November 02, 2019
The Sikhs
with guest speaker
Michael Hawley, Ph.D.
Michael (MRU Stories) is Professor of Religious Studies at Mount Royal University in Calgary, Alberta. Michael's scholarly interest and expertise are in Sikhs and Sikhism; Hinduism; South Asian religious diasporas (particularly in Canada); religion and violence; religion in the public sphere; religion and multiculturalism
With 30 million adherents, Sikhism is the fifth largest of the world’s religions. And outside India, Canada is home to the largest number of Sikhs. Sikhs have a long history in Canada and enjoy a rapidly growing public profile. Yet, Sikhs and Sikhism remain very much misunderstood. This presentation highlights some of the key history, teachings, and accoutrements of the Sikhs from 16th century Punjab to 21st century Alberta.
October 19, 2019
Taking God's Name in Vain?
A Closer Look at a Misinterpreted Passage of the Bible (Exodus 20:7)
with guest speaker
Carmen Joy Imes, Ph.D.
Carmen is Associate Professor of Old Testament at Prairie College in Three Hills, Alberta. Carmen's primary areas of research are Exodus and Psalms. She is the award-winning author of Bearing YHWH's Name at Sinai: A Reexamination of the Name Command of the Decalogue (Eisenbrauns, 2018) as well as the forthcoming Bearing God's Name: Why Sinai Still Matters (IVP, December 2019), which makes the results of her doctoral study available accessible to non-specialists.
This evening's talk will examine Exodus 20:7 (or the "command not to take the Lord's name in vain"), which is usually interpreted as a prohibition against speaking Yahweh's name in a particular context: false oaths, wrongful pronunciation, irreverent worship, magical practices, cursing, false teaching, and the like. However, it lacks contextual clues needed to support the command as speech related. Taking seriously the narrative context at Sinai and the closest verbal parallels, a different picture emerges-one animated by concrete rituals and their associated metaphorical concepts. The result is a command that has much broader implications for faith communities.
September 21, 2019
Good Enough Or Not?
The Importance Of Self-Improvement
with speaker:
Philip Phillips
(Philip is the founder and director of 'Called to Question'. He has a deep desire for learning and sharing his knowledge with those who care to listen. He loves organizing events like 'Called to Question' in order to give attendees an opportunity to gain new wisdom and insight from the differing views of others. Philip believes that wisdom can be gained anywhere as long as one is willing to search.)
Are you good enough just the way you are? The answer is both 'Yes' and 'No'. In an age of confusion and liquidity it is difficult to ascertain what you are, who you are and just where on earth you are going. You are bombarded with the opposing messages of being 'good enough' and 'not good enough'. Yet, there is one ever constant, that constant is you, and that you is constantly awaiting self-acceptance and self-improvement.
August 17th, 2019
Life is Anti-Entropic
with guest speaker:
Wendi L. Adamek Ph.D.
(Wendi is Associate Professor in the Department of Classics and Religion at the University of Calgary and holder of the Numata Chair in Buddhist Studies. Her research interests include medieval Chinese Buddhism and living systems theory. Her forthcoming book Practicescapes and the Buddhists of Baoshan centers on a community in Henan, China. Previous publications include The Mystique of Transmission: On an Early Chan History and its Contexts)
I began to think in terms of “AntiEntropics” through taking an online permaculture course designed by Geoff Lawton and his team at Daytuna farm in Australia. Lawton was a student of the permaculture pioneer Bill Mollison. A key permaculture design-principle is slowing the energy that flows through a system. Lawton illustrates this by the flow of water, which manifests low life-form diversity and high energy at its alpine source. Water is “high energy” as it moves quickly through many small channels, but there is little life because this energy is not easily captured by life forms. Flow-energy decreases as water consolidates, moves more slowly, and develops the winding patterns of rivers and the collection points of pools and lakes. A low-energy pattern corresponds with increases in organic life and decay inputs, as flows converge and slow into deltas, wetlands, and reefs of immense life-diversity. Energy leaves the relevant system by merging with the open ocean. This is “entropy” from the perspective of the permaculturist, who can no longer capture its flow or cultivate the life-forms that flourish along the edges of its pathways. In this talk, I will discuss analogies between these principles and dynamic practices of self-development and cultural development.
July 27th, 2019
How Never to Worry Again:
When Ancient Stoic Philosophy and Modern Psychology Collide.
with the return of guest speaker
Stephen Brown, Ph.D.
(Stephen completed his Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology/Cognitive Neuroscience in 2015 at Leiden University (The Netherlands). His dissertation focused on the role of the locus coeruleus, a small brainstem nucleus, and noradrenaline (a signalling chemical in the brain) in attention and learning.)
We will begin with a very brief history of the Stoic school, it's main players(casually skipping the middle stoa) and then discuss some of the school's central tenets. With a number of discussion points, we can explore Stoic thought in more detail. Along the way, we will learn how never to worry again, how modern clinical psychology was partially inspired by Stoicism, and quite possibly the meaning of life too...
June 22, 2019
"What is Islamic about the Islamic State, and Why Should We Worry?"
with guest speaker
Steven Engler, Ph.D.
(Steven is a Professor of Religious Studies at Mount Royal University. He studies religions in Brazil as well as theory and methodology in the study of religion)
This afternoon's talk will look at a distinctive view of authority in the small sub-type of Islam that is represented by the Islamic State and other terrorist groups; and it will ask if we can find something similar outside of Islam.
May 25, 2019
Bison on the Canadian Plains:
The Loss and Return of an Iconic Animal
with guest speaker
George Colpitts, Ph.D.
(George is a Professor of History and Associate Dean, Research in the Faculty of Arts, University of Calgary. An environmental historian, he studies the history of the fur trade in Canada, the modern fur industry, as well as the pemmican trade in Western Canada).
This evening’s talk will examine the longer history of the near extermination of bison on the Great Plains, the fate of the “Canadian” herds, and recent efforts by the federal government and Indigenous people to reintroduce bison as a free-ranging species in the Canadian West.
April 27, 2019
A Hero From Beyond Time and Space
with guest speaker
Grant Alford
You have heard of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Captain Marvel and the X-men, but this evening our guest speaker will give us an unconventional look at what he refers to as the Superhero/Anti-Hero of the first century, Jesus. Get your geek on and bring your knowledge of your favourite super-heroes in order that we might compare and contrast them to the story of Jesus through the telling from the gospel book of Mathew.
March 23, 2019
Psychology: Memory; What Do We Really Know?
with the return of guest speaker
Stephen Brown, Ph.D.
(Stephen completed his Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology/Cognitive Neuroscience in 2015 at Leiden University (The Netherlands). His dissertation focused on the role of the locus coeruleus, a small brainstem nucleus, and noradrenaline (a signalling chemical in the brain) in attention and learning.)
This evening's discussion will take into account what we know about memory: different types of memory (like explicit vs. implicit memory), some famous patients with specific memory issues, and what we know about the brain mechanisms associated with memory. If there is interest, we can even talk about the complicated but fascinating mechanism of long term potentiation, considered to be a fundamental representation of learning in the brain.
February 9, 2019
Psychology:Drugs And The Brain
with the return of guest speaker
Stephen Brown, Ph.D.
(Stephen completed his Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology/Cognitive Neuroscience in 2015 at Leiden University (The Netherlands). His dissertation focused on the role of the locus coeruleus, a small brainstem nucleus, and noradrenaline (a signalling chemical in the brain) in attention and learning.)
"Psychoactive drugs, that is, drugs that influence the brain and the mind, are an increasingly popular topic of scientific investigation. Research suggests that people may tend to prefer very specific drugs: why does one person enjoy alcohol or cannabis, both drugs that lower activity in our central nervous system, while other people prefer cocaine or methamphetamine, two drugs that do the opposite by putting one’s brain in overdrive? To answer this question, we’ll have to learn a little bit about the brain and, especially, how brain cells communicate with each other. So we’ll start with a super short review of the workings of brain cells, and then we get into one of my students’ absolutely favourite topics: drugs."
October 27, 2018
Psychology:
The Science of Behaviour and the Mind -
A Brief History
Guest Speaker:
Stephen Brown, Ph.D.
( Stephen Cognitive Psychology/Cognitive Neuroscience at Leiden University in the Netherlands) Stephen will be discussing the history of psychology, the science of behaviour and the mind. Starting with some of the ancient Greek philosophers and then a fly through the centuries to provide an overview of how psychology has become what it is today. Along the way, we will talk about some big names like Descartes, Wundt, Watson and Freud.
March 2, 2018
Is God Evil?
Guest Speaker:
Timothy Bowman
"Many who do not believe the Bible is true reject God because He is believed to be a contradiction. How could it possibly be true that God not only is loving but is the very definition of Love, yet at the same time the God described in the Bible sends those who reject Him to a fiery punishment? Is there any way to reconcile these two seemingly contradictory qualities of God? Come join me for a lively discussion, as we examine these issues in a "no-off-limit-questions" atmosphere."
January 19, 2018
Anxiety and Processing
Guest Speaker:
Tim Baragar
(Registered Psychologist)
"Anxiety and other executive functioning challenges seem to be on the rise in our modern world. But is it? We will look at the research and the reality and talk about how processing and the “attention economy” are playing roles in this apparent rise. Also, we will discuss proven ways to manage anxiety in a world full of real-time demands and an expectation of being always available."
October 24, 2015
Free Will
guest speaker
Daniel Hass Ph.D.
(Daniel Haas, philosophy instructor of Red Deer College. Dr. Daniel Haas completed a B.A. in Philosophy from the University of Calgary, an M.A. in Philosophy from Simon Fraser University, and a Ph.D. in Philosophy from Florida State University. His research specializations include value theory, moral psychology, and the philosophy of mind & action. His research has mainly focused on issues surrounding free will and moral responsibility. He has been teaching at Red Deer College since 2012 and is currently serving as the area lead for philosophy.)
The evenings discussion will be on Free Will. Daniel's work is mainly in the philosophy of the mind and moral philosophy, particularly on issues surrounding free will and moral responsibility.
November 02, 2019
With 30 million adherents, Sikhism is the fifth largest of the world’s religions. And outside India, Canada is home to the largest number of Sikhs. Sikhs have a long history in Canada and enjoy a rapidly growing public profile. Yet, Sikhs and Sikhism remain very much misunderstood. This presentation highlights some of the key history, teachings, and accoutrements of the Sikhs from 16th century Punjab to 21st century Alberta.
October 19, 2019
September 21, 2019
The Sikhs
with guest speaker
Michael Hawley, Ph.D.
Michael (MRU Stories) is Professor of Religious Studies at Mount Royal University in Calgary, Alberta. Michael's scholarly interest and expertise are in Sikhs and Sikhism; Hinduism; South Asian religious diasporas (particularly in Canada); religion and violence; religion in the public sphere; religion and multiculturalism
With 30 million adherents, Sikhism is the fifth largest of the world’s religions. And outside India, Canada is home to the largest number of Sikhs. Sikhs have a long history in Canada and enjoy a rapidly growing public profile. Yet, Sikhs and Sikhism remain very much misunderstood. This presentation highlights some of the key history, teachings, and accoutrements of the Sikhs from 16th century Punjab to 21st century Alberta.
October 19, 2019
Taking God's Name in Vain?
A Closer Look at a Misinterpreted Passage of the Bible (Exodus 20:7)
with guest speaker
Carmen Joy Imes, Ph.D.
Carmen is Associate Professor of Old Testament at Prairie College in Three Hills, Alberta. Carmen's primary areas of research are Exodus and Psalms. She is the award-winning author of Bearing YHWH's Name at Sinai: A Reexamination of the Name Command of the Decalogue (Eisenbrauns, 2018) as well as the forthcoming Bearing God's Name: Why Sinai Still Matters (IVP, December 2019), which makes the results of her doctoral study available accessible to non-specialists.
This evening's talk will examine Exodus 20:7 (or the "command not to take the Lord's name in vain"), which is usually interpreted as a prohibition against speaking Yahweh's name in a particular context: false oaths, wrongful pronunciation, irreverent worship, magical practices, cursing, false teaching, and the like. However, it lacks contextual clues needed to support the command as speech related. Taking seriously the narrative context at Sinai and the closest verbal parallels, a different picture emerges-one animated by concrete rituals and their associated metaphorical concepts. The result is a command that has much broader implications for faith communities.
September 21, 2019
Good Enough Or Not?
The Importance Of Self-Improvement
with speaker:
Philip Phillips
(Philip is the founder and director of 'Called to Question'. He has a deep desire for learning and sharing his knowledge with those who care to listen. He loves organizing events like 'Called to Question' in order to give attendees an opportunity to gain new wisdom and insight from the differing views of others. Philip believes that wisdom can be gained anywhere as long as one is willing to search.)
Are you good enough just the way you are? The answer is both 'Yes' and 'No'. In an age of confusion and liquidity it is difficult to ascertain what you are, who you are and just where on earth you are going. You are bombarded with the opposing messages of being 'good enough' and 'not good enough'. Yet, there is one ever constant, that constant is you, and that you is constantly awaiting self-acceptance and self-improvement.
August 17th, 2019
Life is Anti-Entropic
with guest speaker:
Wendi L. Adamek Ph.D.
(Wendi is Associate Professor in the Department of Classics and Religion at the University of Calgary and holder of the Numata Chair in Buddhist Studies. Her research interests include medieval Chinese Buddhism and living systems theory. Her forthcoming book Practicescapes and the Buddhists of Baoshan centers on a community in Henan, China. Previous publications include The Mystique of Transmission: On an Early Chan History and its Contexts)
I began to think in terms of “AntiEntropics” through taking an online permaculture course designed by Geoff Lawton and his team at Daytuna farm in Australia. Lawton was a student of the permaculture pioneer Bill Mollison. A key permaculture design-principle is slowing the energy that flows through a system. Lawton illustrates this by the flow of water, which manifests low life-form diversity and high energy at its alpine source. Water is “high energy” as it moves quickly through many small channels, but there is little life because this energy is not easily captured by life forms. Flow-energy decreases as water consolidates, moves more slowly, and develops the winding patterns of rivers and the collection points of pools and lakes. A low-energy pattern corresponds with increases in organic life and decay inputs, as flows converge and slow into deltas, wetlands, and reefs of immense life-diversity. Energy leaves the relevant system by merging with the open ocean. This is “entropy” from the perspective of the permaculturist, who can no longer capture its flow or cultivate the life-forms that flourish along the edges of its pathways. In this talk, I will discuss analogies between these principles and dynamic practices of self-development and cultural development.
July 27th, 2019
How Never to Worry Again:
When Ancient Stoic Philosophy and Modern Psychology Collide.
with the return of guest speaker
Stephen Brown, Ph.D.
(Stephen completed his Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology/Cognitive Neuroscience in 2015 at Leiden University (The Netherlands). His dissertation focused on the role of the locus coeruleus, a small brainstem nucleus, and noradrenaline (a signalling chemical in the brain) in attention and learning.)
We will begin with a very brief history of the Stoic school, it's main players(casually skipping the middle stoa) and then discuss some of the school's central tenets. With a number of discussion points, we can explore Stoic thought in more detail. Along the way, we will learn how never to worry again, how modern clinical psychology was partially inspired by Stoicism, and quite possibly the meaning of life too...
June 22, 2019
"What is Islamic about the Islamic State, and Why Should We Worry?"
with guest speaker
Steven Engler, Ph.D.
(Steven is a Professor of Religious Studies at Mount Royal University. He studies religions in Brazil as well as theory and methodology in the study of religion)
This afternoon's talk will look at a distinctive view of authority in the small sub-type of Islam that is represented by the Islamic State and other terrorist groups; and it will ask if we can find something similar outside of Islam.
May 25, 2019
Bison on the Canadian Plains:
The Loss and Return of an Iconic Animal
with guest speaker
George Colpitts, Ph.D.
(George is a Professor of History and Associate Dean, Research in the Faculty of Arts, University of Calgary. An environmental historian, he studies the history of the fur trade in Canada, the modern fur industry, as well as the pemmican trade in Western Canada).
This evening’s talk will examine the longer history of the near extermination of bison on the Great Plains, the fate of the “Canadian” herds, and recent efforts by the federal government and Indigenous people to reintroduce bison as a free-ranging species in the Canadian West.
April 27, 2019
A Hero From Beyond Time and Space
with guest speaker
Grant Alford
You have heard of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Captain Marvel and the X-men, but this evening our guest speaker will give us an unconventional look at what he refers to as the Superhero/Anti-Hero of the first century, Jesus. Get your geek on and bring your knowledge of your favourite super-heroes in order that we might compare and contrast them to the story of Jesus through the telling from the gospel book of Mathew.
March 23, 2019
Psychology: Memory; What Do We Really Know?
with the return of guest speaker
Stephen Brown, Ph.D.
(Stephen completed his Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology/Cognitive Neuroscience in 2015 at Leiden University (The Netherlands). His dissertation focused on the role of the locus coeruleus, a small brainstem nucleus, and noradrenaline (a signalling chemical in the brain) in attention and learning.)
This evening's discussion will take into account what we know about memory: different types of memory (like explicit vs. implicit memory), some famous patients with specific memory issues, and what we know about the brain mechanisms associated with memory. If there is interest, we can even talk about the complicated but fascinating mechanism of long term potentiation, considered to be a fundamental representation of learning in the brain.
February 9, 2019
Psychology:Drugs And The Brain
with the return of guest speaker
Stephen Brown, Ph.D.
(Stephen completed his Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology/Cognitive Neuroscience in 2015 at Leiden University (The Netherlands). His dissertation focused on the role of the locus coeruleus, a small brainstem nucleus, and noradrenaline (a signalling chemical in the brain) in attention and learning.)
"Psychoactive drugs, that is, drugs that influence the brain and the mind, are an increasingly popular topic of scientific investigation. Research suggests that people may tend to prefer very specific drugs: why does one person enjoy alcohol or cannabis, both drugs that lower activity in our central nervous system, while other people prefer cocaine or methamphetamine, two drugs that do the opposite by putting one’s brain in overdrive? To answer this question, we’ll have to learn a little bit about the brain and, especially, how brain cells communicate with each other. So we’ll start with a super short review of the workings of brain cells, and then we get into one of my students’ absolutely favourite topics: drugs."
October 27, 2018
Psychology:
The Science of Behaviour and the Mind -
A Brief History
Guest Speaker:
Stephen Brown, Ph.D.
( Stephen Cognitive Psychology/Cognitive Neuroscience at Leiden University in the Netherlands) Stephen will be discussing the history of psychology, the science of behaviour and the mind. Starting with some of the ancient Greek philosophers and then a fly through the centuries to provide an overview of how psychology has become what it is today. Along the way, we will talk about some big names like Descartes, Wundt, Watson and Freud.
March 2, 2018
Is God Evil?
Guest Speaker:
Timothy Bowman
"Many who do not believe the Bible is true reject God because He is believed to be a contradiction. How could it possibly be true that God not only is loving but is the very definition of Love, yet at the same time the God described in the Bible sends those who reject Him to a fiery punishment? Is there any way to reconcile these two seemingly contradictory qualities of God? Come join me for a lively discussion, as we examine these issues in a "no-off-limit-questions" atmosphere."
January 19, 2018
Anxiety and Processing
Guest Speaker:
Tim Baragar
(Registered Psychologist)
"Anxiety and other executive functioning challenges seem to be on the rise in our modern world. But is it? We will look at the research and the reality and talk about how processing and the “attention economy” are playing roles in this apparent rise. Also, we will discuss proven ways to manage anxiety in a world full of real-time demands and an expectation of being always available."
October 24, 2015
Free Will
guest speaker
Daniel Hass Ph.D.
(Daniel Haas, philosophy instructor of Red Deer College. Dr. Daniel Haas completed a B.A. in Philosophy from the University of Calgary, an M.A. in Philosophy from Simon Fraser University, and a Ph.D. in Philosophy from Florida State University. His research specializations include value theory, moral psychology, and the philosophy of mind & action. His research has mainly focused on issues surrounding free will and moral responsibility. He has been teaching at Red Deer College since 2012 and is currently serving as the area lead for philosophy.)
The evenings discussion will be on Free Will. Daniel's work is mainly in the philosophy of the mind and moral philosophy, particularly on issues surrounding free will and moral responsibility.
June 29, 2014
December 6, 2014
Nathan Phelps
guest speaker:
Nathan Phelps
(Nathan is a WestBoro Baptist Church Cult Survivor; LGBTQ Activist; Humanist; Co-Founder of Alberta Secular Conference)
A man who's journey is a tale of pain, sorrows and struggling; but it does not end there, rather it is also a tale of overcoming, becoming, beauty and love. It is a tale that inspires, challenges and encourages. It is the tale we will hear from Nathan Phelps at Called to Question.
December 6, 2014
The True Meaning of Christmas:
It May Not Be What You Think
guest speaker:
Philip Ewert
Is Christmas really what we think it is? Is it really about Santa, baby saviours, virgin births, presents and tress? Find out the true meaning.
February 2013
Paradigm Shift:
One Man's Journey
guest speaker:
Don Maxwell
Listen in on the journey of one man's life, beliefs and philosophies and how they evolved, impacted and shaped who he is today and who he may become tomorrow.
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