April 2009 meeting change

JD has suggested that we postpone our discussion of The Great Emergence for a month and that we head down to SMU for a discussion of The Employee Free Choice Act. A majority of our regulars agreed and so we'll enjoy a change of pace in April. Here is an excerpt from the "Perkins News" with more about the program, including the room number:


Human Rights Violations in the United States:
The Employee Free Choice Act
April 30, from 6-8 p.m., The Perk

Unlike most industrialized countries, the United States imposes severe limitations on the rights of workers, including the right to organize freely. Some of our current laws and regulations on this matter are in clear violation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that supports the freedom of workers to join trade unions in order to make their voices heard (article 23). Many faith traditions also support the freedom of workers to organize. The Social Creed of the United Methodist Church, for instance, explicitly supports the right of collective bargaining. This matter affects all of us, as injuries to some quickly tend to become injuries to all.

The current situation in the U.S. could be improved through the passage of the “Employee Free Choice Act” that is now before Congress. We invite you to join us in discussing this bill from various perspectives, including the perspectives of workers, organizers, community leaders, people of faith and theologians, and human rights activists. Co-sponsors include Dallas Jobs with Justice, the Progressive Christian Center in the South, the Dallas Area Christian Progressive Alliance the SMU Human Rights Program, and the Wendland-Cook Professorship at Perkins School of Theology, SMU.

The event will be held on April 30, from 6-8 p.m., at Perkins School of Theology, in 106 Selecman Hall. Refreshments will be served. For further information, please contact Dr. Joerg Rieger, Wendland-Cook Professor of Constructive Theology, at jrieger@smu.edu.
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We'll plan to pick up our continuing conversation about emergence in May...

April 30, 2009 Meeting

At our next meeting we'll continue our discussion of Phyllis Tickle's The Great Emergence. Check out this link for a free download of part of the book, a free discussion guide and some video clips of Phyllis discussing the major points of her book.

You don't need to run out and get the book before the meeting just to participate in our conversation. You can download and read the excerpt (it is on "The Book" tab at the bottom of the page) and/or listen to the videos.

I am running behind in getting a summary of the last meeting posted to the blog, but may be able to get that done this week.

Hope everyone had a blessed Easter (or for our Orthodox friends, will have a blessed Easter) and I hope you'll be able to join us on the 30th!