Outreach
Annapolis, Executive Seminars 2007-2008
St. John's College Executive Seminars aim to address fundamental questions of the human condition through a close reading and discussion of timeless great works of literature, philosophy, and political discourse. Faculty members, called tutors, meet with about 20 participants once a month for 90 minutes to discuss one of these enduring texts. The seminar discussion is exploratory; no previous knowledge of the author, text, or subject is required and participants refer only to books the group has read together. The tutors do not set an agenda of topics to be covered. At the college, we believe that real learning happens when seminar participants take responsibility for understanding these beautiful but difficult works through discussion with others. In such discussion participants come to a deeper understanding of the reading and of the issues it raises. One of the tutors begins each session with a question that has no simple answer. The character and course of the conversation are determined by the demands of the text and by the willingness of all members of the seminar to state their opinions clearly and reasonably. Such a discussion is not a debate; challenging the ideas of others or offering alternative thinking is encouraged, with insight as the goal.
For seventeen years the college has offered seminars for professionals and executives in a number of cities. These seminars are specially structured to suit the needs of busy people who, immersed in careers and families, value serious conversation with their peers about ideas that have challenged humankind through the ages.
Readings
This year's theme is "Faith and Politics". The readings have been chosen for the thoughts and ideas presented by the authors; most of the material is studied as part of the undergraduate program at St. John's. The Executive Seminar registration fee includes the cost of the books read in the seminar, which are shipped to participants once they enroll.
Registration
Each Executive Seminar will be limited to 20 participants. Tuition covers all expenses for a ten-session seminar, including copies of the readings. Click here to reserve a place in the series.
Theme: Faith and Poltics
Many of the most pressing issues - both around the world and here at home - require that we reflect seriously upon faith and politics. Is it right or even possible to relegate the consideration of religious faith to the private, inner sphere, separating it from the outer order defined by civil law and the political institutions it establishes? Is the perspective of faith an unwelcome intrusion into the political realm, something to be excluded from the continuing debates about the values underpinning society? Or must we at least try to understand how the tenets of faith intersect with notions of justice, humanity, ethics, and morality?
The readings of this year's Executive Seminars present different perspectives on the demands of religious duty, personal belief, and conscience in the face of civic duty and responsibility. The readings include works of philosophy, literature, and theology - from the Bible and ancient Greece to the twentieth century. They consider individuals and societies both historical and imagined; each work represents the perennial effort to further the examined life, both for the individual and for the citizen.
For more information, contact:
Alice Chambers
Executive Seminars
Phone: 410-295-5544 Fax: 410-295-6935
e-mail: alice.chambers@sjca.edu
Mail address:
St. John's College
P.O. Box 2800
Annapolis, MD 21404
Location:
60 College Avenue
Annapolis, MD 21401