new church life: september/october 2015
tuning in to the afterlife
Bryn Athyn College sponsored a panel discussion September 19: The
Unintelligible Afterlife: What Deathbed Conversations Tell Us About a World
Beyond.
The program featured:
Dr. Raymond Moody, psychiatrist and author of the best-seller Life After
Life and renowned near-death investigator
Erica Goldblatt Hyatt, DSW, psychotherapist and Bryn Athyn College
professor, who has been studying dying people’s last words
Lisa Smart, MA, linguist and founder of the Final Words Project
The panel planned to discuss the meaning of “deathbed conversations” –
the sometimes touching, sometimes perplexing last words of loved ones. The
panelists also were looking for what these last messages might tell us about the
spiritual world beyond this life.
The program also launched the collaboration of the panelists in a
groundbreaking project – Research into the Communications of the Dying
– the first-ever scientific research on the topic. It is sponsored by Bryn Athyn
College, using scientific protocols with approval from the Holy Redeemer
Health System Institutional Review Board.
Dr. Moody coined the term “near-death experience” in the 1970s and
changed how people think and talk about death and dying. He appeared briefly
in Bryn Athyn after publication of Life After Life in 1975. He has written 11
other books, including the latest, The Unintelligible Afterlife, based on research
into “unintelligibility” and “perimortal nonsense.”
He discussed his “typology of unintelligible language” and its relationship
to consciousness, and presented his thesis that the communications of the
dying – especially those that appear to be puzzling or nonsensical – may offer
new revelation of life after death.
Dr. Hyatt and Lisa Smart discussed what they have discovered and how
they are applying Dr. Moody’s innovative typology to their research design.
a new year at the academy secondary schools
The 2014-15 school year was successful and we look forward to another
great year in 2015-16. As of this writing (in August), we are projecting a total
enrollment of 225 to start the year and look forwar d to welcoming many new
students to our campus.
We have some staffing changes to announce.
After many years of faithfully serving the institution, Francis Reinprecht
has retired from his role as Ecology teacher and Social Director of the
Secondary Schools. We recognize Francis’ commitment to the school and to
the mission that we serve.
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