ULC Online Seminary

Comparative Religion

2012-01-29T23:47:00.000-08:00

Comparative Religion Essay
Rev. Sandra P. Malloy

Comparative Religion Reflection Essay

When I am free to see comparisons in religions over historic time, without regard to the hows and whys, I experience a deep appreciation for my own belief system. Someone asked me, “Doesn’t seeing these parallels make you think that this (what we believe) is all just a of version of some superstition people made up a long time ago to explain what science couldn’t?” Surprisingly, instead of doubt I feel stronger in my faith, more deeply connected to humanity, and grounded in my concept of spiritual oneness. I have a greater appreciation for the diversity that cultural and historic influence have had on our attempts, as a human race, to communicate with and understand the nature of the Divine and as a result, to communicate with one another and understand ourselves.

I feel especially grounded, as a Christian, when I contemplate the number of religions prior and parallel to Christianity that revere Christ-like figures. The stories of Osiris, Dionysus, Mithras and others show how many different cultures have grown in their spiritual development through the same archetype. This leads me to feel a greater underlying truth in the symbolism than I ever could see while studying in isolation. It breaks down time and geographical boundaries and makes me feel more apart of the global, timeless, beingness. Seeing other similarities, such as how in every religion we tend to celebrate cycles, important events in our histories, great leaders and teachers, how we communicate with the Divine through prayer, and pass on ideas through sacred texts and symbols also leads me to a deeper appreciation. At the same time it inspires gratitude for how our differences allow all of us to participate and meet the Divine right where we are.

I really appreciate the way this course was designed to compare religions in topic format. Viewing the similarities and differences of how the angel concept manifests and how leadership is named and decided helped me see things in a new way. I never realized how pervasive angels are throughout world belief systems. I also never thought about Jewish religious titles and the idea that a Jewish community does not necessarily need a rabbi to lead it. Instead, any member of the community educated to perform leadership tasks can do so. I also saw the rabbi as both teacher and “priest.” I did not connect that the title priest is held for those ordained to do ceremonies in the temple. This stood out to me, because the entire topic of religious titles are given in one lesson. This format also helps me remember more of the extensive information presented. I also like the many resources sited for further reading. Although it would be impossible for this course to be an exhaustive study of comparative religion, I feel I have plenty of resources to learn more about every topic presented.

One thing I would really like is a second part to the course that puts me into the lives of those practicing these religions today. Now that I have the appreciation for the background and some fundamental concepts of each, I would like a more focused view of what it is like to live the life of a someone who practices Shintoism or Islam. I am hoping that other courses offered by the ULC Seminary, such as Master of Buddhism, Shamanism and others will offer this kind of information. I love the way Reverend Kythera Ann introduces the course and includes a section on the development of interfaith studies. In the spirit of this message of creating appreciation and understanding among faiths, it seems that a second layer of deeper comparison should be completed by those of us in the Seminary. This way, when we go into the individual courses, such as Master of Wiccan Studies or Paganism, we have a stronger foundational scaffolding in which to attach new information. I cannot site anything specifically about this course that I disliked or should be changed.

I would definitely be interested in taking other classes through Reverend Kythera Ann. Overall, I am impressed with not only the amount of interesting information and examples from scripture, architecture, and symbolism that are given, but also the ease with which I could read, understand, and assimilate it. This is just the beginning of my studies of world religions and I am grateful that I am heading into the rest of my journey with the appreciation of the unity we share across the world through our religious diversity.

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Spiritual Awakening

2012-01-26T14:41:00.000-08:00

Spiritual Awakening

I have been thinking about what it means to be spiritually awake and have not yet figured out what that means. I have been going from one Internet site after another looking for information that will explain exactly what spiritual awakening is all about.

The closest I came to finding an answer talked about being a Christian and all that has to it. But, being a Christian is only a very small part of what it means to be spiritually awake. One site talked about the attributes of a spiritually awake person in a paper titled “The Purpose of Life is Spiritual Growth”. I can agree with this statement but still it is only a title to a paper. Within the paper it gives a statement about the fact that there are two types of people in this world. One is the materialist minded person and the other is the spiritually-minded person. The paper says that a person with a “materialistic mind is greedy, selfish, competitive, cold-hearted, deceitful, unintelligent, close-minded, ill mannered, unfriendly, easily addicted, overly emotional, easily angered, revengeful, vicious, barbaric, inhumane and war like. They are destructive through their thoughts, words and actions”. The paper goes on to describe the “spiritually minded person as being generous, kind, helpful, cooperative, loving, forgiving, caring, considerate, compassionate, patient, calm, honest, intelligent, logical, open-minded, friendly and peaceful. They are constructive through their thoughts, words and actions”.

How many of you would describe your self as being a materialistic person with all the characteristic of that kind of a person? Very few of you I’m sure, but do you not display those kinds of attributes from time to time? You could say, “I’m only normal” and you are. We all present to the world both kinds of mannerisms and we are both materialistic and spiritual people. Some of us believe that we are more spiritual than the other, and that’s OK.

Now, what can we do to become totally spiritually awake? Well, I think that the description above of the spiritual minded person tells all. We can be that kind, generous and loving person we claim to be 24/7. It only takes a little mindfulness to make it so. Keeping in mind those attribute that make us a spiritual person.

Ok, you are a spiritual person, so what do you do to prove it? Do you work with the sick and dying? Do you go to church and pray for all the non-Christians in this world? Maybe there are other things you do that you believe proves that you are a spiritually awakened person. Or, maybe you just think about all that without doing anything… Maybe…

I want to be a totally awaken spiritual person and I want you to awaken also. We can change this world from being totally materialistic to be spiritually oriented world in 2012. 2012 will be a year of change, a transitional world into the higher aspects of the spiritual life. You and I can be apart of that. We only have to make up our minds to be so by promoting to the world that we are indeed a spiritually awaken person.

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Chaplaincy Studies

2012-01-24T01:32:00.000-08:00

Rev G Douglas Goodson

Essay: Master of Chaplaincy

    I enrolled in the Chaplaincy program offered by ULC because I felt called to serve the spiritual needs of more folks. I have enjoyed facilitating weddings and other rites of passage as an ordained minister for some time now.

I have come to view all positive faiths as beautiful, however my experiences in facilitating religious services have been centered on my own spiritual path. In speaking with people of other faiths I have found that my personal beliefs, in all the significant aspects, mirror theirs. Folks always assume that I am of their faith. It has become apparent to me that I am being called to be of more use to my community. The most common service that is requested is counseling in some form, even if it’s just to lend a sympathetic ear.

I would like to work in hospitals, nursing homes and perhaps a prison ministry, as well as sharpen the skills needed to assist those already coming to me for guidance. I felt that enrolling in this course would further my development as a spiritual leader and after taking the Master of Chaplaincy module I feel I made the right decision.

Through this course I had the opportunity to give some thought as to what someone who has received a spiritual calling looks like. I am fortunate in that I am literally surrounded by ULC ministers. I see the calling in each of them. They all have a sincere desire to serve the needs of others, a kindness of spirit, a calmness that is reassuring, and an aura about them that attracts others seeking their message. The most flattering comment my wife and I have ever received was “You guys are so much more than ministers you’re more like Buddha or Gandhi”. The reference wasn’t in regards to our spiritual path or how we dress, it was in relation to our attitude toward life, our acceptance and love of others, and a welcoming feeling that a wide variety of folks were attracted to spiritually. It was a reference to our ability to find the common ground among all spiritual paths.

    Though this course does not qualify anyone to offer pastoral counseling, it does at least make you aware that those skills will be needed to be an effective chaplain and gives you an understanding of the ethical concerns in regard to offering spiritual guidance to others. Some things are just common sense. For instance not putting yourself in a position that could get you in trouble or discredit your ministry, such as avoiding personal relationships with those you are guiding. What was nice to see in the course were the sections on other pitfalls to avoid such as unhealthy relationships and transference. The advice in avoiding those problems was spot on. There are many counselors of different modalities that use similar methods, such as limiting the number sessions up front.

    The sections concerning the multitude of opportunities for chaplains to serve, was very thorough and laid out not only what types of work you might expect but also the type of educational background and other requirements that each type of opportunity would expect you to have to qualify for the job. Depending on the type of facility or company you plan on serving you will probably need to have ministerial accreditation, possibly a certificate stating you have passed a state certification to counsel and a back ground check among other qualifications.

    Some of the places that use chaplains are Nursing Homes, Hospitals, Prisons, Corporations, aboard ships, Military, Fire Departments and Police Departments. I grew up in area where the most famous chaplain was the Fire Chaplain. We have a bridge that was fairly popular as a spot to commit suicide. This was no low bridge, it was quite high. The chaplain was constantly in the paper because he would climb up to the jumpers and he had a pretty good record talking them down.

I grew up in a home that was Navy friendly. I met many chaplains when they would join our family for the holidays. Most times these chaplains were the only folks available to serve the needs of many service men of different religious backgrounds. I believe exposure to military chaplains sparked an interest early in my life and led me to be very open minded and accepting of people of different faiths.

    More recently, my wife and I volunteered some of our time to cleaning a local church. We were there once a week for about 5 years. It was an Episcopal church. Down the street about two blocks is a Congregational church. The ministers would cover for each other when needed. In our area many hospitals have Priests, Rabbis and Ministers that would alternate acting as chaplain in much the same way. The hospital doesn’t need a full time chaplain because everyone dedicates a little time to see that the spiritual needs of the patients are met. I am a member of an organization that has a good percentage of members that are elderly and of different religious back grounds. There are many in nursing homes. Because they are aging they also spend a bit more time in the hospital for one reason or another. I plan on serving the needs of those folks at a minimum. My hope is to cultivate relationships with the staff and management of those facilities over time as well. Maybe I can get a per deim volunteer position.

    There is a lot of information in this course but I will try to keep this essay within the parameters of 1000 to 1500 words. That said, I will discuss the tools I plan to use.

    The most important tools are education, understanding, the ability to listen and empathize, and the ability to understand and execute the rites of different religions should you be the only one available and it being proper to do so. The second would be a working relationship with, and directory of, other religious leaders of different backgrounds and mental health professionals to refer folks to.

    As for material tools, the most efficient and necessary is my smart phone. Not only does it store my documents and contacts phone numbers it also stores a searchable copy of the Torah, Koran and the King James version of the Bible. The searchable editions are free apps that I downloaded. I also keep briefcase at the ready. It keeps all the things I might need in one place. I have soft cover editions of the same books of holy writ that are on my phone, a pad, pens, Holy water and consecrated oil, stick incense and other assorted interfaith items. Being that most religious observance can be conducted without the aid of props, most things in the brief case are for convenience and comfort.

    I work six days a week at two jobs and facilitate around 30 observances in the course of the year. This course was convenient for me take because it was accessible from my phone. I enjoyed it and believe has laid a solid foundation upon which to build as I complete other courses needed to complete the chaplaincy program.

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Spirit Quest

2012-01-20T15:39:00.000-08:00

SPIRIT QUEST

Final Essay

Thank you, Rev. Long, for this extensive discourse on finding and following my own quest for spirituality. Throughout the last thirty weeks I have learned and used many new tools and reinforced tools I have used in the past. Some I have forgotten and you brought them to the surface again. My senses and awareness have opened up. I see my surroundings differently, more vividly. My choices have been refocused to include myself not just what can be done for others. Taking care of the home spirituality first makes it easier to serve others. So creating a life that I am comfortable with and willing to share others seeking their own paths.

Meditation is a practice I have had for years. Through these lessons, my technique has improved. I can feel myself opening up to the greater possibilities of communication with the higher self. I receive better answers, that are clearer. The guidance is gentle yet obvious. During the day , there is an openness of awareness to nature and the sense of being one with all. This is very calming. I have always been sensitivity to the moon cycles, now I feel this connection with greater conviction and a knowing of how I fit into the universe.

I must say that the rose technique was not my favorite model. During the course I modified these practices, which I changed to using different colored balloons. Using Balloons to fill up with the negative thoughts or hurts and sending them into the sky to float out over the ocean and disintegrate. The same in verse of the universe sending a colorful bouquet of balloons to me with a power of positive acts of loving, caring or whatever I need for that day or week. The word 'destroy' has a strong inner reaction for me and maybe the idea of destroying a rose was not the feeling I need to invoke. Also, since pink roses were my mom's favorite flower, I can enhance them, just not destroy. The concept of the practice was great, so I felt that a slight change in visualization was still appropriate and it worked for me!

Thank you once again, Rev. Long, this was an informative and enlightening discourse.

Highly recommended!

Rev. Constance
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Spiritual Leadership

2012-01-16T01:30:00.000-08:00

Leadership in Christian terms.
Colin Burgess.

Not having any real experience in leadership as an elder, or organizer within a church I am writing this essay from the outside looking in. A lot of people could write on this topic objectively , but I must write on it subjectively using a book by John Macarthur “CALLED TO LEAD, [26] Leadership lessons from the life of the Apostle Paul.”

What this book taught me first, and foremost is in order to lead effectively you must first be a good subordinate.
“You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to become first among you, let him be your slave ---- just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” - Matthew 20:25-28
Leadership certainly does not require the despising of oneself, or a false humility, but it does require a proper estimation of oneself in order to know ones strengths, and weaknesses. By knowing our strengths we know what we ourselves can do. By knowing our weaknesses we will know how to delegate tasks.
(Romans 12:3)
As a side note it is important to understand the typological principle of interpreting scripture.
In the book ‘Doctrine’ by Mark Driscoll and Gerry Breshears we see this principle delineated on pg 45.
“Types are Old Testament representative figures, institutions, or events that foreshadow Jesus.”
It then gets into these types, such as Adam, the priesthood, and the judges. Never do we see one person completely taking on all roles, but one person operating in one or two ways, and never perfectly filling the role in which they pre-figure what Christ is the substance of.
In a way the pastors, elders, governments, our bosses, and our parents all imperfectly pre-figure the perfect leadership of Jesus Christ, and I believe Jesus has set up these temporary institutions for us to submit to within the parameters of godliness, and to do otherwise is rebelling against the hand of God.
We as Christians should believe in ‘Sola-scriptura’, rather than ‘Solo-scriptura.’ Which is to say, the Bible is the final court of arbitration, but we have other sources we recognize as authoritative.
By not praying for leaders as subordinates we are part of the problem if they do not live up to our expectations, or perhaps upon closer examination of ourselves our expectations are not godly.
One thing that came up in the FMC course which may be in contrast to the book is, ‘should worldly leadership principles be implemented in church leadership?’
John Macarthur seems to say ‘no’ for a valid reason, and I will quote a passage from the introduction on
pg vii.
‘Again, I think it’s a serious mistake for Christians in leadership to pass over these biblical examples of leadership and turn instead to secular models of leadership in pursuit of style-obsessed formulae they think will make them better leaders with leadership techniques and management styles gleaned from worldly “experts.” I recently read a Christian book that analyzes the entrepreneurial and administrative techniques used at Google, Amazon, Starbucks, Ben and Jerry’s, Dell Computers, General foods, and several other prestigious secular corporations. The authors of that book occasionally try to insert a biblical proof-text or two to buttress some of the principles they teach, but for the most part, they uncritically accept whatever seems to produce “success” as a good model for church leaders to imitate.’
Then to drive the point home the author goes on to ask on the next page…
‘Can this approach of mimicking whatever is currently fashionable in secular management theory possibly be reconciled with Jesus’ statement that His kingdom operates by a markedly different style of leadership from the “rulers of the Gentiles”?’
I am certain that the FMC course participants would agree once the logic is taken to its full conclusion that ‘you can’t exemplify biblical leadership and follow the trends of Madison Avenue at the same time.’ I do not in anyway want to write criticizing the other students, because in some cases from their vantage point due to individual experience, and education the secular worlds principles do work, and I do not disagree with that.
What must be asked is, ‘which came first? The chicken or the egg?’ I would say it is the world that plagiarised the biblical principles of leadership, but made the motive in implementing them money driven, the standard of success skewed, and no longer Christ as the objective.
It is now the church that must take these teachings back, and not seek CEO’s of the worlds most successful companies for wisdom God has already given to us. We are called to be change agents in the world we live in. (Romans 12:1-2).
So in a way having well established leadership, and people submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ we are becoming microcosms in the world we live in going back to a theocracy which is emblematic of Jesus being our supreme leader.
Throughout the ministry of the Apostle Paul we see the examples he put forth, and we rightly say these are good examples since he was a Spirit filled leader, and he had an audience of one.
This book covered 26 principles. I am going to pick out 5 as the ones that apply to me as a layperson in the church, and as a Christian in the public eye because no matter what we influence, and lead people.
So in the following when I refer to ‘leader’ I mean any Christian in the world being a reflection of God, and perhaps the essentials of what we must have before considering a further role in leadership.
1. 1. A leader is trustworthy.
It was only because of Paul’s trustworthiness Julius the soldier who Paul was in the custody of gave him so many liberties. The fact Paul was trustworthy is shown in Acts 24:23 when Felix ‘commanded the centurion to keep Paul, and to let him have liberty.
You cannot inspire devotion without being trustworthy. How you spend your free time, how you spend your money demonstrates your trustworthiness in other matters.
2. 3. A leader uses good judgement.
While leaders are never dice rollers, they are people who may have to take a calculated risk. What the calculations are based on for a godly leader would be hopefully time spent in prayer, and reading scripture then further on a pattern of following God.
In Acts 27:10 we see Paul giving his advice “Men, I can see that our voyage is going to be disastrous and
bring great loss to ship and cargo, and to our own lives also.”
Instead of listening to sound advice ‘the centurion followed the advice of the pilot and of the owner of the ship.‘
Rejecting Paul’s advice resulted in the crew throwing the ‘cargo’ and ‘tackle overboard, with their own hands.’ (vs. 18-19) The crew, and the helmsman truly had to pay the consequences of rejecting godly wisdom. Paul’s wisdom was far from being arbitrary, but it was rooted in the very source of truth Jesus Christ with whom he had spent much time with prior, and had seen firsthand the results of obedience to God.
3. 5. A leader strengthens others.
After the ship had crashed, and all valuables were lost Paul never took this opportunity to give an ‘I told you so speech.”, but instead said with Gods authority ‘that there would be no loss of life on board’. (vs. 25)
He wasn’t tickling their ears with empty promises of health, wealth, and prosperity, but he gave them hope that things would be better eventually.
4. 7. A leader never compromises the absolutes.
This is about the best advice any young Christian could get. If I were to lead someone to Christ giving them this advice would be comparable to giving a police cadet instructions how to use their issued kit. Going back, yet using the New Testament we can look at Noah. 2 Peter 3:3-7 seems to infer Noah was ridiculed. This did not deter him from his God given objective. Just as it is with us. God has in some cases given us clear, and concise commands, and we are to adhere to them. In some cases the commands of God are not so clear, and obvious. Such as the direction of the church. This takes us back to rules of leadership 1, and 3.

If a leader has not built his reputation as being trustworthy, and discerning then it is wise not to allow this person to lead a church, or direct a goal within a church, such as being in charge of a ministry, or a building project. This I suppose is where the accountability of an elder board, and prayerful watchmen in the church come into play holding their leaders to a certain, and reasonable standard. If a leader has proven to be trustworthy, and discerning they should still not be unquestioned, but a time comes when people need to stop slandering, or questioning their leaders out of whatever motives, and just get the job done. One thing for everyone to remember: Truth is always the same regardless of the size of the latest lobby group, or how loud people are screaming. The support flows from the bottom of the chain up, and the accountability starts at the top all the way down the chain of command.
5. 26 A leader is Christ like.
It is at this point we revert back to the first point as put on page 144 of ‘Called to lead.’
‘Leadership is about character, honour, decency, integrity, faithfulness, holiness, moral purity, and many other qualities.’
If you led a hundred fund raisers for the church, made a million dollars every event, and built 100 orphanages in all the most oppressed countries in the world, yet did it out of impure, or insincere motives you missed the point. Others have definitely benefited from your selfish motives, but if in your heart they were not Christ driven I would say you have received your reward in full here on earth.

For many people we as Christians are the closest thing to God the world will see this side of heaven, and I am certain they can smell impure motives on our breath, and if our lives do not reflect Jesus all that is seen is a whitewashed tomb. The world loves to remember the scandals of church leaders, and they quickly forget anything good the church has done.
Our example is of course Jesus Christ, and with Paul we ought to say, “Who is sufficient for these things?” (2 Corinthians 2:16). The answer is “Our sufficiency is from God.” (3:5)
　
Pondering the Principles
1. We have seen that church leadership is a sacred task that requires the highest level of spiritual credibility and maturity. Sadly, some people pursue church leadership for wrong motives such as money, job security, or prestige. If you are in a position of spiritual leadership, what are your motives? Peter said, "Shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock" (1 Pet. 5:2-3, NASB). Guard your motives carefully so that you will receive an "unfading crown of glory" (v. 4) when Jesus returns.

2. Diligent qualified leaders are a precious commodity in any church. Paul said, "Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honour, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching" (1 Tim. 5:17, NASB). Hebrews 13:17 says, "Obey your leaders, and submit to them; for they keep watch over your souls, as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you" (NASB). Your leaders have a difficult task for which they are personally accountable to the Lord. Be sure to honour them by supplying their financial needs and add joy to their ministry by submitting to their oversight. Pray for them and encourage them often. Take time to send them a note of encouragement.

3. Hugh Latimer vividly addressed the lack of passion among the ministers of his day (see pp. 11-12), and what he said is just as appropriate today. No matter what area of ministry you serve in, the subtle threat of complacency or compromise is always present. Read 2 Timothy 1:6-14. How did Paul encourage Timothy when Timothy's zeal was apparently waning? How might you encourage others in that situation? If you are lacking passion for your ministry, fervently pray that God will give you a renewed sense of urgency and commitment to His work. Remember, "God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline" (2 Tim. 1:7, NASB).
- John MacArthur
　

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Religious Philosophy

2012-01-14T13:26:00.000-08:00

Below you will find a copy of "Essay on Religious Philosophy".

Robert Chamberlain evidently devoted considerable time and effort in researching and compiling the piece he titles "Religious Philosophy". The text is articulate and concise. Although there may be a questionable proposition concerning the title. This writer considers, with the sociological data contained within the presentation, that more appropriately the thesis would merit an association with sociology, id EST, "Sociology of Religion" or "Religious Sociology". Chamberlain's title "Religious Philosophy" stands, however. "That be as it may", let us get on with a description of Chamberlain's work.

Wait! Just one more thing. About a month ago I had virtually all of this essay written. Well, six hundred + words were written. Among other things, I had to petition President Long for one lesson which evaporated from the computer. Speaking of evaporation: My wife, at least I attribute the evaporation to her (wink, wink), caused my Incredimail (email program) to stop taking re-installations. Having run out of solutions for recapturing the e-mail program, I did a major system restoration which took at least two days and nights. During this time the computer was not available for anything else. The System Restoration and several additional restoration attempts proved futile. Not good. All my attempts at recovery did not accomplish the goal. I wrote an e-mail to President Amy letting her know of my predicament. I even considered "saying 'phooey and forgetting the whole thing". All things being equal, I "tabled" the situation for several weeks. Now the "essay" is again being written without the careful punctuation and formatting and extending the apologies, perhaps to no avail.

By-the-way, the previous form will not be adhered.

This student liked the way "Religious Philosophy" was researched (speculation), written and presented. There may have been an element or two in the twenty-four lessons that (I opine) were questionable.

Covered were the Western religions such as Jewish, Islamic, Christian, etc. And the Eastern; Buddhism, Jaine, Hindu, Shinto, Sikhs, Taoism, Confucianism, Bushido, Ainu, Ch'ondogyo, Cao Dai, Khmer, etc

Lesson nineteen was full of some very interesting data on smaller more or less "local" religious body's throughout Asia that were found to be very much akin to this student's belief system. I've offered just a few. It is up to the readers of this essay to guess which ones or one to which this writer has an affinity. That may be easier said than done considering that this writer left no description of these aforementioned data.

Within the text there were items that were new to me. During this writers lifetime he has been and maybe still is a self-styled Buddhist. There has been considerable exploration of the "religious domain".

Brother Jack Kerouac and I share this manifestation.

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Christian History - ULC

2012-01-12T12:54:00.000-08:00

ULC Seminary Master of Christian History Paper
                           Lesson 9
1.   Who were apologists and polemicists and how did they respectively approach their task of defending the Christian faith through writing? What was the difference in approach between the Eastern and Western apologists?
Answer:
The apologists were Justin Martyr (A.D. 100-A.D. 165), Aristides of (A.D. 140-A.D. 150), Tatian of (A.D. 110- A.D. 180), Athenagoras of A.D. 177, Theophilus of Antioch (A.D. 180), Tertullian (A.D. 160-A.D. 225), Minucius Felix (A.D. 200), and Cyprian (A.D. 200-c. A.D. 258); While the polemicists were Irenaeus, Pantaenus, Clement of Alexandria, and Origen.
    These two groups wrote to and for the leaders of the Roman government or to the internal heretics hoping to bring them back to the truth of Holy Scripture.
    The apologists used the pagan written form of the dialogue and the legal form of the apologia. By so doing, the apologists confronted a hostile Roman government which they tried to win over with their written arguments. They tried to convince the powers that be that Christianity did not deserve persecution. They had a positive and negative side to their writing. The negative part was to condemn the false charges of atheism, cannibalism, incest, and antisocial behavior that were made by their pagan neighbors and writers such as Celsus. The positive part was the elevating of Christianity as superior to Judaism, pagan religion, and state worship.
      These apologies, as these writings were called, made logical appeals to the pagan leaders and in the process made an intelligent understanding of Christianity; and they removed legal shortcomings from it. They showed that the false charges made against Christianity were unwarranted. Christianity had a right to civil tolerance under Roman law.
      The apologists were writing as philosophers, not theologians. They emphasized that Christianity was the oldest religion and philosophy because the Pentateuch dated way before the Trojan Wars, and what truths that were in Greek philosophy were in fact borrowed from Christianity or Judaism. The apologists made much of the pure life, death, and resurrection of Christ, Christ’s miracles, and the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies concerning Christ which proved Christianity is the highest philosophy. These writers were already learned in Greek philosophy before accepting Christianity. They used Greek philosophy as a tool to bring people to Christ. They used the New Testament more than the apostolic fathers did.
While the polemicists directed their attentions to the condemnation of internal heresy; Those polemicists of the late 2nd-early 3rd centuries A.D. sought to condemn the false doctrines of heretics. The Eastern and Western Churches had different approaches to confronting heresy and formulating theologically sound Christian truth. The Eastern Church used speculative theology and thought through things metaphysically. The Western Church was concerned with problems in church polity and sound practical solutions to problems in this area.
      Unlike the apologists (as converts from paganism) who addressed the external threats of persecution from the Roman state, the polemicists (as ones with a Christian cultural background) addressed internal heresies that were threatening the internal peace, purity, and unity of the Christian church. Unlike the apologists who heavily emphasized the Old Testament, the polemicists heavily emphasized the New Testament as source for Christian doctrine. The polemicists condemned through argument false doctrines. This was different from the apologists who explained Christianity to pagan culture and rulers.
The difference in approach between the Eastern and Western apologists are evidenced in the thyme of their different writing.
Example, the Eastern apologists like Aristides (A.D. 140-A.D. 150) who offered an apology to Emperor Antoninus Pius. The first fourteen chapters presented Christian worship as superior to Chaldean, Egyptian, Greek, and Jewish worship. The last three chapters offer a clear view of early Christian customs and morals. And Justin Martyr (c. A.D. 100-A.D. 165) the greatest apologist of the 2nd century A.D. who later started a Christian school in Rome. Not long after A.D. 150, he (Justin Martyr) wrote his First Apology to Emperor Antoninus Pius and his adopted sons. He urged the Roman emperors in this writing to look at the charges made against Christians (chapters 1-3) and to free them from punishment if they were innocent. Christians were proved not to be atheists or idolaters (chapters 4-13). The heart of the work (chapters 14-60) involves a discussion of the morals, dogmas, and Foundation of Christianity. Christ’s superior life and morality had been foretold in the Old Testament. Demons were the cause of error and persecution. The last chapters (chapters 61-67) explained Christian worship. Justin Martyr proved that Christians were blameless and should be free of persecution.
Within his Second Apology he (Justin Martyr) cited cruelty and injustice toward Christians; he pointed out while comparing Christ to Socrates that goodness in people was the result of Christ.
Justin Martyr’s Dialogue with Trypho attempted to convince Jews of the Messiahship of Jesus Christ. He allegorized Holy Scripture and emphasized prophecy.
Tatian (c. A.D. 110-c. A.D. 180), in his writing, wrote Address to the Greeks after the mid 2nd century A.D. It condemned Greek pretensions to cultural superiority in the form of an apology. This was addressed to a whole people, the Greeks. Christianity was superior to Greek religion and philosophy, and it should be given a fair shake. The second part (chapters 5-30) deals with comparing Christian teaching with Greek mythology and philosophy. In the next part (chapters 31-41) Christianity was shown to be older than Greek thought and religion because Moses predated the Trojan Wars. He also gave a unique explanation of the Greek statuary that he had seen in Rome (chapters 33-34). Tatian also compiled the Diatessaron which was the earliest harmony of the Gospels.
    Athenagoras (Around A.D. 177) in his own writing wrote Supplication for the Christians. The beginning chapters laid out the charges against Christianity. He next condemned the charge of atheism by showing that the pagan deities are just human creations (chapters 4-30). Those pagan deities were guilty of the same immoral acts as their human worshipers (chapters 31-34). Since Christians are not guilty of incest or eating their children in sacrificial feasts (chapters 35-36), the Roman emperor should grant clemency.
      Theophilus of Antioch wrote Apology to Autolycus presented as logical argument. In his first book, Theophilus considered the nature and superiority of God. In the second book, he compared the weaknesses of pagan religion to Christianity. In the final book, he treated the objections of Autolycus to Christianity. He was the first to use the word trias when writing about the Trinity.
While the Western apologists were concerned more about the distinctions and finality of Christianity than the similarities with pagan religions and philosophies; Tertullian (c. A.D. 160-A.D. 225) has rational Latin mind and he was dedicated to the creation of a sound Western theology and the demise of all false philosophies and paganism that were opposed to Christianity.
      Tertullian’s Apology was directed to the Roman governor of his province. He condemned the old charges against Christians and maintained that they were loyal citizens of the Roman Empire. He wrote that persecution was a failure because the Christian church always grew in spite of the persecution. Evidencing his legal education, he stated that the state was persecuting the Christian church on uncertain legal pretexts because the doctrines and morals of Christians were higher and nobler than their pagan neighbors.
     Around A.D. 200 Minucius Felix wrote a dialogue called Octavius. This was an apology intended to win over his pagan friend Caecilius to Christianity.
2.   Who was the greatest apologist? Who was the greatest polemicist?
Answer:
Justin Martyr was the greatest of the apologists, and Irenaeus was the greatest of the polemicists.

3.   What were the two polemical schools of Christian thought and what were their respective approaches to formulating Christian theology?
Answer:
The two polemical schools of Christian thought were the Alexandrian School and the Carthaginian School.
Their respective approaches to formulating Christian theology were as follows:
The Alexandrian School: this was a school founded in Alexandria Around A.D. 185 to teach catechism (the doctrines of Christianity) to new pagan converts. The leaders of this school wanted to create a systematic Christian theology by using philosophy. These men had been trained in classical literature and philosophy, and they thought that these things could be used to form Christian theology.
Rather than stressing a historical-grammatical Biblical hermeneutic, they came up with an allegorical hermeneutic that has arguably harmed Christianity ever since that time. This hermeneutic is founded on the idea that Scripture has more than one meaning. Using the analogy of a human being’s body, soul, and spirit, they maintained that Scripture had a literal, historical meaning that correlated with the human body; a secret moral meaning that correlated with the soul; and a deeper spiritual meaning that only the more spiritually advanced Christian could grasp. This hermeneutic was used by Philo, the Alexandrian Jew, who attempted to join Judaism with Greek philosophy. Instead of being concerned with the intent of the author and his audience when Scripture was written and its practical application to present situations, this school always sought hidden meanings. This hermeneutic has arguably done much harm to sound Biblical hermeneutics, and it has arguably led to weird and most of the time unscriptural theological notions.
      Clement one of the leader of the school wanted to be a Christian philosopher. His knowledge of Greek philosophy could be used to see that Christianity was the great and final philosophy. He knew well Greek pagan literature, and he quoted around five hundred authors in his writings.
      In his writing called Protrepticus, or Address to the Greeks, that he wrote in about A.D. 190, Clement showed the superiority of Christianity as the true philosophy so that the pagans might choose to accept it. In Paidagogos, or the Tutor, he treated morals for young Christians. Christ is the true teacher who has given rules for the Christian life. In Stromata, or Miscellanies, Clement revealed his knowledge of the pagan literature of his day. Book I reveals Christianity as true knowledge and the Christian as the true Gnostic. He believed that Greek philosophy borrowed the truth it had from the Old Testament, and this was a preparation for the Good News. Book II revealed Christian morality to be superior to pagan morality. Book III dealt with Christian marriage. Books VII and VIII, possibly the most interesting, revealed the development of the Christian’s religious life.
      Clement of Alexandria preferred Greek knowledge, but Scripture came first for him and ideally for every Christian. Yet since all truth comes from God, truth that did exist in Greek knowledge should be used for God’s service.
Clement’s student and successor as leader of this school was Origen (c. A.D. 185-A.D. 254). Origen was so capable and well educated that in A.D. 202 or A.D. 203, at age eighteen, he was selected as Clement’s successor as leader of this school, a post he held until A.D. 231.
Origen could be likened to Augustine in the scope of his work. The earliest beginnings of textual criticism of the Scriptures could go back to the Hexapla wherein several Hebrew and Greek versions of the Old Testament were arranged in parallel columns. In this writing, Origen wanted to establish a Scripture text that Christians can be confident that it is indeed a correct representation of the original Scripture text. This textual interest led him to do more exegetical writing than any other person before the Reformation. Against Celsus was Origen’s statement and a response to the charges made by the Platonist Celsus against Christians in the latter’s writing True Discourse. Origen responded to Celsus’ accusations concerning the irrationality of Christians and the lack of apparent historical foundations for Christianity by stressing the change in behavior that Christianity fosters as opposed to paganism; the open-minded investigations of truth by Christians; and the purity and influence both of Christ, the leader of the Christians, and Christ’s followers.
      Origen’s greatest writing was De Principiis (A.D. 230. This writing was the first Christian treatise of systematic theology. In the fourth book, Origen refined his allegorical hermeneutics which has arguably done much damage to the hermeneutics of Scripture. Origen viewed Christ as “eternally generated” by the Father. Christ was subordinate to the Father. He also believed in the preexistence of the soul, the final restoration of all spirits, and Christ’s death as a ransom to Satan. Origen rejected a physical resurrection.
The Carthaginian School: The Carthaginian School mentality was more concerned with practical involving church polity and doctrines relating to the church rather than speculative theology. This difference can be seen in contrasting the writings of Origen with the writings of Tertullian and Cyprian of North Africa.

Tertullian (c. A.D. 160-A.D. 225) wrote well on many subjects though he did do it many times in an intolerant way. He wrote apologies, and he wrote about practicalities. In special pamphlets he stressed simplicity of dress and ornament for women and begged Christians to separate themselves from pagan amusements, immorality, and idolatry. Tertullian’s greatest work was as a theologian. He started Latin theology, and he was the first to state the theology of the Trinity and to make use of that term to describe that doctrine. This was done in Against Praxeas (chapters 2-3) which was written around A.D. 215. He probably stressed a distinction between the persons of the Father and the Son. In De Anima, he considered the soul. He stressed the traducian doctrine of the transmission of the soul from the parents to the child in the reproductive process. In Of Baptism, he greatly stressed the sacramental ordinance of baptism. He felt sins committed after baptism were mortal sins, and he opposed infant baptism.
Cyprian (c. A.D. 200-c. A.D. 258) received a good education in law and rhetoric. He became a successful teacher of rhetoric, but he was not satisfied in his soul until he became a Christian around A.D. 246. Around A.D. 248 be became bishop of Carthage, the office he held until his martyrdom around A.D. 258. He was good at organization and administration. He rejected the claims of Stephen, bishop of Rome, to supremacy over all bishops.

Cyprian looked up to Tertullian as his master, but as Jerome tells Cyprian was calm whereas Tertullian was passionate. Cyprian’s greatest writing was De Unitate Catholicae Ecclesiae, (chapter 4), which was addressed to the schismatic followers of Novatian. Cyprian made a clear distinction between bishop and elder and stressed the bishop as the core of unity in the Christian church and the sure insurance against schism. He did not advocate the supremacy of Peter’s episcopal in Rome, but he did advocate the preeminence of honor of Peter in drawing the line of apostolic succession down through the early history of the Christian church. Just like Tertullian did with the doctrine of the Trinity, Cyprian gave the earliest expression of the doctrines of apostolic succession and the primacy of honor of the Roman bishop in the Christian church.

Cyprian viewed clergy as sacrificing priests in offering up Christ’s body and blood in the sacramental ordinance of the Holy Eucharist.

Thanks,
Yours in Him,
Ikpenwa, Chizoba Gabriel

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Spirit Quest

2011-12-29T08:27:00.000-08:00

I have really enjoyed this course but it took longer than I expected. Being a single mother and trying to work and study it was not always easy to meditate and read the course work 3 times. But I got there in the end.

Since starting this course it has taken me on a journey. I found a new partner who is spiritually minded and a Reiki healer and we have become engaged. I have also given up alcohol and feel more comfortable in my sobriety.

I have used some of the tools now in my new business. I have coached 2 people who were suffering and I guided then to do meditation and look for the answers from within.

I have started some great workshops where I do guided meditations and have used some of the techniques such as the roses and golden sun to aid me in this. I really needed the grounding cord information for this work. I believe that meditating is where we will get all our answers. I also use the Angel cards which always give people great answers. I have a larger scale workshop planned in a few weeks in the local Hairdressers and have had to ask for some help from my friend a Reiki healer and another who is into Angel cards to assist me. I will be doing a lot of goal setting and getting people to create there future and I will be opening and closing the evening with guided meditations.

Everything in this course I could relate to. I have steered away from Reiki and working with healing energies as I feel it is my path to work with the mind. I do more work with the subconscious mind. I use the meditations, affirmations, positive thinking and creative visualisation. Forgiveness is also something I apply to my work now. I believe we create everything and if we don’t forgive this will fester and becomes an illness.

I must say there was really nothing in this course that I didn’t believe in. I had some knowledge of some of course but it was fabulous to read it through in a different perspective.

I would like to thank ULC for everything they have given me. And I wish you all the love and joy you could wish for.

Rev. Yvette White

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Many people get ordained through the Universal Life Church as a means to become wedding officiants, but also to study through our online seminary. If you need minister supplies or online ceremonies, we have a wide selection to choose from, as well as a place for spiritual articles and spiritual bookmarks. If you need any assistance in any area of your ministry, please feel free to contact amy@ulcseminary.org and we'll give you all the help we can. Visit our FB Page at ULC Seminary.

About The Universal Life Church

2011-12-26T13:26:00.000-08:00

About the Universal Life Church

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ULC Comparative Religion

2011-12-22T10:49:00.000-08:00

Comparative religion course - Concluding Essay.
Rev. Graham Louden, MA DipEd (Oxon) BA ACP PhD
The Interfaith Dynamic and what it offers.

The word ‘religion’ is considered by many commentators to be derived from the Latin verb ‘ religare’ meaning to bind and this seems highly plausible as religious groups throughout history have been bound together by shared values and beliefs as a means of safeguarding and demonstrating their particular identity   and affording protection against others who subscribe to different or heterodox views. Indeed, most religions have begun the process of refining and reinterpreting the original message of their founder relatively early in their history and, generally, where no specific recommendation was offered as to the establishment of an institutional church, they have provided it themselves and bolstered it up with convoluted doctrine, elaborate ceremonial, pomp and ceremony and sanctions to be meted out to those who fail to abide by these rules. Continuously, over two thousand years, generations of church   empire-builders have manipulated, embellished and refashioned the teachings of Jesus in order to serve the interests of church and state and to enable them to achieve status and dominion over their fellow men ‘in his name’ and we can see the same process within the realms of Islam, Judaism and many other religious prescriptions which has led to so much fragmentation and internecine strife and then to confrontation with others.

An ever-increasing knowledge of human nature and the transmission of scholarship have been crucial factors in promoting greater analysis of the aetiology of religions and an understanding of   the interrelationship between essential teachings and the impulses which have led to the close identification of the spiritual and the secular in the interest of institutional and personal aggrandisement.    Studies of power structures and hierarchies in different societies and cultures, whether secular or theocratic, suggest that there is little variation in outcomes even though the rhetoric and vocabulary is very different. Even in states that are vehemently anti-religious, a form of creed or worship of state principles, the leader, or the writings of   influential contributors to the corporate   ethic often reinforced by patriotic songs, intimidating imagery   and ceremonial,   is almost certain to emerge. An understanding of the ways in which ‘normal’   human behaviour influences   our attitudes towards the organisation and manipulation of powerful ideas is therefore vital    to assessing   the state of religious groups and their overall impact for good or ill (or a mixture of the two) .   Many great thinkers and theologians have remarked upon our ability   to convert inspiring ideals into mundane, even harmful practice.   Gloria Harkness has stated that,

       ‘The tendency to turn human judgements into divine commandments makes
       religion one of the most dangerous forces in the world’
whilst Reinhold Niebuhr has opined that

      ‘The tendency to claim God as an ally for our partisan values and ends is the
      source of all religious fanaticism.’

Now   that we are enabled to assess religion in an evolving and ever-changing context, devoid of the aura of impenetrability in which previous generations were able to cloak it, and to trace the evolution of dogma and liturgy by way of an ever greater repository of manuscripts and texts, the door has been opened to the examination of other faiths and to   closer examination of our own.    We live in a more informed and rational age, illuminated by the works of great scientists and thinkers that have radically altered our approach to the world in which we live and led us to challenge assumptions that once were   beyond criticism or rational enquiry.   In the main, until after the invention of moveable type   and the flurry of vernacular translations that followed, the faithful were generally credulous and unquestioning and   dissident sects and schismatics such as the Cathars, Albigensians   and Lollards   were relatively easy to marginalise and suppress.

It is difficult to avoid the conclusion that religions are wont to develop in much the same ways,   regardless of their geographical origins, founders’ intentions or content, once their evolution is given over to subsequent generations of ‘custodians’ of the sacred flame who see    it   as their   duty to flesh out what may have been a   sketchy premise and to institutionalise and systematise what was perhaps a set of    aspirational promptings rather than a   rigorous code of conduct.   Sigmund Freud suggested   that all belief systems emerged to combat ‘the trauma of self-consciousness’ which evolved along with   the realisation by early homo sapiens that the world about him   was cruel, unforgiving and incomprehensible.   This harsh backdrop to existence could be made more manageable and bearable by attributing a god or spirit to every aspect of nature and developing   rituals of prostration and sacrifice in order to placate them and ward off calamitous natural events such as earthquakes and famines.   The resulting animistic prescription characterised   most pagan belief and worship systems, although becoming far more sophisticated as great empires were formed, and it reached its most developed form within the boundaries of the Roman Empire. Much of this motivation was imported into early Christianity to accommodate the prevailing mindset and so the all-powerful omnicompetent   deity was retained and subsumed into the new   dispensation.

In the relatively recent past, it has been the practice to judge different religions and their characteristics   in the light of their clashes,   historical antagonisms   and perceived irreconcilability.    Much reference is made to ‘wars of religion’, crusades,   sectarian strife and unbridgeable divisions even between sub-sects within the same denomination such as the corrosive tensions within the world-wide Anglican communion or the Sunni-Shia   divide in Islam.    To an extent, this has become a convenient shorthand for the interpretation of world crises which involve religious hatred, such as Northern Ireland, Syria,   Iraq, Bahrain and many others where a minority (usually)   of one branch of a major religious domination exerts disproportionate authority over the majority in the interests of acquiring political power and consolidating their position of pre-eminence. As the ability to compare and contrast their varying structures and dynamics becomes ever greater,   however,   we   begin to identify   the similarities between them and to conclude that the similarities vastly outweigh the differences that have been so much emphasized in   order to   create a ‘unique selling point’ .   This applies not merely to internal sects and ‘heresies’, but as much if not more to the major faith empires where it is striking how similar they can be in terms of structure, beliefs and hierarchies.

Such replication of outline stories and beliefs occurs so frequently and faithfully that it lends great credence to the notion that there is, within the human psyche, a fundamental need to subscribe to a creed or philosophy that helps to make sense of the confusion that being human inflicts upon us.   Indeed, recently scientists have suggested on the basis of extensive research that we all have a need to believe in some set of guiding principles and that this stems not from our own volition but from a neurological predisposition that is   dormant within us all,   perhaps similar to the ‘language acquisition device’ which Noam Chomsky proposed as the explanation for our varying ability to acquire language.

If we take a concept such as the Golden Rule, we can see this similarity factor at work. In Christianity, it is well expressed in Matthew 7:12   in the words

                ‘So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this
                sums up the Law and the prophets.’

Judaism states (perhaps unsurprisingly)

                ‘What is hurtful to yourself, do not do to your fellow man. That is the whole
                 of the Torah and the remainder is but commentary.’

The same concept, however, is found in numerous other faiths which developed apart from the Judaeo-Christian tradition, such as   Buddhism

                  ‘Hurt not others in ways you fond hurtful.’

Hinduism
                 ‘This is the sum of the Dharma; do not unto others that which would cause
                   pain if done to you.’

And Islam (albeit rather less directly)
                  ‘Not one of you is a believer unless he desires for his brother that which he
                  desires for himself.’

Similarly, if we consider the injunction to seek and value peace, we find the same correspondence of views and expression. In Christianity, Matthew 5:9

       ‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.’

In Judaism (Psalm 34)
        ‘Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.’

Buddhism
        ‘Happy live the peaceful, giving up victory and defeat.’

And in Islam (again in a more conditional tone)
         ‘And if they lean to peace, lean you also to it, and put your trust in Allah.’

Here we have just two examples of this concordance but this finding is reflected in many other belief systems such as Taoism, Baha’i, Confucianism and Sikhism.

There is remarkable similarity to be found, too, in many of the iconic stories that occur in many religions, one striking example being that of the Flood. We are all aware of the story of Noah’s Ark but this metaphor for fall and redemption seems to be evident in so many cultures that it   suggests a cast of mind that is common to all mankind when attempting to explain the relationship with the divine. In Hinduism, Manu is warned by a grateful fish that he must build a boat to save himself from the coming annihilation; this he does, and is enabled to repopulate the world.   In Assyrian myth, Utnapishtim is warned by a benevolent god to gather his family and a pair of every animal to avoid the wrath of the gods and the flood which is imminent. Similarly, Atrahasis, in Babylonian mythology, is urged by Ekni to build a boat and sail away with his family and breeding stock to avoid the floods. Almost identical legends are to be encountered in Sumerian, Chinese, Druidic and Zoroastrian sources as well as many African religions.

Some of the most significant features of various faiths do seem to recur throughout recorded history often with uncanny familiarity to existing beliefs. In ancient Egypt, Osiris, the Saviour-God, was called Lord of Lords, King of Kings and God of Gods, the Resurrection and the Life, The Good Shepherd. It is also said that his birth was announced by three wise men.   Similarly, in ancient Greece, the birth of Dionysius, also a Saviour-God, was celebrated on December 25th.   and his flesh and blood were symbolically eaten in the form of bread and wine.   By the time of the Emperor Aurelian , there   were so many saviour gods in the pantheon that their celebration was combined into one festival on December 25th, named the Birthday of the Unconquered Sun. This date was gradually imported into Christianity, beginning with the western churches in the early fourth century despite the absence of any record of the birth date of Jesus.   This pattern is rather well summed up in a Baha’i   teaching stating that

       ‘The birth of every manifestation is the rebirth of the world. In that simple fact lies
         profundity and the glory of every day that is celebrated as the coming of God’s
            messenger, be it the birth of Osiris, Buddha, Jesus, Mohammed or the Bab.              May we all find blessing within their light.’

The concept of a miraculous or virgin birth (parthenogenesis)   is also one that features in many cultures, religions and mythologies . It has been suggested latterly by liberal theologians that it was a myth added to Christianity in the late 1st century AD, triggered by a Greek   mistranslation of the Book of Isaiah 7:14 to read,   ‘Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; behold a virgin shall conceive and bear a son and shall call his name……’Though most biblical translations use the word ‘virgin’, the Hebrew word alma traditionally translates as ‘young woman’ whereas the Hebrew ‘Beulah’ usually means ‘virgin’.    It may well be, however,   that the notion of a virgin birth was imported intentionally to make new believers feel more comfortable as the concept was a staple of contemporary pagan religions and beliefs.

It was certainly a notion with which those educated in the Roman tradition would have been very familiar;   in Greek myth, for example, Juno conceives the God Mars without assistance from Jupiter simply by touching a sacred lily,   Perseus is born of the virgin Danae,   and   Dionysius was born of the virgin Semele who was impregnated by Zeus with a bolt of lightning.   Phoenician mythology tells that Adonis was born of the virgin Myrrh whilst, most significantly because of the contemporaneity with early Christianity, Mithra,   whose cult initially rivalled Christianity, was conceived when God entered Anahita,   ‘the Immaculate Virgin Mother of the Lord Mithra’   in the form of light. Examples of miraculous births are also to be found in religions where there is no discernible or identifiable means of transmission such as the Aztec belief system where the principal god,   Huitilopochtli, was conceived when his virtuous mother was impregnated by a bundle of feather which she happened upon and placed in her bosom.

In 1949,   Joseph Campbell published ‘The Hero with a Thousand Faces’, in which he articulated his concept of the ‘monomyth’ , the archetypal hero who surfaces throughout history in all cultures and in many guises. He summarized it with the words’

          ‘A hero ventures forth from the world of common day into a region of supernatural
         wonder ; fabulous forces are there encountered and a decisive victory is won; the
         hero comes back from this mysterious adventure with the power to bestow boons
         on his fellow man.’

This theory, which has been widely discussed and elaborated ever since, was based upon much research into mythology, anthropology, modern psycho-analysis and patters of cultural transmission.   It    perhaps helps to explain the perceived similarity between religions which,   almost without exception, rely heavily upon a cult of pre-eminent personality which   generates a following and, eventually reverence and deification.
In this category, he gives as examples Osiris, Prometheus, the Buddha, Moses and Christ. More recently, it has been suggested that Harry Potter is based on this
Template,   although J.K.Rowling has declined to confirm or deny this!

Ritual and ceremonial also tend to evolve in similar ways in many religions of all ages, whether religions based upon sacred texts or those handed down by word of mouth and based upon tradition.   These practices,   based no doubt upon the earliest agrarian societies where nature and fertility were deemed to be of the utmost importance.   These may be categorised as cycles of nature such as the solstices and the equinoxes, the harvests and rains, the cycles of life such as birth, marriage and death, the sanctification of marriages and sacred buildings or of   those in leadership roles and sacrifices to invoke blessings and to appease or show devotion to the deity.

As well as a correspondence   of   ideological and theological content,   it is also evident that the practical rules and structures which are grafted on to religious movements are usually very   similar. Whether men are drawing up the regulations for a golf club or for a world religion, the same appetite for codes of conduct and control mechanisms always seems to surface. The process often seems to become self-perpetuating as more and more layers are added to the original construct in the belief, perhaps, that complexity adds more to the sense of awe and innate respect that the institution will command. Hence we see in Islam, the proliferation of the Hadith, traditions about the Prophet or attributed to him, which have come to be regarded as complementary to the Qu’ran despite the fact that the Qu’ran    itself states that it is complete in itself. These many thousands of sayings are represented   by many traditional Muslim clergy as the authentic words of the Prophet to which   obedience is essential if they are to be real Muslims. According to Dr. Taj Hargey,   ‘most, if not all, of the thorny problems of faith that British Muslims face today -   whether   it is apostasy, blasphemy, jihad, women’s oppression, homosexuality, religious intolerance or the democratic deficit in and outside the community - can be traced either to fabricated hadith or the masculine-based Sharia’.    Although there are many scholars working tirelessly on the Hadith to separate the authentic or good (sahih and hasan) sayings from the dubious (da‘if) or down right fabricated   (mawdu) , it is a task of such proportions and the anti-Koranic perspective is so entrenched, that these distorted versions of Islam will persist and even proliferate for decades to come.

These amendments to the original faith often become inextricably involved with political and civil life to create a theocratic state such as John Calvin’s Geneva where his ‘Institutes of the Christian Religion’ provided a blue print for such a community where the public persona was regarded as a reflection of the citizen’s spiritual wellbeing despite the fact that     Calvin’s central   thesis of   predestination nullified the possibility of such a correlation totally.    If your   life-style did not reflect the blamelessness of your spiritual life,   people argued, why take the trouble to live morally and soberly?   Faced with this perceived paradox, Calvin was forced to concede that it was highly likely that those who were predestined to the ranks of the elect, would reflect this in their daily lives and demeanour.

As well as beliefs and moral practices,   major religions have tended to develop in similar ways as regards the built environment of the faith and this too is likely to reflect the way in which human beings conceive of living in community based upon inherent promptings and social instincts and these are just as likely to occur in the religious sphere as in the social structure.    A distinction between exoteric   and   esoteric   beliefs is often created in order to set apart and sanctify those who are seen (or wish to be seen) as the custodians of the truth whose role it is to interpret it and to pass it on to the generality of the faithful.   The apostolic succession, characterised by the laying on of hands   at ordination, might be said to represent this as it marks out a priestly caste who are empowered to act as intercessors with God on behalf of the penitent. Here we may perhaps discern traces of the Gnostic approach (proscribed by Christianity in the early years), which reserves true knowledge to an elite who are set apart from others by their receptivity to that truth.

Architecture too, when viewed across a whole spectrum of religions, reveals singular similarities over the past fifteen hundred years in the history of sacred spaces. The urge to look and build upwards whether in the form of Babylonian ziggurats, Egyptian pyramids, cathedral spires is ever present. The choice of site is often meticulous, employing feng shui, dowsing or the identification of ley lines to ensure that the alignment was correct.   Astronomy or the calendar were also influential as in the case of the Mesoamerican citadels aligned to the motions of Venus or the Pleiades, the sun temples of Cuzco or the rather less clear motivation underlying Stonehenge.   Within, there were usually specific areas set aside for worship, for veneration of the saints and martyrs and for the exhibition of relics as with Buddhist stupas and Christian shrines.   Cloisters and courtyards (sahns in Muslim architecture) allow for meditation and tranquillity whilst features such as labyrinths represent the path through the underworld and were incorporated in cathedrals such as Chartres many centuries later.

Of great importance was the portal or gateway, and in numerous religions it represents the point of transition from the mundane to the sacred, often marked by observances such as the mezuzah or the holy water stoup. It has been said that

    ‘Gateways make the most elaborate and explicit statements about controlling who may
     or may not enter a sacred space. From the Christian cathedral door on which the
     archbishop must knock, to the house of the Indian Sora people where the shaman’s
     assistants break down the door to bring in an ancestral name for a baby, to the gates of
     the monastery at Mount Athos which are barricaded from dawn to dusk, gateways
     control the identity and timing of those who would enter.’

Within,   the importance of ceremonial and mystery is widely discovered; all the senses are deployed with spectacle, taste, smell and sound all playing a part whether through the diffusion of incense,   the pomp and splendour of the richly bedecked celebrants, the chanting and music, or the inclusion of food and drink to symbolise renewal and spiritual sustenance.   Whether it be a mosque, a synagogue, a Buddhist temple or a Christian cathedral,    the same elements will be discernible.

There is much justification, therefore, for concluding that human behaviour, in the context of religious organisation, tends to follow a prescribed pattern. In addition, to the monomyth explanation of Joseph Campbell cited above,   recent wide-ranging research suggests   that those features common to most major religions may stem from   factors within the human psyche that have a bearing on this aspect of our being.   Professor Roger Trigg of the University of Oxford, in answer to the question whether humans are predisposed to believe in God, has written, ‘not quite, but He is all in the mind’.   He goes on to say that ‘the mind is open to supernatural agency’ and that ‘atheism is not a human’s default option’. Speaking recently (May 2011), he said, ’We have gathered a body of evidence that suggests that religion is a common fact of nature across different societies. Attempts to repress religion are likely to be short-lived as human thought seems to be rooted to religious concepts, such as the existence of supernatural gods or agencies, and the possibility of an after-life or pre-life. ….It isn’t just a quirky interest of a few , it’s a basic human nature. This shows that it is much more universal, prevalent and deep-rooted. It’s got to be reckoned with.   You can’t just pretend it’s not there.’   Research carried out by Justin Barrett, an Oxford anthropologist, suggests that children are born believers in God and predisposed to believe in supernatural forces. They may well ’grow out of this’ to all intents and purposes, but, as Wordsworth wrote,   ’the child is father to the man’ and   the original psychological promptings may merely remain dormant as they become overladen by other social influences.   In support,   Paul Bloom of Yale, writes, ‘there’s now a lot of evidence that some of the foundations for our religious beliefs are hard-wired.’    ‘All humans possess the brain circuitry and it never goes away.’    Even Richard Dawkins has expressed his willingness to believe this although he still considers indoctrination to be the crucial factor in bringing about present-day belief.

It may also be arguable that the decline in churchgoing and religious observance, in the developed world   at least, is due to the general acceptance that we have tamed our environment and have achieved mastery over nature.   Consequently, we no longer feel the need to venerate and appease natural forces that we formerly neither understood nor could   control   and are content to   entrust that task to science and environmental planning.    It is not difficult, however, to imagine a situation which would shatter this confidence;    even recently, with the occurrence of the powerful earthquake on the east coast of the United States of America, followed by Hurricane Irene, there have been apocalyptic pronouncements linking these events to divine retribution for certain types of deviant social behaviour.    It may well be that the brain circuitry alluded to above is always on standby to cope with any new ‘trauma of consciousness’ that may befall!

How does this knowledge, if accepted, alter or influence our attitude towards other faiths and to the notions of ecumenism and interfaith dialogue?    Once we subscribe to the ideas of commonalty, rooted in the instinctual responses of early man, and an inherent propensity   to embrace and to devise belief systems to cope with the challenges of existence,   should   this change our longstanding attitudes towards the barriers that traditional and modern religion persuasions erect to distinguish themselves from their rivals?    Au fond, does this new focus incorporate the possibility that all religions are essentially the same and equally worthy?   Do we all believe in the same G-d, or , indeed, not believe in the same G-d?   Or is this another example of the distinction between the ‘how’ and the ‘why’ that can be identified in other areas of the debate as to whether science has rendered   religion obsolete, or is likely to do so?   Scientific hypotheses, whether informed by neurology or quantum physics, tell how the universe came into being and evolved;   they cannot supply the answers to the related question ‘why’.

They cannot explain the precise features and emphases of a particular faith or value system even if they can help to explain the mechanisms whereby revelation was transformed into process.   There is still, therefore, a strong motivation    to embark upon interfaith dialogue and to endeavour to reach an informed understanding of the reasons why religions seem to differ so much and to be intent upon erecting barriers rather than building   bridges and   agreeing to differ in a civilised and mature fashion.

There is a problem, however, with this process in that the current environment within which the debate takes place is often populated by those whose interpretation of the term ‘interfaith’   involves extra layers of meaning in addition to the obvious one of dialogue and understanding between faiths.     There is a suggestion that those engaged in this process should accept   that, ‘in essence, all religions are the same’   and that ‘we all worship the same g-d’ leading on to the assumption that all those taking part in interfaith discussions should be ready to    dilute their beliefs and ‘meet in the middle’.    Is this approach either realistic or desirable?   Generally speaking, those who are committed to this process come from communities of professing Christians, Jews, Muslims, Sikhs and many more and are intent upon building on the values of hope, love, tolerance and shared humanity to reach out to all those of   genuine faiths, or no faith, in order to initiate dialogue so that we may appreciate ‘that of G-d in every person’ as the Quakers express it, and emphasise those characteristics and impulses that unite us rather than the issues that divide us   because of our past failure to reach out and embrace diversity and other roads towards   self-knowledge and spiritual development.   Religion as history, is inseparable from the prevailing culture and mores; the trick is to identify the elements that serve us best and should endure and cast aside those anachronistic elements that stem from the context and metaphor of a particular historical age and have come to impair the simple message of harmony and co-existence.   We do not have to   abandon or dilute our own cherished beliefs or to suspend judgement in order to agree to differ amicably where necessary   and to enter into a co-equal partnership where we can.

It is often suggested that we should ‘respect the rights of all people to worship as they will’ and indeed we should. This does not mean, however, that we should condone practices that we find repugnant or inhuman merely on the grounds that they are part of a worship system and therefore deserve automatic respect.   There are numerous belief systems in the world which involve cruelty, oppression, bullying and indoctrination as we see it ,   many, though not all, based upon untenable literal interpretations of religious texts.    Do we uphold their right to continue practices such as torturing small children who are   alleged to be possessed by the devil or stoning to death of adulterers and homosexuals, activities frequently featured in the press of late?   Where we can speak out and in contexts where we can intervene, should we not do so?   If we do not enter upon an interfaith process   with a clear idea of what we ourselves stand for and the way in which we personally prefer to achieve it, then we will find it difficult to communicate with others who do present with certainties (some distinctly unappealing) and often fail to understand our ambivalent stance in matters spiritual. One researcher and writer on the quest for the historical Jesus has opined that ‘open-minded can mean empty-minded’ and to find oneself in that latter category helps no-one and adds nothing to the debate; sincerely held beliefs must be the ‘ground of our being’ and the spur that leads us always to revisit and question them anew and to want to commune with others and learn more of their   mindset and   personal philosophy.   The founder of the Church of Interfaith Christians, the Reverend Ernest Steadman was quoted   as ‘always giving…his opinion that   the only difference between the deities of the world’s religions was the difference authored by man’.      It is hard not to agree with this; one might only add that worship rituals and practices are among those aspects of religion ‘authored by man’ often in the interest of self-aggrandisement and oppression of the faithful. Had the Aztecs chosen to worship Huitzilopochtli    with quiet contemplation and commensality, their religious predilections would   have been above reproach; unfortunately, they chose to make frequent and grisly human sacrifice the keynote of their ritual worship and we cannot but judge them and their construct of the divine in the light of this fact. There is a profound difference between belief and worship: the former cannot be judged as regards its true essence and purity, whilst the latter is open to judgement.   Elizabeth I once said that one cannot open a window into men’s souls;    one can only assume the genuineness and spiritual worth of their allegiances, one can only judge them, in a temporal context, by their deeds and practices. Inevitably, therefore, one will come to assess other religions against one’s own moral and cultural standards.

In addition, there is a new and paradoxical element in the equation, that is the existence of a settled, widespread   non-faith morality which is generally accepted and tends to condemn   such practices as   denial of equality to women,   gender discrimination and to support   contraception,   stem cell research   and availability of abortion which are still opposed    tenaciously by some churches.   Religious organisations are now routinely judged against this public morality and   found wanting, whereas once it was the morality of the wider community that was judged according to   standards enunciated by church leaders. There is, however, no realistic possibility that the wider society can be induced to revert to a narrower seemingly more intolerant stance;     those churches, therefore,   need to recognise that they are   separating themselves from the generality of the population and thereby limiting the scope of their activities and their avowed mission because of their refusal to abandon dogma that is rooted in relatively scanty scriptural authority and that relates to a different social context.   It is important, therefore, to identify what specific tenets separate different churches and faiths as well as the generic similarities that offer valuable points of contact.

Ed Stetzer, writing recently in Christianity Today, describes an interfaith meeting intended to lead to cooperative resourcing to help the different churches (Protestant, Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, Baha’I and Orthodox were represented) with their congregational and spiritual development.   At one point, he caused some consternation by saying,   ‘I am not here to form a partnership to help one another. I want to help the churches that I serve, and part of the reason they exist is to convert some of you’.   His neighbour,   an imam, agreed heartily. He goes on to say,

      ‘Though the imam and I were in a minority in that group of predominantly liberal
      Protestants, we represented the movement among us that are actually growing in
      numbers. Both he and I believed in sharing and enlarging our faiths. We did not
      think we were worshiping the same God or gods, and we were not there under the
      pretence that we held the same beliefs. In other words, our goal was not merging
      faiths,   combining beliefs, or even interfaith partnership.’

His considered view is that we must recognise a world that is increasingly multi-faith as a prelude to developing ways in which we can co-exist peacefully and productively with those of different faiths,   an outcome which is increasingly more important given the extent to which almost all societies are complex, plural entities with representatives of all cultures and religions living in close proximity.    He therefore proposes multi-faith dialogue based on   a recognition that that we all have ‘radically different visions of the future, eternity, and the path to getting there’ rather than a pretence that we all believe the same thing.     This is a salutary view that illustrates the danger of becoming overly enthusiastic and simplistic about   the shared   (mainly organisational and practical) aspects of different faiths    whilst overlooking the inescapable fact that the crucial differences lie in    irreconcilable doctrines that the committed believers cannot reject or dilute in the interests of fundamental ecumenical contacts or mergers without effectively reneging   on their long-held beliefs.    It is worth noting that the world’s four largest religions do not agree on the basic definition of G-d or his main characteristics;   Hindus believe that   G-d is in each of us and we are all part of G-d leading to the possibility that there are 330 million gods,    Buddhists suggest that God may or may not exist, Muslims say that G-d is absolute,   independent and father to none whilst Christians believe in one G-d who exists in three persons and that Jesus Christ was his only son. .   Such diversity with regard to this   fundamental religious determinant surely indicates that not all religions are following the same road towards understanding of the truth about G-d.   It is also worth remembering that adherents of a particular religion are likely to believe not only that it   represents their truth but also that it embodies the truth. Such certainty is understandable but it manifests itself in intolerance and bigotry.   It is notable that where religious   belief is on the increase, in Africa and South America for example where Christianity is forging ahead,   it often takes a form that has clearly defined doctrines coupled with a degree of certainty that leads to intolerance towards other churches and   internecine conflict such as that within the Anglican communion which appears to be in the process of tearing itself apart over issues such a homosexuality and women bishops.

The desire to stand by and to promulgate one’s beliefs is a natural one and part of our culture. It does seem rather paradoxical   that supporters of football clubs are encouraged to support their teams to the point of fanaticism and to develop tribal rituals of chants, costume and solidarity and that this partisanship is only considered excessive when it leads to conflict between different clubs and public order issues whilst, in contrast, it is regarded as politically incorrect nowadays to   publicise or advertise one’s faith despite the fact that the believer may want to share the sense of euphoria and the expectation of salvation with others.      As Ed Stetzer suggests, it is natural to feel that the faith that one professes is preferable to other prescriptions ,    otherwise why would one choose to espouse it?   This should not lead, as in the past, to attempts by the followers of one faith to impose their   views on followers of another using political or military means but, ideally, to informed co-existence based upon exploration and dialogue rather than bland assumptions of   similarity of belief and goals.   Even within Unitarian Universalism, there is a suggestion that being too low-key and failing to share one’s enthusiasms, may be a   short-sighted, even selfish, attitude.   Thus,    one UU minister has written

     ‘ UU (e) vangelism isn’t unprecedented. It has been proven effective. Are we to be
        mocked in order to share our Principles? Do we care as much about the world as the
       Watch Tower Society or the Latter Day Saints? Because I think OUR message has a
       better chance to save it than theirs.’

If a representative of Unitarian Universalism,   a non-creedal, non-judgemental and wholly inclusive organisation, feels moved to express himself in this way, it perhaps suggests that we all feel, and have the right to feel, that the belief system to which we subscribe is the best (for us at least, and arguably for others, too).   Stetzer says that “We must get beyond the nonsense of saying, ‘You can believe what you want, but you can’t tell anyone else about it‘ ” . All major religions agree that it is wrong to force people into their faith but, throughout there are groups who ignore this and try to impose their beliefs and the   culture   that accompanies them by means of coercion and intimidation. Emphasising the former and resisting the latter is the key to religious tolerance and cooperation rather than engaging in attempts to forge a catch-all religion, stripped of any controversy or debate,   that will satisfy no-one.

A genuine and on-going exchange of views with a friendly agreement to differ where necessary, is surely the way forward.   Interfaith dialogue is a fine phrase and a fine practice so long as we do not view it as being based upon the assumption that there are no fundamental distinctions or differences between religions.    It needs to be undertaken in tandem   with a recognition that we live, increasingly, in a multi-faith world where our neighbours may be of a completely different religious persuasion and where it is of prime importance to live in peace and harmony based upon a perception of our common interests   and our varying beliefs.   The study of comparative religions in schools and colleges needs to be better resourced and more effective in order to reduce the levels of ignorance and prejudice that are encountered in many communities about the beliefs and practices of others   and to   encourage openness and friendly curiosity as opposed to secrecy and exclusivity.   We also need to replace hearsay and exaggeration about other faiths and the social practices that may accompany them (often relayed by the popular press)    with informed discussion in schools, places of worship and in the media to counter the hyperbole and the tendency to concentrate upon the strident minority rather than the peaceable majority who practice their faith without harming others and who only wish the same courtesy to be extended to them. Global organisations such as the World Council of Churches have also contributed greatly to the development of mutual cooperation and   respect between different denominations.

Religions do have a great deal in common, especially as regards the structural and developmental   aspects and a good case can be made for a propensity within all of us which renders us susceptible to belief and adherence to a creed or cause. This does not mean, however, that they can be aggregated into one umbrella religion that will satisfy all comers.    We may meet in similar buildings, create hierarchies,   follow liturgies,   pray, worship saints, aspire to the monastic life and perform charitable works, but this does not mean   that fundamental beliefs can be reduced to a bland formulaic recipe for religious observance. The history of human nature in action tends to suggest that this is not viable and that discrete groups with shared cultural roots and traditions will always exist within the wider society.   This need   not be a matter of concern so long as those basic tenets of peace, tolerance and co-existence that are contained within the sacred writings of the major faiths are sustained and enacted. These shared values represent hope for the future as opposed to partisan assumptions of spiritual superiority that only serve to engender conflict   and division.

Finally, these words of Joseph Campbell explain much recent history and bear scrutiny.

      ‘Every religion is true one way or another. It is true when understood metaphorically.
       but when it gets stuck in its own metaphors, interpreting them as facts, then you are
       in trouble.’                      (Discuss!)

The more we know about our own beliefs as well as those of others, the better prepared we will be to forge that essential relationship based upon tolerance and mutual respect.

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ULC Chaplaincy Program

2011-12-20T08:15:00.000-08:00

WHAT IS A CHAPLAIN

by: Ray Carbough

A Chaplain is a unique minister. He is not expected to transform a persons beliefs but to support his beliefs with sympathetic advice, comfort and peace. Be as Christ like as possible in human form. To feed the people when hungry, clothe them when naked, support them in their weakness, in a loving manner of tolerance.

A person that is a good example of this is a Pastor for the salvation army Corp. in Wa. He is a man who draws many to his flock because of his quiet acceptance for each individual regardless of the circumstances of their life. He reflects those qualities of Christ to everyone he encounters. I pray that I would have a few of those qualities.

It has been said that i have a gift to help those who are hurting and use drugs or alcohol to dull the pain of day to day life stresses.

I made choices as a young man that led me into that life style of drugs and alcohol. I hurt many people along the way. The Lord was always with me, saved my life several times from physical harm. He made me feel a hunger for change in my life, to follow him and become a man of faith and integrity, the hunger only increases as i grow closer to Christ to bring the gospel to those who need it.

The call to serve has fallen on me like a cloak and I am working to become worthy of that cloak. The "CALL" is the word used for when the Lord asks us to follow HIM and serve HIS flock. It is a heavy responsibility to help lead and guide those who come to us to seek HIS throne. Through faith in Christ alone we can find true happiness and lead productive healthy lives serving.

I have the desire to listen, evaluate and help those who are hurting as I did for so many years. Those with the mantel of helplessness to move past the place they are chained, reliving that pain and struggle that blinds them to the truth in God's word.

I need to work on training in those areas called to minister. Seeking out what services are available and the process to obtain them for those in need. Having been a trucker for so many years off and on i feel there is a need to expand the spiritual guidance available to the many drivers out there today. There are some services available in the bigger truck stops across the country, however the bigger companies have terminals cross the country also and there is no spiritual food for those who seek being fed. I feel that could be a way for me to serve those on the road who bring supplies to all.

As a military Chaplin serving those in civil war re-enacting, I bring the understanding of the hardships of the 1860's life style and need for faith to sustain life in such hard times. This carries over into today as those who seek my council on family matters and spiritual growth. As a re-enactor the reality of loss of life, loss of limbs, and all the outside influences translate back and forth from modern days to those of old.

Over the many years chaplains have served they have not worried about having a building. The chapel was a tent, a meadow or what ever place was available to bring the many together to worship and praise our God. Today the chaplains have a work space in hospitals, retirement homes, many churches and a variety of companies that serve the needs within those walls. They may have regular hours and some on call time, it's more of a job to some but to the majority it is still the service of the Lord God that they follow.

I listen to those with complaints of physical pain, emotional or spiritual and prayerfully together we seek God's wisdom and answers. There was a young lady who was having marital problems but knew God didn't want her to leave her husband, but to stand firm on those marriage vows. She knew she was to forgive and forget his transgressions and to show through her actions the unconditional love of Christ, while in the face of pain and continue to walk head up in faith. I came along side her praying for her to have strength and to seek Gods counsel in handling the day to day events of life. Another example of how the Lord used me was i prayed with a young man who had been in alcohol abuse for many years it was a family addiction that bound that family, with God's love the chains were broken and he sought help with the addiction. Together we found a detox through the Salvation Army that helped him recover himself and with the support of his family to continue to follow Christ's lead.

As a chaplain we need to listen to others with our whole being, using that information, to glean the clues to the root of the problem and sift out the unimportant facts that cloud the issue. Maintain eye contact, be attentive and use a calm voice. Remove any distractions from the area, ie: TV, radio or other people that interfere with the exchange. Avoid any expressions of disgust or disapproval that can impact the person. Allow breaks for the renewing of yourself and the one you counsel, give feedback by reflection on the information heard, affirming and be empathetic. Always ask direct questions to clarify. Avoid advice, give information on services available for other specialties such as mental health and never try to answer the "WHY" questions only God can answer them.

Studies show "touch" is healthy and healing, creates a bond, as a chaplain we need to develop a touch that is appropriate for the culture and situation. Be aware of the body language of those you are contacting and go from there. Always keep your actions in line with Christ's so no one can misinterpret you touch as unacceptable.

When comforting the grieving a chaplain will need to know and understand the grief process and the understand our own beliefs. Prepare for grief by being strong emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. Grief is the normal process of loss, be it a person, a pet job or objects we own. We grieve for them all. Lead those grieving through the process to allow healthy out come. Do not answer or try to answer those "WHY" questions again only God can. Always follow up after this with a care, a call or a visit. This continues the healing process and allows the person to see you truly care, encourage by saying God celebrates the life lost, and shares your pain of that loss . This gives hope for the future.

As a chaplain we must understand the context of our ministry. Know that we have been truly called into this ministry. Know we are all creatures of habit some good, some bad, always try to teach change of the bad by instruction not criticizing, teach change of focus. Show that as a christian and commitment as a Christian to follow Christ and grow in faith. Always be consistent, walk the talk and talk the walk stay the same in action, deed and word.

We as humans respond to situations in three ways , think, feel, act. Those three can get turned around and we can act then think or feel then think this tends to get the situation clouded with emotion and that will alter the way we deal with it. So the process needs to be thought through completely and then follow the steps to a healthy outcome.

Take the time to think about the situation fully and decide the outcome desired, and the ways to get there. Leave the feelings at the door, analyze what can happen if you do one thing or another and will give the result wanted.

Look at your feelings about the situation, the pros and cons of the whole picture don't act until the emotions are in control.

Actions will then be the best for the situation. Follow the plan don't deviate and take side roads . Prayerfully let the Lord help you to the outcome desired for the situation.

There are things to avoid that can trap us. Be self-aware, know your limits and strengths. watchful of those who "manipulate" the situation or you. Also don't let your own needs and emotions interfere, leave those at the door.

Avoid becoming too attached to those you council, be aware of your emotional need to get an emotional "fix" from those you council be sure to have a strong support system for your own emotional health.

Respect the sex of the person you council, keep the lines firm as to those, be accountable to your support group. This will insure your continued health and keep you from burn out.

Don't allow yourself to be seduced for money or pride. It is not about "me" but about the one in need. Have the support group that can lovingly tell when you are prideful and bring you back to common sense.

Follow the institutional ceremonies where you practice as a chaplain, from the hospital, church or civil war re-enaction. If there are more than one chaplain the one from that area or faculty is the lead take a supportive position and attitude to facilitate the service being conducted. A worship service is a time when God and people come together. As a person of faith[any denomination] let them worship in the manner comfortable to them. No church building needed, create a sacred space with candles, a pulpit, a cross or music. As chaplain your job is to assist people to worship using the simple rituals of faith to enhance that worship.

A soul friend is one who comes along side and comforts, counsels and prays with you. There comes a deeper relationship than an acquaintance, one that through honesty is able to prayerfully give tough lessons and in a loving way mentor you this binds your hearts together. The soul friend is able to instruct in a loving way with acceptance and give sound advice to you when you are tired restoring you to emotional health.

There are different levels of accountability personal, professional, and to God above. The soul friend is that person who you share those with will listen to you and give you wise judgements and advice.. This strong relationship will build strong people.

As a chaplain carry a "tool box" loaded with items that will introduce yourself, organize, clarify, and communicate. Some of those tools are business cards, a calendar, phone, bibles, tracts, and prayer. Always be aware of your personal hygiene keep tissues available and remember that faith, through prayer is the most valuable tool.

In Christ's Love

Ray Carbough, Chaplin

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Universal Life Church Ordination On Your Own Site

2011-12-16T13:24:00.000-08:00

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Druidry

2011-12-13T08:11:00.000-08:00

DRUID LESSON

REVEREND KURT FONDRIEST

The lessons on Druidism were a reawakening or reaffirming belief on this path called life. I took the class first of all for several reasons. As a visual artist much of my paintings revolve around our relationship with a spiritual landscape which includes the symbol of the tree. This symbol is a strong image of personal empowerment for me. I grew up in a small town in rural Ohio. Here is where I discovered my creativity. I would sit for hours under the mighty pine, oak or maple and draw my natural surroundings. It was while under these natural cathedrals I committed in furthering my education as an artist.

I left my small town for the big city "Chicago"where I pursued my dream of becoming an artist. I earned my B.F.A, M.F.A. in fine arts and art therapy. I have been a practicing artist and art therapist for over 30 years. The image of the tree also has meaning as a symbol of my health. I live with a chronic pain condition called fibromyalgia. I see the tree as a image of resiliency. Trees can withstand the most severe weather , they can grow around any obstacle , in essence they are a visual lesson for our souls to grow from.

In several of these lessons the book " Druid Magic" by Maya Magee Sutton PH.D and Nicholas R. Mann was referenced. I found the book on Amazon for 95 cents. The wealth of information is priceless. I have it amongst my other earthen spirituality books that I re-read quite often.

It refers to the druid as artist, poet, teacher and counselor just to name a few, however these are all aspects of myself. I connected with this and used the book as a reference point with the assignments from the course. This only strengthened my basic connection that I have had all along my life, that I was or am a druid.

Now what is a druid? My understanding from the assignments and book is that a Druid is one who is in search of the universal truth and lives by this truth. This for me is a reflection of how I try to live my life. The universal truth is an awakening to one self that all of creation is following many Individualized paths to discover this enlightenment. When I paint the image of the tree it is very significant to my own sense of spiritual symbolism. I remember how the assignments referred to the druid arts. These forms of natural self expression is what I found to strengthen my own earthen aesthetics. This to me is what enables me to rekindle my sense of the essence of my own creation and how I continue to relate to its continued evolvement.

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Gospel of Thomas -- ULC

2011-12-11T10:54:00.000-08:00

Gospel of Thomas
Submitted by Joy Maestas

I do have a somewhat different perspective on these teachings then my Teacher, so hopefully he will have an open mind on my perspective. I will be reading more to learn about this Divine web but my take is from a Christian back ground not a Catholic one so I see differences in our perception. The Kingdom Jesus refers to is the real kingdom in Heaven where our Father and Jesus are now residing. I see beyond the physical and know the real Kingdom is not yet come to this plane. Coming to self knowledge it the knowledge in Christ that all things are created through him and without him nothing exists. Without him in us we do not exist but are spiritually dead and there for misfortune.

I can understand how you would call this world a Divine Web as everything in this world is connected, every creature, plant, human has the same make up and I think I just had a epiphany in understanding the Divine web.
4. Jesus said, "An old man will not be reluctant to ask a little child of seven days about the dwelling of life, and he will become one and the same."
I love this quote, as in Matthew 18:2 he stated “And he said: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
To be innocent as a child, not hating, blindly trusting, loving all. I don’t know how Baptism is in the Catholic church but for Christians it is the outward sign that we have giving ourselves to Christ and we are putting the old life behind (going under the water) and living now as a disciple of Jesus (coming out of the water). It has nothing to do with forgiveness of sin. When he (Jesus) shed his blood on the cross is when our sin was washed out and we were make clean in the sight of our Father.
Again our back grounds clash, as I whole heartedly believe Jesus was the Jewish Messiah, he taught over and over his kingdom of which he ruled was not of this earth and he was a Rabbi/Teacher and as High Priest Offered himself as the Lamb sacrifice which was the offering for sin. He is still Jewish and still their Messiah, more Jews today are turning and accepting Jesus as their Risen Messiah then ever before and I and they await his return. I have studied a lot in the Jewish history and Talmud.

Number 5, We do agree this Thomas was around and part of the original group that followed Jesus, so this quote is found in Matthew and Luke.
Matthew 10:26

“So do not be afraid of them. There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known.

Luke used it twice to make a point, Luke 8:17
For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open.
Luke 12:2 There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known.
When we reach our Spiritual Father who is in Heaven with my Savior Jesus that is when we will have that which is concealed made known and that which is hidden will come to light. In this end times and yes I believe we are in the end times before his return. We are increasing in knowledge some man made some revealed by the Holy Spirit to us. As we progress in our spiritual journey the mysteries that are hidden from in the scriptures are made known to us. One person is not awake can read the same passages and get nothing, another who is awake will read it and it can be life changing. Awake meaning spiritually not physically.

#6 Refers to their Jewish upbringing where they were instructed to fast at certain times and the prayers were ritual and not from the heart. Giving to charity was a new thing as they only gave to the temple and they were instructed not to eat certain foods. Jesus was trying to let them know to not to imitate the teachers of his time but instructed them to fast but not let any one know as this is something to do and it is for revelation from the Father and when praying to do so until the Father and recognize him 1st. Later when he gave revelation to Paul that no food was unclean as it was all created by the Father, this was a real eye opener for them as up to that time they were still only eating what Jewish law considered to be clean.

I find the Book of Thomas totally fascinating as it reinforces what Matthew, Mark and Luke and Paul,wrote also. I even ordered the Nag Hammadi Library so I can read the other papers found.

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ULC Facebook and Twitter

2011-12-11T01:22:00.000-08:00

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ULC Mystical Christianity

2011-12-10T10:27:00.000-08:00

Questions For the Heart and Mind

From. Rev. Catherine Nicolette Whittle

Master of Mystical Christianity course

1. Discuss the symbolic significance of the name “Magdalene.”
Margaret Starbird believes the name Magdalene to be of great symbolic significance, deriving from the name Magdal-eder, which literally means 'tower of the flock' in Hebrew. This name denoted a watchtower or high place from whence shepherd/esses could keep watch over their flocks. Magdala or Magdalene may also symbolise elevated, great, magnificent. Given that Jesus gave His disciples titles, Starbird believes that Magdala or Magdalene is not a place name, but a title Jesus gave Mary. It is synonymous with saying 'Mary the magnificent' or 'Mary the great'.

2. Assuming that Mary was the anointer of Jesus, what do you believe was the meaning of her action?
My personal opinion is that Mary anointed Jesus to show him her deep respect and affection fpr Him. On a symbolic level, anointing with oil was done only in certain circumstances; when installing someone as priest, or at the coronation of a king. Mary's anointing was symbolic of Jesus' role as both. It was also an expression of deepest confidence; Mary was confident that Jesus valued her as a person. Women were considered of lesser value than men in society at that time. Thus, Mary, a lowly woman, anointed Jesus when His own disciples had not done so. Judas was angry at another meaning of her action; Mary used expensive perfume to anoint Jesus, implying that Jesus was extremely precious and worth the gift. Judas felt it was a waste; he looked at Mary's action with a pragmatic judgement, not seeing though her action to the deeper level of love and service she was displaying to her Saviour.

3. Have you ever been anointed? What was the context and what meaning did it have for you?

Yes, I was anointed with oil at a church service in the Blessing of the Sick. I was extremely ill at the time, and was struggling to walk or do work; my muscles were slowly becoming paralysed, and I experienced severe pain. After the anointing with oil, I did not experience physical healing at the time. However, I received a deep sense that I would one day be healed after walking a while on the road of sickness and pain. I also received the spiritual strength to cope with the difficulties my illness presented me with at the time. The anointing with oil was, for me, a meeting on a spiritual and emotional level with Jesus; it gave me much emotional and spiritual solace at that - for me - difficult time. .

4. Do you believe that Mary Magdalene has as good a claim, and perhaps a better claim, as Peter or Paul to be considered the founder of Christianity?
I believe that Jesus Christ is the founder of Christianity, and that Peter, Paul and Mary Magdalene are His disciples entrusted with the message to tell the Good News as witnesses to Him. I further consider Mary Magdalene to be the first preacher of the Good News of the Resurrection of Jesus. I believe it was no coincidence that Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene first after His Resurrection - she had immense faith and belief in Him as a Person and as Son of God. I believe that Peter, Paul and Mary each have a great message for Christians about their witness to Jesus. In essence, therefore, I believe Jesus to be Christianity's founder; and Mary Magdalene, Peter and Paul to be co-equal witnesses and preachers in the service of Christianity.;

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Spiritual Development Through ULC

2011-12-09T10:23:00.000-08:00

I would like to start with a huge thank you to Dr. David Crouch. The class on Spiritual Development was an outstanding weekly experience of learning, enlightenment and a personal pursuit of higher self awareness. Overwhelming at times - perhaps - always uplifting! Dr. Crouch's teaching style is right on target for bring home the point for ease of understanding. I appreciate his ability for writing in a manner that hold your interest and leaves you wanting to gather more information, leading to research subjects in depth in some areas.

Starting out with the first lesson of "Where the Body meets the Spirit", my interest was peaked and going. The opening lesson title could be contemplated forever. The mind seems to wiggle between the two worlds of physical and spiritual. I personally struggle with this daily, my heart is in the spiritual, my mind is with soul and yet the physical needs need to be met. This is where meditation brings satisfaction. Knowing we can not live in La-La land continuously, we begin the act of balancing both worlds, watching the constant change that happens within each.

As Dr. Crouch moves through each session, the magick of the Universe unfolds to the logical mind and the use of NLP. With this we learn to communicate with the God-world and the spiritual realms. Following our energy fields and patterns, using the power of intent. Looking to the daily affirmations and how they change with our own personal growth. What served yesterday, may not serve today. Perhaps the reason is that one specific goal has been met or has been re-positioned to a higher meaning. Either way we can make new goals and affirmations as we need them.

I enjoyed the class on Huna immensely and particular the statement 'energy goes where attention goes.' Realizing and using this energy can be life changing. I had a ground school instructor (for my pilot's license) who once told us that if the air space had roads everyone would fly. I see a similarity with energy. If we could physically see energy exchange, everyone would use it quite differently (for good or evil?). Locking into one of our senses can be limiting. Trust and the use of how one 'feels' can enhance the way we use and could use, the energy fields that are all around us. I obviously know it is here, we take energy for granted in our daily lives. Thinking of our own energy fields takes us into something intangible.

The last lesson on the Six Step Re-frame was a terrific ending for the Spiritual Development class. The steps left me with a practice I will be able to follow through with in my life time, with also being able to share with others. There are behaviors that need to be modified in all of us at any given time. With the 6SR and NLP we can begin to work on these modifications. NLP is somewhat new practice for me. I have heard of the principles, with the explanations that Dr. Crouch gave throughout the course I have a better understanding and the curiosity to further explore the possibilities of using this tool to enhance myself and surroundings.

Thank you ULC for offering this course.

Rev. Constance J. Hitts

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Gospel of John

2011-12-08T08:02:00.000-08:00

Gospel of John

The Gospel of John is believed to be the last of the four Gospels in the New Testament to be written. While the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke are similar in their common view, the book of John is distinct. In contrast, none of the parables are recorded in John, and only seven of the miracles are featured. Instead, John delivers the meaning of Jesus by giving the readers a deeper insight and a deeper understanding of Him. He establishes that Jesus Christ is the Jewish Messiah that was prophesized in the Old Testament, who was sent to earth by God in human flesh, gives his life on the cross, and then returns to the Father – all with the view that we may believe in him and receive eternal life. According to Hahn (2010), the Gospel of John, “very quickly became the favorite gospel of most Christians and has long been the most influential Gospel and one of the most influential books of the New Testament”.

Author

The author is not stated, but is traditionally attributed to John the Apostle, brother of James and son of Zebedee. Content of the Gospel and early church tradition were both considered when determining the author. From the scripture, we can presume the following about the gospel of John and its author (Gaebelein, 1981, p. 6-7):

* it was written by a Palestinian Jew who knew Jewish opinions and customs;

* he was a disciple and was one of the sons of Zebedee (John 21:2; Matthew 4:21; 10:2);

* he personally witnessed the events he described (John 1:14; 19:35; 21:24-25);

* he was part of the inner circle of disciples, and knew of Jesus’ inner consciousness (John 6:6, 61, 64; 13:1-3, 11; 18:4);

* it was not written by Peter, because it frequently mentions him in third person;

* it was not written by James, the son of Zebedee because he died prior to A.D. 44 (Acts 12:2), which is believed to be prior to when the Gospel of John was written.

It is evident that someone who knew Jesus personally and followed him throughout his ministry wrote the Gospel of John. Gaebelein (1981) confirms that, “by process of elimination, it seems reasonably certain that this anonymous disciple and author must have been John the son of Zebedee” (p. 7).

Date and Place of Origin

The Gospel of John was the last of the four gospels in the New Testament to be written. According to Keener (1993), “tradition holds that the Gospel was written in the 90s of the first century; that it could have been written no later (against some nineteenth-century scholars’ views) has been confirmed by a manuscript fragment of the Gospel dating to the early second century” (p. 260). There is really no evidence that would give a clear indication of where the Gospel was written, but the tradition of the early church was that John was written from Ephesus. John settled in Ephesus after leaving Palestine and based on statements from Irenaeus (Against Heresies 3.1), John wrote from Ephesus (Gaebelein, 1981, p. 10).

Recipients

The Gospel of John was directed toward Christian Gentiles and not Jews. This is seen when he continually references “the Jews” in a derogatory manner and as enemies of Christ. John frequently explained customs and often described places in Palestine. Wallace (1999) suggests that the author uses “many explanations, interpretations, and asides which would be unnecessary if the audience were Jewish” (p. 9). Some examples of these can be found in John 1:38, 41-42, and John 5:2.

Purpose

The Gospel of John has the clearest purpose of all four Gospels: to portray Jesus Christ as God and to confirm or strengthen Gentile believers in their faith. This is most evident in John 20:31 (English Standard Version): “But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name”. Morris (1971) insists this statement clearly indicates that John is out to show Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God and aims to persuade people to believe in Him and enter a new life eternal (p. 39-41). The audience is given evidence that Jesus is indeed the Son of God when John lists seven signs “that symbolize the life-changing results of belief in Jesus:

1. Water to wine: the ritual of law is replaced by the reality of grace (2:1-11);

2. Healing the nobleman’s son: the gospel brings spiritual restoration (4:46-54);

3. Healing the paralytic: weakness is replaced by strength (5:1-16);

4. Feeding the multitude: Christ satisfies spiritual hunger (6:1-13);

5. Walking on water: the Lord transforms fear to faith (6:16-21);

6. Sight to the man born blind: Jesus overcomes darkness and brings in light (9:1-7);

7. Raising of Lazarus: the gospel brings people from death to life (11:1-44)” (Wilkinson & Boa, 1983, p. 339).

Major Theme

The main theme of the Gospel of John is straightforward: The way to the Kingdom of God is not by doing good works; it is by being born of God. The key to being born again is “believing”. This means to believe with the whole person, not just mentally. According to Gaebelein (1981), the word “believe” is used ninety-eight times in the Gospel of John, which is more than any other key word in the Gospel. John makes it clear that men are born “of God” and they can be born in no other way. This new birth is a miracle in itself and is a gift of God, only obtainable through belief. Key verses in the Gospel that signify this theme are:

* “He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God , who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God” (1:11-13 English Standard Version);

* “Jesus answered him, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God’” (3:3 English Standard Version);

* “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (3:16 English Standard Version);

* “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (20:30-31 English Standard Version).

Special Characteristics

The Gospel of John focuses more on spiritual themes rather than historical events. It does not provide a synopsis of the life Christ: from birth to death and resurrection (as in Matthew and Luke) or from Christ’s baptism to his resurrection (as in Mark). John spends a large part of his Gospel describing the week of Christ’s death and resurrection. There is a clear message in the Gospel that helps the reader understand the truth about God, the truth about eternity, and the truth about making a choice to accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior. The book contains teachings and vivid instructions from Jesus Christ on how we should live according to God’s will. It tells us the priorities that are important in life which still hold true today. It proves that the Holy Spirit can speak a message from God to us today, from the words written over nineteen hundred years ago.

Tenney (1975) acknowledges that some of the other special characteristics of the Gospel of John include the following:

* Life: A dominating concern of John’s is eternal life; the life that is in God and can be shared with man if he believes in Jesus as the Son of God.

* Witness: The term “witness” occurs forty-seven times as compared with sixteen in the other three Gospels. The author classifies himself primarily as a witness (1:14, 16; 19:35; 21:24; cf. 5:30-47). John’s Gospel is distinctive because of the emphasis it puts upon witness.

* Belief: Belief is intended to be a product of witnessing; belief that Jesus is the Son of God and the only way to eternal life.

* Regeneration: “New birth” is a metaphor developed by John and not found in the other Gospels. He uses the entrance into the Christian life as being “born of God” (1:12).

* The World: There is a heavy importance placed upon the two opposed forces of good and evil (light and darkness). This subject is prominent throughout the Gospel, but is focused heavily in the prologue (1:5, 10-12). John shows there is only one choice between good and evil, between light and dark; we are either lost or saved; the Gospel is either true or false, and the ultimate end is either life or death.

* Love: A prominent theme among all Christian writing is love, but in John’s Gospel it is particularly pronounced several times including these two verses:

* John 13:35-35: Love distinguishes Jesus’ disciples from all others

* John 17:26: The highlight of Jesus’ prayer is request for love that unites the Father, the Son, and the believers.

Outline

I. The Prologue: The Incarnation of the Son of God (1:1-18)

A. The Deity of Christ (1:1-2)

B. The Preincarnate Work of Christ (1:3-5)

C. The Forerunner of Christ (1:6-8)

D. The Rejection of Christ (1:9-11)

E. The Acceptance of Christ (1:12-13)

F. The Incarnation of Christ (1:14-18)

II. The Presentation of the Son of God (1:19-4:54)

A. By John the Baptist (1:19-34)

B. To John’s Disciples (1:35-51)

C. At the Wedding in Cana (2:1-11)

D. At the Temple in Jerusalem (2:12-25)

E. To Nicodemus (3:1-21)

F. By John the Baptist (3:22-36)

G. To the Samaritan Woman (4:1-42)

H. To an Official of Capernaum (4:43-54)

III. The Opposition to the Son of God (5:1-12:50)

A. At the Feast in Jerusalem (5:1-47)

B. During the Time of the Passover in Galilee (6:1-71)

C. At the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem (7:1-10:21)

D. At the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem (10:22-42)

E. At Bethany (11:1-12:11)

F. At Jerusalem (12:12-50)

IV. The Instruction by the Son of God (13:1-16:33)

A. Concerning Forgiveness (13:1-20)

B. Concerning His Betrayal (13:21-30)

C. Concerning His Departure (13:31-38)

D. Concerning Heaven (14:1-14)

E. Concerning the Holy Spirit (14:15-26)

F. Concerning Peace (14:27-31)

G. Concerning Fruitfulness (15:1-17)

H. Concerning the World (15:18-16:6)

I. Concerning the Holy Spirit (16:7-15)

J. Concerning His Return (16:16-33)

V. The Intercession of the Son of God (17:1-26)

VI. The Crucifixion of the Son of God (18:1-19:42)

VII. The Resurrection of the Son of God (20:1-31)

A. The Empty Tomb (20:1-9)

B. The Appearances of the Risen Lord (20:10-31)

VIII. The Epilogue: The Appearance by the Lake (21:1-25)

A. The Appearance to the Seven Disciples (21:1-14)

B. The Words to Peter (21:15-23)

C. The Conclusion of the Gospel (21:24-25) (Keathley, 1999)

References

Gaebelein, F. E. (1981). The Expositor's Bible Commentary. Grand Rapids: Zondervan

Publishing House.

Hahn, R. (2010, July 8). Voice Bible Studies. Retrieved November 20, 2010, from The Voice

CRI/Voice, Institute: http://www.crivoice.org/biblestudy/bbjohn1.html

Keathley III, J. H. (1999). The Historical Books of the New Testament. Retrieved November 22,

2010, from Bible.Org: http://bible.org/seriespage/historical-books-new-testament

Keener, C. S. (1993). The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament. Downers Grove:

InterVarsity Press.

Morris, L. (1971). The Gospel According to John. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing

Co.

Wallace, D. B. (1999). The Gospel of John: Introduction, Argument, Outline. Retrieved

November 22, 2010, from Bible.Org: http://bible.org/seriespage/gospel-john-

introduction-argument-outline

Wilkinson, B., & Boa, K. (1983). Talk Thru the Bible. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers.on to the

References: NIV Study Bible. Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, MI. 1995.

Andy Gaus The Unvarnished Gospel , 2001.

Rev. Steve Dunkley

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ULC Seminary Newsletter

2011-12-06T13:16:00.000-08:00

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Gnosticism

2011-12-03T12:24:00.000-08:00

Final Essay : Gnosticism
Submitted by Ernest Kayorie

After the completion of the extensive and sometimes tedious reading associated with the course, I would like to state that this has been an extremely informative course. While the subject is very interesting, it can be off setting because of the numerous definitions and oftentimes convoluted concepts. In many ways, it has involved learning a new vocabulary. She uses many resources to present the various topics and information important to a proper understanding of the subject. The most important part of the course for this writer was the summation because it brought together many of the ideas presented throughout the course.

The idea that Gnosticism was and is a distinct pre-Christian movement certainly makes sense and comparisons between Christianity and Gnosticism should be based on that concept. Oftentimes, one gets the distinct impression that Gnosticism was and is viewed as a aberration of Christianity. This belief system attempts to relate the story of man’s origin and how the known universe came to be. It also relates how that universe continues to unfold. This explanation is no different than the accounts in the Book of Genesis or any other creation story/myth with all variations on how the universe came to be.

Gnosticism presents ideas on the never ceasing potential that exists within man. It states that man strives for union with that part of him/her that is divine and immortal. The belief in the limited aspect of deity that was represented by the Jewish god, Yahweh was challenged by Gnostic wisdom because it saw man has a being of perfection who was simply attempting to return to or remember its rightful place in the universe. Gnosticism presented a lofty alternative to the small/petty cultural deities who were prone to human emotions. Who says we don’t create gods in our image?

The fact that this search for gnosis (wisdom) was existent at the time of the writing of the gospels and was prevalent throughout the known world is not surprising. Traditions tracing their origins prior to anything Christian (Hinduism, Buddhism) share their secret wisdom with those who are able to understand. What that truth entails is expressed differently in every culture and, at the same time, it shares commonalities which are self evident. The teachers of wisdom and the seers who share the responsibility of bringing this secret knowledge to those who wish to hear were certainly familiar with the ideas presented. The fact that some of these Gnostic ideas influenced the writings that found their way into the canon of the fledgling organization that was to become the “Church” also should not be surprising. The placing of what came to be known as Gnostic thinking on heretical lists is also not surprising. The knowledge presented within Gnostic texts was not for the commoners. It was too heady and convoluted and also it gave too much potential/power to everyman. Gnostic thinking continued to have influence throughout the growth of western thought and is certainly a factor in establishing our ongoing quest of finding out who we truly are.

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Which is the Original Universal Life Church?

2011-11-30T01:19:00.000-08:00

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Paganism

2011-11-27T12:33:00.000-08:00

Comments of the Paganism Course

by Rev Daniel S. Irwin

The course on Paganism was informative and enlightening. Paganism...ancient religions and new religions created from the old. I particularly liked the historical perspective, the link with the old, the respect for different viewpoints. Respect for different viewpoints in that, no matter the 'path' one chooses to follow, it can be "all good".

I, myself, have always had a healthy respect for the old religions/beliefs, particularly those originating in Europe. Some modern day groups have revived the old religions/cultures showing that these beliefs are not just thrown away but actually are roots to one's heritage.

The lessons devoted to listing Pagan gods and helpers was exceptionally thorough for there are many gods, many beliefs. Yes, as I remarked, there are many paths that one my follow as a pagan with a pantheon of deities and cultures. The importance of ritual, sacred places and sacred spaces is stressed and noted for the binding power which each would exert over the group. These are the things which give us value, teach, and create a religious sense of 'home', as well as, enrich our spiritual being.

The in depth coverage of celebrations and sabbats was, as the rest of the course, enlightening and full of information which one would be hard pressed to find and piece together one's self. Some of these sacred days I was aware of and have participated in the ceremonies...particularly the solstices. The lessons on sacred symbols and runes was, like wise, an in depth coverage of aspects of paganism.

The many pagan views/beliefs of/concerning 'afterlife' are as many and varied as the distinctive pagan religions themselves. From an anthropological viewpoint, much can be learned about a culture or religion in the way they view life beyond death, the manner in which their dead are treated/regarded, and the rites and rituals performed in benefit for the dead and the living.

This course on Paganism was a twenty weeks of positive, informative lessons. I would recommend this course to anyone who would wish to further their knowledge of Paganism. After all, not every one is a member of, what is considered, the 'main stream' religions. Nor should one who is a Pagan be regarded as an eccentric fool. The world is full of different beliefs, different religions...all valid, all sacred to their followers. Respect is due to all.

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Confession and Absolution of Sins from ULC Seminary

2011-11-24T01:14:00.000-08:00

Confession and Absolution of Sins

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Spirituality Course

2011-11-22T12:16:00.000-08:00

Dr. of Spirituality
Lesson 2
Homework
Brendan Cook

Prayer Exercise
1) There is a prayer that I use every time I put on and take off my mala, called a gatha in the Buddhist tradition. The version that I use is vastly simplified, and is intended to draw attention to the act of putting the mala on and my role in bringing enlightenment more widely into the world. Currently, it goes like this: I vow to wake up and see the world as it truly is. I will save (that is, bring enlightenment to) all sentient beings.

In taking the perspective based on the understanding of what God, His Son and what I really am, I would rephrase it this way: I see the world as it truly is. I extend love to all beings.

2) Dear Father, help me to grow into the fullness of your boundless, endless, all-encompassing Love. Help me to feel your Love in all things, in all places, and to see it in all people. Please help me to fulfill the promise you made in me: To be innately and authentically worthy of your Love, and to manifest that Love in the world.

As I begin to accept my place as a part of God’s Love, existing within his boundless Love, that love will start to pour over into all aspects of my life. My work will benefit because I will be more easily able to connect with my clients, and I will manifest that Love as a part of my treatments. My family relationships will benefit as the Love will permeate my relationships with my children and especially with my wife. Our levels of understanding and love will grow as God’s Love infuses those relationships.

As I grow to accept my worthiness and my lovedness, old hurts will be released and healed. Any sense of lack, stemming from a feeling of unworthiness, will be released and be replaced by a sense of complete worthiness. This will manifest in numerous ways, in friendships, finances, familial relationships and more.

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Spirit Quest

2011-11-20T01:28:00.000-08:00

Comments on the Spirit Quest course

by Rev Daniel S. Irwin

Spirit Quest, a course which truly assists one on their spiritual journey. A spiritual journey that embraces one's spiritualism no matter to which or what 'established' faith group one may belong. Even those referred to as being members of 'the other church', meaning atheists, can find value and useful insight and information in this course.

Thirty weeks and each week I anxiously awaited the next lesson. In this course, there were a marred of helpful ideas presented in the lessons. Setting spiritual goals, spiritual growth, and awareness of the world around one (tangible and intangible elements) can lead to an unexpected enrichment of the spirit.

Not only have I learned (in my way, at my 'beginner' level) how to use this information, but it will prove quite valuable in my attempts to help others. I could use the phrase "I particularly liked' referring to a lot of things here in the course.

I was taken with the brake down of 'tools' in facilitating a healthy spiritual awareness. The grounding chord, golden sun, protection rose are invaluable tools in dealing with one's own spiritualism and psyche as well as establishing a healthy relation with the world.  Setting spiritual goals and a timeline for same is just a part of establishing harmony in one's life.

Harmony in one's life, in body and spirit, enabling spiritual growth is the goal of meditation. Meditation set to dealing with the world, dealing with others, dealing with the self for, as noted in the lesson, change basically comes from the changes one makes in one's self. For others to change, you must change. And if the change you make in yourself does not suit those around you, then ,perhaps, it is better to not have those people around. Conflict with others creates negative energy.  In our spiritual growth, we work to eliminate negative energy. Negative energy disrupts the peace and harmony of our spiritual goal.

Forgiveness was a particularly interesting subject covered in the lessons. A matter of forgiving and, as they say, 'letting go' of the negative memories/aspects. Revenge is to be avoided in thought and deed. Actions in retaliation take away from one's own spirituality and hampers spiritual growth. People make mistakes, people are often cruel, people are subject to unwise acts. The question that should be asks in these instances is, "What made them do or act as they did?". Perhaps there are unknowns to the act. Still, to respond to an unkind act is to further the negative aspect in a snowballing effect and, no matter how much or well you 'got back at them', you, yourself are damaged in embracing the negative.

The lessons on competition, chakras, and karma were very enlightening. I, myself, was unfamiliar with the Chakras and how they effect us. Karma, I have had some insight into but the lesson presented clarified some questions that I had about it. Being an artist, I was very much taken with the 'color' in relation to spirituality. And the 'pictures' lesson was, indeed, a very well thought out and presented lesson on how the world can perceive those around them. As it noted, even a large number of words in a conversation/presentation can be summed up in one basic 'picture'....very much like a 'first impression'.

Reincarnation was discussed in a positive aspect. Well, if one is discussing reincarnation from the stance that they believe in it, it should be discussed in a positive aspect. But, what I found intriguing was the noting of the soul aging and, if on the right path, growing. Here, timeline was addressed in so many words. As with the soul, life , itself, can be seen as past, present, and future. With me, 'past time' is, and has always been, the least important. The present, of course, has value in that that is the 'now', but, I have always looked to the future. Most everything that I undertake has been toward a goal...gaining knowledge at work, furthering scholastic studies, writing, acting, whatever.  And, without realizing it, spirituality. I feel my sense of spirituality has progressed over time with many changes...and these changes always came from the future. Not like science fiction, but in becoming aware of spiritual things as I pass on my journey through time.

I toughly enjoyed this course. I found it enlightening and presented many tools to help me and others as I can. 'Spirit Quest', itself, was a remarkable journey.

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Gospel of Luke

2011-11-16T07:59:00.000-08:00

Gospel of Luke

The debate over who actually wrote the Gospel of Luke is one of the most lively exegetic topics in modern theology. Although some scholars insist that Luke, a companion of Paul who was named in Colossians, is highly likely to have been the author, the debate is by no means settled and there are many who believe that the issue of Lukan authorship is very much up for further research. One of the few things that most scholars do agree upon is that the author of the Gospel of Luke is likely to be the same person who wrote the Acts of the Apostles, since there are many philosophical and stylistic similarities between the two. Beyond this, there is very little agreement, with some scholars even doubting that the author of the books was named Luke.

The most common theory is that the Gospel of Luke was written by Luke the physician.

Luke was a companion of Saint Paul the Apostle and is mentioned on a number of occasions in epistles attributed to Paul. Most early Christian documents assume that Luke was the author of the gospel bearing his name, but it is unclear whether this theory gave rise to the title The Gospel According to Luke, or whether the title gave rise to the theory (Green, 1995). Nevertheless ancient source are almost unanimous in their belief (or assumption) that the Luke referenced by Paul must be the same Luke who wrote the gospel in his name. Supporting this belief is the existence of certain passages in the gospel where the term 'we' is used to referred to activities surrounding Paul, strongly suggesting that the author was an associate of Paul's and therefore tying in with the belief that it was Luke.

However in the preface to Luke there is explicit mention on having eyewitness accounts 'handed down to us', strongly suggesting that the author was not present at the time. This raises the question of why the author would then use 'we' in certain parts of the text, but there are numerous possible explanations for this that, although unlikely, cannot be discounted. It is possible that the preface was written after the gospel, by another author, but in this case the subsequent author clearly went to great lengths to copy the style of the rest of the gospel. Again, however, this cannot be ruled out. It is equally possible that the 'we' portion of the gospel could have been from another author and was simply included by whoever was responsible for the majority of the gospel. A small number of critics have advanced the theory that the author of Luke may have been female.

This is based on the fact that the gospel spends considerably more time dealing with the roles and lives of women, affording more time to the lives of Elizabeth, the wife of John the Baptist, and the Virgin Mary than is the case in the other gospels (Reid, 1996). However, as evidence of female authorship of the gospel, this is clearly extremely thin: there is no reason to think that the author of Luke may not simply have chosen to cover this because he recognised that females were unfairly underrepresented in the other gospels, and this may have even been the reason for the decision to write this gospel in the first place. There is no specific reason to assume that the author was male, but nor is there any firm evidence to support the idea that the author was female.

Most of the debate over the authorship of the Gospel of Luke returns to the use of the term 'we' when discussing parts of the journeys undertaken with Paul. There are those who suggest that this was a stylistic convention of the time, used to refer to long journeys. However there is little evidence to support this idea. Some believe, instead, that the author used the style in order to add an element of historic accuracy to the gospels and perhaps even to misguide readers into believing that he was present when he was not.

Since such practices do occasionally occur today, there is no reason to assume that they could not have occurred at the time that the gospel was written, which is believed to be between 80-90 CE.

There does seem to be a great deal of evidence to support the idea that the Gospel of Luke was indeed written by Luke the physician. Questions surrounding the question of authorship are a popular topic among theology discussions, and many Religious Studies classes focus on this issue. While the arguments in favour of another author can be made to work, they depend on a number of assumptions that seem to exist primarily in order to challenge the popular assumptions of Lukan authorship.

The Gospel of Luke like the other three Gospels depicts the life, teachings, death and the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth. This is the largest of the four Gospels.

The Gospel opens with a salutation to Theophilus and proceeds to tell the story of the appearance of Angel Gabriel to Zachariah, whose wife Elizabeth did not have the ability to bear a child. The Angel announces to Zachariah that his wife will bear a child and that “he will bring back many people of Israel to the Lord their God. He will go as God’s messenger, strong and mighty like the prophet Elijah. He will bring fathers and children again; he will turn the disobedient people back to the way of thinking of the righteous; he will get the Lord’s people ready for him”. The dumb founded Zachariah could not believe the words of the Angel Gabriel. Zachariah was spending a long time in the Temple and when he came out he could not speak. He was punished with the dumbness till the miracle was realized by him. People knew that he had seen a vision in the Temple since he was making signs to them with his hands and unable to say a word.

Gabriel then appears before Mary, who was promised in marriage to Joseph and proclaims that the Holy Spirit will come on her and she will give birth to a son who is to be named Jesus. He adds that “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High God” and that the Lord God will make him a king, as his ancestor David was, and he will be the king of the descendants of Jacob for ever and his kingdom will never end”.

After a few months Mary visited her cousin Elizabeth, and when Mary greeted her, the baby in Elizabeth’s womb “jumped with gladness”. In due course Elizabeth gave birth to a baby boy and he was circumcised and named John. Zachariah regained his speech at that time, as he was filled with the Holly Spirit. The baby grew up into John the Baptist.

Joseph and Mary went to Becklehem to register their names for the census and ordered by Emperor Augustus. There Mary gave birth to Jesus and laid him in the manger. An Angel announced the birth of Christ to the shepherds. The shepherds visited the Holy Baby and spread the word around.

The baby was named Jesus, as preordained, was circumcised, and was taken for the ceremony of purification. There Simeon, a God-fearing man, filled with Holy Spirit, held the baby in his hand and praised the Lord for bringing glory to the people of Israel.

When Jesus was twelve years old his parents took him for the Passover ceremony as usual, but that year he did not return with his parents, and stayed back in the temple, with the Jewish teachers listening carefully, and asking intelligent questions. Jesus grew into a boy of great wisdom.

While Herod was the ruler of Galilee, John the Baptist was appealing to the people to turn away from their sins and to get baptized. He also preached the Good News that one much greater than him is coming to baptize them with the Holy Spirit. He also spoke critically of Governor Herod and subsequently became imprisoned.

When Jesus was about thirty years old the power of the Holy Spirit started radiating from him very powerfully and he was revered and praised by all. The Devil tried his level best to tempt Jesus through many tricks, but Jesus did not succumb to any of the tricks.

But when Jesus went to Nazareth to read from the scriptures, He was not appreciated there. There is a saying that the darkest place is under the candle. Nazareth was the place where Jesus had been brought up. Yet people failed to recognize the Holy Spirit emanating from Him.

The power embedded in Jesus started performing miracles. At Capernaum, a town in Galilee, He drove away the evil Spirit that had possessed a man. He cured the high fever of Simon’s mother-in-law.

Learning about His miraculous powers, sick people started flocking to Jesus. A touch by his hand cured every one of them. He cured a leper of his leprosy. Once a paralyzed man was carried on a bed and brought to Jesus. He told the man that “your sins are forgiven you, my friend”. The listeners were puzzled by this, thinking that only god can forgive sins. They thought Jesus was impersonating God. The paralyzed man walked back home.

Jesus was unconventional in many of his acts. He kept company with outcasts, supported and eating on Sabbath days, and even cured the crippled hand of a man on a Sabbath day. Gradually anger hatred and fear started building up against Jesus among the Pharisees and the teachers of law.

Jesus went on healing and teaching the people who flocked to him. He even breathed life into a dead man. He assured the poor and the sorrow-stricken that there is a great reward awaiting them in Heaven. He taught them to shun violence. He spread the gospel of love. He warned people against judging others. Through powerful parables Jesus started driving great ideas into the minds of the people.

As time passed, the number of miracles performed by the spiritual power of Jesus grew unbelievably. The fisherman who could not net any fish in spite of a hard day’s labor, caught netfuls of fish at the order of Jesus. A mob of evil spirits had been driven away from a possessed man into a group of swine. He calmed a storm in the ocean with a single command. A woman who had been sick for twelve days touched the robe of Jesus and got cured instantly. He raised from death the daughter of Jairus. Once He fed a crowd of five thousand with just five loaves of bread and two fish.

Jesus had gathered His disciples from among the fisherman. He gave them power and authority to drive out demons and to cure diseases. In due course of time He told His disciples about His impending death and resurrection. He recruited more disciples and sent seventy two of them to different towns with the message of God’s love.

To the skeptical teacher of law, He gave the parable of the Good Samaritan. He advised the Pharisees to keep their minds clean and worthy. He even told them that they “are like unmarked graves which people walk on without knowing it.” When one of the teachers of the law protested saying that Jesus was insulting them, Jesus accused them of holding the keys to the house of knowledge, neither themselves going in, nor allowing anybody else to go in. This infuriated the teachers and they wanted to wreak vengeance on Him.

In the meanwhile Jesus went on enriching the peoples’ minds through the parables of the Yeast, Mustard Seed, the Narrow Door, the Unfruitful Tree, Faithful and the Unfaithful Servant, the Great Feast, Worthless Salt, the Lost Sheep and many more. His healing miracles continued as ever. He taught the people that the kingdom of God is within themselves. He reminded them that it is harder for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God than for a camel to go through the eye of the needle.

Jesus drove the merchants from the Temple, and warned people to watch out for the Teachers of Law who take advantage of the weak. They wanted to kill Jesus and finally Judas under the devil’s influence agreed to betray Christ. During the Feast of the Unleavened Bread, Jesus broke the bread and gave it to His disciples saying that it was His body, and gave them the wine as new covenant sealed with His blood. He added that “the one who betrays me is here at the table with me”. Jesus also predicted the denial of Peter.

Jesus was arrested after being kissed and identified by Judas, and Peter three times denied knowledge of Him, as predicted by Jesus. The elders of the Jews, the teachers and the Chief Priests asked Him if He was the “ Son of God “ and He answered “ you say that I am “. For claiming Himself to be God, they decided to punish Him and took Him to Pilate. Pilate sent for Herod. Pilate told the crowd that he did not find Jesus guilty, but the crowd shouted that Jesus must be killed. He was nailed on the Cross along with two criminals.

At Jesus’ death, noon turned into darkness, and the curtain in the Temple tore into two. His body was received by Joseph of Arimathea and some ladies who were with him and He was buried. But the third day Jesus resurrected, as He had foretold earlier. Jesus later appeared before His disciples and then was taken into heaven.

Conclusion:

The word Gospel literally means “Good News”. But the Gospels in the Bible are more than “Good News”. They belong to the genre of biography and historiography. As biography it races the birth, growth, crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus. As historiography it draws a continuous line from the scriptures, from Abraham, through Moses, David, and Isaiah to the age of Jesus.

The gospel of St. Luke, from another perspective, is the exposition of God. Its power as scripture is simply unique.

References

Green, Joel. The theology of the Gospel of Luke. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1995.

Reid, Barbara. Choosing the better part? Women in the Gospel of Luke. Collegeville, The Liturgical Press, 1996.

Andy Gaus The Unvarnished Gospel , 2001.

Rev. Steve Dunkley

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Wedding Training For Ministers

2011-11-13T13:11:00.000-08:00

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Metaphysical Healing

2011-11-11T13:36:00.000-08:00

Below please find my Master of Metaphysical Healing Course Essay for submission for completion of this course and for issuance of the degree, as noted at the end of the Lesson 20:

The Master of Metaphysical Healing Program by Rev. Katherine Lee Kruger, while not as expected based upon the program description in the catalog and the course overview, was definitely of great value and benefit. A result of completing this home study course is that it has reinforced my own understanding of the special nuances of the healer - client relationship and the absolute importance of always being of the highest integrity and highest intent when working within clients’ energy fields. The inclusion of a reiteration of the necessity of being prepared on all levels prior to beginning a healing session was most beneficial, as was The Healer’s Oath at the end of the program, which was appreciated and heartfelt. Where I found the background history of Traditional Healers in South Africa a most informative and interesting glimpse into another culture, and appreciate the hard won accomplishments attained by the author and her fellow practitioners, the beneficial relevancy did not match the expectations of this program as described, nor was I able to find agreement with her declamation verging on diatribe regarding creating realities.

I feel a greater benefit would have been met if the program had delved deeper into the actual energy work processes and techniques. However, I believe I will be able to incorporate most of the processes and techniques into my own healing practice, and especially hold value for the Aura Reading with its “expedition into the body” process, all of the “induction” processes, and the diagrams and discourse on the Chakras and the Human Energy Fields. The meditations and the self-healing process were also found to be of great value. I have, after reading about the author, a respect for what she has accomplished for not only Traditional and Spiritual Healers in South Africa, but also for the time and effort put into providing this home study course.

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Shamanism Course

2011-11-08T13:31:00.000-08:00

Master of Shamanism Final Essay by Russell GreWolf Mauck

I have really enjoyed taking this course, and have learned alot about the history of Shamanism throughout the world, and in other cultures. I was hoping that there would be more details about healing techniques though. In all, the whole course was very educational and informative, and well presented. Bishop Pat has done a fine job with the writing of this course.

As a child, I lived in the four-corners area of Utah, until I was 5 years old. My Dad worked for an oil company and we lived in a oil camp on the Navajo reservation area near Montezuma Creek. I remember having a very high temperature and having a "vision" of cloud pictures crossing the mountains near us. I have always been drawn to the Native American culture and "oneness" with Nature religious views. I never knew what to call my personal religious beliefs, but knew that the mainstream was not what I felt in my heart.

Balance is the key to all things. Balance in the human body, balance in nature, balance in the universe. In today's world everything seems to be out of balance and needs to be put back into balance if we are going to survive as a species. In the Hopi language, the word Koyaanisqatsi means "crazy life, life in turmoil, life out of balance, life disintegrating, a state of life that calls for another way of living". If a person is out of balance, either physically or spiritually then you become sick or ill. Through Shamanic Journeying and other techniques one can start putting their life, and help others to start putting themselves back into balance. We can also do this to help get the Earth back into balance also. In order for us to achieve balance we must use our inner senses to observe the world around us. By using these inner senses with our outer senses we can "see" what needs to be put back into balance. This can be used in both physical healing and emotional/mental healing. We can learn to access, hone and use these inner senses by meditation and spirit journeying.

I have found that Shamanism/Animism is the exact way of my beliefs, in that everything has a spirit and is inter-connected with the Great Spirit. The healing of mind and body is the main purpose of the Shaman. I have experienced first hand how powerful this can be, and that was before I started studying Shamanism. Now that I have taken this and other courses, I can appreciate what energy was actually behind this, and how to use this healing energy in the future. I have learned how to use spirit journeying to learn more, and to heal/help myself and to help others. I am also learning more about herbalism to further expand my Shamanic Path, and find this to be very useful in everyday life.

Thank you so much for offering this course. I have learned very much and will recommend it to others.

Namaste - hindu - "I honor the Spirit in you which is also in me."

Russell GreWolf Mauck

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Gospel of Mark

2011-11-06T07:57:00.000-08:00

Gospel of Mark

The Gospel According to Mark, one of the four Gospels in the New Testament which talk about the life of Jesus Christ, contains some of the heaviest usage of figurative language in the Bible. Whether making comparisons of normal folk, or describing God in allegorical ways, the use of metaphors and figurative language in general is very frequently seen.

The best and most discernible example of use of metaphor is in chapter 4 of the Gospel According to Mark. As Jesus Christ teaches by the sea side to a vast number of people, he taught them in parables with common usage of metaphors. When Jesus says "Behold, there went out a sower to sow: And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way sideBut when the sun was up, it was scorchedand it withered away", he later explains to the confused people that the sower is sowing the message of God, but when they hear it, Satan will come and take away the message that lies in their hearts. By usage of metaphors, Jesus is teaching the people about the message of god, by using a sower and his seeds as an example. This is one of the best examples of figurative language in the Gospel According to Mark. Later, when Jesus continues on and says "is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed, and not to be set on a candlestick?", he is speaking of the message of god and how it should be told and spread among the people, instead of being kept to themselves and hidden away. Lastly, when Jesus says "Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God, or with what comparison shall we compare it," his usage of figurative language as a simile by saying in response "it is like a grain of mustard seed, which when sown in the earthit growth up, and becometh greater that all herbs" proves to be another instance of the apparent usage of figurative language in the Gospel According to Mark.

Of the four Gospels in the New Testament, the Gospel According to Mark has significant usage of figurative language. In the teachings of Jesus Christ in this Gospel, he uses metaphors and similes in the form of parables while speaking to the people. Such figurative language usage is noteworthy because of the age of the text and is an example from which the origins of figurative language can be traced back to.

Jesus Christ lived a very full, if short, life. He did and accomplished more in his thirty years than many men do in twice that. The gospels each tell their versions of his life. Of the four, I found the gospel of Mark to be the most interesting. I enjoy the style of writing in this gospel more than the others. I feel it gives a better summary of the events in Christ's life. Whereas the other gospels tend to get bogged down with parables or spend too much time on specific events, the gospel of Mark moves along at a good pace and adequately gets the message across.

A majority of Mark deals with Christ's travels throughout the area around the Sea of Galilee and the various miracles he performed during that time. Most of these involved healing those with leprosy or other plagues, exorcising demons, or curing the blind/deaf/dumb. The stories of Christ feeding thousands with but a few loaves of bread and a couple of fish are also told, as is the story of Jesus walking on water. All of the miracles are described well, without getting too wordy. The style of writing also makes them believable.

Only a handful of Christ's parables are included in Mark. One speaks of how "the sower soweth the word." In this parable, Jesus speaks of himself as a sower and compares spreading the Word of God to planting seeds (the Word being the seeds). He also compares people to the different types of ground you can plant seeds in. At the end of the parable, Christ says that any man who spreads the seed also spreads the kingdom of God, and any man that withholds the seed shall see the kingdom of God withheld from him (Mark 4:24-26). This is a beautifully written passage. Without coming out and saying, it, Christ makes it apparent that it's not enough to merely worship; one must also go out and preach to the unsaved and try to help them see the light.

Another parable tells of the rich young man who asks Christ how he may attain the kingdom of God. Christ asks if he as followed the Ten Commandments, and the young man says he has. Then Christ tells him that he has to give all his possessions to the poor because he will have no need of such things in Heaven. This saddens the young man because he has many possessions. After the young man left, Christ told his disciples that it is difficult for the rich to get into Heaven because they put too much faith into their riches. "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God," (Mark 10:25). This is a poignant message. Christ then says that a man who gives up everything for his faith will be well rewarded in Heaven. This parable is timeless. It speaks of the downfall greed can force upon you. In the end, no matter how much you have, you can't take it with you.

One of the most widely told stories of Jesus is written in Mark. Upon visiting the Temple in Jerusalem, Christ finds it is overrun with merchants and moneychangers. Enraged, Jesus overturns the tables and calls the temple a den of thieves. This angered the priests and scribes of the city, and they sought to destroy Jesus. Perhaps it was this act, above all others, that truly set the priests in motion to bring about Christ's death.

The last two chapters of Mark tell of Christ's trial before Pilate, his crucifixion, and his resurrection. This was perhaps the only part of the gospel that I felt was rushed. Surprisingly little (in this gospel) is written about such an important series of events, especially where the resurrection was concerned. I feel this takes away from the importance and overall effect of Christ's return.

I look at the gospel of Mark more as a biographical sketch than anything else. While there is some dogma involved, it is held in check in favor of telling about the life of Jesus Christ. Because of a heavier emphasis on biography, I find that Mark is more believable then the other gospels.

References: NIV Study Bible. Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, MI. 1995.

Andy Gaus The Unvarnished Gospel , 2001.

Rev. Steve Dunkley

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ULC Religious Philosophy

2011-11-03T13:01:00.000-07:00

Master of Religious Philosophy - Final Essay

Out of all the courses I have taken for the Chaplaincy program, this is by far the most interesting and close to my hart subject of all. I have truly enjoyed this material, and it has spawned my interest and studying of additional subjects raised in this course. That is why it has taken me quite a bit longer to complete it; as it has sidetracked me many times.

I just re-read the complete course and I have just realized how I have grown since the first time around, through my side studies, discussions with many others, and philosophizing.

Over the last few years, before I started my chaplaincy program and also during, I have found myself more and more of a “universalist”, and now even more I call myself an “amalgamist”.

Lesson 8 – “the Five ‘A’s”, really hit home for me. This lesson put into words and structure for me what I had come to realize over time. This is the subject matter I most often discuss with others, of many different faiths and denominations. It has gotten me “into trouble” several times, where people leave the dinner table, argue, or just do not want to discuss any further. I now realize that they are stuck in the first “A”: awareness and cannot even get to the acknowledgement step.

However, I have had many good discussions as this starts people thinking.

I make it very clear with every discussion that I am not proselytizing or try to doubt their own faith. However, I do believe that to strengthen their own faith they need to listen to others and use their own reasoning.

In order to go deeper into understanding the “religious philosophy” I have contacted local clergy, including one of my neighbors who is a Mormon Bishop, in order to discuss their point of view and how they interpret their faith vs. others.

One of the concepts I still am trying to grasp is when one faith truly beliefs that when you are not part of their faith you will not be saved, how to they interact with another faith who beliefs exactly the same.

On a related note: twice now I have had a great opportunity to really get into other beliefs and learn more. Earlier this year I was working on a consulting project in Montreal Canada, and was part of a team mainly made up of North African Muslims. Now, just like Jews, you can be Muslim by birth or Muslim by faith. I had many discussions with both, and was able to ask more “intense” questions to the more moderate Muslims.

I was able to understand much more about Islam and the general foundation and beliefs of it.

The second thing that happened was that I have become involved as the president of a local non-profit organization called “International Festival”. Our mission is through events and an annual festival to promote understanding of the different cultures in our town (we are not focusing on the religious aspect but of course we have the Hispanic Roman-Catholics, the Somali Muslims, and the original Lutheran white population). Through that I have become very close with the local Somali Muslim population, and built a true friendship (their initial suspicion really goes away when I recite the Shahadah or parts of the Qur’an in Arabic—I am studying that as it really helps me understand that religion). This summer I was invited to the local mosque, together with the mayor, city manager, chamber of commerce, county officials and local clergy to discuss with the imams and Somali leaders how we can improve relationships between the Muslims and the original local population—I was very honored to be included in that discussion.

This has now lead to where I am actively planning with the Somalis and some Christian friends a series of “Common Word” discussions in town. I have attended some of those in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area and I believe this “movement” which is spreading worldwide helps understanding.

I also like to term “anthropologist of religion” as mentioned in this course. It kind of defines me who I am. Even though I have become of faith some years ago and consider myself close to God, I can use the philosophical aspect or religions to understand, and to explain to others how I feel and how others believe and feel.

Also, eventually in my role as Chaplain, I think it will help me guide people who are “seekers” to a religion or faith that they would feel comfortable in.

I can go on and on but that has been the story of my life lately… Several times when discussing with others, and running out of time, we mention it would be great to do for a week on a camping trip into the wilderness (with lots of coffee) and discuss and philosophize about religions and faiths.

I have already made the decision that once I finish the chaplaincy program I will continue my religious studies in the philosophy direction.

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Rev. Peter Paul

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Spirituality Course

2011-11-01T12:11:00.000-07:00

Doctor of Spirituality
Lesson 1
Homework
Brendan Cook

Prayer Exercise
The primary obstacle to recognizing the presence of Love within me is, as it likely is for most people, the ego.
The ego, this “small self” exists through, and thrives on, fear. The ego is what emphasizes and maintains the notion of separation between self and other. I am me, you are not me. The fears that bring the ego into being are fundamental ones, chiefly survival. When an infant is born, it is completely egoless. Once it begins to be able to move on its own, and physically be separated from its mother, then the ego begins to form, as this being needs a way to be able to see to its own needs and survival (however unlikely that might be at such a tender age).

This ego begins the work of establishing the boundaries between self and not self, in order to try to make sense of the world. The ego continues to form as the child grows, which is why childhood traumas (physical and psychoemotional) have such a strong role in determining how we perceive the world as adults. And this is where the obstacle comes in to recognizing that we are a part of and exist wholly within God’s Love.

It is worth noting that one spiritual tradition which is widely recognized as having had some of the most loving, enlightened and egoless masters is Buddhism. This is largely due to the nature of the practices, which seek to eliminate the ego. While the ego, once formed, can never be gotten rid of, its influence of fear can be, and the meditation practices within Buddhism are excellent for that.

Zen Master Shunryu Suzuki (author of Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind) made the point over and over that we can attain enlightenment when we return to the heart-mind of a child. Suzuki was advocating a return, through meditation, to a state of awareness and being where the ego was no longer required to protect us from the world, so that we could fully connect to it and all the things and people in it. This is not to say that enlightened spiritual masters have come only from Buddhism; far from it. But the Zen practitioners often have a very clear, simple, direct and unvarnished way of putting things which make them easy to understand intellectually, easy to begin to practice, which only later reveal their true depths.

Modern Zen Master Robert Kennedy, S.J., a Roman Catholic priest and member of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits), has been quoted as saying that he never feels closer to God than when he is on the meditation cushion. Getting the ego out of the way allows us to truly perceive and connect with the universe in which we live, which is all God’s Love.

With respect to how prayers might change if we are fully connected to and realize the Love of God, we must begin with the notion of fear. If we start from the position that fear stems from the belief that Love is or can be absent, and that simultaneously it is impossible for the all-encompassing, all-pervasive Love of God to be absent, we now have an emotion which is based on unreality. This fear is simply a manifestation and construct of our ego. It does not exist; it does not have its own separate verifiable reality.

If we have accepted the idea that God’s Love can never be absent, that it can never be diminished, that we exist wholly within it, that the entire universe exists within it, that all the universes of the multiverse do as well, then how can it be threatened? As there is nothing which is not contained within God’s Love, how could something threaten it? To connect to it requires only one simple, but perhaps monumentally difficult act: Recognizing and accepting our place within God’s Love by completely releasing our fear.

This, in turn, will affect both how we pray and what we pray for. Many people pray to God – or, perhaps, more toward God. There is a sense that God is “up there” or “out there” while I am “down here.” However, the recognition that we are all WITHIN God’s Love changes things. We are no longer separate from God, which means we no longer have to pray TO God. Once we have accepted that we exist within the Love of God, we can pray WITH God. Rather than pray for a specific result, or specific thing, we can, for example, pray that God’s will reveal itself more fully in our lives.

It is for this reason that Jesus prayed, “Let this cup pass from me, but your will be done.” When he was about to be betrayed, Jesus asked if he might be released from his suffering, but only if it was God’s Will. It is natural to not prefer suffering, and so Jesus asked that he might be spared that, but at the same time, put himself wholly within God’s Love. Like Jesus, putting ourselves wholly within God’s Love allows us to pray with God that his Love and Will manifest through us.

Prayer Visualization
During the portion of the prayer visualization where we were supposed to affirm our intent to come to a deeper understanding of Love’s presence, I noticed a similar experience to when I practice a metta (loving kindness) meditation. I noticed after a few minutes a strong sense of compassion filling me.

Upon opening my eyes and looking around, I noticed that my perception of things was slightly different. Things seemed both more and less real. Despite this shift, I felt very strongly grounded and present and the sense of compassion did not diminish now that my eyes were open.

In bringing to mind a situation in which I felt scared, I went back to my childhood. I recalled an event that occurred when I was about 4 or 5. At the time, we were living in Madagascar and I was attending a French school. Due to what I found out later was a series of miscommunications, nobody came to pick me up at the end of school. I waited and nobody came. I was the only student left, and still nobody came. The teacher sat with me, and still nobody came. She and the headmistress tried calling out house, but could not reach anyone on the phone (probably more a function of shoddy infrastructure than my parents not being there to answer). By now it was getting dark, and I was still there waiting with the headmistress. At about 7:30 or 8, my parents finally arrived to pick me up. I was very scared and very lonely.

This experience left an indelible impression on me, despite the fact that I was with someone the entire time and that my parents did, in fact, come and get me. I left me with a constellation of feelings and beliefs about being left behind and/or abandoned. Doing this visualization helped me realized several things: 1) this has been with me now for over 30 years, 2) this experience has had a significant influence on the way that personal and romantic relationships have been experienced. More importantly, however, continuing the meditation even after the sense of peace filled me has actually helped me heal the trauma to a certain degree.

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Historical Jesus

2011-10-30T12:48:00.000-07:00

Final Essay
Search for the Historical Jesus

Submitted by Ernest Kayorie

The search for the Historical Jesus course has been a delightful review/romp through the various theories surrounding this controversial subject. The instructor takes you through the various theories surrounding the search beginning with Reimarus and his school of thought and ending with current theories which have recently found fresh food for thought on the subject. The instructor’s expansion of ideas about Jesus’ kingdom theories and his approach to his role as a way shower and messenger is carefully explained to show how each could be a viable explanation of Jesus’ role on the world scene.

The search for a better representation of this important figure is a worthy journey and the only one that makes any sense. If we can determine who this individual was and how he viewed himself and his role, we might better appreciate his message of simplicity. His strong sense of mission and his insistence on establishing the kingdom of God was a message of timely import. He stated over and over again that the kingdom was within and not an earthly one that was hoped for by many.

The otherworldly persona placed on him and his role has been the product of other’s thoughts and philosophies under the guise of divine interpretation and is not wholly associated with his message. When historians and theologians create their own divine messenger, it is easy to attribute and manipulate what they thought was stated. The Jesus/God that was created was the product of Jewish thought intermingled with Greek metaphysics. There is no scarcity of documentation attesting to the existence of the God/man Jesus.   The solidification of those theories eventually became a reality as a result of the   decrees issued by the various Church councils.   On the political side, all of this to insure that the emerging administrative church could take its place as an heir to the Roman Empire. On the spiritual side, the Fathers (theologians, philosophers et al.) of this organization were sincerely earnest in their quests to understand the divine nature of Jesus/God’s message and messenger. They endeavored to interpret doctrine and dogma in the best possible way for the Church and its followers.

The major challenge begins when one realizes that the subjects are on two different levels. The Fathers of the Church were dealing with their own conception of their deity or at least the one that came to be accepted as the “true” god. The search for the historical Jesus is a search for a “real” human being who had hopes, aspirations, ideals and a sense of mission or not. The human Jesus is the one that people can identify with as opposed to some “created” superhuman giant.

The value of the search is important because the closer we get to valid possibilities, the better we can appreciate those possibilities. This seems to be the only way to proceed because of the scarcity of first hand documentation. Jesus apparently did not write his teachings down but relied on oral transmission of his message to others and seemingly left it to their discretion to relate what was said and meant.

Historical research has a tendency to rely too heavily on its own definition of historical fact. Much of what we know of our own historical past is based on tradition and also fictionalized versions of those individuals we deem as great personages. The same situation applies to the individual we know as Jesus. The translation of apocryphal writings, some very fictionalized, present a very human Jesus. They present stories of his mother’s life and his childhood. They relate stories of his family life and how he was viewed by his peers and neighbors. Again no one person has played on the imagination of the world as has this person. The more we have a chance to know and experience Jesus, the easier it will be to make an informed decision about his mission and how it can influence our lives. Millions of individuals look to the New Testament as their leader and guide without questioning the authenticity of the writings.   Many do not question anything relating to “accepted” scriptures not realizing that the canon of those scriptures was the result of a decision made by men and sanctioned by an organization. They were the result oftentimes of decisions motivated by bitterness and jealousies and petty rivalries.

This writer finds that the search for the historical Jesus is a worthwhile endeavor in and of itself and finds that delving into that search is both exciting and informative.

The role of the academic community devoted to finding the historical Jesus beginning with Hermann Reimarus’ investigations (1778/old quest), and continuing today with the Jesus seminar groups has brought to the forefront the necessity of finding out who the human Jesus was. The recently formed Jesus Project continues the search with promised results that will be as varied as previous attempts no doubt.

Prior to these endeavors, it seems that the existence of a historical/human Jesus had become irrelevant. Who needs to be concerned with humanness when we have a divine being to emulate?   As was pointed out in the course, quite simply human and divine…they were the same or at least they were explained as how that could be. The years of establishing that fact was the result of the first seven Church councils and since that time, little alteration has been necessary. As time progressed and the farther we got from that fact, the need to reacquaint ourselves with the source became evident. There is ample evidence that suggests that each culture who claim to be Christian see their founder in their own light. In this case, people are not interested in the Jesus of history but prefer to “worship” their own conception of Jesus even if that conception is exaggerated or totally distorted. As an example, some Christians find the fact that Jesus was Jewish to be an affront to their beliefs. They prefer their “god” to be like them.

The value of the search for the Jesus of history forces us to confront falsehood and study this popular figure for what he was, namely a Jewish man from the Middle East who was responsible for relating a message that could change lives for the better. The simplicity of that message is astonishing and will remain so despite the efforts of so many to destroy it, albeit in good faith. The value of the various quests definitely lies in the fact of seeing this person as everything from a social revolutionary to a wandering peasant sage to a disillusioned teacher who was ushering in a new age. The search will go on under the guise of different theories with different names but the importance lies in the fact that the search continues. Seen in this vein, it seems that the search for a valid explanation of who the historical Jesus was is a separate study from what has been the search for our own cosmic significance.

The quest for the historical Jesus has transitioned to a quest for the Cosmic Christ. The search for the Cosmic Christ has become the quest of modern man in search for his own destiny. It is the time for our return to our beginnings and the realization of who we truly are and if Jesus can bring that about in our lives then it’s good to have someone or something to rely on until we find enough confidence to realize that we have to learn to stand on our own.   Was it not said by Jesus through the gospels that “whoever believes in me will perform the same works as I do myself, he will perform even greater works.”    Was this an allusion to the fact that we have inherited the right to become like the “Christed” one that he represented? Paul, in his letter to the Galatians refers to this progression when he says that “I live now not with my own life but with the life of Christ who lives in me” (Gal. 2:20) and again “I must go through the pain of giving birth to you all over again, until Christ is formed in you.” (Gal. 4:19)

As studies progress towards that inevitable conclusion with the pioneering works of Teihard De Chardin and Matthew Fox and many notable members of the scientific/religious community (the list goes on and on), we can conclude that the journey continues.

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