and Intercultural Dialogue\, Griffith University\, Brisbane\, Australia. Mary Elizabeth Moore\, Vice-chair of the Cobb Institute board\,Dean Emerita and Professor of Theology and Education\, Boston University School of Theology\, will bring a Christian perspective. \n\n\n\nThomas Jay Oord is a theologian\, philosopher\, and scholar of multi-disciplinary studies. He is an award-winning author or editor of more than thirty books and an award-winning professor. He directs the Northwind Theological Seminary doctoral program in Open and Relational Theology and the Center for Open and Relational Theology. He is known for his contributions to research on love\, open and relational theology\, issues in science and religion\, and freedom for transformation. Oord has been president of several scholarly societies\, and he lectures at institutions\, events\, and churches around the globe. Find a detailed bio here. He blogs frequently at his website: http://thomasjayoord.com \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nInformation about how to access each gathering is made available via email. To find out about a single meeting\, send an email to events@cobb.institute. If you would like to receive regular meeting announcements and updates about the 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-2023-05-16/ LOCATION:Online Event 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:20230509T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20230509T120000 DTSTAMP:20260415T231859 CREATED:20230501T053100Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230501T054442Z UID:10000552-1683626400-1683633600@cobb.institute SUMMARY:John Cobb & Friends Gathering: John Cobb DESCRIPTION:Topic: CONFESSIONS \n\n\n\nPresenters: John Cobb \n\n\n\nAnother book by John Cobb\, Confessions\, has been published this spring in the “Theological Explorations” series by Process Century Press. Dr. Cobb says in his preface\, “Before I died I wanted to write once to state\, if only for myself\, what I really feel most keenly about\, without worrying about whom I might offend. . . .I have felt called by Jesus’ Abba to do what I could for the healthy survival of the biosphere and for an ecological civilization for humanity.” He asks how\, as a disciple of Jesus\, we resist self-destructive planning toward nuclear holocaust and planetary destruction. \n\n\n\n The first six chapters articulate commitments we need to gain from Jesus–loving enemies\, loving Jesus’ Abba\, serving Abba rather than money\, opening science to wider truth\, loving ‘the least of these’ (including non-humans)\, and finding Jesus’ proclamation of the baseileia tou theou in the quest for ecological civilization. The next chapters aim to overcome the Western Worldview by “thinking historically\,” assisted by Alfred North Whitehead’s “Inclusive Vision.” Specific attention is given to what we can do in the United States\, especially in our Foreign Policy. Americans can “learn the truth” and “challenge the goal” of US global domination. He closes the book with reflection on “The Gender of God and the Role of Women in the Church.”  \n\n\n\nJohn invited the Rev. Bonnie Tarwater to write a final chapter\, “Can Women Save Discipleship to Jesus?” An Appendix provides specific suggestions for “Guidelines for Earth Crisis Support Groups.” Drawing from her experience in Twelve-Step programs\, Pastor Bonnie extends “an invitation to you to begin a group for sharing the truth of our interconnected lives.” \n\n\n\nBonnie Tarwater\, pastor of Church of Our Common Home\,  and Jeanyne Slettom\, publisher of Process Century Press\, will be available to join our conversation with John Cobb about his Confessions.  Read the book\, or at least scan the table of contents and preface\, and come prepared to “Ask Dr. Cobb” and to reflect on your own “confessions.” \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nInformation about how to access each gathering is made available via email. To find out about a single meeting\, send an email to events@cobb.institute. If you would like to receive regular meeting announcements and updates about the 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-2023-05-09/ LOCATION:Online Event 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:20230502T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20230502T120000 DTSTAMP:20260415T231859 CREATED:20230419T050038Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230501T053519Z UID:10000549-1683021600-1683028800@cobb.institute SUMMARY:John Cobb & Friends Gathering: Meijun Fan DESCRIPTION:Topic: Cobb & China \n\n\n\nPresenters: Meijun Fan \n\n\n\nDr. Meijun Fan is the Program Director for the Institute for Postmodern Development of China\, and Co-Director of the China Project of the Center for Process Studies. We celebrate with her the completion of a 5-year project to write a book in Chinese about John Cobb and China\, recently announced at the CPS website. \n\n\n\nShe will be accompanied by a team of Chinese scholars who have assisted her. All of them have been visiting scholars at the Center for Process Studies. \n\n\n\n\nProf. Lu Liu\, one of the co-authors of the book\, from Harbin Normal University\, specializes in process education.\n\n\n\nProf. Jinhua Ke\, one of the book reviewers\, is from Zhejiang Shuren University. His major is in the philosophy of religion and ecological philosophy. One of his books is The Study of Cobb’s Postmodern Ecological Thought (2018).\n\n\n\nDr. Junfeng Wang\, one of the book reviewers\, is from Wenzhou Academy of Social Sciences. His research focuses on Charles Hartshorne’s thoughts.\n\n\n\n\nThe acceptance of process thought in contemporary China is a remarkable tale and has become a captivating cultural phenomenon. According to Jierong Lu and Honglin Liu’s article\, “The Fall of Substance and the Rise of Process—Interpreting Process Philosophy from the Evolution Logic of Western Metaphysics\,” process thought is considered to be “the biggest movement after John Dewey’s pragmatism was introduced into China.” [Theoretical Investigation\,1 (2014):47-52.] \n\n\n\nMeijun Fan is primarily responsible for overseeing Cultural Communication\, the newspaper publication of the project. Additionally\, she manages the Chinese visiting scholar program\, conference program\, and publicity efforts. Previously\, Fan held the position of Vice-Chair and Professor at Beijing Normal University’s Philosophy Department. She completed her doctoral studies in Chinese traditional aesthetics and aesthetic education at the same university. Fan has authored six books and co-authored seven\, including the recent notable work Cobb and China: An Intensive Study of Cobb’s Postmodern Ecological Civilization Thoughts. Her book Contemporary Interpretation of Chinese Traditional Aesthetic received the “Excellence Award in Philosophy and Social Science” in China in 1997. She has also published over 100 academic articles in Chinese and English. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nInformation about how to access each gathering is made available via email. To find out about a single meeting\, send an email to events@cobb.institute. If you would like to receive regular meeting announcements and updates about the 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-2023-05-02/ LOCATION:Online Event 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:20230425T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20230425T120000 DTSTAMP:20260415T231859 CREATED:20230411T053826Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230419T045248Z UID:10000548-1682416800-1682424000@cobb.institute SUMMARY:John Cobb & Friends Gathering: Mary Elizabeth Moore DESCRIPTION:Topic: Responding to a Weeping Planet: Practical Theology as a Discipline Called by Crisis \n\n\n\nPresenters: Mary Elizabeth Moore \n\n\n\nMary Elizabeth Moore is Dean Emerita and Professor of Theology and Education\, Boston University School of Theology. Now retired\, she is the vice chair of the Cobb Institute Board\, and is currently guiding our strategic planning process. She currently studies the relationship of spirituality and tikkun olam\, or repair of the world\, focusing on ecological and social justice and the potential of theology to enhance or obstruct the planet’s thriving. She will discuss her 2022 Religions journal article\, “Responding to a Weeping Planet: Practical Theology as a Discipline Called by Crisis.” \n\n\n\nMary Elizabeth is an M.A. and Ph.D. graduate\, outstanding alumna\, and former teacher at Claremont School of Theology. She was active as a co-director of the Center for Process Studies from 1990 to 1999. From 1993-1999 she also served as the Allen J. Moore Multicultural Resource and Research Center’s co-founder and co-chair. An ordained deacon in the United Methodist Church\, she has been active in local\, regional\, and national church leadership. See this detailed biographical essay by her former student\, Claire Bischoff.  \n\n\n\nJohn Cobb affirmed her ground-breaking book\, Teaching from the Heart (Trinity Press International\, 1998)\, which bridges religious education and process theology\, as “a major advance both in relating Whitehead to education and in modeling a truly Whiteheadian way for testing his thought.” At the 2015 Claremont ecological civilization conference on “Seizing an Alternative\,” she presided over a section of conversations about “Reinventing and Reimagining The World’s Wisdom Traditions–World Loyalty.” \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nInformation about how to access each gathering is made available via email. To find out about a single meeting\, send an email to events@cobb.institute. If you would like to receive regular meeting announcements and updates about the 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-2023-04-25/ LOCATION:Online Event CATEGORIES:Cobb & Friends ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cobb.institute/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Cobb-Friends-featured-image-1300x500-1.png ORGANIZER;CN="Cobb Institute":MAILTO:events@cobb.institute END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20230422T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20230422T120000 DTSTAMP:20260415T231859 CREATED:20230301T042137Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230419T054329Z UID:10000480-1682157600-1682164800@cobb.institute SUMMARY:Starting With Whitehead: Session 5 DESCRIPTION:This five-part conversation series offers an analysis of learning events at each of the three stages of the rhythm of education\, described in Whitehead’s classic The Aims of Education. Each conversation will focus on the recently published book Starting with Whitehead\, by Lynn De Jonghe\, which bridges the gap between the theory and practice of educational reform\, and points the way for adults to help children thrive in a world of change. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n“There is only one subject matter for education\, and that is Life in all its manifestations.”—Alfred North Whitehead \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAs we search for guidance on how to thrive in changing times\, we are led to the work of Alfred North Whitehead\, who brilliantly perceived that the process of change itself is fundamental to existence. Whitehead grasped the profound role of change in determining how we how we learn\, how we experience ourselves and others and how we interact with the world around us. In his classic work\, The Aims of Education\, he elaborated a three-stage process of learning\, involving romance\, precision and generalization. He called for an education that explored real life experiences and events rather than packing of scraps of information into passive students. \n\n\n\n\n\nStarting with Whitehead: Raising Children to Thrive in Treacherous Times offers examples of learning events at each stage that point the way for adults to help children thrive in a world of change. These events are presented in the richness of their contexts and unfolding\, rather than as dry results of controlled data gathering procedures. The events recorded here are based on the author’s extensive experience working directly with children as a parent\, teacher\, principal and policy maker. Drawing on the best of psychological and educational research\, Dr. De Jonghe sets these exemplary events in a vigorous theoretical foundation and proposes specific strategies for success. Her recommendations have relevance not only for parents but also for teachers\, principals\, and educational policy makers. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nConversation Series Outline\n\n\n\nTakes place on Saturdays at 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM Pacific\, from March 18th thru April 22nd \n\n\n\n\nSession 1: March 18: Introduction: Using events in context to inform theory; Whitehead’s Aims of Education in relation to his philosophy of process\n\n\n\nSession 2: March 25: The Rhythm of Education: Romance\n\n\n\nSession 3: April 1: The Rhythm of Education: Precision\n\n\n\nSession 4: April 15: The Rhythm of Education: Generalization\n\n\n\nSession 5: April 22: Conclusion: Using Process Philosophy to Help Meet the Challenges of Our Times\n\n\n\n\nEach session will begin with a talk and slide presentation by Dr. De Jonghe\, then follow with two or three respondents for comment\, critique\, and elaboration\, after which we will open for exploratory discussion by all attendees. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n“Change is constant\, endemic and necessary.”—Drew Gilpin Faust \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAbout the Author\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\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 a 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. Her work in philosophy centers on the social methodology of scientific research programs and the process philosophy of Alfred North Whitehead. She is a member of the Philosophy of Education Society and serves on the advisory committee of the Cobb Institute. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTo reserve your seat and receive the Zoom information\, click the Going button and enter your name and email. URL:https://cobb.institute/event/starting-with-whitehead-session-5/ LOCATION:Online Event CATEGORIES:Conversation Series ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cobb.institute/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Starting-with-Whitehead-Conversation-Series-featured-1300x500-1.png ORGANIZER;CN="Cobb Institute":MAILTO:events@cobb.institute END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20230418T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20230418T120000 DTSTAMP:20260415T231859 CREATED:20230407T234417Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230407T234426Z UID:10000547-1681812000-1681819200@cobb.institute SUMMARY:John Cobb & Friends Gathering: Monica Coleman DESCRIPTION:Topic: Processing Grief: An Afro-futurist Perspective \n\n\n\nPresenters: Monica Coleman \n\n\n\nDr. Monica A. Coleman is John and Patricia Cochran Scholar for Inclusive Excellence and Professor of Africana Studies at the University of Delaware. She spent nearly fifteen years in graduate theological education at Claremont School of Theology\, the Center for Process Studies and Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago. Coleman has earned degrees from Harvard University\, Vanderbilt University and Claremont Graduate University. She has received funding from leading foundations in the United States\, including the Ford Foundation\, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation\, and the Institute for Citizens and Scholars (formerly the Woodrow Wilson Fellowship Foundation)\, among others. Answering her call to ministry at 19 years of age\, Coleman is an ordained minister in the African Methodist Episcopal Church and an initiate in traditional Yoruba religion. \n\n\n\nExplore her website where she introduces herself\, her six books\, and recent podcasts\, including co-hosting\, along with writer Tananarive Due\, the popular webinar series Octavia (Butler) Tried to Tell Us: Parable for Today’s Pandemic\, addressing today’s most pressing issues with insights from Afrofuturist literature\, process theology and community values.  \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nInformation about how to access each gathering is made available via email. To find out about a single meeting\, send an email to events@cobb.institute. If you would like to receive regular meeting announcements and updates about the 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-2023-04-18/ LOCATION:Online Event CATEGORIES:Cobb & Friends ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cobb.institute/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Cobb-Friends-featured-image-1300x500-1.png ORGANIZER;CN="Cobb Institute":MAILTO:events@cobb.institute END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20230415T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20230415T120000 DTSTAMP:20260415T231859 CREATED:20230301T041359Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230309T005329Z UID:10000479-1681552800-1681560000@cobb.institute SUMMARY:Starting With Whitehead: Session 4 DESCRIPTION:This five-part conversation series offers an analysis of learning events at each of the three stages of the rhythm of education\, described in Whitehead’s classic The Aims of Education. Each conversation will focus on the recently published book Starting with Whitehead\, by Lynn De Jonghe\, which bridges the gap between the theory and practice of educational reform\, and points the way for adults to help children thrive in a world of change. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n“There is only one subject matter for education\, and that is Life in all its manifestations.”—Alfred North Whitehead \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAs we search for guidance on how to thrive in changing times\, we are led to the work of Alfred North Whitehead\, who brilliantly perceived that the process of change itself is fundamental to existence. Whitehead grasped the profound role of change in determining how we how we learn\, how we experience ourselves and others and how we interact with the world around us. In his classic work\, The Aims of Education\, he elaborated a three-stage process of learning\, involving romance\, precision and generalization. He called for an education that explored real life experiences and events rather than packing of scraps of information into passive students. \n\n\n\n\n\nStarting with Whitehead: Raising Children to Thrive in Treacherous Times offers examples of learning events at each stage that point the way for adults to help children thrive in a world of change. These events are presented in the richness of their contexts and unfolding\, rather than as dry results of controlled data gathering procedures. The events recorded here are based on the author’s extensive experience working directly with children as a parent\, teacher\, principal and policy maker. Drawing on the best of psychological and educational research\, Dr. De Jonghe sets these exemplary events in a vigorous theoretical foundation and proposes specific strategies for success. Her recommendations have relevance not only for parents but also for teachers\, principals\, and educational policy makers. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nConversation Series Outline\n\n\n\nTakes place on Saturdays at 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM Pacific\, from March 18th thru April 22nd \n\n\n\n\nSession 1: March 18: Introduction: Using events in context to inform theory; Whitehead’s Aims of Education in relation to his philosophy of process\n\n\n\nSession 2: March 25: The Rhythm of Education: Romance\n\n\n\nSession 3: April 1: The Rhythm of Education: Precision\n\n\n\nSession 4: April 15: The Rhythm of Education: Generalization\n\n\n\nSession 5: April 22: Conclusion: Using Process Philosophy to Help Meet the Challenges of Our Times\n\n\n\n\nEach session will begin with a talk and slide presentation by Dr. De Jonghe\, then follow with two or three respondents for comment\, critique\, and elaboration\, after which we will open for exploratory discussion by all attendees. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n“Change is constant\, endemic and necessary.”—Drew Gilpin Faust \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAbout the Author\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\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 a 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. Her work in philosophy centers on the social methodology of scientific research programs and the process philosophy of Alfred North Whitehead. She is a member of the Philosophy of Education Society and serves on the advisory committee of the Cobb Institute. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTo reserve your seat and receive the Zoom information\, click the Going button and enter your name and email. URL:https://cobb.institute/event/starting-with-whitehead-session-4/ LOCATION:Online Event CATEGORIES:Conversation Series ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cobb.institute/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Starting-with-Whitehead-Conversation-Series-featured-1300x500-1.png ORGANIZER;CN="Cobb Institute":MAILTO:events@cobb.institute END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20230411T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20230411T120000 DTSTAMP:20260415T231859 CREATED:20230328T172452Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230328T172459Z UID:10000545-1681207200-1681214400@cobb.institute SUMMARY:John Cobb & Friends Gathering: Herman Greene DESCRIPTION:Topic: Process & Law: The New Ecological Social Contract \n\n\n\nPresenters: Herman Greene \n\n\n\nHerman Greene will begin with a discussion of the past work done of process thinkers on legal theory. He will then move to his own work in the emerging field of Earth law and the new ecological social contract. (See his attached Earth Law chapter\, “Ecocentric Governance: The New Ecological Social Contract.”)  Bruno Latour argued in his 2013 Gifford lectures that we humans have entered a new state of nature\, a Hobbesian condition of a war of all against all\, with the protagonists now including tuna\, and sea levels\, and carbon emissions\, as well as the various human factions. This time though it is not a condition before people entered into a social contract\, it is a present condition\, and calls for a new social contract that includes nature—a task that will take “two hundred” years. It is the primary task of humans in the Anthropocene. \n\n\n\nHerman Greene\, JD\, MA\, MDiv\, DMin is founder and president of the Center for Ecozoic Studies in Chapel Hill\, North Carolina\, a research and education center for an ecological-cultural age. He is Thomas Berry Scholar-in-Residence of the Earth Law Center and is co-author and co-editor of Earth Law: Emerging Ecocentric Law—A Guide for Practitioners. He serves on the Board of the International Process Network\, and on the Advisory Boards of the Center for Process Studies and the Institute for the Post-Modern Development of China. He is a retired business lawyer and holds graduate degrees in law (University of North Carolina-JD)\, theology (University of Chicago-MTh & MDiv\, and United Theological Seminary-DMin)\, and political science (Stanford University-MA).  \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nInformation about how to access each gathering is made available via email. To find out about a single meeting\, send an email to events@cobb.institute. If you would like to receive regular meeting announcements and updates about the 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-2023-04-11/ LOCATION:Online Event CATEGORIES:Cobb & Friends ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://cobb.institute/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Cobb-Friends-featured-image-1300x500-1.png ORGANIZER;CN="Cobb Institute":MAILTO:events@cobb.institute END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR