CASE News May 21, 2012

May 21, 2012

New College Lectures

The New College Lectures are fast approaching. The 2012 lecturer is James K.A. Smith, Professor of Philosophy and Adjunct Professor of Congregational and Ministry Studies at Calvin College in the USA, and author of numerous books including Desiring the Kingdom and Teaching and Christian Practices: Reshaping Faith and Learning (with David I. Smith).

Professor Smith will be presenting two lectures on the general topic Imagining the Kingdom: On Christian Discipleship and Action, the first of which will be preceded by pre-lecture drinks at New College Village (opposite New College).

6:00pm Wed 23 May – Opening Event Pre-Lecture Drinks and Canapés

7:30pm Wed 23 May Talk 1 – Erotic Comprehension: The Bodily Basis of Meaning

Both our identity and our action flow from our most fundamental desires, longings and loves. In this first lecture Prof Smith will outline an alternative theological anthropology as the basis for Christian formation, both in worship and education.

7:30pm Thurs 24 May Talk 2 – Sanctified Perception: How Worship Works

Action and behaviour is generated by acquired dispositions and habits that become “second nature”. In this lecture, Prof Smith will consider how perception is shaped by communal practices inscribed in us a pre-intellectual way of relating to and perceiving our world.

These events are free, but registration is essential, so book now to ensure you don’t miss out!

CASE & AEC Conference: Education as Formation

Sat 26th May, 9am-4pm

On the Saturday following the Lectures, New College will host a conference on the theme Education as Formation, presented jointly by CASE, the Anglican Education Commission (AEC), and the Sydney Anglican Schools Corporation (SASC). The keynote address will be delivered by Professor James Smith on the topic Educating the Imagination: Christian Education as a Pedagogy of Desire. Other presenters include Archbishop Peter Jensen and Professor Trevor Cairney, David Hastie, Richard Ford, James Pietsch and Anne Johnstone.

For more information, including program, abstracts, and registration see here.

Please Register ASAP

Case Magazine: Living Stories

Current Case magazine subscribers have received their copies of our latest issue ‘Living Stories’. I hope you are enjoying it, and are being challenged by a great range of articles from the insightful reflections (previously unpublished) of Bruce Smith on hope and tragedy, to Chris Swann’s analysis of whether literature can make us better people, and why CS Lewis considered story and imagination so important to apologetics

Errata: Two of the articles in this issue have problems with endnote numbering due to a glitch in the design and production phase. These articles, by Prof Trevor Cairney and Rev. Andrew Errington, are now available on our website here in corrected form. We apologise for any inconvenience.

Were you expecting Case edition 30 and it didn’t arrive? Why not emailcaseadmin@newcollege.unsw.edu.au, we can check to see that your postal address on file is current, or if your subscription just needs renewing!

Latest posts on the CASE Blog

In our CASE blog we seek to engage with issues and ideas that are relevant to contemporary life. We welcome your comments and feedback. Some of our recent blog posts are:

Upcoming ISCAST – CASE Events 2012

Dear CASE Members and Friends,

We would like to invite you to our first ISCAST*-CASE** meeting to be held on the 31st May. This lecture, which should give a particularly interesting coverage of the impact and relevance of cutting-edge advances of Biomedical Engineering in today’s world by a leader in the field (see abstract). There will also be two further ISCAST-CASE meetings (in July and September; see details below) to similarly be held at New College at the University of New South Wales.

Thur 31st May at 7.30 pm, ISCAST-CASE Lecture

Speaker: Professor Andrew Ruys, Director of the Institute for Biomedical Engineering at the University of Sydney.

Lecture title: “Biomedical Engineering and Huxley’s Brave New World”,

Venue: Main Common Room of New College at the University of New South Wales.

Abstract: Biomedical Engineering is the fastest growing branch of engineering in the world today. It concerns the application of engineering to medical science. Rapid advancements in Biomedical Engineering, together with the associated future-looking disciplines of biochemistry and biotechnology, are outstripping the ability of medical practitioners, medical policy makers and ethicists to keep pace. Professor Ruys will give an overview of some of the key areas of cutting edge biomedical engineering and biotechnology

Technology in and of itself is benign. However, when a technologically advanced society is controlled by atheistic humanism, Huxley’s Brave New World is a possibility. Is this the destiny of western nations in the mid to late 21st century?

There will be refreshments after the lecture, and a donation of $10 would be appreciated but is not mandatory. Similarly, an RSVP to Peter Barry (p.barry@unsw.edu.au) would be appreciated but is not critical.

While the main information is given in this email, further updated information will subsequently be given on the ISCAST website (www.iscast.org) and EVENTS webpage, when it becomes available.

Thur 19th July 7.30 pm; ISCAST-CASE Science-Faith Panel Discussion meeting, primarily for teachers and ISCAST-CASE members and friends.

Panel discussion title: “The questions students ask: Science and Faith in the Classroom?”

Venue. Main Common Room of New College.

Chair: Dr Barry Newman; Panel members: Vaughan Brown (Shore); David Ruys (St Andrews Cathedral School); Jim Wright (Science and Chemistry teacher, Covenant Christian School).

ISCAST_CASE Lecture on Mon 17th Sept. 7.30 pm. Professor Graeme Clark AO, Developer of the Bionic Ear.

Lecture title “Serving as a Scientist in God’s World”. Venue. Main Common Room of New College.

There will be refreshments after the lecture and a donation of $10 would be appreciated but is not mandatory

As you can see, there are lots of things going on at CASE and New College. I hope to see some of you at our various events. If you can’t manage that I hope you can get the chance to read some of our publications or just visit the website or our blog. Don’t forget that you can also follow my tweets on Twitter @AndJustInCase

Thanks for supporting CASE.

Trevor Cairney

Director, Centre for Apologetic Scholarship and Education (CASE)

New College, University of NSW, 2052.

Ph: +61 2 9381 1999 F: +61 2 9381 1909.

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