*****
GLOBAL AND ECUMENICAL IN SCOPE
CANADIAN IN PERSPECTIVE
Wayne A. Holst, Editor
My E-Mail Address:
waholst@telus.net
Colleagues List Web Site:
http://colleagueslist.blogspot.com
"Quicklinks" are included with many items
at the beginning of this issue. To get a more
complete picture, however, scroll down to
find your special selection in the body of
the blog.
Note that not all items here have links.
*****
Dear Friends:
My Special Item this week is a book notice
about Jimmy Carter's recently released title
"A Call to Action - Women, Religion,
Violence and Power." I am pleased to
be one of the first to introduce this
important volume to you.
http://tinyurl.com/mrp8duv
--
Colleague Comment this week is in
response to last week's notice about
the ending of Canada's Truth and
Reconciliation Commission hearings.
Michael Stogre, SJ, MD - a longtime
friend who has worked with First
Nations people for much of his
career in Northern Ontario, has
some balancing suggestions to offer
us. He now lives in Vancouver.
Scroll down to read his words below.
--
Colleague Contributions:
Jim Taylor (Okanagan) writes on
"Tinkering With the Human Body"
"Our Need to Share Our Riches With the Poor"
--
Net Notes:
"Science Vs. Bible" - a helpful piece on why
the creation debate between those who
begin with reason and those with myth will
never come to an agreement (Sightings)
http://tinyurl.com/jwakeef
"Listen to the Pain" - Christians are growing
in their awareness of the gifts offered through
the science of psychology (Christian Week)
http://tinyurl.com/kczu354
"Healing Moral Wounds" - America has not
only suffered great loss of life and economic
resources from its global military interventions.
This article probes yet another significant loss
(America Magazine) http://tinyurl.com/mxzmemq
"Elizabeth Visits Francis" - last week we noted
the visits of Obama and Vanier. This week,
another notable comes to call at the Vatican
(Catholic News Service)
http://tinyurl.com/p3jbr34
"13 Best Steinbeck Books" - John Steinbeck
is a favorite American author who would
often focus on moral dilemmas in his work
(Publishers Weekly) http://tinyurl.com/mpojkth
"Chinese Film on Dalai Lama" - evidence that
censorship is 'evolving' in China amid much
confusion. A film appears taking a positive
view of the Tibetan, the Dalai Lama
(UCA News Asia) http://tinyurl.com/pz9koaz
"Turkey Lifts Ban on Twitter" - this Islamic
nation is going through challenging times
where conservative religious influence
vies with a more traditional "secular" stance
(New York Times) http://tinyurl.com/lghhgra
"Beyond Boundaries of Fairness" - an editorial
the criticizes the high salaries paid cricket
players in India, reflecting Western patterns
(UCA News) http://tinyurl.com/phc78ym
an English editorial suggesting that it is OK
to oppose a government position so long
as those opposing it realize that they too
benefit from the protection of minorities
(The Guardian, UK)
http://tinyurl.com/ky26lwa
"'Noah' Sails Straight Up to Number One"
- the current movie introduced here last
week experiences a good, popular start,
with some interesting commentary
(LA Times, America, CNN Belief Blog)
http://tinyurl.com/lw2upex
http://tinyurl.com/mcbkdug
http://tinyurl.com/nlu7nnt
--
Wisdom of the Week:
from Sojourners Online -
Eleanor Roosevelt and Chief Joseph
offer insights for us. Scroll down.
--
On This Day:
from the archives of the New York Times -
with events happening between March 30th
and April 5th
Truman Signs Marshall Plan to Help Europe
http://tinyurl.com/cuhlfyn
Peary and Henson Reach the North Pole
http://tinyurl.com/73ed4mr
--
Closing Thought:
Henri Nouwen completes our reflections
for this week. Scroll down.
(end)
Notes on my teaching at
the university and church (and)
http://tinyurl.com/kvmu8o5
http://tinyurl.com/mnfjrdl
St. David's Book Study Archives
(35 book studies)
http://tinyurl.com/m5fedjk
*********************************
SPECIAL ITEM
A CALL TO ACTION
Women, Religion,
Violence and Power
by Jimmy Carter
Simon & Schuster Canada
Released, March 25th, 2014
Hardcover, 211 pages.
$34.00 CAD. $18.00 CAD Kindle
ISBN #978-1-4767-7395-7
Publisher's Promo:
The world’s discrimination and violence against
women and girls is the most serious, pervasive,
and ignored violation of basic human rights:
This is President Jimmy Carter’s call to action.
President Carter was encouraged to write this
book by a wide coalition of leaders of all faiths.
His urgent report covers a system of discrimination
that extends to every nation. Women are deprived
of equal opportunity in wealthier nations and
“owned” by men in others, forced to suffer
servitude, child marriage, and genital cutting.
The most vulnerable, along with their children,
are trapped in war and violence.
A Call to Action addresses the suffering inflicted
upon women by a false interpretation of carefully
selected religious texts and a growing tolerance
of violence and warfare. Key verses are often
omitted or quoted out of context by male religious
leaders to exalt the status of men and exclude
women. And in nations that accept or even glorify
violence, this perceived inequality becomes the
basis for abuse. President Carter and his wife,
Rosalynn, have visited 145 countries, and The
Carter Center has had active projects in more
than half of them. Around the world, they have
seen inequality rising rapidly with each passing
decade. This is true in both rich and poor countries,
and among the citizens within them.
Carter draws upon his own experiences and the
testimony of courageous women from all regions
and all major religions to demonstrate that women
around the world, more than half of all human
beings, are being denied equal rights. This is an
informed and passionate charge about a
devastating effect on economic prosperity
and unconscionable human suffering.
It affects us all.
---
Author's Words:
I saw the ravages of racial prejudice as I grew
up in the Deep South when for a century the U.S.
Supreme Court and all other political and social
authorities (in America) accepted the premise
that black people were, in some basic ways,
inferior to white people...
Even those in the dominant class who disagreed
with this presumption remained relatively quiet
and enjoyed the benefits of the prevailing system.
Carefully selected Holy Scriptures were quoted
to justify this discrimination in the name of God.
There is a similar system of discrimination,
extending far beyond a small geographical
region to the entire globe; it touches every
nation, perpetuating and expanding the
trafficking in human slaves, bodily mutilation,
and even legitimized murder on a massive scale.
This system is based on the assumption that
men and boys are superior to women and girls,
and is supported by some male religious leaders
who distort the Holy Bible, the Koran, and other
sacred texts to perpetuate their claim that
females are, in some basic ways, inferior to
them, unqualified to serve God on equal terms.
Many men disagree, but remain quiet in order
to enjoy the benefits of their dominant status.
Some men even cite this premise to justify
physical punishment of women and girls.
(There is too much justification for violence,
today) and in to many cases we use violence
as a first, rather than a last resort, so that
even deadly violence has become commonplace.
There is a pervasive denial of equal rights to
women, more than half of all human beings,
and this discrimination results in tangible harm
to all of us, male and female.
Although economic disparity is a great and
growing problem, at home and around the
world, I have become convinced that the
most serious and un-addressed worldwide
challenge is the deprivation and abuse of
women and girls, largely caused by a
false interpretation of carefully selected
religious texts.
In addition to this... there is a devastating
effect on economic prosperity caused by
the loss of contribution of at least half
the human beings on earth.
This is not just a woman's issue. It is not
confined to the poorest countries.
It affects us all.
I was asked to address the Parliament of
World's Religions in Australia, December, 2009.
My remarks represented the personal views
of a Christian layman and a Bible teacher for
more than seventy years, and a former
political leader. I reminded them that
selected scriptures from all the world's sacred
scriptures are interpreted, almost exclusively,
by powerful male religious leaders, to
proclaim the lower status of women and
girls. This claim to inferiority spreads to the
secular world (as well) to justify... acts of
discrimination and violence against women.
This includes rape, and other sexual abuse,
infanticide of newborn girls, and abortion of
female fetuses, a worldwide trafficking in
women and girls, and so-called honor killings
of innocent women who are raped ... as well
as less violent but harmful practices of lower
pay and fewer promotions for women and
greater political advantages for men.
In Australia, I called upon believers, whether
Protestant, Catholic, Coptic, Jew. Muslim,
Buddhist, Hindu, or tribal, to study these
violations and to take corrective action.
(In the following pages I will share discoveries
I have continued to make since then.)
I will explore the links between religion-based
assertions of male dominance over women, as
well as the ways that our "culture of violence"
contributes to the denial of women's rights.
(There has always been violence in the world)
but there is a difference today. We have
visionary standards adopted by the global
community that espouse peace and human
rights, and global communications of violations
has become much more extensive and effective.)
Pope Francis stated in August of 2013 -
"Faith and violence are incompatible."
This powerful statement exalting peace and
compassion is one in which all faiths can agree.
In this book, I want to include the statements
of many others who will offer a rich array of
ideas and perspectives on the subject.
---
My Thoughts:
I have collected, read and reviewed many of
Jimmy Carter's books over the years and am
grateful that, even in his eighties, Carter can
continue to write and speak with such clarity
and relevance.
Will this be his last testament? I hope not.
But even if it is, this book - dedicated to the
theme of human rights which has been
the subject of many of his books - will be
worthy of his enduring legacy.
Few American presidents have added to
the literature of life and liberty that Carter
has accomplished in his post-presidency.
Of particular value in this book is the
author's study of sacred scripture, beginning
but not confined, to his own Christian Bible.
Carter knows his Christian scriptures, as
he is a Baptist, and has taught Sunday
School for decades. Over the years, however,
he has read the Hebrew and Islamic scriptures
as well. He has studied them in the context
of inter-faith dialogue and study.
He expanded his scriptural vision to many
Eastern religious writings to add breadth
and depth to this study. There are few
political leaders around the world with
Carter's grasp of the Bible and the other
sacred writings of humanity.
Another benefit of reading this book is
the fact that he is not politically naive -
even though he has a spiritual heart.
Carter has been on the world political
stage at various levels for many decades.
He had dealt with many serious problems,
made his share of mistakes, and most
importantly - he has tried to learn from
them. How many ex-politicians can be
likewise credited?
Carter's book is also evidence that a
person living in the "higher decades
of life" can still make a valuable
contribution to everyone. Not only
does he possess the wisdom of the
years, but also the refinement of
that wisdom as he continues to stay
engaged with issues that matter.
I need now to just begin to say that this
is a book I will treasure, try to understand,
and integrate into my behavior as a male.
Male or female, I hope you might too.
***
Buy the book from Amazon.ca:
http://tinyurl.com/mrp8duv
*****
COLLEAGUE COMMENTS
MICHEAL STOGRE
Vancouver, BC
Re: TRC and Fairer Media Treatment
Dear Wayne:
to see the input from the Anglican church relating
to the untold side of the story by many teachers
who devoted their lives to teaching in difficult
conditions but were somewhat intimidated
from participating in the process.
to happen first, but soon few or no teachers will
be left alive to document their experience.
fairly. These were denominational schools for the
most part. The students were Christian already.
You sometimes get the impression that non-christian
You sometimes get the impression that non-christian
kids were sent to these schools to make them
Christian. In some areas they had been Christian
Christian. In some areas they had been Christian
I know from a short book researching this issue
at our school in Spanish, Ontario, that most deaths
at this school happened during the Spanish flu
epidemic.Something like 50,000 Canadians died
during this epidemic across Canada. Also it would
be useful to know how many children died in our
school systems in the same period across Canada
during years when we didn't have a lot that could
be done for anyone. Penicillin became available only
during the second world war I believe and at first
only for the military. TB was another major issue
especially in western Canada where most of the
residential schools existed. The latter often reflected
poor building construction and crowded conditions.
Yours Sincerely,
Fr. Michael Stogre S.J. M.D.
*****
COLLEAGUE CONTRIBUTIONS
JIM TAYLOR
Okanagan, BC
Personal Web Log
March 30th, 2014
"Tinkering With the Human Body"
http://tinyurl.com/yl374wj
--
RON ROLHEISER
San Antonio TX
Personal Website
March 30th, 2014
"Our Need to Share
Our Riches With the Poor"
http://tinyurl.com/ktejy54
*****
NET NOTES
SCIENCE VERSUS BIBLE
Debate Can't be Settled
Sightings
April 3rd, 2014
http://tinyurl.com/jwakeef
--
LISTEN TO THE PAIN
Chronic Pain and Deeper Issues
Christian Week
March 28th, 2014
http://tinyurl.com/kczu354
--
HEALING MORAL WOUNDS
Beyond Dollars and Deaths
America Magazine
April 14th, 2014
http://tinyurl.com/mxzmemq
--
ELIZABETH VISITS FRANCIS
Friends Continue to Stop By
Catholic News Service
April 3rd, 2014
http://tinyurl.com/p3jbr34
--
13 BEST STEINBECK BOOKS
Moral Dilemmas Encountered
Publishers Weekly
April 4th, 2014
http://tinyurl.com/mpojkth
--
CHINESE FILM ON THE DALAI LAMA
Aims to Counter Official Propaganda
UCA News
April 3rd, 2014
http://tinyurl.com/pz9koaz
--
TURKEY LIFTS BAN ON TWITTER
High Court Rules Against Government
New York Times
April 3rd, 2014
http://tinyurl.com/lghhgra
--
BEYOND BOUNDARIES OF FAIRNESS
Indian Cricket Players Highly Overpaid
UCA News
April 4th, 2014
http://tinyurl.com/phc78ym
--
CHRISTIANS CAN OPPOSE GAY MARRIAGE
As Their Own Freedoms Cuts Both Ways
The Guardian, UK
April 3rd, 2014
http://tinyurl.com/ky26lwa
--
NOAH FILM SAILS STRAIGHT TO NUMBER ONE
First Weekend for Holywood "Bible Story"
Los Angeles Times
March 30th, 2014
http://tinyurl.com/lw2upex
"The Biblical Ambition of 'Noah' Director"
America Magazine
April 1st, 2014
http://tinyurl.com/mcbkdug
"Does God Have a Prayer in Hollywood?"
CNN Belief Blog
March 28th, 2014
http://tinyurl.com/nlu7nnt
WISDOM OF THE WEEK
The trouble is that not enough people have
come together with the firm determination
to live the things which they say they believe.
- Eleanor Roosevelt
--
"Good words will not give my people good
health and stop them from dying. Good
words will not get my people a home where
they can live in peace and take care of
themselves. I am tired of talk that comes
to nothing. It makes my heart sick when
I remember all the good words and broken
promises."
- Chief Joseph
*****
ON THIS DAY
From the Archives of the New York Times
March 30th - April 5th
Truman Signs Marshall Plan to Help Europe
http://tinyurl.com/cuhlfyn
Peary and Henson Reach the North Pole
http://tinyurl.com/73ed4mr
*****
CLOSING THOUGHT- HENRI NOUWEN
"We are free to relate with the Source of all life
or not. A great love embraces all the love that
you and I have ever known, from father, mother,
spouses, brothers, sisters, children, teachers,
friends, partners, or counselors.
Welcoming unconditional love automatically
makes us more like the Unconditional Lover.
Divine love lasts forever."
(end)
*********************
CHURCH AND UNIVERSITY TEACHING
Contact Wayne Holst
403-286-2416
waholst@telus.net
WINTER CLASSES
At St. David's:
LINK TO OUR CURRENT MONDAY NIGHT STUDY
50 Book Sets Sold; 35 Course Registrants
NEAR DEATH AND LIFE AFTER LIFE - Course Design
http://tinyurl.com/kvmu8o5
Study Books:
"The Light Beyond" by Raymond Moody and
"Eternal Life" by Bishop John Shelby Spong
Audio and Video Links Added as Class Develops
Moody Series:
http://tinyurl.com/kq6ukpd
http://tinyurl.com/n6vpgy6Contact Wayne Holst
403-286-2416
waholst@telus.net
WINTER CLASSES
At St. David's:
LINK TO OUR CURRENT MONDAY NIGHT STUDY
50 Book Sets Sold; 35 Course Registrants
NEAR DEATH AND LIFE AFTER LIFE - Course Design
http://tinyurl.com/kvmu8o5
Study Books:
"The Light Beyond" by Raymond Moody and
"Eternal Life" by Bishop John Shelby Spong
Audio and Video Links Added as Class Develops
Moody Series:
http://tinyurl.com/kq6ukpd
http://tinyurl.com/kjkltd2
http://tinyurl.com/kdxchff
Spong Series:
http://tinyurl.com/kyfuqo8
CLASS ENDS APRIL 7th.
Final study links will be posted.
---
At the University:
LENTEN FRIDAY NOON FACULTY,
STAFF AND STUDENT STUDY
"In Search of Deep Faith" -
A Pilgrimage Among People and Places of Europe
by Jim Belcher, IVP, paperback. 2013.
February 27th - April 3rd, 2014
Six Fridays, 12-1PM. Native Centre Board Room,
Mac Hall.
Co-sponsored by St. David's United and the
U. of C. Faith and Spirituality Centre.
At the University:
LENTEN FRIDAY NOON FACULTY,
STAFF AND STUDENT STUDY
"In Search of Deep Faith" -
A Pilgrimage Among People and Places of Europe
by Jim Belcher, IVP, paperback. 2013.
February 27th - April 3rd, 2014
Six Fridays, 12-1PM. Native Centre Board Room,
Mac Hall.
Co-sponsored by St. David's United and the
U. of C. Faith and Spirituality Centre.
THIS CLASS HAS NOW BEGUN
*****
ST. DAVIDS BOOK STUDY ARCHIVE
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