Sunday, Feb. 29, will mark the start of the third
annual religious awareness days,
Open Hands Open Hearts, a
series of events on the Homewood campus fostering open
discussion on matters of faith. Events are scheduled
through Tuesday, March 9.
Presented by the Religious Awareness Days Steering
Committee, Open Hands Open Hearts is produced under the
auspices of Campus Ministries and
is the result of a collaborative effort of the Interfaith
Council, Campus Ministries and student representatives from
a variety of Johns Hopkins faith organizations.
The following events are open to students, faculty and
staff and will take place at the Bunting-Meyerhoff
Interfaith and Community Service Center unless otherwise
noted. For more information, call the Bunting-Meyerhoff
Interfaith Center at 410-261-1880.
Sunday, Feb. 29, 6 p.m. Open Your Eyes Banquet:
"Repentance, Reflection and Resurrection: The Holy Season
of Lent." This event is hosed by the Jewish Student
Association with the Hopkins Catholic Community discussing
themes of fasting, penance and spiritual renewal that are
central to the Lenten season, the Catholic Church's holiest
time of the year. A catered kosher meal will be served.
Monday, March 1, 7 p.m. Lecture by Charles Kimball,
chair of the Department of Religion at Wake Forest
University. Kimball will discuss "When Religion Becomes
Evil," the title of his book that was named by Publishers
Weekly as one of the top 15 books on religion in 2002.
Tuesday, March 2, noon to 2 p.m. Meditation Tools &
Toys. Great Hall, Levering. Try out a few of the tools and
toys available for meditation and relaxation, such as a
lap-top labyrinth or a mandala for coloring.
Tuesday, March 2, 7 p.m. Spiritual Taboo Game Show
Night. Contestants will guess words related to
spirituality, faith and religion. Prizes will be awarded
and there will be plenty of snacks. Hosted by the
Interfaith Council.
Wednesday, March 3, 7 p.m. Panel discussion about
religious pluralism. Using as a backdrop Harvard theologian
Diana Eck's pivotal book Encountering God: A Spiritual
Journey from Bozeman to Banaras, JHU Campus Ministries in
partnership with the MSE/Sheridan Libraries' Diversity
Committee will present "Pluralism Applied: Practicing Faith
in a Global Society." The discussion will focus on the
practical applications of religious pluralism and will
explore the personal and spiritual impact of living one's
faith while embracing religious diversity.
Thursday, March 4, 8 to 10 p.m. The Cultural Coffee
House. Relax with a cup of coffee and a delicious dessert
while Hopkins participants showcase their musical and
poetic talent. Presented by the Interfaith Council. To
perform, contact Barkha Gurbani at bng@jhu.edu.
Friday, March 5, 1:15 p.m. Muslim Juma'h Prayer
Service. Muslims' weekly Juma'h service offers a reminder
of the ultimate goal in life: worshiping and obeying God.
The 45-minute service consists of an insightful lecture
followed by a short prayer.
Friday, March 5, 6:30 p.m. Chinese Shabbat Dinner.
All faiths are encouraged to join in this unique experience
of Shabbat dining.
Sunday, March 7, 11 a.m. Hindu Aarthi. The Hindu
Student Council invites all to its weekly prayer called
Aarthi, an illustration of the Hindu faith. It includes
fire, which represents purity, and the singing of a
traditional hymn. The service lasts approximately 20
minutes and will be followed by a discussion of Hindu
philosophy.
Sunday, March 7, 11 a.m. Roman Catholic Mass
celebrated by Father Thomas Ryan. Members of the Hopkins
Catholic Community will be ready to explain the symbolism
and ritual of this 2,000-year-old religion. Doughnuts
served after mass.
Sunday, March 7, 1 p.m. Stepping Stones Service.
Presented by the college ministry of Grace Life Church, an
evangelical Christian ministry.
Sunday, March 7, 8 p.m. The Gathering. University
Baptist Church, 3501 N. Charles St. A weekly contemporary
worship service led by college students specifically for
college students. The college pastor, Jamie Sipsma, gives a
message, and the music team leads singing and worship.
Messages, relevant art, poetry and multimedia also are used
in providing a safe and open place in which to experience
God.
Tuesday, March 9, 6 p.m. "Faith in Nonviolence: How
Faith Helps Us to Respond Nonviolently." In conjunction
with JHU Season for Nonviolence, a panel of campus
ministers will discuss faith as a tool for peace. Pizza
will be served following the discussion.
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