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.Events Archive 2009
Seminar Programme, Semester 1
| Mar 13 | Brenda Cantelo | The Buddha goes to Canada: the Buddhist nativity narrative in Manitoba folkart |
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| Mar 27 | Pamela Welch | Religious diversity and interchange in early and contemporary Dunedin: turns of a kaleidoscope |
| Apr 24 | Katharina Völker | Challenges and Opportunities of Contemporary Islamic Hermeneutics |
| May 8 | Eric Repphun | It's Good Being Good for Nothing: On the Radical Uselessness of the Study of Religion |
| May 22 | Sam Stevens | Rebranding "Megachurch": Religion, Media and Conservative Protestant Groups in New Zealand |
Seminar Programme, Semester 2
| July 24 | Majella Franzmann | Concepts of seclusion and public exhibition in relation to women and female figures in Manichaean texts |
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| Aug 7 | Elizabeth Young | Politics of the End-Times: Preliminary Findings |
| Aug 21 | Elizabeth Guthrie | Martyr Monks of the Mekong Delta-Okhna Son Kuy |
| Sept 18 | Greg Dawes | 'A Certain Similarity to the Devil': Historical Criticism and Christian Faith |
| Sept 25 | James Cox | The Invention of God in Africa |
| Oct 2 | Gautam Ghosh | Cosmology, Sovereignty and the Epic Internet |
Open Lectures
Professor James Cox
Professor James Cox, University of Edinburgh, delivered an Open Lecture entitled 'A Case for Including Indigenous Religions among the "World" Religions' on Monday 28th September 2009 at 5.15pm.
Dr Heidi Campbell
Dr Heidi Campbell, Texas A&M University, delivered an Open Lecture entitled 'When Religion Meets New Media: Considering the Religious-Social Shaping of Technology' on Monday 16th November 2009 at 5.10pm.
Dr. Campbell has a PhD in Practical Theology and Computer-mediated Communication from the University of Edinburgh and is an active researcher studying religion and the internet. She is author of Exploring Religious Community Online (Peter Lang, 2005) which explores the relationship between online and offline Christian communities and the implications online religion has for offline faith communities and religious institutions. She is also co-editor of A Science and Religion Primer (Baker Academic, 2009) an introductory resource to the study of science, technology and religion and author of the forthcoming book When Religion Meets New Media (Routledge, forthcoming 2010) on how religious communities negotiate their use of new media. Dr. Campbell writes about her research interests also in her blog: When Religion Meets New Media.
Conferences, Workshops, Symposia
Te Whakapapa o te Whakapono: Lineages of Faith Symposium, November 18-19, 2009
In 2008 a number of University of Otago academics formed a research group, Te Whakapapa o te Whakapono: Lineages of Faith, in conjunction with Te Wananga a Rangi (the Presbyterian Church’s Theological College for Maori ministers) in order to further research into Maori interactions with Christianity. This research is multi-disciplinary, with a strong emphasis on both theology and history. The project aims to examine the encounters between the Christian Church and the Tangata Whenua in New Zealand, to trace the growth and development of Christian faith among the Maori people, and to consider the ways in which that development has contributed to the shaping of New Zealand identity and society. To further the aims of the research project a Symposium was held at Salmond College, Dunedin from November 18-19, 2009.
Speakers included:
| Kathie Irwin | John and Horiana Laughton |
| Hirini Kaa | Tihei taruke!: Mohi Turei and Ngati Porou Christianity |
| Bernie Kernot | Translating the Gospel in the Maori Art Tradition: the works of the late Rt Rev. Hapai Winiata. |
| Robert Joseph | 1. Rangatiratanga in the American West - The Hirini Whaanga Whanau Migration to Utah in the 19th Century |
| 2. Are Mormons Maori? Doctrinal and Historical Parallels between Maoritanga and Mormonism | |
| Peter Lineham | Is Destiny Church a Maori faith or a faith of Maori? |
| Nathan Matthews | Kaikatikihama – To tatou taonga whakahirahira. The role of Maori Catholic Catechists in the Marist Mission 1870 -1900. |
| Simon Moetara | Maori & the Pentecostal Churches in Aotearoa-NZ |
| Hugh Morrison | Presbyterian children, images of Maori and imperial sentiments |
| Keith Newman | Ratana, the Prophet. Ma te wa; the sign of the broken watch |
| Lachy Paterson | Race, gender and te ao Maori: Pakeha women field workers of the Presbyterian Maori Mission |
| Murray Rae | Rua Kenana and the Iharaira |
| Wayne Te Kaawa | The Contribution of James MacFarlane |
| Hone Te Rire | Hihita me nga Tamariki o te Kohu. |
| Yvonne Wilkie | The Presbyterian Women’s Missionary Union and their response to Maori Mission |
Colloquium: The Role of the Study of Islam in the Western University
The University of Otago and Victoria University of Wellington are jointly establishing a Centre for the Study of Islam and Muslim Cultures. As part of this process a colloquium was held to reflect on the aims and methods of this field of enquiry, in order to learn from those who have gone before us. Leading scholars of Islam including Alia Imtoual (Flinders University, Australia), Tony Johns (Australian National University, Australia) and Andrew Rippin (University of Victoria, Canada) were invited to address two questions that lie at the heart of our endeavour.
- What relation is there between the study of the religion of Islam and the study of those cultures that have shaped and been shaped by that religion?
- What is the appropriate public role of a scholar of Islam?
The colloquium took place at the University of Otago from 6-8 July 2009, and the programme is available for download. It is intended to publish the proceedings of the colloquium as a contribution to the wider scholarly debate.
Presentation of Tipitaka
On 27th August 2009, the Most Venerable Sudhammo, Chaiman and General Sectretary of the 60th Dhammachai Education Foundation presented a copy of the Tipitaka, the Buddhist Pali Canon, in Thai, Sinhala and Burmese script, to the Department of Theology and Religion. Sue Pharo, the University Librarian accepted the gift on behalf of the University.