Religion and Philosophy

C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and the Oxford Inklings
In the 1930's and 40's a group of remarkable individuals gathered informally in Oxford once or twice a week for wide-ranging discussions and to share their common passion for narrative fiction and fantasy in particular. Perhaps the most widely-read of this group today are C.S. Lewis, who wrote such works as the Screwtape Letters and the Chronicles of Narnia series, and J. R. R. Tolkien, best known for his Lord of the Rings trilogy. Known as the Inklings, they were particularly interested in theology, philosophy, and literature. In this lecture Dr. Gray provides an introduction to the Inklings, their writings, and their influence on each other and our time. Her PowerPoint presentation is heavily illustrated with photographs and other images and is followed by a time for questions and discussion.
Fee: $26
DIS 342 L1   Wed   9:30am-12pm   June 20   K Gray   Valley Mall 6

The Art, Culture, History, and Spirituality of the Lindisfarne Gospel Manuscript
The Lindisfarne Gospels is a manuscript of the same class as the magnificent Irish Book of Kells. It is heavily illuminated in a unique style that combines Anglo-Saxon and Celtic themes and is named after the island that was home to the great Northumberland scriptorium at which the manuscript was made c. 720. In the 10th Century an Old English translation was written in above the original Latin text, providing an invaluable example of the vernacular language of the time and adding to the unique importance of this work. In this lecture Dr. Gray discusses the history of the manuscript and what we learn from it about the state of art, spirituality, and Anglo Saxon culture in the 7th and 8th centuries when Roman and Celtic Christianity were in competition in the region. Her PowerPoint presentation is filled with examples of the rich artistry in this remarkable hand-made book that is among the most decorated still existing today. Her lecture is followed by time for questions and discussion.
Fee: $26
DIS 343 K1   Wed   9:30am-12pm   May 23   K Gray   Valley Mall 6 

Previously offered courses

The Manuscript Foundations of Western Scriptures
The earliest sources of our scriptures, science and math, history and literature are manuscripts that were painstakingly copied many hundreds of years ago by scribes. In this series of profusely-illustrated PowerPoint presentations, Dr. Karen Gray selects some of the most important and interesting of these manuscripts, tells their story, explores many mysteries associated with them, and includes examples of the literature that they contain. This lecture from 9:30-11:30am will be followed be a half-hour discussion period. Series units may be purchased individually see courses below.
Fee: $126  Senior Adult Fee: $56
 

The Oldest Bible Manuscripts
The content of today's Bible does not come from any one ancient written source. Rather, translators rely on hundreds of early manuscripts, although three largely-complete Greek manuscripts are of particular importance. These are known as the Sinaiticus, Alexandrinus, and Vaticanus. Dr. Gray discusses these manuscripts, what we know of their creation, preservation, and some of the challenges each presents to past and present translators.
Fee: $36

The Archimedes Codex
For more than a decade one of the most important and problematic manuscripts in the history of Greek mathematics and science has been studied by a team of experts at the Walters Art Museum, where it will be exhibited this fall. Dr. Gray tells the story of this manuscript and the remarkable effort to recover the original text that had been scraped off in 1229 so the vellum pages could be used again for a Christian prayer book. The diverse technologies used in the project, why the original is so important, and the challenges of reading and translating the recovered text are all discussed.
Fee: $36

The Cotton Collection Manuscripts
Some of the greatest treasures of British literature and history are found in the collection of manuscripts made by three generations of the Cotton family between c. 1589 and 1702 when it was transferred to the British people and a foundation collection of the British Library. Dr. Gray discusses the dramatic history of this collection that includes our only source for Beowulf, the beautifully illustrated Lindesfarne Gospels, and a unique copy of the Magna Carta.
Fee: $36

The Revelation of the Magi
An obscure late 8th Century manuscript written in Syriac contains a remarkable version of the story of the three wise men that may have been composed many centuries earlier. For the first time in 2010, an English translation of this work was published and is the subject of this lecture. Related texts in the canonical Gospel of Matthew and Luke as well as other early non-canonical writings are discussed to provide a fuller picture the development of this charming part of the Christmas story.
Fee: $36

Lost and Found: The Secrets of Archimedes - Trip to the Walters Art Museum
In Jerusalem in 1229 AD the greatest works of the Greek mathematician Archimedes were erased and overwritten with a prayer book by a priest called Johannes Myronas. In the year 2000, a project was begun by a team of experts at the Walters Art Museum to read these erased texts. By the time they had finished, the team that worked on the book had recovered Archimedes' secrets, rewritten the history of mathematics, and discovered entirely new texts from the ancient world. This exhibition will tell that famous story. It will recount the history of the book, detail the patient conservation, explain the cutting-edge imaging and highlight the discoveries of the dogged and determined scholars who finally read what had been obliterated. Join Dr. Karen Gray for this trip to the Walters Art Museum for a docent-led tour of this interesting exhibit.  Trip fee includes: transportation provided by HCC vans, entrance fee and docent-led tour of the Archimedes exhibit. A complete itinerary will be sent to you one week prior to the trip date.
Fee: $46

Being Human: A Cross Cultural View of Who We Are
Of what is human identity made? Where does our sense of self come from: Culture, Upbringing, External Circumstances, The opinions of others? If you had grown up in a different culture, or as the opposite gender, or in a different century, would you still be you? Are you the same person now as you were twenty years ago? The concepts of self and existence vary greatly from culture to culture; even the manner in which we think and interact with the world is culturally prescribed. Join anthropology instructor Julie Castillo for a thought-provoking cross-cultural discussion of personality, consciousness, and self.
Fee: $91 Senior Adult Fee: $56

12 Ways to Know Yourself Better - Online Course
"Know Thyself," the Oracle of Delphi advises. Come and be a part of this groundbreaking online self-discovery class! This interactive Blackboard workshop gives you the flexibility to develop your self-knowledge without disrupting your busy schedule. Discover a kaleidoscope of personality-testers from around the globe and across time. Meet your Native American totem animal, delve into the symbolism of the Enneagram, discover your Feng Shui element, examine your chakras, find your bliss, and much more. Log on with us and prepare to gain new insight into your most valuable asset-yourself! Face-to-face orientation will be held on Thursday, April 12 from 11am-12:00PM at the HCC Valley Mall Training Center. Please contact the instructor Julie Castillo, jmwriterslife@aol.com if you have questions concerning this class.
Fee: $116 Senior Adult Fee: $66
 

For more information, contact Anne Myers at 240-500-2582, or e-mail acmyers@hagerstowncc.edu.