A monthly series of conversations on the convergence of faith and life, theology and pop culture. Not a conventional lecture series or bible study, each session features a guest speaker who offers up a 30 or 40 minute presentation, followed by an open format discussion. Your part will be to think, challenge, contribute, add or even just to listen.
Since its inception in 2005, ideaExchange has been held in collaboration with Winnipeg’s Aqua Books. As you may know, this has been a very uncertain year for Aqua, with word of its having to close or move surfacing several times over the summer and fall. It now seems that Aqua will be moving in the coming months, and so for our winter season we will be offering ideaExchange at a new location. Starting with our January 31 session we’ll be at The Folk Exchange, a multi-use performance space located in the Exchange district at 211 Bannatyne Avenue at Albert Street. We do anticipate a continued relationship with Kelly Hughes and Aqua Books for other events, and look forward to shopping in the new store.
January 31, 2012 - Kirsten Pinto-Gfroerer - Why we should not give up on sin; or, how being a sinner isn’t an insult after all. The purpose of this talk to explore the concept of sin, its history and its function in our society and in our lives. We will consider how the concepts of ‘health’ and ‘balance’ and their application as functional therapeutic terms have come to replace the function of sin in our understanding of the self. What do we lose when we lose the concept of sin? Can we be forgiven of our unhealthiness of our lack of balance or are we now enslaved to a new form of sanctification where there is no grace only long work outs and hours of therapy? Kirsten works as one of the parish theologians for St. Margaret’s Anglican Church in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
February 21, 2012 – We’re delighted that Bishop Mark MacDonald will be joining us for this session, to engage us in a searching exploration of a cluster of issues connected to life as an Indigenous Christian. In a social context in which we are accustomed to thinking of Indigenous peoples as being the recipients of ministry, Mark will get us thinking a bit differently on that count. On the plate he’ll have questions of inculturation, missional thinking, and some insights into a very different understanding of the nature of pastoral care. Mark is the National Indigenous Bishop for the Anglican Church of Canada, prior to which he offered ministry in a variety of settings and contexts in both Canada and the United States, including ten years as the Bishop of Alaska. An insightful thinker, Mark is passionate in his conviction that we pay attention to the wisdom and experiences of Indigenous peoples. He’s also been known to pick up a guitar now and then…
March 20, 2012 – August Konkel – Is the God of the Old Testament good? Reflections on the person and character of God – In Hebrew tradition the name of God became too sacred to pronounce. Various euphemisms were substituted so the holiness of the creator of the star fields would not be compromised. But holiness is not equivalent to goodness. God is often the object of angry protests; pious Job came to find God dangerous, even cruel. Is God still good?
Known more familiarly as “Gus,” Dr August Konkel is the Principal of Providence University College and a Professor of Old Testament. His publication record includes commentaries on both the Book of Job and on 1 & 2 Kings. A biblical scholar with an international reputation, we’re delighted he’ll be with us to address what is a most challenging question.
April 17, 2012 – Gord Johnson – Reflections on music and inner health. For this session, our “artist-in-residence” will be offering some insights on the place of music in finding balance, peace and inner wholeness. A seasoned musician and one of the real architects of the saint ben’s approach to music, Gord currently works as in the field of Spiritual Care at the Health Sciences Centre. And yes, Gord will have his guitar in hand for this one…
Most sessions of ideaExchange are available as audio recordings. If you’ve been unable to join us for any of these evenings, you can click here for the free iTunes podcasts.
* * * * *
And just for the record, this is the territory we covered during our fall session:
September 27, 2011 – Nicolas Greco – Lady Gaga at the Edge of Glory: why the Church might want to pay attention.A pop music icon, Lady Gaga is best known both for her song “Born this 
Way” and for her outrageous and sexually charged stage shows. What could she possibly have to say to the church? Join us as we explore that very question. Nicholas Greco is Assistant Professor of Communications and Media at Providence University College and a pioneering fellow of The Canadian Institute for the Study of Pop Culture and Religion. He has recently published “Only If You Are Really Interested”: Celebrity, Gender, Desire and the World of Morrissey on McFarland Press.
October 18, 2011 – Jane Barter-Moulaison – “Jesus is (not) my homeboy”: toward a deeper understanding of Christ. Contemporary conceptions of Christ – both within popular culture and Theology – have a tendency to trivialize and distort his significance by conforming his message too comfortably to the prevailing culture. While this is obvious in the case of the “Jesus is my Homeboy” campaign, it is perhaps less so in the ways that contemporary theology tends to treat Jesus primarily as a moral leader or teacher. This presentation will “go deeper” in understanding Christ by looking at some of the ways in which the fourth and early fifth century theologies give us clues to the radical–and precisely political–implications of the Gospel of Christ. Jane Barter Moulaison is Associate Professor of Theology and Church History at the University of Winnipeg. She is also a priest in the Diocese of Rupert’s Land. Her forthcoming book, Thinking Christ: Christology and Critics, will be published in Spring 2012 by Fortress Press.
November 22, 2011 – Bill Blaikie – Is religious faith a private matter? How is religious faith carried into the public square? Many of us simply assume that faith and politics should never be mixed. In fact if you believe someone like Christopher Hitchens (God is not Good: how religion poisons everything), the further we keep religious faith from the world of politics the better for all of us. But it this really the case? Or are there other ways of thinking about this issue? Bill Blaikie is an ordained minister of the United Church of Canada, who served as a Member of Parliament from 1979 to 2008 and as Member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 2009 to 2011. He is currently serving with the Faculty of Theology of the University of Winnipeg. He has recently published The Blaikie Report: An Insider’s Look at Faith and Politics, profiled in the November 5 edition of the Winnipeg Free Press.
December 13, 2011 – Jamie Arpin-Ricci – The Cost of Community: realities, gifts and challenges. For this session we’ll be taking an inside look at what it really means to live in intentional community. Jamie Arpin-Ricci is an urban missionary, pastor, church planter and writer living in Winnipeg’s inner city West End neighbourhood. He is the author of The Cost of Community: Jesus, St. Francis & Life in the Kingdom.Jamie is founding co-director of Youth With A Mission (YWAM) Urban Ministries Winnipeg with his Australian wife Kim. They recently adopted their first child from Ethiopia.
“What is the meaning of life?” asked the student of the rabbi.
The rabbi replied, “That’s such a wonderful question,
why would you want to exchange it for an answer?”
