Humanities Lectures

Dr. David P. Gushee is a Distinguished University Professor of Christian Ethics and Director of the Centre for Theology and Public Life at Mercer University. His research interests focus on the ethical teachings of Jesus Christ and the Christian theological-ethical tradition, together with its contemporary implications for Christian discipleship and public witness. In this talk he speaks on his personal journey toward a change of his own heart and mind in becoming an advocate for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender inclusion in the Church, and his recent book ‘Changing Our Mind’ and the impact that it is having. 30 July 2015

Dr. David P. Gushee is a Distinguished University Professor of Christian Ethics and Director of the Centre for Theology and Public Life at Mercer University. His research interests focus on the ethical teachings of Jesus Christ and the Christian theological-ethical tradition, together with its contemporary implications for Christian discipleship and public witness. In this talk he speaks on his personal journey toward a change of his own heart and mind in becoming an advocate for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender inclusion in the Church, and his recent book ‘Changing Our Mind’ and the impact that it is having. 30 July 2015

Professor Jeremy Waldron, Professor of Law at New York University speaks on the topic of ‘Profound Disability and Distinctive Human Dignity’. What does it mean to say we are all one another’s equals? Does a sense of equality distinguish humans from other animals? On what is this human equality based? Is it a religious idea? Is it a practical commitment? Is it just a matter of human rights? Is there supposed to be some shared feature that all human beings have in common? And if we take that approach, what are we to say about our brothers and sisters who suffer from profound disability—whose human claims seem to outstrip any particular description that they satisfy or any capacity that they have? 28 July 2015

Professor Jeremy Waldron, Professor of Law at New York University speaks on the topic of ‘Profound Disability and Distinctive Human Dignity’. What does it mean to say we are all one another’s equals? Does a sense of equality distinguish humans from other animals? On what is this human equality based? Is it a religious idea? Is it a practical commitment? Is it just a matter of human rights? Is there supposed to be some shared feature that all human beings have in common? And if we take that approach, what are we to say about our brothers and sisters who suffer from profound disability—whose human claims seem to outstrip any particular description that they satisfy or any capacity that they have? 28 July 2015

Professor Jeremy Waldron, Professor of Law at New York University speaks on the topic of ‘Profound Disability and Distinctive Human Dignity’. What does it mean to say we are all one another’s equals? Does a sense of equality distinguish humans from other animals? On what is this human equality based? Is it a religious idea? Is it a practical commitment? Is it just a matter of human rights? Is there supposed to be some shared feature that all human beings have in common? And if we take that approach, what are we to say about our brothers and sisters who suffer from profound disability—whose human claims seem to outstrip any particular description that they satisfy or any capacity that they have? 28 July 2015

What’s Magna Carta — legal icon, myth, or misconception? When was Magna Carta —1215, say the historians, the lawyers (were they to agree) might say 1297. In this talk Dr Nigel Jamieson, Faculty of Law at the University of Otago discusses what Magna Carta might mean for us today — being in Latin most modernists would shrug it off; some cynics say it means nothing much, since it’s only called the Great Charter because in 1215 they couldn’t text it down to twenty words; others say it’s not for us today because we’re far more up with the political play; and then there are those today who extol it to divert our attention away from the fact that they’re fiddling the books behind our backs. 21 July 2015

What’s Magna Carta — legal icon, myth, or misconception? When was Magna Carta —1215, say the historians, the lawyers (were they to agree) might say 1297. In this talk Dr Nigel Jamieson, Faculty of Law at the University of Otago discusses what Magna Carta might mean for us today — being in Latin most modernists would shrug it off; some cynics say it means nothing much, since it’s only called the Great Charter because in 1215 they couldn’t text it down to twenty words; others say it’s not for us today because we’re far more up with the political play; and then there are those today who extol it to divert our attention away from the fact that they’re fiddling the books behind our backs. 21 July 2015

What’s Magna Carta — legal icon, myth, or misconception? When was Magna Carta —1215, say the historians, the lawyers (were they to agree) might say 1297. In this talk Dr Nigel Jamieson, Faculty of Law at the University of Otago discusses what Magna Carta might mean for us today — being in Latin most modernists would shrug it off; some cynics say it means nothing much, since it’s only called the Great Charter because in 1215 they couldn’t text it down to twenty words; others say it’s not for us today because we’re far more up with the political play; and then there are those today who extol it to divert our attention away from the fact that they’re fiddling the books behind our backs. 21 July 2015

Professor Jim Allan is the Garrick Professor of Law at the TC Beirne School of Law, University of Queensland and previously belonged to the University of Otago Faculty of Law for 11 years. In this talk Professor Allan discusses four key points, what an unwritten constitution amounts to, the point of written constitutionalism and what you are being promised when offered a written constitution. Finally he explains why a written constitution has limited choice and the process of making a decision between a written and unwritten constitution. 15 July 2015

Professor Jim Allan is the Garrick Professor of Law at the TC Beirne School of Law, University of Queensland and previously belonged to the University of Otago Faculty of Law for 11 years. In this talk Professor Allan discusses four key points, what an unwritten constitution amounts to, the point of written constitutionalism and what you are being promised when offered a written constitution. Finally he explains why a written constitution has limited choice and the process of making a decision between a written and unwritten constitution. 15 July 2015