April 28, 2008: "War Made Easy"

Dr. John Quigley, Professor, Moritz College of Law, The Ohio State University reviewed the documentary WAR MADE EASY: How Presidents and Pundits Keep Spinning Us To Death. The film brings to the screen Norman Soloman's insightful analysis of how governments bent on war-making rely on arsenals of propaganda to overcome resistance at home and disapproval abroad.

March 24, 2008: Harvey Wasserman - "A Citizens' Movement in Iraq"

Harvey Wasserman, Senior Editor of The Free Press and author of Harvey Wasserman's History of the U.S. and A Glimpse of the Big Light: Losing Parents, Finding Spirit addressed the topic, "What would a citizen's movement look like which would force America from Iraq?" To learn more about Wasserman, visit his website at harveywasserman.com.

February 25, 2008: "Human Rights, Peace and War: An Islamic Perspective"

Dr. Asma Mobin-Uddin, President of the Ohio Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations and a renowned expert on Islam in America, discussed this topic. The session covered a short introduction to the basic beliefs of Islam, Islamic perspectives on human rights, and teachings about peace and war in Islam.

Dr Asma Mobin-Uddin received her undergraduate and medical school degrees from The Ohio State University and The Ohio State University College of Medicine. She did her internship and residency training in Pediatrics at Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital in Cleveland. Currently, she has taken time off from her pediatrics practice to stay home with her young children.

Dr Mobin-Uddin frequently addresses issues about topics related to Islam and Muslims. Her op-ed columns have been published in newspapers locally, across the United States, and internationally. Her first children's book, My Name is Bilal, was published in 2005 by Boyds Mills Press and won the Paterson Prize for Books for Young People, Grades 4-6. Her second book, The Best Eid Ever, was published in 2007.

Dr Mobin-Uddin was born and raised in the United States. Of Pakistani descent, she often visits extended family in Pakistan, and she has traveled in many areas of the Muslim world. Since January of 2006, Dr Mobin-Uddin has served as President of the Ohio Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, a Washington-based advocacy group that seeks to promote a better understanding of Islam and Muslims.

January 28, 2008: "The Risks of Fundamentalist Religious Thinking"

Dianne Kozdrey Bunnell, a resident of Washington State, has written a recently released novel, The Protest, and she will speak at St. John's Church on January 28th at 7:00 PM.

Brunnell writes, "To my knowledge, no one has written a work of fiction inspired by brainwashing within the framework of mainstream fundamentalist Christianity in America. And out of our story of loss comes a warning and a beacon of hope. I speak out because it's alarming how prevalent and main stream such groups and their coerciveness have become in recent years. Our religious realm in this country is narrowing. And it will become narrower if we don't take a stand against those who disrespect all forms of religion but their own, 'the one true faith.' If we stand firm and speak out, we shame them and take away their power and legitimacy.

"My talk stems from my novel, The Protest, inspired by the real-life religious alienation of my two daughters. My story serves as an important and timely reminder that all around us we see church dogma and books claiming that if you are not a born again fundamentalist Christian, you are not a Christian."

Dianne Kozdrey Bunnell, is a magna cum laude graduate of Whitworth College with a BA in English. She received her teaching credentials some years later from St. Martin's University. Her career includes both secretarial work and teaching high school English. She's taught everything from incarcerated students to honors classes. In the office, she's worked for a U.S. Congressman, a hospital administrator and (currently) in the office of a college president. A freewill offering for the author will be received.

November 26, 2007: "Surviving America's Depression Epidemic"

The rate of depression in the US has increased more than tenfold in the last fifty years. By not seriously confronting societal sources of despair, American mental health institutions have become part of the problem rather than the solution. The good news is that age-old wisdom and legitimate science—uncorrupted by the profit-margin pressures of pharmaceutical and insurance corporations—have much to inform us about revitalizing depressed people and a depressing culture.

Our guest speaker, Dr Bruce E Levine, provides the alternative approach in his book Surviving America's Depression Epidemic: How to Find Morale, Energy, and Community in a World Gone Crazy. He prescribes antidotes to depression including the keys to building morale and self-healing. Unlike short-term, drug-based solutions, these antidotes foster a long-term cycle where people rediscover passion and purpose, and find meaning in acting on their societal concerns.

Levine is a clinical psychologist and author of Commonsense Rebellion: Taking Back Your Life from Drugs, Shrinks, Corporations, and a World Gone Crazy. Dr Levine, in private practice since 1985, also lectures and gives workshops; his articles and interviews have appeared in numerous publications.

October 22, 2007: "Wholly Spirit, Reaching for a Plausible God"

Grey Austin is retired after a career in which he served as an Assistant Coordinator of Religious Affairs and Lecturer in Psychology at The University of Michigan, Director of the Regents Graduate Fellowship Program for the State of New York, and most recently as University Honors Director and University Ombudsman at The Ohio State University.

He is a graduate of Western Michigan University (B.S. cum laude), Garrett Theological Seminary (M.Div.) and The University of Michigan (M.B.A. and Ph.D.) and a member of Phi Beta Kappa and Phi Kappa Phi. He has been a major player in the development of college honors programs and has published and consulted in that field.

Retirement has provided the opportunity to pursue a long-time passion for the study of theological and spiritual issues. Wholly Spirit: Searching For A Plausible God is his first book. To read an excerpt of this book, click here.

Grey and his wife, Barbara live in central Ohio and have three children, four grandchildren, and one great grandchild.

September 24, 2007: "What's Going to Happen in November 2008?"

Michael Curtin, Associate Publisher and CEO, The Columbus Dispatch Newspaper, will speak to the Currents Forum on Monday, September 24th at 7:00 PM, the 4th Monday of the month and the new standard day of the month for the Currents Forums. The topic of his presentation will be "What's going to happen in November 2008?"

Curtin will look at the 2008 upcoming U.S. presidential election and share his insights about what he sees ahead for the leadership of our country. This forum is free and open to the broad Columbus community.

Click here to download or read a short bio from Mike Curtin (MS Word)

August 21, 2007: "SICKO"

Dr. Alice Faryna, M.D., Dr. Robert Murden, M.D., Cathy Levine, Attorney and Health Care Advocate, Harlow Ballard, a local Health Insurance Broker, and other local legislators and doctors participated in a panel discussion around the Michael Moore film "SICKO."

The panel reviewed and discussed the film and the present related health care policies of The State of Ohio. The purpose of the forum, like the purpose of the film, was to involve a larger number of people in public policy debate on the issues of access and distribution of health care services in Ohio and within America.

June 19, 2007: "Why Can't We Control Health Care Costs in America?"

Dr. Robert Murden, M.D., private practice physician and Professor of Clinical Practice at The Ohio State University College of Medicine, has studied the factors that make it difficult to control medical expenses in our country. He explained these factors and shared his ideas for gaining control of these costs.

Dr. Murden writes: "U.S. healthcare costs are rising at an alarming and unsustainable rate and are seemingly uncontrolled in this rise. As a result, the U.S. spends 50% more of its GNP on healthcare than any other country, yet it typically ranks behind most developed nations in most measures of healthcare quality. The causes of the high cost of healthcare in the U.S. seem well defined, but they are not well known by either the public or much of the medical profession itself. This talk explored the causes in some detail and briefly mentioned some possible solutions."

May 15, 2007: "Voices of Rwanda: Stories, Songs, and Dance"

Eight women, from Rwandan Women in Action, representing both Hutu and Tutsi groups, explained the recent genocide in Rwanda through their own stories, dances, and songs. They also offered Rwandan handicrafts and products for sale and accepted free-will donations for victims remaining in Rwanda.

April 17, 2007: "How Does the Rest of the World View America?

The evening's speaker, J. Michael Houlahan, served 28 years as a Foreign Service Officer in the US diplomatic service, following a three-year military tour in the US Army Counter Intelligence Corps. Overseas postings include Japan, Romania, New Zealand, Cyprus, Italy, India, the Philippines and Jamaica. He has published over 30 articles, most specializing on the Philippines and World War II.

Houlahan serves as coordinator and speaker for the Great Issues lecture series in Upper Arlington, and he is a resource speaker for the Columbus Council on World Affairs' Great Decisions program and the American Foreign Service Association’s community outreach program. He is a member of Ohio State University’s Fulbright Selection Committee and a member of the Advisory Board for the McMaster School for Advancing Humanity at Defiance College, Defiance, Ohio.

He holds a Bachelor's degree in government from Dartmouth College and a Master's degree in International Public Policy from the Johns Hopkins School for Advanced International Studies.

Click here to read a short professional biography of J. Michael Houlahan (MS Word format)

February 20, 2007: "Iraq for SALE: the War Profiteers"

View Robert Greenwald’s documentary "Iraq for SALE: the War Profiteers" and join in discussion about the difficult questions such as who is getting killed? and who's making a killing? The movie was financed by donations from over three thousand individuals. This timely documentary brings up tough issues and asks questions about the current war that have yet to be answered.

Learn more about the film at the "Iraq for SALE" website

January, 2007: "The True Cost of Food"

"The True Cost of Food" is a project that encourages people to think about how the way they eat affects our planet and our quality of life. Presenters Joanne Dole and Lisa Staggenborg look at the hidden financial, environmental, and health costs of mass-produced food and at alternatives that are kinder to the planet and better for us. The environmental problems caused by our eating habits can be solved—but only if a great number of consumers work to solve them.

December, 2006: "Big Time Intercollegiate Sports: The Bad, The Ugly, tnd The Good"

The phrase "football factory" has been used to describe Ohio State and other similar institutions, where the institutional ego rests heavily on the success of the football program. This suggests that these schools are beholden to their athletic programs, and that, in effect, the tail (athletics) is wagging the dog (the rest of the university). It also suggests that, at the individual level, the term "student-athlete" is, at best, in the wrong order, and, at worst, entirely inaccurate.

It is no secret that Division I intercollegiate sports, especially football and basketball, are ethically flawed practices. The reason why has a lot to do with the great influx of money into big time college sports, a corrupting force that is responsible, as well, for much of the degradation we presently see in contemporary politics and religion.

On December 19 at 7:00 p.m., Dr. Bill Morgan, Professor of Sport and Exercise Humanities at The Ohio State University, will detail just how bad, and indeed ugly, things have gotten of late in these sports. But as the deliberate transposition of the title suggests, he will argue that there is a good case that can be made for the inclusion of sports into the general mission of our colleges and universities, one that would require their wholesale reform–a fate about which he is not optimistic.

Dr. Morgan is also the Interim Director of the Sport and Citizenship Center at the John Glenn Institute. He has authored or co-authored at least eight books about the philosophy and ethics of sports and is a nationally-recognized expert on the intersection of sports and morality.

November, 2006: "The Effects Of The November Elections"

Elections are always certain to impact the city, the state, and the country. Dr. Richard Gunther, a political science professor from The Ohio State University, offered his insights on the elections of November 2006.

Dr. Gunther is considered an expert in the field of comparative politics, and his work has had a substantial impact on a variety of subfields in political science, including public policy studies, political institutions, regime democratization, political parties, and electoral behavior.

He has research interests in Southern Europe, transitions to and consolidation of democracy, electoral behavior, and comparative political institutions and public policy. Recently, he mobilized support for university funding in the face of proposed drastic state budget cuts.

October, 2006: "Public Policy and the Church"

Reverend Mark Barbee and Reverend Eric Williams took part in a moderated discussion exploring the appropriateness of advocating public policy management through the Christian church and other religious environments.

Rev. Russell Johnson (photo at right), who serves with Rev. Barbee at Fairfield Christian Church, and Rev. Williams became prominent figures in local news last year. Rev. Williams, senior pastor of North Congregational Church, led a group of 31 clergy in requesting that the Internal Revenue Service investigate the tax-exempt status of two area churches alleged to be in violation of IRS code for financing partisan political activities with church monies. Rev. Johnson is the senior pastor of Fairfield Christian Church, one of the churches implicated in the request. Read Rev. Johnson's full professional bio (MS Word format)

October, 2006: "Piety and Politics"

Rev. Barry Lynn, executive director of Americans United for the Separation of Church and State since 1992, spoke about his new book, Piety and Politics: The Right Wing Assault on Religious Freedom. He also was available to sign copies of his book following the discussion.

Rev. Lynn is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ and has worked for many years as a lawyer and activist in the civil liberties field. He is an accomplished speaker and lecturer, and his analyses of First Amendment issues have been featured on national television and radio broadcasts.

September, 2006: "The November Elections: What Direction for Ohio? What Direction for the Nation?"

Mike Curtin of the Columbus Dispatch shared his observations on Ohio's November elections.

Ohio remains a pivotal state in the ongoing battle for political supremacy between the major political parties. This year it is predicted that an unprecedented amount of money will be spent by the combined gubernatorial candidates to promote their positions and to criticize each other.

Michael F Curtin, Columbus native and graduate of The Ohio State University School of Journalism, is the author of The Ohio Politics Almanac. For 18 years, most of his reporting career, he specialized in the coverage of state and local government and politics. In 1985, Curtin became the paper’s chief political writer and director of The Dispatch Poll. He progressed from executive managing editor, to editor, to associate publisher in less than five years and was named president in January 1999, COO in January 2002 and vice chairman in January 2005. Read Mr. Curtin's full professional bio (MS Word format)

August, 2006: "How Your Consciousness Affects Your Health"

Hari M. Sharma, M.D., of the Center for Integrative Medicine at The Ohio State University, discussed the interrelationship between the consciousness of the mind and the health of the body.

The laws of nature work in an orderly and sequential manner which is seen in human physiology as the DNA molecule. Any break in the sequence becomes a disorder in the human physiology and results in disease. Dr. Sharma discussed this mechanism and how to rebalance the sequence of energy, which has a profound healing effect.

Hari Sharma has a long and distinguished career in the field of medicine and medical research. He is trained both in the Western medical system as a medical doctor and in the Vedic sciences, which originated in ancient India. He conducts extensive research in both areas, and his practice at the CIM focuses on the comprehensive, multi-strategy, prevention-oriented healthcare system of Ayurveda.

He is professor emeritus and former director of Cancer Prevention and Natural Products Research at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. He has published over 130 research papers, has authored over 240 abstracts and presentations, and has written four books, mainly on subjects related to Ayurveda.

Dr. Sharma is a member of various national and international professional societies. He is distinguished as a Fellow of the National Academy of Ayurveda, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. He is also a diplomate of the American Board of Holistic Medicine. He has given seminars and lectures throughout the world and presently directs the Integrative Medicine Program of AAPI (American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin).

July, 2006: "An Inconvenient Truth"

Dr. Ellen Mosley-Thompson, Professor of Geography and Research Scientist at the Byrd Polar Research Center of The Ohio State University, discussed current evidence for contemporary climate change along with historical perspectives from which that evidence may be assessed.

Dr. Mosely-Thompson also addressed climate-change issues raised by both Al Gore's recent bestseller An Inconvenient Truth and its companion movie.

Ellen Mosley-Thompson is a University Distinguished Scholar in the Department of Geography and a Research Scientist in the Byrd Polar Research Center. She uses the chemical and physical properties preserved in ice cores collected from the polar ice sheets to the high mountains in the tropics to reconstruct the Earth's complex climate history. These records are critical for assessing whether the variability of the climate in the 20th century has moved outside the range of natural variability. The chemical records clearly document the impact of human activities upon the chemistry of the atmosphere. Ellen has led eight field programs to Antarctica and five to Greenland to retrieve ice cores.  At South Pole Station, Antarctica she established the continent's longest running and most spatially extensive network measuring the annual snowfall.