It was on this day in 1968 that Johnny Cash played live at Folsom State Prison. He was well received… Read more

Earlier today I was rummaging through a little pile of sermons delivered by my predecessor as minister of the church I serve, the First Unitarian Church of Providence, the Reverend Dr Augustus Mendon Lord (the picture shown here is from his portrait which hangs in one of our church’s parlors), who served here in Providence between 1890 and 1931. I’ve often wondered about someone with the name Augustus Lord, and what that must have meant in his life. Given that... Read more

THE JESUS SUTRAS Some Early Morning Thoughts on What Might Have Been and Perhaps What Could Yet Be James Ishmael Ford 11 January 2015 First Unitarian Church Providence, Rhode Island Text Compassionate Father, Radiant Son, Pure Wind King – three in one. Supreme King, Will of Ages, Compassionate joyous lamb Loving all who suffer Fearless as you strive for us Free us of the karma of our lives Bring us back to our original nature Delivered from all danger. Great... Read more

I stumbled on this while researching for this coming Sunday’s sermon on the so-called Jesus Sutras, early Chinese Nestorian Christian texts. Turns out that in 782 an Indian Buddhist monk named Prajna came to the Chinese imperial capital Chang’an. He carried with him a collection of Sanskrit Buddhist texts. He found an unlikely collaborator in doing his translations in the person of a Nestorian bishop, Adam. The two embarked on a twenty year long project. The results of their efforts... Read more

I find myself haunted by the horrific storming and murders at the humor magazine Charlie Hebdo’s offices in Paris reported in today’s news. First, for those who ask why Muslims aren’t taking public stands in reaction to such terrible things, in fact they are. The press for many complicated reasons just don’t give the larger Muslim community’s statements the play they really need. At least that’s been so in the past. And I see little reason to believe things are... Read more

WHEN IN DOUBT, TELL THE TRUTH A Meditation on Mark Twain and Living an Authentic Life in Times that Call us to Be Anything But James Ishmael Ford 4 January 2014 First Unitarian Church Providence, Rhode Island Text Let us now consider the real God, the genuine God, the great God, the sublime and supreme God, the authentic Creator of the real universe, whose remotenesses are visited by comets only comets unto which incredible distant Neptune is merely an out... Read more

At least one source asserts the earliest record of a new year festival comes to us from Mesopotamia, some four thousand years ago. It marked the vernal equinox, so took place in mid-March. It appears the Egyptians, Phoenicians, and the Persians began their new year with the fall equinox in September, while the Greeks liked the winter solstice at the end of December. The Chinese New Year is a celebration of the Spring, although the date is arrived at through... Read more

I understand that Arthur Guinness started up his business after signing a nine thousand year lease on an unused Dublin brewery on this day in 1759. So far, so good… I kind of like audacious. And, frankly, after years like the one just passed, looking forward a little audacious may be particularly in order, at least if we want to be hopeful. And, I do, and so, well, here are some of my more audacious hopes for this new year.... Read more

I find my thoughts going to the tragic accident in Maryland where a man on a bicycle was struck and killed by a person driving an automobile. The case is still under investigation. But there are a few facts on the ground. Most important was that the driver left the scene. But then returned twenty minutes later in the midst of the investigation. The other fact that at least caught my attention was how the driver of the automobile was... Read more

I see that it was on this day in 1170 that Thomas Becket, one time tool of the king Henry II, and later thorn in his side in an interesting if generally antique argument over the relationship between church and state where neither were particularly concerned for the actual people under the thumb of state & church died a bloody death, possibly following a casual remark from the king. At the same time on my Facebook feed I noticed an... Read more