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, August 16, 2010

Paganism


Sections of the lessons covered areas that were new to me, and as one who enjoys adding new knowledge these lessons I particularly enjoyed. The Phyrgian tradition was one that I had not studied in my past researches, and even though only lightly touched on in the lessons, it lead me to do further research via the internet, and through the libraries. It is not a tradition that could possibly be mine, it is one well worth learning about. the Phoenician tradition I had studied in the past, but the re-acquaintance with it in lesson 3 lead me to read further on it. A large part of what I enjoyed most about this course wasn't necessarily the material it covered, but the directions it lead me to look on my own, to fill in the pieces that necessarily could not be included lest the course be a work of several years. Many of the concepts and paths touched on, I feel certain I will be digging up piece of information on for a long time to come.


In dealing with my own faith in these lessons, I found things that frankly did not agree with my perception of my faith. Several of the interpretations of Deity, and of the ancient runes varied from my traditionalist outlook. Far from finding this offensive, I found it fascinating to read modernized interpretations of the elder Gods, and the Futhark (Elder and Younger). I am certain this experience was mirrored by members of other faiths covered in this course, most especially Wiccans, as I saw potions of the lessons covering that faith which varied from the practice of it by friends who followed that path.

In short, I found this course enlightening, not only in the material it covered, but in the insight it gave me into myself. The crystalization of my own belief structure under close comparison to other paths, and introspective scrutiny alone would have made this course well worth completing.

Rev. Joseph Schuh

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