SOURCE: Aspen Institute

Forgiveness or Vengeance

A Roaring Fork Valley Community Symposium

February 4-7, 2007

Should we forgive, or get even?  Show mercy, or seek justice?

We’re pulled in different directions by our emotions, and even our religious traditions. While the Old Testament emphasis is upon vengeance and justice, the New Testament stresses forgiveness and mercy.

No wonder two of the greatest literary achievements:  The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas and The Tempest by William Shakespeare delve into these emotional and ethical dilemmas. They come to opposite conclusions with strong justification on each side.  The Count seeks vengeance and justice while Prospero reaches for total forgiveness, even when his adversaries remain unrepentant.

The Moderators

The symposium co-moderators are Carol and Ken Adelman.

Carol Adelman

·       Currently, President of Movers and Shakespeares with over 25 years of theatrical experience;
·       Director, Center for Science in Public Policy at the Hudson Institute, speaking and writing on economic development and global health issues;

·       Served as top official for the first President Bush on US foreign aid to Asia, the Middle East, and then Eastern Europe and Russia when the Wall fell, supervising 400 employees with a budget of $3+ billion (1988-1993);

·       Author of a book, articles, and op-eds in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Foreign Affairs; appearances on CNN, Fox News, the O’Reilly Factor, and Washington Journal;

·       Doctorate in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University (1984), and Masters degrees from Johns Hopkins in Public Health (1979) and from Georgetown University in Foreign Service Studies (1970).

Ken Adelman

·       Currently, Vice-President of Movers and Shakespeares, with years of teaching Shakespeare, beginning in 1977, at Georgetown and George Washington Universities;

·       Writer, consultant, and current member of the Defense Policy Board;
·       Served as a U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and Arms Control Director under President Ronald Reagan (1981-87); and Assistant to the Secretary of Defense in the mid-1970s:

·       Author of five books, including co-author of Shakespeare in Charge, and hundreds of articles; regular commentator on television and radio;

·       Doctorate in Political Theory (1975), and Masters in Foreign Service Studies, (1969) from Georgetown University;

·       Translator of Mohammed Ali during “Rumble in the Jungle” heavyweight championship fight in Africa (1975), and a member of the Zaire River Expedition down the Congo River on the 100^th Anniversary of Stanley’s exploration.

Special Guest

Joining the entire symposium will be Father William Meninger of the St. Benedict Monastery in Old Snowmass who has written “The Process of Forgiveness” among other books, and who has spoken nationally on forgiveness.

The Program

The Symposium will open with a casual reception hosted by Carol and Ken Adelman at their Aspen home on Sunday, February 4^th from 5:30pm – 7:00pm.  This is a great opportunity to meet other participants along with Carol and Ken before the sessions begin.

The first and second session will meet on the mornings of Monday, February 5^th and Tuesday, February 6^th respectively from 8:30am – 12:30pm.  Tuesday there will be an hour-long lunch break (lunch provided) which will serve as an opportunity to talk further on the topics that have arisen during the sessions.

The final session of the Symposium will be held in the afternoon of Wednesday, February 7^th at the St. Benedict Monastery, where we may be joined by other monks for our afternoon session.  The visit includes a tour of the Monastery and concludes with a half hour of the monks’ mesmerizing Gregorian chants.  Carpool transportation will be organized within the group.

Fee and Registration

The fee for this 3-day seminar, including materials, and the opening reception is $450.

To register please go to www.aspeninstitute.org/community.

Space is limited—Please register by January 20th. 

Information: 970/544-7914

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