May 15, 2012 | 7:00 PM
FREE

Djavad Mowafaghian Cinema, 3rd Floor
Goldcorp Centre for the Arts

SFU’s Vancity Office of Community Engagement and the Iona-Pacific Inter-Religious Centre present:

Islamophobia and Interfaith Dialogue: Challenges and Opportunities

A Public Talk with Daniel Tutt

Followed by an interfaith dialogue with local participants

Free admission, but seating is limited. RSVP via EventBrite:
http://islamophobiaandinterfaithdialogue.eventbrite.com

Islamophobia is worse now than it was immediately following the September 11th, 2001 attacks in New York and Washington. Since the election of Barack Obama to President, hate groups have expanded, and American Muslims report higher levels of employment discrimination, hate crimes, and attitudes are generally unfavorable towards Muslims in the United States. Looking historically, the example of homophobia, racism towards African Americans, and other movements present models for activists and community leaders to emulate, however, Islamophobia in America presents unique challenges, and is intimately tied to international politics and a whole range of foreign policy concerns.

The media’s role in perpetuating the “otherizing” of Muslims and Islam contributes to the problem. In this lecture, Daniel Tutt will describe the ways in which Islamophobia can be curbed, as well as share innovative resources that can be applied at a grassroots level.

The talk will be followed by a moderated discussion with local participants and a Q and A with the audience.

Daniel Tutt’s work focuses on creating dialogue and action around persisting problems between Muslims and American mainstream culture. He has directed “20,000 Dialogues,” a project of Unity Productions Foundation that uses film and dialogue to bring different affinity groups together for transformative dialogue on Islam in America. Currently, he is a Fellow at the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding, a non-partisan think tank that seeks to provide commentary and analysis on issues relating to Islam and Muslims. He serves as an advisor for social justice organizations such as the 9/11 Unity Walk and Religious Freedom U.S.A.

Moderated by Peter Elliot, Christ Church Cathedral

Panellists include:

• Seemi Ghazi, Instructor in Arabic Studies, UBC
• Ali Lakhani, Editor of Sacred Web
• Meharoona Ghani, Former director of the provincial multiculturalism and anti-racism program in B.C
• Robert Daum, Director, Iona-Pacific Inter-Religious Centre
• Paula Carr, Collingwood Neighbourhood House

The Board of Governors, faculty and graduands invite you CONVOCATION 2012. This evening will represent a celebration of  readiness for ministry, academic achievement and commitment to the mission of Jesus Christ in the world. The contribution of family, friends, Native communities and churches is acknowledged with gratitude. In addition to the 33 graduands, we will also be awarding honorary doctorates to Rev. Margaret Mullins, Rev. Robert Burrows and Rev. Gary Paterson.

Convocation takes place at Shaughnessy Heights United Church at 1550 West 33rd Avenue, at 7 pm on Monday, May 7th. A reception following the convocation service will be held in the Church Hall, to which all are invited!

]]> http://www.vst.edu/main/2012/04/25/youre-invited-to-vsts-convocation/feed 0 http://www.vst.edu/main/2012/04/13/on-god-and-human-suffering http://www.vst.edu/main/2012/04/13/on-god-and-human-suffering#comments Fri, 13 Apr 2012 17:58:59 +0000 http://www.vst.edu/main/?p=6150

On February 7, 2012, the Asmadiyya Muslim Community hosted an inter-religious discussion on the question of the existence of God and human suffering at the University of the Fraser Valley in Mission.  The event was moderated the Mayor of Mission, Ted Adlem.  Participants were asked to represent their faith tradition on the question in a space of 20 minutes.  Following the presentation there was an opportunity for questions from the audience.  Buddhist, Hindu, Moslem, Sikh and Christian faiths were represented.  Dr. Richard Topping participated in the discussion and found it a friendly and engaging opportunity to converse on a topic of common concern.  Other people on the panel included – Myoshin Kate McCandless – Buddhist; Suman Sharma – Hindu; Mohammad Afzal Mirza – Islam; and Gian Singh Kotli – Sikh.

The Fran D. Whitfield Award in Music and Community Life

HONOURING 30 year s of servic e at VS T (1980 – 2010)

In May 1980, Fran D. Whitfield was hired at Vancouver School of Theology as Secretary to the
Registrar. For 30 subsequent years, Fran served the VST community in varying capacities in student
records, admissions, and student services—her commitment to the School
and to students unwavering.

Several days before Fran’s official retirement from VST on July 31, 2010, she was diagnosed with
metastatic breast cancer that had spread to her bones. Fran received care at Vancouver General
Hospital, through home care, and finally at Marion Hospice—where she died on February 28th, 2012.
Vancouver School of Theology would like to honour Fran’s 30 years of service to VST with the
setting up of a Year End Student Award in her name: The Fran D. Whitfi eld Award in Music and
Communit y Lif e. The award will be given each year to a student who has enriched the community
life of the school—especially through the sharing of their musical gifts, for example,
through worship leadership.

Music—especially choral music—was a huge part of Fran’s life, ever since she was old enough to sing
in St. Philip’s Anglican Church Choir in Montreal in her teens. Fran joined the Christ Church Cathedral
Choir shortly after she moved to Vancouver in 1974. In 1992, she became a founding member
and Cantor of the Cathedral Women’s Schola, which (with the Men’s Schola) sings the Compline
services that she so loved. She gave her alto voice to both ensembles until 2010, when her illness
made it impossible to continue. Throughout Fran’s 30 years of employment at Vancouver School of
Theology, she shared her talent and love of music regularly during VST’s Community Worship through
participation in the VST Choir.

Fran touched hundreds, if not thousands, of lives at VST. She is in the heart and soul of the School, and
will always be much loved and remembered by those with whom she worked.
We invite you to join VST in honouring the life and work of Fran Whitfield. Please consider a gift to the
Fran D. Whitfi eld Award in Music and Communit y Lif e. All donations are tax deductable.

Gifts may be directed to:
Vancouver School of Theology
Attn: Fran D. Whitfield Award
6000 Iona Drive
Vancouver, BC
V6T 1L4

Besides the keynote address by Karen Armstrong at the Student Conference, delegates will have the opportunity to listen and learn from a host of storytellers from  diverse religious backgrounds, including First Nations (Chief Joseph Gosnell), Sikh (Pallbiner Shergill), Jewish (Shoshana Litman), Muslim (Meharoona Ghani), Christian (Stephen Farris), Hindu (Gira Bhatt), Baha’i (Jelana Bighorn) and Buddhist (Michael Ling). Profiles of these storytellers can be found at:

http://www.ionapacific.ca/learning/public-events/storytellers

A limited number of spots remain open to post-secondary students for the Student Conference. To find out more information about the conference, and to register, please visit:

https://www.vst.edu/main/programs/continuing-education/compassion-and-religion

or contact Aliya Hirji at aliya@vst.edu

Also, come find the Student Conference on Facebook by visiting Karen Armstrong Student Conference on Compassion in Religion.

Vancouver School of Theology welcomes Ugandan LGBTQ activist Val Kalende.

VST is helping to host Ugandan LGBTQ activist Val Kalende during her visit to UBC for a series of events. As a part of this exciting week, please join us for an informal lunchtime conversation with Val at VST. Val is also a student at Episcopal Divinity School, and we warmly invite you to this time of conversation and community. All VST students, staff, and faculty, are also welcome to attend Val’s events at UBC during the same week, listed below.

VST Lunchtime Conversation with Val Kalende
Wednesday, Feb. 15th, 2012, 1:10pm (after Community Worship)
3M Lounge in the Iona Building
Soup and salad provided
For more information, please contact Kerri Mesner (VST alumni/UBC student) at revkerri@yahoo.com or Katherine Fobear (UBC student) at katherinefobear@gmail.com.
The VST Community is also warmly invited to join us for these events at UBC:
The Global Queer Research Group is proud to be hosting Ugandan LGBTQ activist

Val Kalende at UBC!
Val Kalende is an activist and writer on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transsexuality, and queer issues in Uganda and is a board member with Freedom and Roam Uganda and an activist in Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG), one of the oldest LGBTQ activist group in Uganda. Since 2009, Val Kalende publicly opposed the Ugandan anti-homosexual bill that would impose life imprisonment and the death penalty on homosexuals. Val Kalende has written several articles and statements about the homophobia and violence in Uganda and the anti-homosexual bill or the “kill the gays bill”, presented these issues concerning LGBTQ rights in Uganda at several venues around the world, and has been interviewed by the New York Times

Book Launch at H.R. MacMillan Library: The Blaikie Report: An Insider’s Look at Faith and Politics

On Friday, February 10^th at 2 pm, VST is pleased to host a launch of the latest book by author Bill Blaikie; The Blaikie Report: An Insider’s Look at Faith and Politics. Bill Blaikie was ordained to the ministry of The United Church of Canada in 1978. In 1979 he was elected to Parliament; he was re-elected eight times, and retired from federal politics in 2008 as the Dean of the House of Commons. Over the years, Blaikie was the NDP critic for health, environment, foreign affairs, and trade; served as House Leader and Parliamentary Leader; and, in his last term, was the first New Democrat to be Deputy Speaker of the House. In 2009 he was elected to the Manitoba Legislature and served as Minister of Conservation until October 2011. He is currently an adjunct professor in theology at the University of Winnipeg, and Director of the Knowles-Woodsworth Centre for Theology and Public Policy.

This event is open to the general public. There will be light refreshments served, and an opportunity to meet and speak with the author.

Shannon Lythgoe at 604-822-9427 or email shannonl@vst.edu