A forum for nuanced discussion about complex issues relating to arts and culture, theology, and the social sciences.
glean·ings
/ˈɡlēniNGz/ noun
things, especially facts, that are gathered or collected from various sources rather than acquired as a whole.
Next Gleanings
WHERE: Ottawa
WHEN: Friday, April 28th at 7:30pm
ADMISSION: Optional donation to local charity
3 TOPIC CHOICES. 1 TOPIC CHOSEN.
"To Sit Under My Own Vine and Fig Tree" – What ever happened to “live and let live”? When fear of the State limits liberty. Freedom for me but not for you. What exactly is freedom anyway? What do others mean when they use the word?
"Human Rights! Right?" - What are they? Where do they come from? Why "human"? Why "rights"? Who gets to decide? When can they be suspended? Are they universal or culturally contextual? What are some examples of human rights?
“Spirit, Body, Mind, Soul” - What's the difference? How are they connected or related? What are their limitations and strengths? If the body grows, does the mind as well? What about the soul or spirit? What happens when one is broken? How to heal?
WHAT IS GLEANINGS?
Participants in the Gleanings forum come open minded to "glean" wisdom and knowledge from the perspectives and experiences of others in order to more fully have richer understanding of a subject and respect for those who might disagree. It is a 'non-expert' based discussion in which no one person or persons have authority on a subject over another, creating an equality based conversation considering many ideas and perspectives, rather than a binary debate.
Gleanings is a facilitated discussion with a high emphasis on listening and learning from one another's points of view in order to 'glean' richer and deeper understanding about complex issues and ideas. Potential topics are curated in advance with only those in attendance getting to vote upon arrival. The most preferred topic by the votes will be chosen for discussion. It's a forum for curious people who enjoy meaningful discussion on a variety of topics. The discussion is prompted by an example related to the topic from an artistic or cultural source. It begins with an initial discussion among pre-designated individuals leading by example to others in how to 'glean. The larger group is then broken into small groups led by one of these individuals in order to discuss the topic further. The small groups then report back to the larger group about their discussions, and the evening ends with a final large group discussion.
