Eastern Mennonite University

University Colloquium Series (archive)

“Relief Work and Pilgrimage in Southern France1938-1948” – Nancy Heisey and M.J. Heisey

Wednesday, March 28th, 2012

Nancy Heisey, PhD and M.J. Heisey, PhD, present on “Mademoiselle Miss Elsie: Relief Work and Pilgrimage in Southern France, 1938-1948.”

Nancy is EMU vice president and undergraduate academic dean and M.J. is an associate professor of history at SUNY Potsdam.

*Note: The powerpoint slideshow can be downloaded by clicking the small icon to the left of the words “Powerpoint Slides” below

“The Church’s Politic of Fullness…” – Dr. David Fitch

Wednesday, February 29th, 2012

Dr. David Fitch  presents the February Colloquium lecture on “The Church’s Politic of Fullness: How Ideology and Antagonism Work Against the Bold Witness of the Gospel.” David is the Betty R. Lindner Professor of Evangelical Theology at Northern Seminary. He heads up the M.A. in Missional Church Ministry at Northern and has held various part-time professor positions in the past ten years. David currently serves as one of three pastors at Life on the Vine Christian Community.

“Disintegration” – Cyndi Gusler

Wednesday, January 25th, 2012

Cyndi Gusler, associate professor of Visual and Communication Arts, presents at the January Colloquium lecture.  She shares from  her sabbatical work focusing on using discarded and eco-friendly materials to create art.  The lecture and Q&A time are followed by the opening of her show “Disintegration” in the Margaret Martin Gehman Gallery .

(News Story)

The monthly Colloquium lectures are planned and sponsored by the office of the provost.  Contact provost@emu.edu for more info.

Entertainment and Shadow Values in Contemporary Society, Peter Stromberg, PhD

Wednesday, October 26th, 2011

D.r Peter Stromberg, professor of anthropology at the University of Tulsa, presents ‘Entertainment and Shadow Values in Contemporary Society. The lecture is followed by a time for Q & A.  The monthly Colloquium lectures are planned and sponsored by the office of the provost.  Contact provost@emu.edu for more info.

“Spirituality in the American Grain: From Shoveling Fog to Power Spots” – Dr. Courtney Bender

Wednesday, March 16th, 2011

Dr. Courtney Bender, associate professor of Religion, Columbia University presents the last of this year’s monthly Colloquium lectures with her lecture entitled “Spirituality in the American Grain: From Shoveling Fog to Power Spots.”  The lecture is followed by a time for Q & A.  The monthly Colloquium lectures are planned and sponsored by the office of the provost.  Contact provost@emu.edu for more info.

“Dietrich Bonhoeffer the Assassin? Challenging a Myth, Recovering Costly Grace” Mark Thiessen Nation

Wednesday, February 23rd, 2011

Dr. Mark Thiessen Nation, professor of Theology presents the monthly Colloquium lecture, focusing on Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

The thesis of this lecture is two-fold. First, contrary to the prevailing assumptions, Dietrich Bonhoeffer was not arrested, imprisoned or executed because of involvement in plots to kill Hitler. Second, it is more accurate to say that he was arrested, imprisoned and executed because of the grace-filled, costly discipleship about which he wrote and which he consistently lived from 1932 to his death on April 9, 1945.

This lecture is a summary of a book in which Mark and two of his former students, Anthony Siegrist and Dan Umbel, are writing, to be published next year by Baker Academic Press. Of the many books published on Bonhoeffer, this is the first one to make the argument stated above. If its argument is convincing, this book will call for a re-examination of the received wisdom regarding the ongoing legacy of Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

Click here to view the news release

“Work and Hope” – Luann Good Gingrich

Thursday, January 27th, 2011

Dr. Luann Good Gingrich presents in the University Colloquium series.  Her presentation is on “Work and hope: Transnational livelihoods, Mennonites from Mexico, and social exclusion”

Dr. Good, a 1982 EMU alumna, is an associate professor in the School of Social Work at York University, Toronto, Ontario. Dr. Good is currently the principal investigator of a three-year study of social inclusion and exclusion, and the experience of “choice” for migrant women from Mexico and Guatemala working in agriculture in Canada.

Winter Coats for Haiti: Why We Need Training for Humanitarian Response – Dr Laura Powers

Wednesday, December 1st, 2010

Dr. Laura Powers from the Office of US Foreign Disaster Assistance at USAID, presents the University Colloquium lecture in Martin Chapel.

Teaching, Living, and Image-Making in Lithuania–Jerry Holsopple

Wednesday, October 27th, 2010

Second in this year’s University Colloquium Series, Dr. Jerry Holsopple, Professor of Visual & Communication Arts, presents on his  2009-2010 sabbatical in Lithuania.  He shares some of his theological reflections that have grown out of his experience writing icons in the Orthodox church.

Dr. Jerry Holsopple received his B.S. degree from Eastern Mennonite University, M.Div. from Mennonite Biblical Seminary and his Ph.D. from European Graduate School.

Take a look at Jerry’s blog to see some of the images and read further reflections from his sabbatical:

http://emu.edu/blog/intothewindow/

The Moral Legacy of World War II

Monday, October 4th, 2010
Dr. Ted Grimsrud opens the 2010-2011 University Colloquium Series presenting  ”The Moral Legacy of World War II”.  Dr. Fred Kniss, provost, opens the event, introducing Grimsrud, Professor in EMU’s Bible and Religion department. The University Colloquium, an ongoing series of cross-disciplinary conversations geared to enhance intellectual community at EMU, is intended to be a conversation engaging the entire university. All faculty, staff, and students are invited.

The lectures are followed by opportunity for Q&A and informal conversation over a light reception.