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, June 23, 2008

MYSTICAL CHRISTIANITY

I found this class the most profound and reflective of my own spiritual journey from all the classes I have taken so far in the seminary program. I decided to express my connection to the information I received weekly to what enabled me to connect to my spiritual self.

I feel the course brought "HUMANITY" to our belief system. I could connect with the Gnostic writers. It seemed that the writings were of simple truth. Today when one reads the gospels they seem so distant in meaning and are locked in a certain time period. The gospel of Mary Magdalene had the truest identity I thought Of who Jesus was and what his teachings could aspire to. It was perfectly natural in reading and I accept this as my belief in the relationship between Jesus and Mary. I feel this should not be viewed as heresy rather as "HUMAN REVELATION." It brought Jesus down from the exception to the example.

During my reading of this course the musical "Jesus Christ Superstar" kept coming to my mind. I love this interpretation of the man called Jesus. The part where Mary Magdalene sings "I don't Know How To Love Him" is a pivotal part of my concept of Jesus-Christ. He was a man who had a deep spiritual connection. A Philosopher, Teacher, Lover, Friend and Enemy. He lived and died. His teachings are for me the symbol of his Resurrection.

I felt as I read these words of the Gnostic Gospels a connection to the humanity reflected in Teacher Jesus. Throughout many teachings of Christianity I feel we have lost the simple connection of these simple passionate spiritual people who have shaped the traditions of our modern church, not from themselves but from the power of men who wanted to write the word of God as a fearful law. Somewhere their voice and vision was changed.

The chapters on Mother Mary again reflected my belief on the concept of the profound love of Mother and child. In every culture I feel there is an innate bond between Mother and Child. These lessons I feel were enabling me to connect further with my inner God. As I write this paper I'm listening to the Musical "Jesus Christ Superstar" This again is a strong social statement on what really was happening during the time of Jesus, what would his journey be like if he would come today? Would it be all that different from two thousand years ago? Have we as a species really come far with the development of our human ego?

The Gospels are not stagnant. They are breathing life into our understanding of our spiritual belief. We are creating our own gospels as the bridge between creation and our creative world. What Jesus spoke of still remains as substance to debate. This demonstrates that his life, teaching and spirituality still harness our imagination and will to find our place in the continuation of divine thought.


Rev. Kurt Fondreist


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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more. I have been a proud member of the ULC for many years and the Seminary since its inception.

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