Westminster College Faculty Forum Continues

Dr. Bryan Rennie, associate professor of religion and philosophy at Westminster College and the Vira I. Heinz Endowed Professor Chair, will present Faculty Forum Wednesday, Dec. 3, at 11:30 a.m. in the McKelvey Campus Center Theater.

"Religion and the Religions: The Monks of Gaden Lhopa" is a first in a series of events I want to bring to campus," Rennie said. "I will begin with an introduction to the Religion and Religions" series, which is intended to bring to campus representatives of the various religious traditions of today's world, and the people who study them."

"I will introduce the Monks, who through an interpreter, will explain the purpose of their visit from their own point of view, and the remainder of the hour will be a question and answer period," Rennie added.

While at Westminster, the monks will give an introductory talk on Buddhism Monday at 6:30 p.m. in the McKelvey Campus Center Lakeview Witherspoon room. Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. the monks will be at the Coffee House discussion in the McKelvey Campus Center student lounge. Tuesday evening they will talk about the Buddhist theory of mind at 6:30 p.m. in the McKelvey Campus Center Lakeview Witherspoon room.

When not conducting talks, the monks will construct a sand mandala representing the realm of the Bodhisattva of Compassion, Chenrezig. This beautiful art work is an act of religious dedication, and takes approximately 30 hours over a three-day period to construct. The mandala will be ceremonially destroyed Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. in the Orchard Street Café, located in the McKelvey Campus Center.

Faculty forum, established in 1990, serves as a venue for the exchange of ideas and information among Westminster College faculty. Speakers present their research, teaching ideas, lectures, performances, special programs, and uses of technology to keep faculty informed about the work of colleagues from many disciplines.

All events are free and open to the public. For more information contact Rennie at (724) 946-7151 or e-mail brennie@westminster.edu.