Speaker: David Utsler - Guest Speaker

David Utsler is writer, philosopher, book lover, music lover, and an introvert (who, in spite of that, likes to connect with people). He enjoys cooking and gardening, especially growing vegetables; he is not very good at it but likes trying anyway. David received his PhD in philosophy from the University of North Texas where he specialized in environmental philosophy, environmental justice, critical theory, and hermeneutics (the art and science of interpretation). He resides in Allen, TX with his wife, Ali.
You can read his blog at www.davidutsler.com
We are all seeking a sense of belonging as we move through our lives. The spaces and places where we feel welcome and at home are precious to us. How do different people experience belonging? How do different people experience hospitality? We are pleased to welcome guest speaker David Utsler, PhD, back to our pulpit … Continue reading Be-long or Not to Be-Long: Between Hostility and Hospitality
Our planet is in peril. If human life is to survive, we must take the ecological crisis seriously. We must ask ourselves, “What kind of world is it in which we wish to live? What kind of people do we wish to be in that world?” We need new solutions and new ways of being … Continue reading Fragile Earth and the Poetics of Environmental Responsibility
You are invited to join us as we learn more about the need in society to listen to “the stranger,” the marginalized, and those who so often are not heard.
Individual identity is never wholly individual. As the late French philosopher Paul Ricoeur wrote in his book, Oneself as Another, the “selfhood of oneself implies otherness to such an intimate degree that one cannot be thought of without the other, that instead one passes into the other….” This talk considers a component of identity called … Continue reading Growing Your Environmental Identity