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The Cleveland Ecumenical Institute for Religious Studies

 

Our Mission

The mission of The Cleveland Ecumenical Institute for Religious Studies is to offer educational opportunities  for people who desire an ecumenical search for spiritual truth and a deeper relationship with God.

 

Our Commitments

We are committed to providing learners a level of study that enhances the efforts of local congregations.

We are committed to providing a faculty that is academically responsible.

We are committed to providing a setting for Christian learning in dialogue with other great world religions.

We are committed to learning in an atmosphere that fosters relationships between people of different faith traditions.
 

Our Goals

To provide you outstanding local teachers and professors as well as nationally known speakers who teach courses and provide special lectures on Biblical Studies, Spirituality, Ethics, Comparative Religions, and Theology and Culture.

To provide you classes which focus on discussions of assigned readings with opportunity to have questions answered and learn from one another. There are no prerequisites, no examinations, and no written assignments.

Old Stone Church is one of the many local churches sponsoring The Cleveland Ecumenical Institute for Religious Studies. Scholarship aid is available for courses and special events. Contact Pam Kestner for information at 216-291-1367 or e-mail ecumenical_institute@yahoo.com.

Spring 2008 Course Offerings

When Good Things Happen to Good People: The Case for Altruism
Stephen Post, Ph.D. and Cathy M. Lewis

Saturday, March 29, 2008 | $40 | 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. (bring bag lunch; beverages provided) | Ursuline College
(Pilla Student Center, Room 101; see map at www.ursuline.edu/visitors/map.php) | 2550 Lander Road | Pepper Pike

From its founding in a coffee shop on Coventry Road, the Institute for Research on Unlimited Love has sparked over 70 scientific studies and has been featured in newspapers and on television. This workshop, led by its president, will focus on the new science of goodness from neuroscience and evolution to human development and spirituality, and on ten practical ways of giving: from compassion and listening to creativity and justice-seeking. To be good is to be in harmony with oneself and with God.

Stephen Post, Ph.D., is Professor of Bioethics & Family Medicine in the School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University. Dr. Post has published over 130 articles in peer-reviewed journals, has written seven scholarly books on love, and is also the editor of eight other books. He is also editor-in-chief of the five-volume Encyclopedia of Bioethics. Cathy M. Lewis served as Chairperson of the Board of Directors of The Cleveland Foundation from 2001-2003. For 21 years, she was a minority owner of RESOURCE CAREERS, an international company specializing in spouse employment services for dual-career families. She currently serves on the Advisory Board for the Center for International Child Health at Case Western Reserve University, and is on the Board of Directors of The Institute for Research on Unlimited Love.

The Book of Judges: Stories of Faith Lived in Difficult Times
George Matejka, Ph.D.

Four Mondays: April 7 to April 28, 2008 | $60 | 7:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church | 2747 Fairmount Boulevard | Cleveland Heights

Nested between the great biblical story of the exodus and the accounts of the kings and prophets, we find the stories of the twelve judges. These stories in the Book of Judges are often overshadowed by the books which precede and follow them in the biblical canon. The goal of this four-week course will be to focus attention on these stories of the judges. This will entail an initial study of the historical moment in which the judges emerged. We will then explore the biblical accounts of the twelve judges, seeking to understand their meaning and contribution to the theology of the Old Testament. At each step of the way, we will look for links between the stories of the judges and our experience of living in the church and world today.

George S. Matejka, Ph.D., a popular instructor for CEIRS, has served as the Chair of the Philosophy Department of Ursuline College since 1999. He holds a Ph.D. in Philosophy from Duquesne University and a License in Sacred Theology from the Gregorian University in Rome, Italy where he specialized in biblical studies. He is the 2005 recipient of The Ursuline College Teaching Excellence Award.

Christianity, a Global Religion: What Is the American Responsibility?
Rev. Joan Campbell, Ph.D.

Thursday Evening: April 10, 2008 | $20 | 7:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Plymouth Church United Church of Christ | 2860 Coventry Road | Shaker Heights

From her recent experiences as a member of a delegation from Washington, D.C.’s Trinity Episcopal Cathedral to the Christian communities of Cuba, and her experience as General Secretary of the National Council of Churches, Rev. Campbell will comment on how Christians are living their faith in Cuba and in other difficult places for Christians; namely, Iraq, Iran, China and the Middle East. She will also ask what our responsibility can be for our brothers and sisters in Christ. Her talk will illuminate our own faith as she broadens our knowledge and explores the implications of what is going on in these areas of the world.

            The Rev. Dr. Joan Brown Campbell presently serves as the Director of the Department of Religion at the Chautauqua Institution, a 131-year-old center for art, education, religion and recreation. As Director, she also serves as spiritual leader and chaplain for the Institution. Dr. Campbell, formerly General Secretary of the National Council of Churches USA and Director of the US Office of the World Council of Churches, is an ordained minister with standing in the American Baptist Church and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Rev. Campbell has recently returned from a visit to Cuba.

Women Witnesses: Praying with Julian, Clare and Teresa
Rev. Clover Beal and Alison Benders, Ph.D.

Saturday, April 12, 2008 | $40 | 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Forest Hill Church Presbyterian | Bodwell Hall | 3031 Monticello Boulevard | Cleveland Heights [bring a lunch; beverages provided]

Using the witness of three great Churchwomen, this Saturday class encourages intellectual as well as spiritual growth. Through the guidance of Julian of Norwich, Clare of Assisi and Teresa of Avila, the retreat-like format promotes the integration of mind, heart, and spirit through learning, prayer, and group reflection. Each of the three sessions during the day will begin with a presentation on one of the women mystics, followed by guided meditation and prayer, together with an opportunity for group discussion and reflection.

             Rev. Clover Reuter Beal currently serves as Associate Pastor and Director of Lay Leadership Development at Forest Hill Church, Presbyterian. She served as the Dean of the Ecumenical Institute for five years. Her particular areas of interest are in adult religious education and women's spirituality. She received her Master of Divinity from Columbia Theological Seminary. Alison Benders, Ph.D., is the Dean of the Graduate School at Ursuline College and a faculty member in the Graduate Ministry Program. She holds a Ph.D. in Systematic Theology from Boston College where she specialized in comparative theology. A frequent presenter at local churches, Dr. Benders’ interests include spirituality, theological anthropology and moral theology.

Racial Identity: The Assumptions We Make
Elizabeth Robenalt, M.A.

Four Tuesdays: April 15 – May 6, 2008 | $60 | 7:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Heights Christian Church | 17300 Van Aken Boulevard | Shaker Heights

Through presentations and candid dialogue, Elizabeth Robenalt invites participants to take a first step in the journey toward cultural awareness and racial harmony: to explore and revise assumptions about their own identity and the racial identity of others. The evenings will explore foundational ideas of privilege and cultural identity that support dialogue around race as it is constructed in our country. The reading and conversation are based on the research of Beverly Daniel Tatum, author of "Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?" This course is intended to improve participants’ comfort level for understanding and talking about race.

            Elizabeth Robenalt, M.A., is a diversity facilitator at Ursuline College, in Pepper Pike, Ohio. In addition to her work with small independent colleges, Ms. Robenalt has facilitated diversity trainings at the Alcoa Corporation, the Midwest Veterinary Conference, The Ohio State University School of Veterinary Medicine, Tuskegee University, and University Hospitals of Cleveland, Ohio, among others. She received her B.A. from Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, Indiana, an M.A. in English Literature from Case Western Reserve University, and a Master’s degree in Diversity Management from Cleveland State University.

Mark Your Calendar:
Italy through the Lens of the Scriptures: Art, History and Social Justice
Leaders: Prof. George Matejka, Ph.D. and John Paul Coughlin

Friday, October 3 through Sunday, October 12, 2008

Mark your calendars and join us on a ten-day tour of important sites in Italy in order to explore the interconnections between the message of the scriptures and Italy’s history, art and social mission. Space is limited to 15 active travelers. Price is $3,900 per participant. This program is offered in conjunction with the International Partners in Ministry. For more information, please contact Meagan Chuckran [mchuckran@ipm-connections.org] at 216.932.4082.

Dean of the Institute, Joseph LaGuardia

For registration information, call Pam Kestner at 216-291-1367 or e-mail ecumenical_institute@yahoo.com.

 

Sponsoring Churches

 

 

The Cleveland Ecumenical Institute for Religious Studies

St. Paul's Church

2747 Fairmount Boulevard

Cleveland Heights, Ohio 44106-3696

216-291-1367

 

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