MEETING OF THE MINDS. A sermon preached by Galen Guengerich All Souls Unitarian Church, New York City February 3, 2013
|
|
- James Freeman
- 5 years ago
- Views:
Transcription
1 MEETING OF THE MINDS A sermon preached by Galen Guengerich All Souls Unitarian Church, New York City February 3, 2013 Today is the most important Sunday of the year for the National Football League and its fans. Tonight s faceoff between the San Francisco 49ers and the Baltimore Ravens culminates a season-long campaign by the league s 32 teams to win the Vince Lombardy Trophy, awarded to the winner of the Super Bowl. According to a recent survey by the Public Religion Research Institute, 27% of Americans believe God plays a role in determining which team wins a sporting event. Twice that number more than half of all Americans believe God rewards athletes who have faith with good health and success. If God were a patriarchal puppet master, which God is not, God would certainly face a conundrum tonight. The 49ers prodigiously talented quarterback Colin Kaepernick has Bible verses tattooed on his arms, while the Ravens equally talented linebacker Ray Lewis frequently talks about his Christian faith. For those of us who have revised our understanding of God, the outcome of tonight s contest has nothing to do with divine favor. The purpose that unifies each team is not devotion to a puppet master God, but determination to get the football over the goal line as many times as possible. Since the head coaches of the two teams happen to be brothers, the contest on the field is contest enough. The Super Bowl is not a test of divine favor, but a clash of human purpose. Just as players on a football team unite to serve a common purpose on a football field, so do human beings on other fields of endeavor. The iconoclastic author and urbanist Jane Jacobs, who revolutionized the field of urban planning, applies this principle to our nation as a whole. In her 2004 book Dark Age Ahead, published two years before her death, Jacobs says that our nation has cohered around four central unifying purposes over the course of its history. During the founding period, the unifying purpose was political independence, which gave rise to the quest for individual liberty. Independence and liberty, she says, were succeeded by two conflicting versions of freedom: the political freedom of states rights, offshoot of independence, and the social freedom of abolition of slavery, offshoot of liberty. After the Civil War resolved, for a time, the conflict between these two concepts of freedom, a second broad cultural purpose developed, known as manifest destiny. America s expansion across the North American continent was fueled by a widespread belief that we could redeem this old world by creating a new heaven on earth. As the turn of the twentieth century approached, America became united by a third unifying purpose, a commitment to reform. Americans sought to perfect their ~ 1 ~
2 society, Jacobs says, by eliminating child labor, extending the vote to women, combating corruption and fraud, embracing public health measures, outlawing monopolies, initiating environmental conservation, and protecting the rights of laborers. This reforming spirit culminated in President Franklin Roosevelt s proclamation of the Four Freedoms, which link economic aims (the freedom from want) to human rights (the freedom from fear). After the twin traumas of the Great Depression and the Second World War, America unified around a fourth purpose: full employment. This insistence is enshrined in the so-called dual mandate of the Federal Reserve: full employment and price stability. For her part, Jacobs believes full employment and the quest for economic prosperity generally has been the unifying purpose of American life ever since. If football teams and nations cohere around unifying purposes, so presumably do religious groups. Unfortunately, religious groups often cohere around commitments that aren t reasonable and purposes that aren t constructive. The result is what the singer and songwriter Greg Graffin calls bad religion, which happens to be the name of the punk band Graffin formed more than 30 years ago. Over the course of 20 albums, the band has worked to expose bad religion in both its ecclesiastical and political forms. Graffin, who somehow managed to pick up a PhD in zoology from Cornell along the way, has also co-authored two books about religion and science, one about whether belief in God is good, bad, or irrelevant, and the other about faith, science, and bad religion in a world without God. Even at their baddest, religious groups cohere around a unifying purpose. Graffin s song Meeting of the Minds chronicles three pitched battles in Western history, two of which were religious. The first came during the Council of Nicaea in the year 325 of the Common Era. Christians who believed Jesus was the divine son of God confronted those who believed he was a uniquely-inspired, but nonetheless human, prophet of God. Sadly, those who championed the magical explanation for Jesus influence prevailed. The decision of the Council, now known as the Nicene Creed, remains the most widely used creed among Christians today. When belief in the supernatural trumps belief in reason and experience, the result, Graffin suggests, is bad religion. I agree. The second battle chronicled in the song Meeting of the Minds concerns the trial in 1925 of a Tennessee science teacher named John Scopes. He was accused of teaching evolution, which was against state law. The trial pitted three-time presidential candidate William Jennings Bryan, arguing for the prosecution, against the famed defense attorney Clarence Darrow. Scopes was convicted and fined $100, though the verdict was later overturned on a technicality. Even so, the Scopes trial ignited a culture war between fundamentalists and modernists in America, a war that still rages on. Graffin s point in the song extends beyond the obvious conclusion that some religious decisions and purposes are better than others. Religious convictions develop, and moral purposes take shape, Graffin writes in the chorus ~ 2 ~
3 At the meeting of the minds. Reading of the times. Open the blinds. To our complicated lives. We all need some kind of creed to lead us to light. When Graffin says we need some kind of creed, I take him to mean some unifying purpose that operates in the realm of the transcendent. It takes account of the meaning not of a game or a nation, but of everything: the meaning of life itself. This transcendent purpose opens a window onto the complexity of our lives and world, reads the meaning of our times, and gives us a sense of where to go to find the light. When a group of people develop a transcendent purpose in a meeting of the minds, religion happens. Is the result good religion, or is it bad religion? The answer depends, in part, on whether you have to slam the window back shut in order to believe it. Truth be told, Graffin seldom focuses if at all on good religion. When Bad Religion comes to town in late March for a concert at Terminal 5, I m hoping to have a conversation with Graffin about good religion about a revised understanding of God and an enlightened practice of religion. In the meantime, we will shortly convene the 194 th annual meeting of our congregation the most important day of our church year. It s worth asking how you and I understand good religion. What s our unifying purpose? When we gather for a meeting of the minds, what shared commitment opens a window onto the complexity of our lives and world? How do we read the times? Where do we see light? Inside the front cover of your order of service, you ll find our unifying purpose. It begins with a simple statement: All Souls is a religious community. The three bullets that follow say what we mean by religious, how we understand ourselves as a community, and what difference we intend this religious community to make in our lives and our world. The first bullet says what we mean when we describe ourselves as religious: In the experience of worship, we gather to contemplate the mystery of God, interpret the wisdom of religion, and explore the insights of science. Our purpose is to awaken our sense of the sacred and renew our resolve to transform ourselves and our world. The distinctive quality of a religious community as compared to other kinds of communities is the experience of worship, when we evoke our sense of being part of some comprehensive whole. In worship, we contemplate the mystery of God. Though others may describe the experience differently, God is our name for the experience of being extensively connected to everything to all that is present, as well as all that is past and all that is possible. We also interpret the wisdom of religion. We take up the challenge of holding fast to what is true and letting go of what is false. This effort is made easier because we also explore the insights of science as part of our worship, which sets us apart from most other religious traditions. We take scientific research as seriously as we take religious wisdom. ~ 3 ~
4 The purpose of worship, and of our religious community as a whole, is two-fold: to awaken our sense of the sacred, of being extensively connected to everything, and to transform ourselves and our world. Everything we do as a religious community serves the goal of transforming our lives and our world. Religion holds up a comprehensive vision of the good and moves toward it. Religion is about transformation. The second bullet explains how we understand ourselves as a community: As human beings, we all emerge from the same Source and share the same Destiny. As a community of faith, we make shared commitments and offer mutual support. As individuals, we each bear responsibility for our own beliefs and actions. In this part of our statement of purpose, we acknowledge our debt to our Unitarian and Universalist forebears, who insisted that we all come from one source (the Unitarian emphasis) and we all share one destiny (the Universalist emphasis). In our present-day experience as a congregation, what we have in common unites us into a community of faith; the ways we differ free us to be individuals. Many religious communities define themselves by common assent to an orthodox creed or an authoritative scripture. We do not. Instead, we identify ourselves by the character of our religious community, which rests on the twin pillars of shared commitments and individual responsibilities. The third bullet expresses what we expect of ourselves and each other within this religious community: We practice a discipline of gratitude, by which we acknowledge our utter dependence on the people and world around us, and we practice an ethic of gratitude, by which we accept our obligation to nurture others and the world in return. With these words, we bear witness to our belief that religion is a way of life. That s why we call it the practice of religion. Religion is a way of life that transforms our lives and our world. The distinctive hallmark of our faith is our deep awareness of how utterly we depend upon the people and world around us, and how utterly they depend upon us. Gratitude is the sign that our religion is good, and that we are moving toward light. And good religion has never been more needed than it is now. Jane Jacobs titled her book Dark Age Ahead because she believed the overweening emphasis on consumerism could not sustain our nation as its unifying purpose. In fact, she believed the quest for economic prosperity would tear us apart. People would focus on consumption rather than family wellbeing. Universities would provide credentials rather than real education. Economics would dominate politics, and government would cater mainly to special interests. No one would care about the physical resources on which we depend. When the ideology of the economy dominates our world today as fully as the ideology of religion dominated the Middle Ages, she says, look for another Dark Age ahead. The third pitched battle chronicled in Graffin s song, by the way, is the battle between the market and the government. The best antidote to bad ideology, in my view, is good religion. It will lead us to light. Good religion reminds us that our unifying purpose is not transactional but transcendent. In the ways that matter most, our bottom line as individuals and as a nation is determined not by competition but by connection. As human beings, we come from the ~ 4 ~
5 same source and share the same destiny. We are responsible to each other and for each other. This awareness convenes our meeting of the minds and dictates our reading of the times. With this recognition, we open the blinds to our complicated lives. As our unifying purpose, it will lead us to light. If we follow this path, we will win the only trophy that truly matters in the only game that ultimately counts. ~ 5 ~
SIXTY FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
CHAPTER NO. 27 House Bill No. 185 PUBLIC ACTS OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE PASSED BY THE SIXTY FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1925 (By Mr. Butler) AN ACT prohibiting the teaching of the Evolution Theory in all the
More informationOne of the defining controversies in American society today is the rift between science
One of the defining controversies in American society today is the rift between science and religion, especially as it applies to public school education. Sadly this has been a long standing problem in
More informationThe Scopes Trial: Who Decides What Gets Taught in the Classroom?
Constitutional Rights Foundation Bill of Rights in Action 22:2 The Scopes Trial: Who Decides What Gets Taught in the Classroom? One of the most famous trials in American history took place in a small town
More informationJune 18, 2018 Mark 4:26-34 Faith of our Fathers
June 18, 2018 Mark 4:26-34 Faith of our Fathers It seems like an easy jump to honor Fathers this day and somehow make the jump to God as our heavenly Father, and to somehow either equate the human role
More informationBECOMING A SUPER BOWL CHRISTIAN
BECOMING A SUPER BOWL CHRISTIAN 1 Cor 9:24-27 24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. 25 And every man that striveth for the mastery
More informationWhat We Seek A Kingdom Manifesto
Page1 A Kingdom Manifesto T. M. Moore The Chuck Colson Center for Christian Worldview For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
More informationShelly Gruenwald Central Catholic High School
Shelly Gruenwald Central Catholic High School PUBLIC ACTS OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE PASSED BY THE SIXTY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1925 CHAPTER NO. 27 House Bill No. 185 (By John Washington Butler) Passed
More informationCentral Historical Question: Why was the Scopes Monkey Trial significant?
Central Historical Question: Why was the Scopes Monkey Trial significant? Activity 1 Analysis of a 1925 Biology textbook Directions: Read the introduction and the textbook excerpt and answer the questions
More informationUnitarian Universalist Fellowship of Athens
Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Athens Centering Thoughts Becoming Comfortable with Discomfort by Dr. David Jarrett A sermon delivered on July 31, 2016 At the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of
More informationThe Warm- Up. The Workout TEAM. Lesson: Strong Faith
Lesson: Strong Faith Warm- In this game, we are going to take two volunteers. One will be blindfolded. other will serve as the blindfolded person s eyes. re will be several random objects scattered across
More informationMake sure you are seeing me about make up quizzes and missing work. Warm-Up. Work from Previous Lesson
Work from Previous Lesson Warm-Up Guided Reading: Complete the guided reading worksheet handed out to you. Complete the noes portion as you read Answer the questions in complete sentences Make sure you
More informationWhat s a Liberal Religious Community For? Peninsula Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Burley, Washington June 10, 2012
Introduction to Responsive Reading What s a Liberal Religious Community For? Peninsula Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Burley, Washington June 10, 2012 Our responsive reading today is the same one I
More informationWho Says? Chapter 12: Authority. Dictionaries are like watches; the worst is better than none, and the best cannot be expected to go quite true.
Chapter 12: Authority Who Says? Dictionaries are like watches; the worst is better than none, and the best cannot be expected to go quite true. - Samuel Johnson Differences in recognition of authority
More informationEgor Ivanov Professor Babcock ENGL 137H: Section 24 October 28, 2013 The Paradigm Shift from Creation to Evolution
Ivanov 1 Egor Ivanov Professor Babcock ENGL 137H: Section 24 October 28, 2013 The Paradigm Shift from Creation to Evolution Controversy over the creation of mankind has existed for thousands of years as
More informationTextbook A Civic Biology, 1925
In 1925, Tennessee passed the following law, called the Butler Act: Name It shall be unlawful for any teacher... to teach any theory that denies the story of the Divine Creation of man as taught in the
More informationMarriage. Embryonic Stem-Cell Research
Marriage Embryonic Stem-Cell Research 1 The following excerpts come from the United States Council of Catholic Bishops Faithful Citizenship document http://www.usccb.org/faithfulcitizenship/fcstatement.pdf
More informationIn the first part of this sermon, Jesus shares whom he considers to be blessed by God. Let us hear the ones that Jesus says are blessed.
We will be turning to the 5 th chapter of Matthew today for our gospel lesson. This chapter begins the three chapters of Matthew which are called the Sermon on the Mount. When I visited Israel several
More information= = = = = = Weekly Letters from Amy Oden
Weekly Letters from Oden The following eight letters may be copied and distributed to your class. Ideally, each letter should be distributed the week prior to that particular class session. So, for example,
More informationA PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION. for the CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE
A PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION for the CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE Prepared by: THE COMMISSION ON EDUCATION Adopted by: THE GENERAL BOARD June 20, 1952 A PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION (Detailed Statement) Any philosophy
More informationThe Basic Information Who is the defendant (the man on trial who is accused of committing a crime)?
American Experience Monkey Trial Video Notes Inherit the Wind is a work of fiction, but it is clearly based on the 1925 trial of John Scopes. In order to understand the historical events and real life
More informationPathways to Perpetuate
International Association of Advisors in Philanthropy Conference on Philanthropy 2014 April 23-25, 2014 Pathways to Perpetuate Wealth & Family Heritage: Your Legacy for the Future PRESENTED BY THOMAS M.
More informationPLAYERS ON ART MODELL
Former Broncos and Ravens TE Shannon Sharpe: PLAYERS ON ART MODELL Mr. Modell was one of the main reasons I came to Baltimore. I remember when I met him. He flew down to see me, and we flew back up to
More informationParent - Practice - Partner. him Immanuel (which means God with us ). Matthew 1:23. Athlete Memorized Parent Memorized. Devotion:
3 CHRIST Word 3 CHRIST Word Week 11 Week 1 1 The In the virgin beginning will conceive was the Word, give birth to the a son, Word was they with will call God, him Immanuel (which means God with us ).
More informationالكنيسة اإلنجيلية اللوثرية في األردن واألراضي المقدسة The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land
الكنيسة اإلنجيلية اللوثرية في األردن واألراضي المقدسة The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit
More informationDate: Wednesday, 10 November :00PM. Location: Barnard's Inn Hall
Part Four - 'Made in America: Christian Fundamentalism' Transcript Date: Wednesday, 10 November 2010-2:00PM Location: Barnard's Inn Hall 10 November 2010 Made in America Christian Fundamentalism Dr John
More informationSeven Into Three. A Sermon by the REV. JEFF BRIERE
Seven Into Three A Sermon by the REV. JEFF BRIERE Unitarian Universalist Church of Chattanooga November 9, 2008 I m just curious were you here last week when I spoke about our creedless religion? Raise
More informationYour Excellency, Esteemed Ladies and Gentlemen,
Your Excellency, Esteemed Ladies and Gentlemen, I am happy to meet with you at this, your Annual Meeting, and I thank Archbishop Paglia for his greeting and his introduction. I express my gratitude for
More informationIt Matters What We Believe Rev. Lisa Doege September 2, 2018 Nora UU Church, Hanska, MN
It Matters What We Believe Rev. Lisa Doege September 2, 2018 Nora UU Church, Hanska, MN Well, historically the Unitarians believed...and the Universalists believed...but now we have a wide range of beliefs.
More informationPALM SUNDAY AND PASSOVER Our Judeo-Christian Heritage!
Rev Bob Klein First UU Church Stockton March 29, 2015 PALM SUNDAY AND PASSOVER Our Judeo-Christian Heritage! Some of us Unitarian Universalists who have come from Christian backgrounds aren t that interested
More informationReading Group Gold. Soul of a Citizen by Paul Rogat Loeb. Introduction to Soul of a Citizen. Praise for Soul of a Citizen
Soul of a Citizen by Paul Rogat Loeb Introduction to Soul of a Citizen Soul of a Citizen awakens within us the desire and the ability to make our voices heard and our actions count. We can lead lives worthy
More informationWeek Eleven Handout. Christian History in America: Visions, Realities, and Turning Points
Week Eleven Handout Christian History in America: Visions, Realities, and Turning Points Tim Castner Class 11: The Rise of Fundamentalism and the Scopes Trial Class 11 Goals Explore the Fundamentalist
More informationCereal Box Christians Doug Hamilton
Part III) We are to Celebrate like Cereal Box Christians. We are in a series in recognition of the recent Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver. Athletes from all over the world assembled to compete for the
More informationWhose Team Are You On? I know this may seem like a controversial question to ask on Super Bowl Sunday! I guess that s why it spoke to me.
Whose Team Are You On? I know this may seem like a controversial question to ask on Super Bowl Sunday! I guess that s why it spoke to me. I am not sure Spirit wants us to be complacent. I believe we are
More informationMIXING IT UP: A Liberal Religious Approach to Politics and Religion Rev. Karen Lewis Foley
MIXING IT UP: A Liberal Religious Approach to Politics and Religion Rev. Karen Lewis Foley Unitarian Universalist Church, Ellsworth, Maine November 25, 2007 Readings: Government is a good thing, mostly.
More information86th Commencement Speech, 2004 Connecticut College. Anita DeFrantz '74
86th Commencement Speech, 2004 Connecticut College Anita DeFrantz '74 Thank you President Fainstein. My thanks to the members of the Board of Trustees, the faculty, the parents, families, friends, the
More informationINTRO TO WHO WE ARE AND WHAT UUS BELIEVE! a.k.a. UU 101 Thoughts for Seekers
Rev Bob Klein First UU Church Stockton September 24, 2017 INTRO TO WHO WE ARE AND WHAT UUS BELIEVE! a.k.a. UU 101 Thoughts for Seekers Even if you are completely new to Unitarian Universalism today, you
More informationWhat Lawyers Can Learn About Professionalism from Atticus Finch
What Lawyers Can Learn About Professionalism from Atticus Finch Texas Land Title Institute December 2 3, 2010 Talmage Boston Winstead PC 5400 Renaissance Tower 1201 Elm Street Dallas, Texas 75270 214.745.5462
More informationSermon 7b 2018: God Empowers Us to Face Our Challenges and Overcome Them Introduction: The Underdog Story
Sermon 7b 2018: God Empowers Us to Face Our Challenges and Overcome Them Introduction: The Underdog Story Few stories in the Bible have captured the imagination of western cultures through time Like the
More informationUTILITARIAN UNIVERSALISM A Sermon on the One True Church
UTILITARIAN UNIVERSALISM A Sermon on the One True Church Sermon by Rev. Jack Donovan, February 19, 2017 Unitarian Universalist Church of St Petersburg READINGS Gathering Deut 15, Luke 12, Preamble US Constitution,
More informationCOMMISSIONER ROGER GOODELL PRESS CONFERENCE AT ANNUAL MEETING
COMMISSIONER ROGER GOODELL PRESS CONFERENCE AT ANNUAL MEETING 3-25-15 RG: Good morning, we had a very productive few days and covered a lot of subjects. The NFL made a lot of improvements this week and
More informationMISSOURI SOCIAL STUDIES GRADE LEVEL EXPECTATIONS
Examine the changing roles of government in the context of the historical period being studied: philosophy limits duties checks and balances separation of powers federalism Assess the changing roles of
More informationReclaiming Evangelism
Reclaiming Evangelism Philip Woods Philip Woods is a United Reformed Church minister and former secretary for Mission Enabling with the Council for World Mission (2007 2015). Abstract This paper introduces
More informationCOACHING THE BASICS: WHAT IS AN ARGUMENT?
COACHING THE BASICS: WHAT IS AN ARGUMENT? Some people think that engaging in argument means being mad at someone. That s one use of the word argument. In debate we use a far different meaning of the term.
More informationFirst Presbyterian Church PC(USA) Discernment Frequently Asked Questions
First Presbyterian Church PC(USA) Discernment Frequently Asked Questions Q1. What is the PC(USA) denomination and its relationship to First Presbyterian Church Harrisonburg? A1. First Presbyterian Church
More informationReformation 2.0 Clay Nelson
Reformation 2.0 Clay Nelson Until 500 years ago this year, one church had controlled all of Western Christianity since the Council of Nicea. It had become grievously corrupt, in part because it had become
More informationGetting to know the Gesimas
Getting to know the Gesimas Sermon preached at Pusey House on Septuagesima Sunday, 2015 by the Principal, the Reverend Dr George D Westhaver Friend, I do thee no wrong;..is it not lawful for me to do what
More informationStrategic Prayer for the Mountain of Education
FAMILY MEDIA RELIGION EDUCATION ARTS GOVERNMENT BUSINESS SEVEN MOUNTAINS OF CULTURE Teach the Children International by Historical Entry Points for the Mountain of Education Thank you for your interest
More informationReligion Beyond Belief
Religion Beyond Belief Peter Morales In the congregation I served in Colorado, and as I have traveled across the country, I have heard hundreds of stories of people who came to Unitarian Universalism as
More informationMeghan Trainor and company dances and sings All About That Bass.
All About Dem Saints All About That Bass, released by Epic Records in 2014, was the debut single by American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor. Co-written by Meghan and the song s producer, Kevin Kadish,
More informationColorado State Head Football Coach Jim McElwain Signing Day Press Conference Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2012
Colorado State Head Football Coach Jim McElwain Signing Day Press Conference Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2012 (Opening comments) I can t tell you how exciting of a day it is and what a great day it is to be a Ram.
More informationThe Sum of All Reverence Rev. Dana Worsnop Boise Unitarian Universalist Fellowship 1 February 2015
1 The Sum of All Reverence Rev. Dana Worsnop Boise Unitarian Universalist Fellowship 1 February 2015 It is commonly held that ministers really only have one sermon in them and that each Sunday we re just
More informationAnswering Questions You May Have About ReForming
Answering Questions You May Have About ReForming Colonial s Church Council, with the enthusiastic support of our ministerial staff, is launching ReForming - What is God Calling Us to Next? This is a church-wide
More informationAn Historical Overview
1 An Historical Overview A pastor, in criticism of my stubborn insistence that the first priority of the church is to be the pillar and support of the truth, wrote, The Bible does not place a great priority
More informationThe Trump Administration Says Colleges Are Suppressing Free Speech. How Should They Respond?
The Trump Administration Says Colleges Are Suppressing Free Speech. How Should They Respond? By Sarah Brown October 02, 2017 Premium Chronicle photo by Julia Schmalz Students and professors at Georgetown
More informationAn Accomplishment, Not a Doctrine Unitarian Universalist Church of the Desert Rev. Suzanne M. Marsh September 27, 2015
An Accomplishment, Not a Doctrine Unitarian Universalist Church of the Desert Rev. Suzanne M. Marsh September 27, 2015 Lately, after all the research and reading are done for a sermon, I find myself thinking
More informationSPECIAL REVELATION God speaking in many portions and in many ways
SPECIAL REVELATION God speaking in many portions and in many ways Introduction 1. Why do Christians believe that God has spoken through the Bible in ways that he has not through other great religious books?
More informationWhat s God got to do with it?
What s God got to do with it? In this address I have drawn on a thesis submitted at Duke University in 2009 by Robert Brown. Based on this thesis I ask a question that you may not normally hear asked in
More informationFOREWORD HE STILL SPEAKS. The Rev. Erik Christensen Co-Chair, Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries
FOREWORD HE STILL SPEAKS The Rev. Erik Christensen Co-Chair, Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries The year 2012 marks the 25 th anniversary of the 1987 March on Washington, the one historians of the LGBT
More informationFRIENDSHIP POWER. John 15:1-15
John 15:1-15 FRIENDSHIP POWER I was not really watching the Rose Bowl game. The television was on, but I was not paying very close attention. I was over at the diningroom table trying to sort through and
More informationFOR ANGLICAN SCHOOLS IN THE PROVINCE OF QUEENSLAND
AN ETHOS STATEMENT: SCOPE AND BACKGROUND FOR ANGLICAN SCHOOLS IN THE PROVINCE OF QUEENSLAND What sho First Published AN ETHOS STATEMENT FOR ANGLICAN SCHOOLS IN THE PROVINCE OF QUEENSLAND What should characterise
More informationBecoming & Making DISCIPLES. CROSSPOINTECHURCH
Becoming & Making DISCIPLES CROSSPOINTECHURCH www.crosspointetogether.com Becoming & Making DISCIPLES 4 : from suppression to CELEBRATION 8 : from distraction to CONNECTION 12 : from isolation to COMMUNITY
More informationInaugural Address. The Most Hon. Portia Simpson Miller, MP. Prime Minister of Jamaica
Inaugural Address by The Most Hon. Portia Simpson Miller, MP Prime Minister of Jamaica 31 March 2006 I want to begin by recognizing the source of my strength, Almighty God. Let us stand and pray. Almighty
More informationSources of Our Living Tradition: Humanism by Christine Robinson
Sources of Our Living Tradition: Humanism by Christine Robinson The decade of the 70s, with its emphasis on human potential and the overthrow of authorities, was very congenial to the Humanists in the
More informationMiracles. Miracles: What Are They?
Miracles Miracles: What Are They? Have you noticed how often the word miracle is used these days? Skin creams that make us look younger; computer technology; the transition of a nation from oppression
More informationMatthew 25 Gathering 2017: Anglican Justice and Mercy Contending for Shalom. David Hanke September 28, 2017
Matthew 25 Gathering 2017: Anglican Justice and Mercy Contending for Shalom David Hanke September 28, 2017 My name is David Hanke. I m the rector of Restoration Anglican Church, a parish in Arlington,
More informationWhy The World Hates Christians. I. Explaining the world s hatred of Christ, Christians and Christianity
18 If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the
More informationMessiah College s identity and mission foundational values educational objectives. statements of faith community covenant.
Messiah College s identity and mission foundational values educational objectives statements of faith community covenant see anew thrs Identity & Mission Three statements best describe the identity and
More informationDARWIN and EVOLUTION
Rev Bob Klein First UU Church Stockton February 15, 2015 DARWIN and EVOLUTION Charles Darwin has long been one of my heroes. Others were working on what came to be called evolution, but he had the courage
More informationHOW I LIVE 14. THE NEW WAY OF LIVING: Children, Parents and Workers Ephesians 6:1-9
HOW I LIVE 14. THE NEW WAY OF LIVING: Children, Parents and Workers Ephesians 6:1-9 The New Testament opens with the four Gospels; four News Accounts! Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are the written proclamation
More informationDid the Scopes Trial Prove that Evolution is a Fact?
1 Did the Scopes Trial Prove that Evolution is a Fact? 33 Folk law has it that the Scopes Monkey Trial disclosed the following:- Evolution is a fact, & Creation science is not scientific. 2 HISTORICAL
More informationProcess Thought and Bridge Building: A Response to Stephen K. White. Kevin Schilbrack
Archived version from NCDOCKS Institutional Repository http://libres.uncg.edu/ir/asu/ Schilbrack, Kevin.2011 Process Thought and Bridge-Building: A Response to Stephen K. White, Process Studies 40:2 (Fall-Winter
More informationGettin Rid of the Rubbish October 8, 2017 Dr. Frank J. Allen, Jr., Pastor Frist Presbyterian Church of Kissimmee, Florida
1 Gettin Rid of the Rubbish October 8, 2017 Dr. Frank J. Allen, Jr., Pastor Frist Presbyterian Church of Kissimmee, Florida Philippians 3:4b-14 If anyone else has reason to be confident in the flesh, I
More informationChristian History in America. The Rise of the Christian Right Major Themes and Review
Welcome to Week 14 As you enter class this week please Get yourself some snacks and coffee Fill out a name tag and introduce yourself to others at the table Begin reading the documents from this week.
More informationFOOTBALL WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA
January 4, 2005 FOOTBALL WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA BREAKFAST MEETING A Session With: KEVIN WEIBERG KEVIN WEIBERG: Well, good morning, everyone. I'm fighting a little bit of a cold here, so I hope
More informationARE YOU READY? Lecture 2 Loss of Truth
ARE YOU READY? Lecture 2 Loss of Truth One word of truth outweighs the world. (Russian Proverb) The Declaration of Independence declared in 1776 that We hold these Truths to be self-evident In John 14:6
More informationNATIONAL PUBLIC OPINION SURVEY
NATIONAL PUBLIC OPINION SURVEY 2017 Survey conducted September 25, 2017. 1,945 General Election voters participated in the survey. Survey weighted to match expected turnout demographics for the 2018 General
More informationThe Ravens and the Steelers Should Be Friends The Rev. Phyllis L. Hubbell Unitarian Universalists of Gettysburg October 7, 2018
The Ravens and the Steelers Should Be Friends The Rev. Phyllis L. Hubbell Unitarian Universalists of Gettysburg October 7, 2018 Song The Ravens and the Steelers should be friends. (Adapted from The Farmer
More informationFrom the publishers of OUR DAILY BREAD
From the publishers of OUR DAILY BREAD beating temptation Addiction to drugs, alcohol, sex, or gambling has plagued the life of many sports people. Sometimes we wonder why talented footballers could so
More informationSERIES- BEEN THERE- DONE THAT- NOW WHAT? LIFE AT THE TOP CAN BE LONELY ECCLESIASTES 4
SERIES- BEEN THERE- DONE THAT- NOW WHAT? LIFE AT THE TOP CAN BE LONELY ECCLESIASTES 4 In chapter 3 Solomon took a look all directions trying to figure out life. He Looked Up and Realized God is in Charge
More informationSBTC Reach Texas Student Lesson
SBTC Reach Texas Student Lesson Who is my Neighbor? Main Passage: Luke 10:25-37 Main Point: A true follower of Jesus is characterized by their compassion towards others. (Bold fonts signify groupings or
More informationBachmann Chooses to Step Aside as a Republican Presidential Candidate
1 of 5 1/23/2012 2:56 PM Michele Bachmann for President Get Email Updates: Home Meet Michele News Issues American Jobs, Right Now Job Creation and Growth No Debt Ceiling Increase A Healthier America A
More informationCreating God in Our Own Image UU Church in Reston March 20, 2016 Rev. Dr. Barbara Coeyman. The Monthly Worship Theme for March is Many Images of God
1 Creating God in Our Own Image UU Church in Reston March 20, 2016 Rev. Dr. Barbara Coeyman The Monthly Worship Theme for March is Many Images of God Creating God in Our Own Image As we explore this month
More informationCracking the Code The Fascinating Truth About Taxation In America 2003, 2007 by Peter E. Hendrickson. Finale
From The Fascinating Truth About Taxation In America 2003, 2007 by Peter E. Hendrickson Our Constitutionally prescribed system of federal taxation partakes of the fundamental moral and legal principle
More information1045 Old Academy Road Fairfield, Connecticut Telephone: Date: November 26, 2017
Greenfield Greenfield Hill Hill Congregational Congregational Church Church 1045 Old Academy Road Fairfield, Connecticut 06824 Telephone: 203-259-5596 Date: November 26, 2017 Sermon Title: A Football Player
More informationSharing Our Faith Pastor Kim Engelman West Valley Presbyterian Church
Sharing Our Faith Pastor Kim Engelman West Valley Presbyterian Church Date: 2016-11-13 Last weekend I was not here because I was at the University of Michigan with Tim visiting Jonathan for parents weekend.
More informationReligion s Role in Education: A Paper discussing the changing And yet enduring role religion plays In America s System of Public Education.
Religion s Role in Education: A Paper discussing the changing And yet enduring role religion plays In America s System of Public Education. Rebecca Flanders Spring 2005 Judaism, Christianity and Islam
More informationVince Lombardi Speaks
Vince Lombardi Speaks Vince Lombardi was more than a football coach, he had a philosophy of life that he deeply believed and lived. So did his teams. So do a lot of winners. One study found that among
More informationHOW GOD RULES A WORLD IN CHAOS. Kingdom Concepts by John E. Schrock
HOW GOD RULES A WORLD IN CHAOS Kingdom Concepts by John E. Schrock GET READY TO BE RATTLED!!! CONTENTS John Schrock challenges me, inspires me, and rattles my theological presuppositions. It is without
More informationHoltzman Spring Philosophy and the Integration of Knowledge
Holtzman Spring 2000 Philosophy and the Integration of Knowledge What is synthetic or integrative thinking? Of course, to integrate is to bring together to unify, to tie together or connect, to make a
More informationGetting into God s Playbook Knowing and Discovering Your Position in God Ken Birks, Pastor/Teacher
Getting into God s Playbook Knowing and Discovering Your Position in God I. Introductory Remarks. John 12:26 If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone
More informationIn Defense of Excellence
In Defense of Excellence Proverbs 22:29, 1 Corinthians 1:1-9 A Sermon Delivered By Chaplain Carey H. Cash United States Naval Academy Chapel 19 January 2014 Holy Father, may the words of my mouth and the
More informationTapestry of Faith Vision Statement
Tapestry of Faith Vision Statement We envision children, youth, and adults who: know that they are lovable beings of infinite worth, imbued with powers of the soul, and obligated to use their gifts, talents,
More informationCERTIFICATE IN ISLAMIC BANKING AND FINANCE
CERTIFICATE IN ISLAMIC BANKING AND FINANCE INTRODUCTION Islamic Finance refers to the provision of financial services in accordance with the Shari ah Islamic law, principles and rules. Shari ah does not
More informationSpirituality in education Legal requirements and government recommendations
Spirituality in education Legal requirements and government recommendations 1944 to the mid 1980s: changing perceptions of spiritual development paper by Penny Jennings An education that contributes to
More informationWHAT IS THEOLOGY AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in your sight O Lord, our strength and our Redeemer. In the Gospel of John, Jesus said, I am the way, and the truth, and the life;
More informationMinistry of Laity in Daily Life
Ministry of Laity in Daily Life The hidden ministry of the people needs to be brought into the light. In practice, the church rewards institutional activities and gives little attention to men s and women
More informationAd Gentes. Missionary Activity
Ad Gentes 1 Introduction to the Summary The final vote at the Second Vatican Council on The Decree on the Church s Missionary Activity or, Ad Gentes Divinitus, ran 2,394 in favor to 5 opposed. One of the
More informationHoly Saturday (Ps.31; Mark ) Sarah Bachelard
19 April 2014 Holy Saturday (Ps.31; Mark 15.42-47) Sarah Bachelard In 1882, the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche foresaw the collapse of the philosophical, cultural background on which Christian
More informationDaniel K. Williams, God s Own Party: The Making of the Christian Right.
European journal of American studies Reviews 2011-2 Daniel K. Williams, God s Own Party: The Making of the Christian Right. Hans Krabbendam Electronic version URL: http://ejas.revues.org/9394 ISSN: 1991-9336
More informationCORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY - Investment Policy Guidelines
CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY - Investment Policy Guidelines The following guidelines were adopted by the 183 rd General Assembly, UPCUSA (1971), and are provided for your information. Affirming the
More information