+ updated at 1:53pm EST on Wednesday, February 16, 2011
+ I have been gathering idea for what I am now calling THE NEW FAITH FOR THE NEW EARTH for many years. I want to share these ideas as much as I possibly can and so I am now starting this new series of posts on THE NEW FAITH FOR THE NEW EARTH. Your ideas are welcome. Please share them in Blog Comments, on Facebook and Twitter, E-Mails, etc. I invite you to GO TO THE FIRST POST OF A SERIES ON THE NEW FAITH FOR THE NEW EARTH at The Abundancetrek Blog.
+ EzineArticles offers "We Are Not Our Names, Our Titles, Roles, Religions, Bodies or Colors - We Are Spiritual Beings" by Maria Erving. Excerpt: To be enlightened is not reserved for only a few, it's for all of us; to connect with the light within and let it shine to the world.
I follow this wise woman on Twitter. Go to http://twitter.com/mariaerving
+ Inner Frontier offers Inner Work. This week's lesson is "Directed, Unitive Will: Love (Modes of Will: Part 6 of 11).
Excerpt 1: One form of actively directed will working with the unitive energy is compassion. We see another person or an animal suffering and we suffer with them, as if it were our own. We feel compassion. With the unitive energy, their suffering is our own. One natural response is the wish never to cause harm, because harming someone else feels like harming ourselves. That harmlessness radiates and elicits the same in others. When you meet someone whom you immediately sense as harmless, you more easily feel your natural kinship, your shared humanity. Harmlessness feeds back to compassion, because seeing another person’s suffering affronts your attitude of non-harming and invokes your compassionate response.
Excerpt 2: Self-acceptance opens the door to accepting others unreservedly. Aware of own inner challenges and struggles, we see the same in others. Aware of our own desires for meaning, fulfillment, service, peace, love, and fun, we see the same in others. We intuit that we are not as different as we appear. If I can accept my own challenges, limitations, and motivations, then I may be able to accept that in my neighbor. If I can accept who I am, then maybe I can accept my neighbors for who they are. Then acceptance can reach such a state that it disappears. The question of whether or not to accept vanishes. We just are, as we are: my humanity, your humanity, our humanity.
GO TO THE LESSON.
+ Spirituality and Practice offers THE 12s. So far, THE 12s features:
12 Spiritual Energy Boosters: When you have run out of energy and are feeling draggy and depleted, check out these spiritual practices. They are designed to boost your spirits and renew body, mind, and soul. GO TO THE 12s.
AND
12 Uplifting Quotes on Courage: Looking for some inspiration? Some encouragement in a challenging time? Here are 12 uplifting quotes about courage to help you step out into a fuller way of living. GO TO THE 12s.
Showing posts with label Ecumenism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ecumenism. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
COFFEE BREAK 246
+ updated at 2:37pm EST on Wednesday, February 2
+ I appreciate this post -- http://www.evolvingchristianfaith.net/2010/12/trinitarian-calling-unity-in-and.html -- and made a comment. More recently, this blogger offered "Introducing Slavoj Zizek." I made a comment not published yet.
+ a RETWEET: For the last week, Democracy Now! has covered the protests in #Egypt closely. View all of our reports in our archive: http://ow.ly/3P0O1
+ Spirituality and Practice is offering a course on InterSpiritual Meditation. It began Sunday. Not to late to sign up. I wrote the following on the Introductions and Intentions pages:
I believe we must work on creating a new faith for a new earth. The planet needs a new narrative, a compelling story we can all hear and enjoy and sing and dance to the beat. It has begun. Actually it began a long time ago. But we still have a long way to go.
A course like this which brings together people from different wisdom traditions is essential. I wouldn't miss it, even though it overlaps with the other S&P course I'm taking.
Sign Up!
+ I appreciate this post -- http://www.evolvingchristianfaith.net/2010/12/trinitarian-calling-unity-in-and.html -- and made a comment. More recently, this blogger offered "Introducing Slavoj Zizek." I made a comment not published yet.
+ a RETWEET: For the last week, Democracy Now! has covered the protests in #Egypt closely. View all of our reports in our archive: http://ow.ly/3P0O1
+ Spirituality and Practice is offering a course on InterSpiritual Meditation. It began Sunday. Not to late to sign up. I wrote the following on the Introductions and Intentions pages:
I believe we must work on creating a new faith for a new earth. The planet needs a new narrative, a compelling story we can all hear and enjoy and sing and dance to the beat. It has begun. Actually it began a long time ago. But we still have a long way to go.
A course like this which brings together people from different wisdom traditions is essential. I wouldn't miss it, even though it overlaps with the other S&P course I'm taking.
Sign Up!
Friday, May 21, 2010
COFFEE BREAK 179
+ updated at 11:26am ESDT on Friday, May 21, 2010
+ The Independent offers "Man-made climate change blamed for 'significant' rise in ocean temperature" by Steve Connor, Science Editor. It begins: "The world's oceans are warming up and the rise is both significant and real, according to one of the most comprehensive studies into marine temperature data gathered over the past two decades."
+ Toronto (Ecumenical News International) -- Eighty international religious leaders will gather in Canada in advance of the meeting of the Group of Eight industrialised countries to press governments to honour the United Nations Millennium Development Goals to reduce poverty. "Our hope is that we can speak with one voice … that we both encourage and challenge world leaders to really give serious attention to commitments they made since 2000," said Canadian Anglican Archbishop Fred Hiltz, who is heading the Canadian delegation to the faith leaders' 21-23 June meeting in Winnipeg. The G8 leaders are meeting in Huntsville, Ontario, from 25 to 26 June. This is to be followed by a meeting of the G20 - or Group of 20 leading economies of the world - in Toronto from 26 to 27 June. The G8 groups Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United States. The eight U.N. development goals adopted in 2000 range from halving extreme poverty to stemming the spread of HIV/AIDS and providing universal primary education, all by 2015.
+ The Independent offers "Man-made climate change blamed for 'significant' rise in ocean temperature" by Steve Connor, Science Editor. It begins: "The world's oceans are warming up and the rise is both significant and real, according to one of the most comprehensive studies into marine temperature data gathered over the past two decades."
+ Toronto (Ecumenical News International) -- Eighty international religious leaders will gather in Canada in advance of the meeting of the Group of Eight industrialised countries to press governments to honour the United Nations Millennium Development Goals to reduce poverty. "Our hope is that we can speak with one voice … that we both encourage and challenge world leaders to really give serious attention to commitments they made since 2000," said Canadian Anglican Archbishop Fred Hiltz, who is heading the Canadian delegation to the faith leaders' 21-23 June meeting in Winnipeg. The G8 leaders are meeting in Huntsville, Ontario, from 25 to 26 June. This is to be followed by a meeting of the G20 - or Group of 20 leading economies of the world - in Toronto from 26 to 27 June. The G8 groups Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United States. The eight U.N. development goals adopted in 2000 range from halving extreme poverty to stemming the spread of HIV/AIDS and providing universal primary education, all by 2015.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
COFFEE BREAK 152
+ updated at 5:30pm EST, Thursday, March 4, 2010
+ The Four Precepts offers "Preferences and the Presence of God" by Wayne Ferguson. Excerpt: "Most of the time, it seems, we are tempted away from God's presence by inordinate desires of one kind or another. And all too often, such desires are rooted in feelings of fear and insecurity. As an elderly Christian lady once remarked to me, somewhat ironically, 'I guess it's easier to worry than to trust!'"
The article offers links to wonderful wisdom by Brother Lawrence and by Hazrat Inayat Khan.
+ Shuck and Jive offers "Sometimes You Gotta Take a Risk" by John Shuck. It begins: I salute my colleagues at Dumbarton UMC in Washington. Here is the story:
+ Ecumenical News International offers "Washington Cathedral hosts Christian-Muslim summit" by Chris Herlinger.
Excerpt 1: On its Web site, Washington Cathedral says, "As the global community continues to divide along the lines of faith and culture, Washington National Cathedral feels increasingly called to play an important role in relations between Christians and Muslims around the world, and is uniquely positioned as a convening authority to facilitate such a dialogue."
Excerpt 2: Still, the Washington-based Institute on Religion and Democracy, which is often critical of "liberal" stands taken by ecumenical institutions, said that the summit had the potential for leading to "appeasement to Islamists".
Sadly, most of the ENI article focuses on the IRD criticism.
+ The Four Precepts offers "Preferences and the Presence of God" by Wayne Ferguson. Excerpt: "Most of the time, it seems, we are tempted away from God's presence by inordinate desires of one kind or another. And all too often, such desires are rooted in feelings of fear and insecurity. As an elderly Christian lady once remarked to me, somewhat ironically, 'I guess it's easier to worry than to trust!'"
The article offers links to wonderful wisdom by Brother Lawrence and by Hazrat Inayat Khan.
+ Shuck and Jive offers "Sometimes You Gotta Take a Risk" by John Shuck. It begins: I salute my colleagues at Dumbarton UMC in Washington. Here is the story:
A United Methodist congregation in Washington, D.C., has vowed to celebrate same-sex weddings, putting itself at odds with other Christian churches protesting the District of Columbia 's new marriage equality law.
The pastor and 12 other ordained clergy who attend Dumbarton United Methodist Church in Georgetown said they would conduct such ceremonies after Congress failed to override D.C.'s new law on March 3. The larger United Methodist Church does not permit same-sex weddings, and no other Methodist congregation in Washington has taken the same step.In my seminary days, I served on the staff of Old West Methodist Church in Boston. In 1973, the Pastor, Bill Alberts, officiated at the wedding of 2 gay men. He did not last long in the United Methodist Church. But that was 37 years ago. I suspect that the clergy of Dumbarton will not be cast out like Bill Alberts was.
+ Ecumenical News International offers "Washington Cathedral hosts Christian-Muslim summit" by Chris Herlinger.
Excerpt 1: On its Web site, Washington Cathedral says, "As the global community continues to divide along the lines of faith and culture, Washington National Cathedral feels increasingly called to play an important role in relations between Christians and Muslims around the world, and is uniquely positioned as a convening authority to facilitate such a dialogue."
Excerpt 2: Still, the Washington-based Institute on Religion and Democracy, which is often critical of "liberal" stands taken by ecumenical institutions, said that the summit had the potential for leading to "appeasement to Islamists".
Sadly, most of the ENI article focuses on the IRD criticism.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
COFFEE BREAK 110
+ updated at 2:01pm EST.
+ Hermitary offers "The Way of a Pilgrim: a Russian Orthodox Hermit's Path." It begins:
Readers of The Way of a Pilgrim quickly discover two levels of narration in this simple and unassuming nineteenth-century religious classic. The first level presents a heartfelt apologia for silent prayer in the Orthodox Christian tradition, namely, the "ceaseless" prayer or the so-called Jesus prayer. Cited as the authority for the Jesus prayer is the Philokalia, a literary collection of writings of the Greek-speaking Church Fathers supporting the tradition of hesychasm. Yet The Way of a Pilgrim does not pursue theological argument. It is imminently practical in its advice to simply start praying.
But if this level of presentation were the only one, The Way of a Pilgrim would not be of interest as more than a classic of spirituality. The second level of narration, which underlies the entire work and arguably is the main reason for the work's simplicity and attraction, is the literal but subtle presentation of the hermit life. The narrator is a solitary and a wanderer calling himself a pilgrim. The wandering hermit's example is presented as the model existence for those who would truly lead a spiritual life.
The interplay of these two levels of presentation, always overlapping and concurrent, makes The Way of a Pilgrim a wonderful book: simple, edifying, and of universal spiritual appeal.
+ It is 10:50 am and it has been snowing for about an hour. Perhaps we will have another inch or 2 of the glorious white stuff before this is over.
+ I'm about halfway through The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown, the famous author of The Da Vinci Code. Like his previous thrillers, this is gruesome, gripping, fascinating and controversial. I am sure there is misleading or erroneous information about the Masons and other organizations. Nevertheless, one can learn a lot about symbols and quests for meaning in this and other books by Dan Brown.
+ Gita and Jive offers a summary of the Bhagavad Gita, The Song of God, one of the most important sacred texts of Hindus. I have offered the first comment on this post including my reaction to Viola Larson's post on the BG, "The Bhagavad-Gita, the Bible: grief and being human". Here is my comment:
Great summary, John. There is amazing wisdom in this Holy Book and I'm looking forward to the sharing here. I see our friend Viola Larson has already decided to share and completely discount and totally misunderstand the BG in her post "The Bhagavad-Gita, the Bible: grief and being human".
As you know, John, I am acquainted all too well with grief and I find Viola's critique of the BG to be far off the mark. Without ways to attain detachment from worldly things and devotion to the Eternal, I could easily be stuck in grief. I have seen all too many people stuck in grief and all kinds of other emotional dead ends. A Christian classic which deals with getting on with life after a period of grief is The Way of a Pilgrim. This hermit finds a new and wonderful life through following a spiritual path centered in the Jesus Prayer: "O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, Have mercy on me, a sinner. Amen" or just "Lord Have Mercy."
Liberation is a major theme of all of the planet's great wisdom traditions. Nobody should discount or deny the wisdom of Hinduism. It is enormous. Thanks again.
+ Love + John A Wilde + Whitesboro NY + The John A Wilde Blog + We are intimately, intricately and infinitely connected by a matrix of unconditional, unlimited and uniting love which is miraculous, mysterious and marvelous.
+ Hermitary offers "The Way of a Pilgrim: a Russian Orthodox Hermit's Path." It begins:
Readers of The Way of a Pilgrim quickly discover two levels of narration in this simple and unassuming nineteenth-century religious classic. The first level presents a heartfelt apologia for silent prayer in the Orthodox Christian tradition, namely, the "ceaseless" prayer or the so-called Jesus prayer. Cited as the authority for the Jesus prayer is the Philokalia, a literary collection of writings of the Greek-speaking Church Fathers supporting the tradition of hesychasm. Yet The Way of a Pilgrim does not pursue theological argument. It is imminently practical in its advice to simply start praying.
But if this level of presentation were the only one, The Way of a Pilgrim would not be of interest as more than a classic of spirituality. The second level of narration, which underlies the entire work and arguably is the main reason for the work's simplicity and attraction, is the literal but subtle presentation of the hermit life. The narrator is a solitary and a wanderer calling himself a pilgrim. The wandering hermit's example is presented as the model existence for those who would truly lead a spiritual life.
The interplay of these two levels of presentation, always overlapping and concurrent, makes The Way of a Pilgrim a wonderful book: simple, edifying, and of universal spiritual appeal.
+ It is 10:50 am and it has been snowing for about an hour. Perhaps we will have another inch or 2 of the glorious white stuff before this is over.
+ I'm about halfway through The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown, the famous author of The Da Vinci Code. Like his previous thrillers, this is gruesome, gripping, fascinating and controversial. I am sure there is misleading or erroneous information about the Masons and other organizations. Nevertheless, one can learn a lot about symbols and quests for meaning in this and other books by Dan Brown.
+ Gita and Jive offers a summary of the Bhagavad Gita, The Song of God, one of the most important sacred texts of Hindus. I have offered the first comment on this post including my reaction to Viola Larson's post on the BG, "The Bhagavad-Gita, the Bible: grief and being human". Here is my comment:
Great summary, John. There is amazing wisdom in this Holy Book and I'm looking forward to the sharing here. I see our friend Viola Larson has already decided to share and completely discount and totally misunderstand the BG in her post "The Bhagavad-Gita, the Bible: grief and being human".
As you know, John, I am acquainted all too well with grief and I find Viola's critique of the BG to be far off the mark. Without ways to attain detachment from worldly things and devotion to the Eternal, I could easily be stuck in grief. I have seen all too many people stuck in grief and all kinds of other emotional dead ends. A Christian classic which deals with getting on with life after a period of grief is The Way of a Pilgrim. This hermit finds a new and wonderful life through following a spiritual path centered in the Jesus Prayer: "O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, Have mercy on me, a sinner. Amen" or just "Lord Have Mercy."
Liberation is a major theme of all of the planet's great wisdom traditions. Nobody should discount or deny the wisdom of Hinduism. It is enormous. Thanks again.
+ Love + John A Wilde + Whitesboro NY + The John A Wilde Blog + We are intimately, intricately and infinitely connected by a matrix of unconditional, unlimited and uniting love which is miraculous, mysterious and marvelous.
Monday, December 28, 2009
COFFEE BREAK 107
+ updated at 5:06pm EST
+ Shuck and Jive offers "Meaning of Life, Part 39" by John Shuck with a great quote by Matthew Fox. This is what the ecumenical movement needs to come back to life. Here's the quote:
The universe was not created by tolerant dualisms but by mutual interpenetrations. Of course this implies letting go: Hydrogen must let go of its hydrogenness and oxygen of its oxygenness when the two come together and create water. Letting go is demanded as much of religious traditions as it is of individual religious believers.
--Matthew Fox, Original Blessing, pp. 215-6
+ A great Christmas gift I received: THE END (The Energy Never Dies) by the Black Eyed Peas, an absolutely fantastic Hip Hop band. I'm simply blown away. Wow!
+ The New York Times offers "Numerical notes on health care reform" by Paul Krugman. He sees a lot of Progressive victories in the Senate and House bills as they now stand.
+ A thaw melted most of the snow here over the weekend but we are getting replenished rapidly this morning.
+ FiveThirtyEight offers some excellent analysis of the current state of the Healthcare Reform bill by Nate Silver.
+ Shuck and Jive offers "Meaning of Life, Part 39" by John Shuck with a great quote by Matthew Fox. This is what the ecumenical movement needs to come back to life. Here's the quote:
The universe was not created by tolerant dualisms but by mutual interpenetrations. Of course this implies letting go: Hydrogen must let go of its hydrogenness and oxygen of its oxygenness when the two come together and create water. Letting go is demanded as much of religious traditions as it is of individual religious believers.
--Matthew Fox, Original Blessing, pp. 215-6
+ A great Christmas gift I received: THE END (The Energy Never Dies) by the Black Eyed Peas, an absolutely fantastic Hip Hop band. I'm simply blown away. Wow!
+ The New York Times offers "Numerical notes on health care reform" by Paul Krugman. He sees a lot of Progressive victories in the Senate and House bills as they now stand.
+ A thaw melted most of the snow here over the weekend but we are getting replenished rapidly this morning.
+ FiveThirtyEight offers some excellent analysis of the current state of the Healthcare Reform bill by Nate Silver.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
COFFEE BREAK 75
+ updated at 3:52pm ESDT
+ It has been raining all day here in the Mohawk Valley.
+ Abrahamic Family Reunion offers “Uniting the Children of Abraham”. Jamie Glazov of Frontpage interviews Joe Montville, a Distinguished Diplomat in Residence at the School of International Service at American University and at George Mason’s Center for World Religions, Diplomacy and Conflict Resolution. He is on the advisory boards of the Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy, The Rabbi Marc Tanenbaum Center for Interreligious Understanding, and the Washington Theological Consortium. He spent 23 years as a diplomat with posts in the Middle East and North Africa.
+ It has been raining all day here in the Mohawk Valley.
+ Abrahamic Family Reunion offers “Uniting the Children of Abraham”. Jamie Glazov of Frontpage interviews Joe Montville, a Distinguished Diplomat in Residence at the School of International Service at American University and at George Mason’s Center for World Religions, Diplomacy and Conflict Resolution. He is on the advisory boards of the Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy, The Rabbi Marc Tanenbaum Center for Interreligious Understanding, and the Washington Theological Consortium. He spent 23 years as a diplomat with posts in the Middle East and North Africa.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)