Campus Unitarians

Unitarians and Universalists at the University of Alberta

Frankenstein Revisited:
The Postmodern Prometheus

Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and Catalyst Theatre’s Frankenstein

Responsibility and the Pursuit of Knowledge
Guest Speaker: Ubaka Ogbogu of the U of A Health Law Institute
NEW DATE
Tuesday, March 4th, 2008
5:00 to 7:00 p.m.
Room 5-36 CEB (Old Civil Electical Building)

The Frankenstein story challenges us to think about the ramifications of our actions and the products of our minds. Now that cloning, stem cell research and genome patenting are a reality, how are scientists and society dealing with these issues? The Campus Unitarians invite you to join us for a lively facilitated discussion about responsibility in the pursuit of knowledge and the development of new technology.

Some questions to ponder:

You made it, you own it: How do we regulate the creation of life? Should it be regulated?

Frankenfoods: Can we stomach the legal and societal implications of patented, designer foods?

Boob today, gone tomorrow: Posh Spice treats her breast implants as zip-in, zip-out accessories. What does this say about our ability and willingness to alter our bodily realities?

Climate change: If human activities change the nature of the world, how do we ensure we're changing for the better? And better for humans, or for the planet?

Ubaka Ogbogu
Ubaka Ogbogu is a Research Associate with the Health Law Institute (HLI), Faculty of Law, University of Alberta. A graduate of the LLM program at the University of Alberta, Ubaka is a member of the Nigerian Bar and has practiced in the areas of corporate/commercial law, oil and gas law, and taxation. He also worked for a brief period as an Assistant Lecturer at the University of Nigeria.

Ubaka’s research interests include legal theory (the normative role of law in liberal democratic society), legal history (specifically, the history of science regulation) and biotechnology law and policy (interactions between law & emerging biotechnologies). His work at the HLI focuses on the ethical, legal and social implications of stem cell research.

Catalyst Theatre's Frankenstein
Catalyst Theatre’s production of Frankenstein runs from Feb. 2 to 24, Thursdays through Sundays. Regular tickets are sold out, but there are 10 Youth Access tickets (for people up to 21 years) on sale each evening at only $5 each. These tickets are available between 7:15 p.m. and 7:45 p.m. ONLY at the Catalyst box office (8539 Gateway Blvd). First-come-first-served. Photo I.D. required. Limit 1 ticket per person.

About the play:
Creating a monster: What is it about Frankenstein that keeps drawing us back after all these years?

[Posted 7 February 2008, Updated 14 February 2008]

Upcoming Events

UU for U
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
5:30 p.m. in CAB 229

The Campus Unitarians will be making a presentation to the University of Alberta Atheists and Agnostics.

We’ll touch on the commonalities between atheism, agnosticism and some forms of UU belief. The talk will end with a discussion / Q&A.

For more information about the University of Alberta Atheists and Agnostics:
http://www.ualberta.ca/~atheists/

For more information about the Campus Unitarians:
http://www.uce.ca/campus/

Global challenges and world religions: part of the problem or part of the solution?
Friday February 1, 2008
4:00 pm - 5:30 pm, in the Timms Centre for the Arts Lobby

Religion is often cited as an instigator of world challenges; the campus chaplains will explore why it may also pose unique solutions. For more information, go to the International Week website.

Frankenstein
Talk: Mid-February (date to be confirmed)
Show: Sunday, February 17th (pending ticket availability)

Catalyst Theatre’s production of Frankenstein explores the role of human responsibility in technology and research.

The Campus Unitarians are organizing a discussion of these themes in mid-February (dates to be confirmed).

Meanwhile, we’re attending a performance of the play on Sunday, February 17th.

(If you can’t make that date, there are other performances from Feb. 2 to 24, Thursdays through Sundays. For tickets, contact Tix on the Square at 420-1757, located at Churchill Square. Note: tickets are selling quickly).

[Posted 27 January 2008]

Events for the season and new year

The Westwood Unitarian Church and the Unitarian Church of Edmonton feature alternative seasonal programming.

Join the solstice celebration at Westwood Unitarian Congregation on December 21st, 2007. There are three earth-based spiritual services:

7pm - Family-oriented Service (with childcare)

9pm - Reflective Adult Service

11pm - Traditional Pagan Service
On December 23rd, 2007, the Unitarian Church of Edmonton hosts our annual Blue Christmas event. Not everyone has joyful memories of childhood Christmases, while others may be mourning losses at this time of year. This is a quiet service of readings, reflection and candle lighting. We make room to touch and honour the pain that so many feel, in the hope of finding solace, if not outright joy. The service is followed by a free supper of breads, homemade soups and pie by caring volunteers.

In January, Unitarian chaplain Audrey Brooks and Gilbert Bouchard will give a talk about Unitarian Universalism. The event, entitled "UU and You" is hosted by the University of Alberta Atheists and Agnostics. The talk place on January 30th, 2008 at 5:30pm in CAB 229.

[Posted 20 December 2007]

A golden evening

A discussion about The Golden Compass.

Thanks to everyone who joined our discussion about issues raised by The Golden Compass.

We had very engaged, widely-ranging critical deconstruction of some of the practical theological issues in The Golden Compass.

Unitarian Church of Edmonton minister Brian Kiely surprised everyone in the room by tossing aside the title of the talk, and giving a spirited redefinition of spirtuality and rationalism from a contemporary Unitarian, humanist viewpoint.

The discussion underlined that the attenders, whether they were Unitarian or not, were really looking for open and honest ways of looking at these issues from a non-traditional perspective.

[Posted 20 December 2007]

The Magisterium vs Bears: Is this Hollywood's Spirituality vs Rationality?

The Magisterium vs Bears

Tuesday, December 11th, 2007
7 to 9 p.m.
SUB Alumni Room
Refreshments will be served.*
Download handbill

Join guest speaker Rev. Brian Kiely and the Campus Unitarians
for a facilitated discussion about science, religion and atheism in the 21st century.

The openly atheist Golden Compass gets watered down when it crosses the Atlantic. Why is Hollywood so afraid of Big Religion?
Atheist like me: Is non-belief the new, sexy belief? Why the flood of cranky no-God bestsellers?
Even evangelicals are using science to prove the intelligent design and young world theories. Are they admitting rationality has won?
Is spirituality the same as religion? Can I be both spiritual and rational? Do I need spirituality in my life in 2007?
Superstring theory and God: is new physics the way to reconcile spirituality and rationalism?
I’m NOT leaving my rationality at the door: the fate of old school religion in a postmodern, confidently rational 21st century.

The Magisterium vs Bears: Is this Hollywood's Rationality vs Spirituality is presented by the Campus Unitarians. Unitarians and Universalists believe in an open search for truth and meaning. We hold that all beliefs must be open to examination, questioned and then accepted, modified, or rejected. Our sources of inspiration are broad. We find truths where they can be found.

*Did we mention there will be cookies?!

[Posted: 1 December 2007 ]

Constructing Landscape

Painting by Dominique Gaucher On Saturday, Nov. 3rd, 2007, we hosted an afternoon that included going to the movie Into the Wild at the Garneau Theatre as well as visiting the Douglas Udell Gallery to peruse a showing of funky landscape art by Quebec artist Dominique Gaucher (see the Edmonton Journal story).

Both the movie and the exhibit look at exactly how it is we construct our view of "wilderness" (i.e., the movie’s protagonist is rather besotted by the "romantic" view of the wilderness put forward by the Unitarian philosopher Henry David Thoreau).

Into the Wild is still playing at the Garneau Theatre (8712-109 Street).

Work from Dominique Gaucher's exhibit can be viewed on the Douglas Udell Gallery web site.

[Posted: 1 December 2007 ]

Vampires, Zombies and Consciousness

Blood Ties On Wednesday, October 24th, 2007, we held a facilitated discussion about bloodsuckers and brain-eaters haunting pop culture. We took a postmodern Unitarian look at burning issues such as: