A South African Quaker scientist in Cape Town, he studies cosmology — the study of the origin and evolution of the universe. He wrote a book with Stephen Hawking 30 years ago and received the Templeton Award for Science and Religion last year. He is currently examining the issue of multiverses: is there only one universe, or is our universe but one of many?
He says, "With Nancey Murphy I am a moral realist, that is, I believe that we discover the true nature of ethics rather than inventing it, hence the title of our book, On the Moral Nature of the Universe. Indeed it is only if ethics is of this nature that it has a truly moral character, that is, it represents a guiding light that we ought to obey.” Regarding the way that complexity can arise through physics, he says: “It is true that physics and chemistry underlie our existence and functioning as human beings, but that does not mean we are "nothing but" atoms, molecules, chemicals, or whatever. That phrase always hides an attempt to deny the true complexity and autonomous existence of vibrant living beings. We are much, much more than implied by hard reductionists and their favorite phrase "nothing but." I have written extensively on why it is that these reductionist viewpoints miss out on the true nature of the complex reality that emerges from the underlying physics and chemistry. And one should note here that reductionist viewpoints emanate equally from the social and human sciences as from the natural sciences, and are equally fallacious in those cases too.
It is crucial also that despite the fact that the functioning of our brain can be understood by neuroscientists in terms of action potentials in the brain and flows of chemicals across synapses, nevertheless personal choice is real. Furthermore, the ethics that underlies the direction and nature of our choices is causally effective, and strongly shapes the nature of what happens in the world around us. It is not possible to reduce ethics to statements about neuroscience (or evolutionary history, for that matter), for it has a real normative nature."
He became a Friend in 1974, "liking the mixture of spiritual awareness and social activism, the lack of creeds combined with the basis of silence in the meeting for worship." In 1977, Ellis coauthored the book The Squatter Problem in the Western Cape, an appeal for a policy under the Apartheid regime that would provide homeless people with rights and a promising future. Two years later, in Low Income Housing Policy in South Africa, he analyzed the policies that he deemed would transform the dire housing situation of the oppressed people in Cape Town.
Ellis describes looking at social issues as having short-, medium-, and long-term solutions. As part of the short-term effort, he got involved with the Quaker Service Fund. During the era of Apartheid the Fund provided, and still provides, money for transportation, education, food, clothing, and housing. Ellis says his medium-term effort includes policy change while his long-term approach takes place in the arena of the debate about science and religion.
Ellis speaks of distinguished leaders of nonviolence and the concept of kenosis. In Greek, kenosis means "emptying oneself." Ellis believes that the ethic of kenosis is built-in to the universe and finds its expression in all the major religions. Essential elements of this idea of kenotic ethics play themselves out in personal and communal relationships, in the act of forgiveness, and in selfsacrifice. At its extreme, it may involve sacrificing one's own life.. Ellis says that the ethic of kenosis is not simply a "God of the gaps" concept, that of God filling the gaps in scientific know-ledge, but is God at the boundaries of human understanding and knowledge.
Host Krista Tippett spoke with Dr. Ellis at the studios of WHYY in Philadelphia.
Adapted from Ellis Statement and Science and Hope.
July Business MeetingClerk Bill Wilkinson opened the meeting by reading: ”There is that near you which will guide you. Wait for it and be sure you keep it.” --Issac Pennington, 1678.Craig Bejnar was out of town but left his Treasurer’s report with Ken Southwood who reported that Meeting assets had increased by about $21,000 since the beginning of the year. This is probably mostly due to donations to the Building Fund. Donations to the general fund are keeping level with expenditures, the balance on June 30 being $39,452.58. Assuming one of his other roles, Ken reported that we have in July paid the first bill from Breda Construction, for about $69,000. This is 10% less than actual expenditures, which are certified by the architect, the 10% being retained until final completion of the building, which is expected to be in September. The structure of the walls has been completed and the roof trusses built. They will be installed during the next week. Janet Southwood gave the Outreach report, noting that a cookout would be held on the following Friday. The committee has extensively discussed policies for use of the new meetingroom. We need to tell the two organizations already using the meetinghouse whether they may use the meetingroom and under what conditions. The committee also discussed a new edition of the Directory. This may be in two parts. One would be a handbook, containing the bylaws and responsibilities of officers and committees. It will be contained in a loose-leaf binder, to make amendments easy to incorporate. The other would be the list of current att-enders, office-holders and committee members. Ken Southwood, in his role as Editor Of The Directory, will distribute the current version to committee clerks and officers for revision and a meeting of officers and clerks will be called for August 21 to discuss and coordinate. [But clerks call Bill - scheduling conflict.] The committee also discussed ideas for outreach to San Antonio residents who do not know enough of Friends even to inquire. This may be in the form of a brochure to be distributed to public places. The committee also discussed ways in which the meetingroom may be used for inviting speakers to appeal to a wider audience. Carol Balliet spoke for Peace and Social Concerns on distributing information on alternatives to military service. The committee will get in touch with the War Resisters League to find out when military recruiters will be visiting high schools and college campuses. An attempt to offer alternatives at these times at one high school and one college, after which the experience will be evaluated. Inviting Chuck Fager is not now being considered. Regarding the forthcoming conference, “Voices from Palestine,” Carol and Ken Southwood will attend the next organizing meeting. But they have concerns that the organization may be one-sided, providing needed American support for Palestinians, but not providing a conciliatory bridge between pro-Israelis and pro-Palestinians. (There will be a called business meeting on August 7 to consider contributing $150 to the support of this effort. See “Mid-East Peace” below.) Ken Southwood repor-ted that the building of the meetingroom was progressing well.
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Melissa Miller has accepted the position of President Elect for 2006 of the Native Plant Society of Texas (the whole state, not just SA chapter, of which she is currently president). In 2007, she will be state president.
David Bristol says, “My new address is 207 Florida St. San Antonio, Tx. 78210 Phone number is the same which is my cell phone. Lots of work to do on the house. Have almost decided on the interior paints. David” Janet Southwood, going to her back door, found two puzzled lizards considering each other. One was inside the door window and the other was outside.
Steve Ortman writes: “I started my new job at the Alamo this past week as a tour guide. On one of my stations throughout the day, I stand by the front door to the old Alamo ‘Church’ and watch the visitors as they come inside. I watch for food and drinks, people talking on cell phones, taking pictures, videotaping and males wearing hats.” He says he has problems with younger men who don’t seem to feel the need to remove their hats. Of course, he hasn’t lived in Texas very long. Lisa Kerpoe has now joined a collective of other artists at Art Cloth Studios in San Antonio and together they offer classes and eventually will showcase their work on this site. Here is the website in progress:
Val Liveoak will return to St. Croix, US Virgin Islands to do two Alternatives to Violence Project (AVP) workshops Aug. 3-18. As she has said, it’s a tough life but somebody has to do it. At the time of writing, Ruth Lofgren is in Russia. Fortunately, with the change of regimes, we expect her back.
Asked for personal news, Bill Lewis replied, “I believe that Valerie Plame (Ambassador Wilson's wife) is a secret government agent. But check with Karl Rove before you put anything in the newsletter.” But this makes us wonder where Bill gets his information. Some unnamed source in the Express-News?
Marian Carter said, “Ken Southwood has been seen loitering, perserverating and prognegistating. However, I cannot prove any of the above.” He admits tearfully to progneg-istating, saying that when he started he did not know it was wrong, nor what it was and, in fact, still doesn’t. It’s a moral morass out there.
You will remember that Meeting approved writing letters to legislators concerning a new hearing for Francesca Barreh’s husband Idriss, whose deportation to Djibouti was found to be incorrectly determined. We wrote to Reps. Lamar Smith and Charles Gonzales and Senator Cornyn. As of going to press (in our study) we have heard from an aide of Rep. Smith, who has been in touch with the Immigration Department. They promised her they would look into Francesca’s appeal next week Rep. Smith’s aide will call them back ten days after that to find out when the reopened case will be heard.
Another problem raised was how outside organizations’ meetings should be coordinated with those of the Meeting. Should Meeting’s arrangements take priority, even to the extent of cancelling others’ bookings when there is an unexpected conflict?
One Friend’s opinion was, “It is better that we should be open to others and make occasional mistakes rather than that we should be perfect and closed.”
M&O and Outreach Committees will meet together to discuss the issues before another Meeting discussion is planned.
Mid-East PeaceThe “Voices from Palestine” conference now has the theme, “The Role of American Churches in the Holy Land.” It now has a much broader participation than it seemed to have before. It will extend over a Friday ev-ening and Saturday and is planned to include: a cultural movie within contemporary context followed by discussion, live broadcast from the Holy Land with 6 speakers -- Jewish, Christian, with Israeli and Palestinian professors and peace activists, presentations on Christian Zionism, Media influence & impact, and judicatory resources, a round table discussion with potential action planning and feedback.We are asked to respond by August 10th concerning our partnership so that planning might go forward. A called business meeting will be held on August 7 to consider this.
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“The vicar of Bray, in Berkshire, was a Papist under the reign of Henry the Eighth, and a Protestant under Edward the Sixth; he was a Papist again under Mary, and once more became a Protestant in the reign of Elizabeth. When this scandal to the gown was reproached for his versatility of religious creeds, and taxed for being a turncoat and an unconstant changeling, as Fuller expresses it, he replied, ‘Not so neither; for if I changed my religion, I am sure I kept true to my principle; which is, to live and die the vicar of Bray!’” Curiosities of Literature by Isaac D’Israeli (1766-1848).
So here is the song:
In good King Charles's golden days,
When Loyalty no harm meant;
A Furious High-Church man I was,
And so I gain'd Preferment.
Unto my Flock I daily Preach'd,
“Kings are by God appointed,
And Damn'd are those who dare resist,
Or touch the Lord's Anointed.”
And this is law, I will maintain
Unto my Dying Day, Sir.
That whatsoever King may reign,
I’ll be the Vicar of Bray, Sir!
When Royal James possest the crown,
And popery grew in fashion;
The Penal Law I hooted down,
And read the Declaration:
The Church of Rome I found would fit
Full well my Constitution,
And I had been a Jesuit,
But for the Revolution.
And this is Law, &c.
When William our Deliverer came,
* To heal the Nation's Grievance,
I turn'd the Cat in Pan again,
And swore to him Allegiance:
Old Principles I did revoke,
Set conscience at a distance,
Passive Obedience is a Joke,
A Jest is non-resistance.
And this is Law, &c.
When Royal Ann became our Queen,
Then Church of England's Glory,
Another face of things was seen,
And I became a Tory:
Occasional Conformists’ base
I Damn'd, and Moderation,
And thought the Church in danger was,
From such Prevarication
And this is Law, &c.
When George in Pudding time came o'er,
And Moderate Men looked big, Sir,
My Principles I chang'd once more,
And so became a Whig, Sir.
And thus Preferment I procur'd,
From our Faith's great Defender,
And almost every day abjur'd
The Pope, and the Pretender.
And this is Law, &c.
The Illustrious House of Hannover,
And Protestant succession,
To these I lustily will swear,
Whilst they can keep possession:
For in my Faith, and Loyalty,
I never once will faulter,
But George, my lawful king shall be,
Except the Times shou'd alter.
And this is Law, &c.
(The British Musical Miscellany, Volume I, 1734. Text as found in R. S. Crane, A Collection of English Poems 1660-1800. New York: Harper & Row, 1932).
He was a remarkably long-lived parson, extending from Henry VIII’s reign (1509-47) to George I (1714-27)! The poem is anonymous, written some time between 1711 and 1734, but may be an earlier one modified to fit later monarchs.
Explanations of terms such as “the Declaration,” “Cat in Pan,” “non-resistance,” etc., may be found on the web by googling “Vicar of Bray.”
VignetteChris Moore-Backman tells a story of India in the Right Sharing of World Resources Newsletter, Second Quarter 2005.:“I’m dumbfounded that he accepts the request. This is too good to be true. But true it is. I’m climbing onto the bicycle and he’s stepping into the carriage behind. It was amazing enough that I could even find a bicycle-rickshawman to accept the job, let alone this! To the playful jeering and laughter of the fleet of bicycle-rickshawmen at the Wardha bus station the deal was somehow struck. Apparently it was unheard of to take a bike-rickshaw all the way to Sevagram ashram, to ‘Bapu Kuti’ (Gandhi’s hut.) The whole thing was cause for much cheer, and in the end one of the fleet stepped forward to accept the challenge. He doesn’t quite sit in the carriage, but sort of squats down so he can lean out and survey our course. We are an incredible spectacle, my friend and me, turning the heads of dozens, perhaps hundreds, of pedestrians, street, vendors, drivers, and passengers. Smiles abound at the sight of this tall lanky white figure pedaling along in his silly-looking sunhat, with his sheepishly grinning rickshawman friend leaning out of the carriage enjoying the ride. Soon enough we reach the ashram, which will turn out to be the spiritual center of my journey in India. I couldn’t have dreamt of a better landing.”
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The sale kicked off Saturday morning with young and old waiting, many with empty bags and boxes in hand, for the clock to strike 11 a.m.
That one click of the clock, signaled by the blowing of a whistle, caused a stampede for books on everything from traveling to Orlando, Fla., to how to teach English to middle schoolers.
Dr. J.K. Stewart Kirkaldy, an organizer of the book sale, said somewhere between 25,000 and 30,000 books were available for sale under two separate tents and inside two buildings.
(Fall River Herald News/Fall River/MA/USA/10-Jul-05).
Michelle and Marian, get to it, but we hope you can keep the books in your garages.
Thank You
* Literally I carried my books through
it for a reason beyond words!
FCNL is now launching its STEP Campaign (Sensible Transition to an Enduring Peace) to further U.S. commitment to withdraw military forces and bases from Iraq. The goal of the STEP campaign is to reframe the debate in Congress to allow all sides to find common ground in focusing on rebuilding and recovery, rather than on military strategy. Local Quaker Meetings can support this campaign in a variety of ways. A resolution of support will be presented at the September business meeting.
In the 19th century Britain not only dominated much of the world but ran many of its governments as well. For the most part this was relatively peaceful but clearly rested on conquest and Britain’s technological and military supremacy. By the second half of the 20th century, Britain’s technology and armed might were, in terms of radio, sea and air transport, air power, guns, tanks, naval power, and ground troops, very much greater than a century before.
But military and technological strength do not automatically morph into political power and they demand economic sacrifices . Facing rebellions and nationalist movements in more than one politically conscious colony at a time, Britain could not preserve its empire and opted out. By 1950 France but could not deal with a revolt in one small corner of her empire, Vietnam. The United States appears to be facing the same dilemma and may have to opt out of its “lone superpower” dream.
This note was written by the editor. Notes from other Friends are welcome.
August 7, Sunday .... Potluck lunch. Called Business Meeting. August 14, Sunday.... 9 a.m ., Quaker By Convincement, Ch. 4, Problems That Remain. Forum: Amy Kastely on the criminal justice system. August 21, Sunday.... Forum: P.K. Biever on halfway houses. August 25, Thursday.. Midweek meeting at the Drennons, 7 pm August 28, Sunday ... Forum, Open discussion on Adult Education and Forum topics. September 4, Sunday ... Potluck lunch. No Forum. September 11, Sunday... 9 a.m., Quaker By Convincement, Ch. 5, Quakers and Other Churches. Forum: "Quakers and Terrorism: What Can we Say?" September 18, Sunday... Business meeting September 22, Thursday.. Midweek meeting at the Drennons, 7 pm September 25, Sunday ... Forum, Discuss your favorite Quaker book, pamphlet, article.
Each Thursday, at 4-5 pm, a silent peace vigil is held at the NE corner of Main Plaza (Commerce and Dwyer or Commerce and Soledad, which is the same thing) near the San Fernando cathedral.
Clerk: Bill Wilkinson, e-mail: bdwilkinson@earthlink.net
Newsletter Editor: Ken Southwood, e-mail: jksouthwood@grandecom.net
Website: http://www.sanantonioquakers.org/.
Donations may be made to Friends Meeting of San Antonio, P.O. Box 6127, San Antonio TX 78209.
Meeting telephone to leave a message: (210) 945-8456.
Friends Meeting of San Antonio,
7052 N. Vandiver,
PO Box 6127 San Antonio TX 78209