On Thursday June 24, 2010 from 7-9pm, Christine Page, M.D. will be giving a lecture at Unity Village about the upcoming and much talked about 2012 prophecies.
Join Christine for what ought to be an exciting lecture, where she'll explore 1) The Mayan prophecy that speaks of a future world of peace and unity; 2) Why it is so important to stay present during these times of change; 3) Why this life, more than any other for the past 26,000 years, is so important for the manifestation our unique soul's destiny; and 4) How to safely surf the waves of change that accompany any birth.
Though I'm not a huge proponent of making too big of a deal of the Mayan calendar and what it might mean, I'm certainly interested in what Dr. Page has to say concerning the hype and oftentimes fear surrounding these "prophecies" and the implications it has for our individual and collective spiritual growth into the future.
Should be interesting. For more info on Dr. Page, the event, and tickets, go to Unity.org's webpage.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Sunday, June 13, 2010
New, Intriguing Topics on Interfaith Voices
For those interested in interfaith issues and aren't aware of the Interfaith Voices radio program, there are some intriguing and stimulating topics recently covered on the show.
1) Last week, host Maureen Fiedler interviewed Stephen Prothero, professor of religion at Boston University, who has just come out with a book called God is Not One: The Eight Rival Religions That Run the World - and Why Their Differences Matter.
This is a very important book and interview. For one, Prothero is a wonderfully clear and interesting speaker and writer. But also, his points are extremely crucial for students, practitioners and leaders of religions and interfaith groups. He argues that there are very significant, very real differences among the world's religions and that we need to start recognizing this.
Indeed, he's right - many of us, especially in the liberal-progressive wings of religions and those involved in interfaith efforts have often been overly focused on the similarities or convergences between faiths. But, we can't ever ignore the beliefs, practices, rituals, myths, and textual traditions that set our religions apart in divergence. Acknowledging and lifting up the similarities is quite necessary for building trust and rapport between religious peoples, but solely focusing on these without recourse to the real distinctions actually does a disservice to the uniqueness and special quality of each religion. This is not to mention the notion that it's the differences that makes each religion so interesting to study, for me. If Confucius was the same as Jesus, if Buddhism was no different than Judaism, if the beliefs of Advaita Vedanta were identical to that of Islam, then studying and engaging the world's religions would be quite boring!
What we need is a good dose of an analogical imagination (to use a term coined by Fr. Dr. David Tracy of University of Chicago Divinity School). That is, rather than the relation between religious perspectives being seen as either totally the same or completely disparate, he suggest the category similarity-in-difference, which is essentially the mode of analogy. Neither a watered-down, lowest-common-denominator kind of sameness, nor an irreconcilable, unrelated disparity, what is needed is a creative, imaginative ability to perceive and understand both simultaneously -- similarity-in-difference.
2) Also, the latest episode is a very controversial topic - don't ask, don't tell and gays in the military. Very provocative stuff. Maureen mediates two opposite positions on the repeal bill in the House currently -- Daniel Blomberg of the Litigation Council of the Alliance Defense Fund (anti-repeal) and Rev. Dr. Welton Gaddy, president of the Interfaith Alliance (pro-repeal). Listen to this show for an excellent crash-course on the topic and to experience religious perspectives on both sides of the issue.
3) And lastly, later in the latest episode there is a brief segment concerned with the 2010 World Religions Summit in Canada, an effort to push the UN to follow through on its commitment to fight poverty, AIDS, and other global difficulties. Maureen interviews Karen Hamilton of the Canadian Council of Churches. She answers tough questions on how to move beyond religious finger-wagging and inspire the UN to get the ball rolling.
All these shows can be streamed and listened to at Interfaith Voices. Check them out!
1) Last week, host Maureen Fiedler interviewed Stephen Prothero, professor of religion at Boston University, who has just come out with a book called God is Not One: The Eight Rival Religions That Run the World - and Why Their Differences Matter.
This is a very important book and interview. For one, Prothero is a wonderfully clear and interesting speaker and writer. But also, his points are extremely crucial for students, practitioners and leaders of religions and interfaith groups. He argues that there are very significant, very real differences among the world's religions and that we need to start recognizing this.
Indeed, he's right - many of us, especially in the liberal-progressive wings of religions and those involved in interfaith efforts have often been overly focused on the similarities or convergences between faiths. But, we can't ever ignore the beliefs, practices, rituals, myths, and textual traditions that set our religions apart in divergence. Acknowledging and lifting up the similarities is quite necessary for building trust and rapport between religious peoples, but solely focusing on these without recourse to the real distinctions actually does a disservice to the uniqueness and special quality of each religion. This is not to mention the notion that it's the differences that makes each religion so interesting to study, for me. If Confucius was the same as Jesus, if Buddhism was no different than Judaism, if the beliefs of Advaita Vedanta were identical to that of Islam, then studying and engaging the world's religions would be quite boring!
What we need is a good dose of an analogical imagination (to use a term coined by Fr. Dr. David Tracy of University of Chicago Divinity School). That is, rather than the relation between religious perspectives being seen as either totally the same or completely disparate, he suggest the category similarity-in-difference, which is essentially the mode of analogy. Neither a watered-down, lowest-common-denominator kind of sameness, nor an irreconcilable, unrelated disparity, what is needed is a creative, imaginative ability to perceive and understand both simultaneously -- similarity-in-difference.
2) Also, the latest episode is a very controversial topic - don't ask, don't tell and gays in the military. Very provocative stuff. Maureen mediates two opposite positions on the repeal bill in the House currently -- Daniel Blomberg of the Litigation Council of the Alliance Defense Fund (anti-repeal) and Rev. Dr. Welton Gaddy, president of the Interfaith Alliance (pro-repeal). Listen to this show for an excellent crash-course on the topic and to experience religious perspectives on both sides of the issue.
3) And lastly, later in the latest episode there is a brief segment concerned with the 2010 World Religions Summit in Canada, an effort to push the UN to follow through on its commitment to fight poverty, AIDS, and other global difficulties. Maureen interviews Karen Hamilton of the Canadian Council of Churches. She answers tough questions on how to move beyond religious finger-wagging and inspire the UN to get the ball rolling.
All these shows can be streamed and listened to at Interfaith Voices. Check them out!
Forthcoming Unity Book on Christology
Rev. Dr. Thomas Shepherd, a Unity minister and chair of the Historical and Theological Studies department at Unity Institute, is coming out with a new book this summer that is centered on Christology - the theological term for the study of who Jesus Christ is and his importance for Christians. It is going to be entitled: And He Walks with Me: Jesus 2.1 - Interactive Edition.
This should be a very intriguing and instructive Unity Christological perspective. Here is an excerpt from the beginning of Dr. Tom's book, explaining the rationale for writing such a text:
"Why add to the towering pile of books about Jesus of Nazareth? One might reasonably argue that too much has already been written about him. What possible good can another volume of Jesus-talk do in today’s postmodern, post-911, post-Christian world? Surely, all the great ideas about the man from Galilee have already fought their way into print. What fair wind of change could another discourse on Christology—by yet another self-appointed theologian—add to the hurricane of words blowing through Christendom for the past 2,000 years? People have continued to eat, drink, marry and give in marriage, and they have muddled through quite nicely without the current volume to guide them. Isn’t it obvious that, while making their lives and raising their families, people have successfully managed to make and re-make Jesus Christ based on the needs of each successive era?
"Yet, it is just that observation—the successive re-making of Jesus, vertically through history and horizontally through contemporary cultures—which distinguishes this book from other works of Christology. And He Walks With Me: Jesus 2.1 – Interactive Edition differs takes seriously the creative process by which people have shaped their Jesuses. In fact, I will argue that creative interaction with inherited images and ideas about Jesus constitutes a healthy, positive course of intellectual and spiritual growth, an essential component in any understanding of Jesus Christ and the faith bearing his name."
This excerpt (as well as my familiarity with his past work) leads me to believe that Dr. Tom's treatise will likely be engagingly written, relevant to our present contextual concerns in 21st century America, and well-informed in terms of the primary and secondary sources used in treating biblical and theological problems. It also is a much needed academically sound and intellectually stimulating treatment of Christology to be read in Unity circles, especially for ministerial students like myself.
Check out Dr. Tom's blogsite here for more info.
This should be a very intriguing and instructive Unity Christological perspective. Here is an excerpt from the beginning of Dr. Tom's book, explaining the rationale for writing such a text:
"Why add to the towering pile of books about Jesus of Nazareth? One might reasonably argue that too much has already been written about him. What possible good can another volume of Jesus-talk do in today’s postmodern, post-911, post-Christian world? Surely, all the great ideas about the man from Galilee have already fought their way into print. What fair wind of change could another discourse on Christology—by yet another self-appointed theologian—add to the hurricane of words blowing through Christendom for the past 2,000 years? People have continued to eat, drink, marry and give in marriage, and they have muddled through quite nicely without the current volume to guide them. Isn’t it obvious that, while making their lives and raising their families, people have successfully managed to make and re-make Jesus Christ based on the needs of each successive era?
"Yet, it is just that observation—the successive re-making of Jesus, vertically through history and horizontally through contemporary cultures—which distinguishes this book from other works of Christology. And He Walks With Me: Jesus 2.1 – Interactive Edition differs takes seriously the creative process by which people have shaped their Jesuses. In fact, I will argue that creative interaction with inherited images and ideas about Jesus constitutes a healthy, positive course of intellectual and spiritual growth, an essential component in any understanding of Jesus Christ and the faith bearing his name."
This excerpt (as well as my familiarity with his past work) leads me to believe that Dr. Tom's treatise will likely be engagingly written, relevant to our present contextual concerns in 21st century America, and well-informed in terms of the primary and secondary sources used in treating biblical and theological problems. It also is a much needed academically sound and intellectually stimulating treatment of Christology to be read in Unity circles, especially for ministerial students like myself.
Check out Dr. Tom's blogsite here for more info.
Friday, June 11, 2010
Social Justice is a Virtue
Here's a very good article by Cathleen Falsani of Sojourners magazine about the practice of social justice as a rather forgotten but re-surging Christian religious value.
It's an excellent appraisal of how actively working for equality and justice in our societies and communities is part and parcel of ethical uprightness and spiritual growth, grounded in the example and identity of Jesus the Christ.
Check it out!
It's an excellent appraisal of how actively working for equality and justice in our societies and communities is part and parcel of ethical uprightness and spiritual growth, grounded in the example and identity of Jesus the Christ.
Check it out!
Building an Interfaith Community in Switzerland
This July, a seminar at the World Council of Churches' Ecumenical Institute in Bossey, Switzerland will bring together over 30 young adults from the Muslim, Jewish, and Christian traditions to address the question: "How can we affirm our identity as Muslims, Jews and Christians not in separation or against each other but in relation to one another?"Activities will include spiritual and educational exercises as well as sports, recreational activities, and everyday tasks, done in the spirit of togetherness in diversity.
For more info visit the WCC website.
(Image from WCC website.)
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Religious Roots of Liberal - Progressive Values
John A Buehrens has just written an excellent op-ed article in the Washington Post concerning the comeback of a recognition of the religious roots of liberal and progressive values.
Check it out and celebrate being simultaneously and inextricably religious and progressive!
Check it out and celebrate being simultaneously and inextricably religious and progressive!
Monday, May 3, 2010
Tom Shepherd on Unity and Doctrine
For those interested and aren't aware of Rev. Dr. Tom Shepherd's blog, he has recently written a post about Unity as a way of life rather than a set of prescribed doctrines. I find most everything Dr. Tom writes to be insightful, engaging, and forwarding a lively attitude of progressing Unity principles in new directions while also incorporating important ideas and language from traditional Christianity.
Tom writes about an increasing tendency in Unity to become dogmatic about Unity metaphysical teachings and language, even though we claim to be a movement grounded in openness and inclusivity that isn't bound to any particular set of doctrines or beliefs. This is why he points to Unity being better characterized as more of a way of life or manner of being rather than prescribed beliefs or teachings to follow.
In the end, my thoughts are simply that religion (including Unity) has always been more about experience and doing things founded upon experience rather than believing or adhering to dogma.
Read Dr. Tom's post here.
Tom writes about an increasing tendency in Unity to become dogmatic about Unity metaphysical teachings and language, even though we claim to be a movement grounded in openness and inclusivity that isn't bound to any particular set of doctrines or beliefs. This is why he points to Unity being better characterized as more of a way of life or manner of being rather than prescribed beliefs or teachings to follow.
In the end, my thoughts are simply that religion (including Unity) has always been more about experience and doing things founded upon experience rather than believing or adhering to dogma.
Read Dr. Tom's post here.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)