THE WAY OF LIBERAL RELIGION A Meditation on Unitarian Universalism’s Principles & Purposes 3 April 2011 James Ishmael Ford First Unitarian Church Providence, Rhode Island Text The Way that can be followed is not the eternal Way. The name that can be named is not the eternal name. The nameless is the origin of heaven and earth While naming is the origin of the myriad things. Therefore, always desireless, you see the mystery Ever desiring, you see the manifestations. These... Read more
Off to a day-long zazenkai. The sermon still needs some work, but the timing seems in hand… Joan Halifax forwarded this quote from Thomas Merton, which considering much that is going on in the Zen world, seems particularly appropriate. The most dangerous man in the world is the contemplative who is guided by nobody. He trusts his own visions. He obeys the attractions of an interior voice, but will not listen to other men. He identifies the will of God... Read more
An event shrouded in the mists of time. So, you must be the judge. One history: And another: Read more
Pretty good… Read more
According to Wikipedia, on this day “A sermon on “The Nature of the Kingdom of Christ” by Benjamin Hoadly, the Bishop of Bangor, provokes the Bangorian Controversy.” Seeing this sparked my heart. As a Unitarian seminarian taking a class in Eucharistic theology with the great Anglican theologian Louis Weil, I despaired until I discovered the good bishop. Now, the bishop was an unabashed careerist and unashamed Erastian. The queen once observed the bishop would make a wonderful Archbishop of Cantebury,... Read more
A REPORT FROM THE FRONT LINES OF THE CULTURE WARS Why my church voted to support same-sex marriage. By James Ishmael Ford Standing there, not sitting, holding the phone to my ear, I’d forgotten I could be so nervous speaking in public. I was listening to the end of a conversation on a local talk radio program, waiting to be interviewed about marriage equality and the First Unitarian Church of Providence, Rhode Island, where I am the... Read more
A couple of weeks ago I activated the AdSense app from this blogging service. It was kind of fun seeing what would pop up. Personally I enjoyed seeing things from Mormons and Scientologists & figured most of my readers if they actually were going to click on these advertisements were more into it for the irony, or knowing it would send a few cents my way. Thank you. It looks like I’ve now made about forty-nine bucks! That’s dinner for... Read more
The case: In the midst of famine and civil war Master Yunmen told us “Every day is a good day.” Two commentaries: One: And, two: “Even damnation is poisoned with rainbows.” Leonard Cohen Just this. Just this… (Thanks, Jan!) Read more
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In