A group of people with widely varying backgrounds and viewpoints meet every other Wednesday to discuss one of the Great Mysteries. After brief introductions, someone will present 3-4 differing viewpoints or major themes on the topic of the day and then we open up the floor for discussion. We meet at at Awash Ethiopian Restaurant (3808 S. Edmunds St., Seattle 98118; just off of Rainier Ave S in Columbia City).
The only ground rule is that we practice "deep listening." This means that we are not debating in order to prove the superiority of our viewpoint, but thoughtfully listening to, considering, and valuing other points of view. We believe that this ultimately helps us in developing sprititual maturity and theological depth.
We pay for our own drinks individually, but food is provided by the sponsoring group: Valley & Mountain Fellowship. VMF is a new spiritual community/church in the Rainier Valley that is built around two core actions, deep listening and creative liberation. While VMF is rooted in the progressive and liberation theological traditions of Christianity, it is not a dogmatic organization and people participate in the community from a wide range of religious/spiritual backgrounds and perspectives. (more info available at www.valleyandmountain.org)
Past topics include:
-Suffering and a Loving God?
-Spirituality & Ecology
-Images of the Divine
-Human Nature
-War, Peace, and the ethics of responding to violence
-Interpretations of Jesus
-Feminism & Spirituality
-Economics & Spirituality
-Views on the Bible
-Meditation, Contemplation, & Prayer
We'll be trying out a new location this session! By the way, while only a few people ever RSVP, we always have between 8-16 participants.