About the Sunday Symposium
The Oakmont Sunday Symposium has been going on continuously for nearly 20 years, featuring a speaker on a wide variety of topics such as Science, Philosophy, Politics, Culture, History, the Environment, and other subjects of General Interest. The programs are presented at the East Recreation Center, from 10:30 till noon except during the months of July and August and certain holidays. The Symposium will resume its programming on Sunday, September 12. All residents of Oakmont Village and their guests are invited to attend any program. There is no membership required.
Each lecture is video recorded, and made available on this web site. Click on the “Programs” tab to see a list of recent lectures.
Program Schedule
September 5 – LABOR DAY – NO SYMPOSIUM
September 12 – ERIC THOMPSON, “THE SEMI-CONSCIOUS DIALECTIC ART OF RELIGION MAKING”
He is the only full-time professor of Religious Studies at Santa Rosa Junior College, teaching courses in Hebrew Bible, New Testament and early Christianity, World Mythology and Western Religious Thought.
September 19 – GENE BOUDREAU, "Mexico's Copper Canyon and the Tarahumara Indians"
September 26 – DOROTHY PIERCE – ART
Featured Programs
Here’s a sampling of the many fine programs that we have recently presented. You can watch the video of these past lectures, and more, on our website at www.oaksunsym.org. Click on the speaker's photo or name below or go to the “Programs” tab above for more speakers.
June 13, 2010 – PAUL GULLIXSON, Editorial Director for the Press Democrat, discussed the results of the June 8 California Primary Election and what we can expect in November. He also addressed the future of newspapers and other print media.
June 6, 2010 – BILL MONTGOMERY, former Deputy Director of Parks for the City of Santa Rosa, led us on a visual tour of historic Santa Rosa Rural Cemetery, and told stories of the many colorful characters from Santa Rosa’s past.
May 30, 2010 – DR. JOSEPH EICHENSEHER, a family practice resident at Sutter Hospital, spent a month as a resident doctor in Kabul, Afghanistan last fall. His informative lecture included an overview of Afghan history and culture, patient stories, personal impressions, and vivid photographs of his journey.
APRIL 25, 2010 – JIM PRESTON, Ph.D. Today everywhere we turn a new set of customs, values and religious ideas bombards us. Culture SHOCK is endemic. Dr. Preston discussed how we can live more successfully in this pluralistic world.
April 18, 2010 – GEORGE MCKINNEY, (Pres. Oakmont Genealogy Club) George discussed several stories about real people in America between 1620 and the 20th century, and how gender, race and ethnicity can be seen through the eyes of a genealogist. He also demonstrated real-time research on the internet to find information about ancestors of several members of the audience.
February 14, 2010 – RABBI JERRY DANZIG. Religious fundamentalists pose a challenge to civilized culture and society. Rabbi Danzig explores how the mix of nationalism and world events can lead to the dangerous path from fervent believer to passionate militant terrorist.
February 21, 2010 – CHIEF TOM SCHWEDHELM. Has been a police officer for over 26 years. During the course of his career he has been a patrol officer, property crimes detective and violent crimes detective. He also held several collateral assignments: Special Response Unit team member and leader, Use of Force Instructor, Ethics facilitator, Chemical Agents instructor and Crowd Control instructor. He spoke about the Police Department mission, vision and values, as well as the progress made during his first 10 months as Chief.
January 24, 2010 – STEVE CAMPBELL. Shared what the latest research has discovered about how the brain learns. He presented easy principles to improve the quality of our thoughts and lives and to access the true power of our minds.
JANUARY 17, 2010 – STAR DEWAR is the Administrator of the Kenwood Wildlife Center. Her great slide show featured Raptors of Sonoma County, and pictures of the patients of the Rescue Center, and the history of the Wildlife Center.
JANUARY 10, 2010 – DANIEL LANAHAN Prominent local attorney (retired) and Oakmont resident discussed the US health care system and the roots of its dysfunction. In light of the passage of the national health care bill, his comments help us understand the complexities and challenges to any effort to reform the system.
OCTOBER 11, 2009 – STEVE RABINOWITCH, "PARIS" Steve is an instructor of Political Science at Santa Rosa Junior College and also teaches a course entitled "Why We Love Paris" at SRJC's Community Education Department. He served on the Santa Rosa City Council for eight years as well as the Executive Board of the Association of Bay Area Governments. Steve presented the history of the development of the city of Paris, including its architecture, planning and urban development. He discussed why Paris is one of the world's great cities, and what we can learn from its development. His lecture included many slides of the buildings and gardens of Paris, both historic and modern.