Seminary Program

This is where we post the essays from many of our Universal Life Church Seminary students. When students finish a ULC course, they write a comprehensive essay about their experiences with the course, what they learned, didn't learn, were inspired by, etc. Here are their essays.

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Monday, February 11, 2008

Mystical Christianity

Mystical Christianity Final
Sharon J. Mayer

Mother Maryesah Karelon’s classes on Mystical Christianity were a definite turning point for me on my path to knowledge. The lessons covered many themes of early Christianity and church dogma. The practice of making the church masculine and taking the feminism out of worship was brought into the Christian church in the fourth century. In 1950’s the Marian Year was introduced to the Catholic Church and has been an integral part of the religious structure since. Why was the feminine part of the church removed? And why was it brought back in such a form? It can not be said because of the area of the globe where the church started as the church had moved beyond its humble beginning to encompass most of the known world. It seems that it was done as the many peoples who were members of the church needed to have a feminine side to worship as well as the all powerful male side. The people clambered for a softer side to hold on to in faith. Since the church could make the Mother of God a person who was obedient and pure this belief was allowed by the church.

The Church had followed the Roman Road throughout the years and the leaders had taken much of the thought from the religions that were prevalent in the areas that Rome conquered. If one studies the areas and beliefs of the people it can be seen that integral parts of local belief were added to the practices of the church. This was done either to pacify the people or make the church more accessible to the masses but with the final reason of holding all to one faith and rule. By making the church part of the ruling country and making it the only means of salvation, ruling the masses was made much easier. If the beliefs of the masses fit in and the holidays and services were compatible with what the church and the rulers wanted then they were added to church doctrine. This is why we celebrate when and what we do if members of the faith.

In many areas it was the belief in the feminine that prevailed as the life giver and sustainer to all. The feminine was considered the seed that all life sprang from and the nurturer that sustained life. Because the church and the leaders of the world thought that too much worship was given to the feminine and they were espousing a masculine all powerful and vengeful god they suppressed that part of the worship and made only the masculine god the deity to worship. The concept of Spirit was changed to one and the duality of the spirit was suppressed. By doing this the church and leaders could control the peoples as according to the new religious belief on through the church could one find peace, joy and redemption. Before this time, about the fourth through twelfth centuries the belief in a feminine side of Spirit was normal. It was the feminine side that was the teacher and giver.

It was about the fourth century when the church wanted to make a point that their “founder” was as much a mythical god” as other religions that the true nature of Jesus was changed and the feminine was removed. The debate of who was a part of Jesus’ life also started at this time. There are passages in the modern Bible that are in conflict because this family and possibly his personal life did not include women. If he was to be thought of as a teacher in the time he most certainly would have followed the prescribed rules and taken a wife. I find it hard to believe that he was sent by God to be a part of the human on earth and was not to live life. How would he be able to fully understand if he did not participate in life fully?

As for the church taking a person out of context and at first giving her a dubious history and then making her a saint as they did with the Magdalene is one of the mysteries of the church. There are so many female mystics of the church that it seems improbable that the feminine side of religion can be ignored. All other with the exception of Christianity have a decidedly female side. With the introduction of Mary, Mother of Jesus into the picture this feminine since has been reintroduced. That seemed to be acceptable when she was deemed to be pure at the birth of Jesus and made to be able to represent all other women no matter who they may have been or their relationship to Jesus. In the early years of the Church women were able to teach but after the fourth century they were greatly monitored.

It is so interesting to see in one publication all the women being a part of the understanding of purpose of life and what we are to learn while in our earthly bodies. No matter what is written or believed by some the feminine must play an important part in the paths each of us must take to gain understanding and reach our full potential of wholeness. Even in modern times the women who have tried to guide us to this understanding have been given a back seat to the masculine side of religion.

When the Europeans came to the New World they were met by peoples that believed it was Mother Sky, Corn Women, White Buffalo Women, and Spider Woman – to name a few that gave life and sustenance to the people. The Europeans worked very hard to suppress these teachings and to impose the teachings of the Church on the people. Granted they allowed the teaching that Mary, the Mother of Jesus could be worshiped as this had been a part of the church for some time. All else was taken away from the people and women were thought of as lower than men. Since the basis teaching of the value of womanhood was lost the poor and in some cases brutal treatment of women has prevailed among the Native Americans to this day.

If the time is coming when we all must start learning the real reason we are on earth and bring the thought of Oneness to the world then both sides of understanding must be taught and present. There must be a masculine and a feminine to have a whole. All must come to an understanding of the true teachings for the great Oneness to happen. When both sides come back together learning and peace will be possible.

Mother Maryesah has skillfully written the course so we can see history unfold and gain understanding of what has taken place in the church and what needs to be accomplished. With her writing skills and ability to bring us to a point of further reference and understanding she has shed light on a part of religion that has been suppressed for many centuries. I truly feel that much light has been cast on the subject by this class.

In addition to the lessons I also read the following books which in many parts parallel the writings of Mother Maryesah: The Secret Teachings of Jesus, Four Gnostic Gospel; ; Forbidden Faith, the Gnostic Legacy, Richard Somley; Peter, Paul and Mary Magdalene, the followers of Jesus in History and Legend, Bart D. Ehrman; Lost Christianities, the Battles of Scripture and Faiths We Never Knew, Bart D. Ehrman; Lost Scriptures, Books that Did not Make It into the New Testament, Bart D. Ehrman; and Sylvia Browne’s The Two Marys.

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