NEWS
The Opening of 2016 Christianity Week (C-Week)
Update: May 24, 2016
Christianity week (C-Week) was held at ICU from May 16 (Mon) to May 21 (Sat). Every year, during this single week in late May, various events such as prayers, lectures, concerts, and visitation opportunities to professors' homes, are planned mainly by students with the purpose to create an opportunity to think about Christianity from different perspectives.
On May 17 (Tue), a special prayer at the university chapel was held with a guest, Mr. Aika Taira (Minister of San-itsu Church, The United Church of Christ in Japan). Mr. Taira was brought up in a Christian Family with both his parents working as a church minister. When he found out that he was gay, he struggled, suffered and agonized over the fact that homosexuality was considered a sin in Christianity. Eventually, he decided to live to support sexual minorities who are suffering because they are a Christian, and has become a church minister himself. Looking back over his life, he noted that there are moments in life when you have to make a decision, decide what you will accept and bear, and who you will live to be. He also emphasized the importance of being one's true self.
On 18 (Wed) and 20 (Fri), ICU Support×Support, a voluntary group of student supporters of Special Needs Support Services (SNSS) offering support to students with disabilities held a workshop and panel discussion titled "Accepting support, offering support: A natural part of human communication."
On the first day, participants discussed the theme "what does barrier or disability mean to ourselves and to others, and what can we do to eliminate those barriers." On the 20, students with special needs who are actually utilizing the support and student supporters talked about the daily support provided and expectations for future supports to be provided on campus. In the discussion, an impressive comment was heard, "I hope the whole campus becomes to share the common recognition that offering and accepting support is nothing special but just natural."
A special symposium titled "Dialogue between Religions - Hidden Compass of Life" was also held on the 20. Moderated by Shin Chiba (ICU professor by special appointment), the symposium featured a dialogue among Kenneth Tanaka (Musashino University professor, photo on left) representing Buddhism, Toji Kamata (professor by special appointment, Institute of Grief Care Sophia University, photo in middle) representing Shinto and Anri Morimoto (ICU professor and Vice President for Academic Affairs) representing Christianity with the participation of the audience on themes such as "personal encounter with religion," "criteria for determining good and bad" and "why does religion sometimes become associated with violence."