A DISCOURSE ON THE TRANSIENT & PERMANENT IN CHRISTIANITY A Meditation on Theodore Parker and the Call of Liberal Religion James Ishmael Ford 19 May 2013 First Unitarian Church Providence, Rhode Island Text There are seasons, in human affairs, of inward and outward revolutions, when new depths seem to be broken up in the soul, when new wants are unfolded in multitudes, and a new and undefined good is thirsted for… There are periods when the principles of experience need... Read more
AWAKENING & SAMADHI IN ZEN A Review of Gregory Shepherd’s A Straight Road With 99 Cures: Coming of Age on the Zen Path James Ishmael Ford When I was asked if I would be willing to review a new book by a Diamond Sangha member who had once been groomed to be Robert Aitken Roshi’s first Dharma successor, I was, I admit, suspicious. I had not heard his name. And, I understood that person, the first person who was “groomed”... Read more
On this day in 1373 Julian of Norwich began writing down an account of a series of visions that occurred during an illness. I have to admit she seems crazy as a bedbug to me. And… There’s something Hakuin like in her, as well, another bedbug crazy wise person. And, her “all shall be well” echoes for me Yunmen’s sublime and haunting koan, “everyday is a good day…” Strange. Compelling. Lovely, in that great leap of heart way… Read more
Not long ago on Facebook, someone, as I recall, a fellow Unitarian Universalist minister mentioned visiting a new city and seeing announcements for worship services for the two most liberal congregations. The UU church advertised the sermon title as “On Consciousness,” while the progressive Christian congregation had a sermon advertised as “Bad Girls of the Bible.” The minister asked, “Which one would you attend?” Now, I actually would have been interested in that reflection on consciousness. But, I take the... Read more
According to the good folk at Wikipedia, this is the day in the year 70 that Titus attacked Jerusalem’s third wall in an all out assault on the city. From that point things go badly for the Israelites… Read more
William Ellery Channing was born on this day in 1780, Newport, Rhode Island. If I were to create a calendar of saints (which would mark birthdays rather than the day someone died, as I want to celebrate what they did not some hypothetical reward in the sweet by and bye), the Reverend Channing would have a special place of honor. Channing was a prominent New England congregationalist minister and a leader of the liberal wing which would, through his ownership... Read more
Yesterday, Rick McDaniel, an old Zen hand and author of Zen Masters of China, who is now compiling interviews for a projected book on Zen teachers in North America drove with his wife to Providence, for a quick visit. After the interviews he writes up brief eight hundred word (or so) accounts for a travel blog. If you’re interested… The small sitting group I host in Fredericton meets at the Shambhala Center—which has been generous in allowing us to use... Read more
We struggled. We won. It is now time to pause and give thanks… Read more
So, an old friend who is also a member of the church calls me up this morning. His spouse, also a friend, also a member of the church are at family court for their divorce appearance. They’re not using lawyers. Turns out they must have a witness who can swear they’ve lived in the state for at least a year. The court is half a mile from my office. Clearly I’m the only one they can call upon at this... Read more
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