Daily Word (5.31.09)

Enthusiasm:

"I am enthusiastic about life!"(DW, 5.31.09)

"Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord." (Rom. 12.11)

Mei Meditatio:

As I focus myself on God in Christ through centering, affirmative daily prayer, I am guided into a positive and hopeful attitude about life. I take events as they come and look for the good of God in every experience I have. With exuberance through faith in Christ I meet the challenges of daily life with confidence that I'll do what is best for myself and others toward greater prosperity.

Through a zeal that emerges from a deep and prayerful faith in God I serve others with a divine love that never fails. In serving others, this benefit comes back to me and the love of Christ is increased in my life and relationships in amazing abundance.

In the name and through the power of Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior. Amen.

Interfaith Alliance's New Online Newsletter

Interfaith Alliance, the U.S.-based interreligious NGO that advocates for religious freedom and equal rights, has ceased their print bulletin (The Light) and is now doing an online-only newsletter. Go to the Interfaith Alliance website for more info.

Huston Smith in Newsweek

The May 18, 2009 edition of Newsweek features the highly influential American religious studies scholar Huston Smith. At 90 years old, Smith is retired and living in Berkeley, CA but is about to publish a memoir, Tales of Wonder, of his life steeped in the study and practice of the world's religions.

The book is to recount his life: growing up in Dzang Dok, China in a Methodist missionary family; becoming a philosophy professor; meeting Martin Luther King, Jr. and befriending Aldous Huxley and H.H. the Dalai Lama; participating in Acid experiments with Timothy Leary; spending 30 years going out and practicing many different religions with people in their culture; and introducing Americans to religious traditions U.S. culture largely knew little about through academic writing, popular books, and public television and speaking.

Smith has said that he ascribes to the so-called "perrennial philosophy," which argues that though there are apparent differences with the world's religions they are nonetheless the same at their mystical core. Smith's scholarly work is often dismissed or even derided by top scholars in religious studeis today (in an academic environment where particularization and specificity of scholarly interest is the rule of the day) for allegedly being overly focused on the sameness or similarities among the world's religions and not acknowledging enough of their obvious and important differences that make them unique traditions in their own right.

While they certainly have a point, I still believe Smith is relevant today because of the need to make the American public more aware of the plurality and diversity of religions in the world (especially in the U.S.) and to do this in a way that is sensitive and approachable to this audience. This means the task must be done with practicality, liveliness, comparison, and conciseness, all of which Huston Smith exudes immensely.

Lisa Miller writes the feature of Huston Smith in Newsweek.

(Photo by Robyn Twomey of Newsweek.)

Daily Word (5.27.09)

Pass It On:

"I am blessed as I give freely of myself and what I have." (DW, 5.27.09)

"It is more blessed to give than to receive." (Acts 20.35)

Mei Meditatio:

Giving and receiving are two sides of the same coin, two interdependent processes of life. We cannot give without a receiver, nor can we receive without a giver. The giving and receiving, giver and receiver need one another; they rely on each other. So, the giving and receiving, giver and receiver are intimately interconnected at the most fundamental relational level.

Thus, when my giving and receiving is done centered in God I'm able to give and receive more freely and openly. Through the loving spirit of Christ within, I become an abundant giver and grateful receiver. With grace and appreciation my giving and receiving are love-actions guided by the life of Christ. As Christ fills my awareness I'm better able to experience the awesome power of love in my relationships as the ever-present process of giving-and-receiving evolves into increasing prosperity.

In the name and through the power of Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior. Amen.

2009 Association of Unity Churches Convention Reminder

For those interested the Association of Unity Churches 2009 Convention will take place in Overland Park, Kansas, on June 8–12, 2009. Highlights of the convention include keynote presentations by Bishop John Shelby Spong and Lynne Twist along with many other speakers and seminars. Keynote presentations are open to the public free of charge.

New Book About Unity's 5 Principles

Rev. Ellen Debenport has published a new book about Unity spirituality called The Five Principles: A Guide to Practical Spirituality. This book provides tools for daily living and suggests possible answers to the some of the great questions humans have been asking for ages.

For those who aren't aware, the so-termed "Five Basic Principles" are considered to be the core teaching of the founders of the Unity movement, Charles and Myrtle Fillmore who lived in the late 19th-early 20th centuries. Let me summarize them in my own words with a little commentary:

1) God is Absolute Good/Love and is present everywhere in all phenomena. God is the benevolent Source of all existence, all life and is present in all of creation yet also beyond all creation.

2) Created in the image of God, humans all partake in God's being as children of God. All individuals are unique offspring of Absolute Good/Love. Thus the Spirit of God dwells within everyone and this makes humans inherently good despite apparent evidence to the contrary.

3) We help create our life reality by the action of our thinking. The mental-spiritual realm is the seat of agency by which we are able to shape our experiences.

4) Positive, affirmative prayer is hightened and directed thought-action that increases connection with God and allows us to experience more love, peace, and well-being in our lives and relationships.

5) It is not enough to simply know or grasp these principles, but we must live them by practically applying them daily in our personal, relational, and communal lives. (This principle is particularly important in terms of supporting and promoting social action.)

These five principles constitute the essential tenets of the Unity movement. And, though they definitely don't exhaust what Unity circles believe and practice, they make up the core that most can agree upon. In a sense, these principles are Unity's working "doctrine" (which simply means teaching) that serves to loosely form an identity as distinctly Unity.

So to learn more about the five basic Unity principles and an insightful commentary by an experienced Unity minister, check out Rev. Debenport's forthcoming book.

Read a review of The Five Principles and maybe order a copy.

Buddhism Spotlight at the Center for Progressive Christianity

The Center for Progressive Christianity (TCPC) is highlighting Buddhism as the theme on their website this month. They are offering personal narratives about encounter with Buddhism and Buddhists, book reviews on Buddhism and Christianity, and sample sermons concerning Buddhist themes and how they relate to Christianity.

This is an excellent example of a Christian organization taking initiative to engage with their members, affiliates, and readers about a tradition quite different from Christianity. It upholds progressive values of honoring diversity and being open to dialogue with other religions in the pursuit of greater understanding and spiritual growth.

Check it out here.