Church To Offer Seminar On Religion, Society, and TechnologyThe First Congregational Church of Closter, United Church of Christ, invites the public to its monthly Winter-Spring Faith and Reason series on the religious response to the impact of science on society. The series will begin Wednesday January 17 at 7:30 PM.In 1998, a British scientist implanted a silicon chip in his arm. This chip allowed him to be tracked by his university's computer. The computer knew his whereabouts and could greet him as he entered his lab, open the doors of the lab and turn on the lights. His next experiment planned for 2001 is to implant a chip that will transport signals to and from his nervous system to the computer. This seminar series will examine the social issues around such experiments and appropriate religious response to these impacts. The first seminar will open with a discussion of the impending ethical and philosophical crisis posed by the explosion of new technology. It will then examine the purpose of society, the process of attaining social goals, the impacts of the development of technologies such as transportation and information, and the effect these have had on religion in the USA. Participants will have the opportunity to examine and discuss varies models of the interaction of science and religion, and look at the social attitudes towards technology. The class will discuss what is the appropriate role of religion and faith in the promotion and regulation of technology in society. This session will establish background for the following three seminars in the winter and spring that will examine specific technologies or sciences. Planned technologies and sciences are improving health and biological understanding, the changing sacred cosmos, and communications and information. All sessions are held in the social hall of the First Congregational Church of Closter. The church is located at the corner of Harrington Ave. and West St. in Closter. The sanctuary and social hall are wheelchair accessible. First Congregational Church of Closter is committed to being an enlightened, open and affirming church that welcomes all people whatever their age, ethnic background, gender, physical or mental abilities, or sexual orientation into the full life and ministry of the congregation and seeks to help each person find his or her own way to God that is meaningful to them in the 21st century. Please call the church at (201) 768-7285 or send e-mail at fcclostr@cwn.com to register. There is no registration fee. The church may be visited on the internet at http://www.cwn.com/~fcclostr. More information about the Faith and Reason series can be found by clicking on the religion and science hyperlink. |