A nice chat with other member of Universalist National Memorial Church after services today, over coffee. As sometimes happens, the matter of books came up, which merged with another comment about Hosea Ballou, and from there to books about Universalism. I recommended two smallish, straight-forward books and a documentary history, if with reservations. Both are… Continue reading Introductions to Universalism
Category: Universalist identity
Checking in on the book project
Get used to these check-ins; otherwise, it may be too easy to throw the idea of a book on the scrapheap of good intentions. For one thing, it looks like I may be envisioning not one work, but three. A book about what Universalist Christianity, in a liberal vein, might look like today. And not… Continue reading Checking in on the book project
The full Hosea Ballou quotation
I’ve seen many, many uses by Unitarian Universalists of a passage from Hosea Ballou since the crisis in Ferguson, Missouri after Michael Brown’s shooting death and Darren Wilson’s investigation. The quotation, sourced from the service element section of the most-commonly used Unitarian Universalist hymnal, Singing the Living Tradition, is edited for worship. Number 705: If… Continue reading The full Hosea Ballou quotation
Archives search: rescued from the wastepaper basket
This is the first part of a (surely long and rambling) series on findings from Universalist records at Harvard Divinity School’s library archives. My thanks to Fran O’Donnell and Jessica Suarez of the Andover-Harvard Theological Library for making my visit possible. I love combing through these Hollinger boxes. Evidence of Yankee thrift abounds. Serious business… Continue reading Archives search: rescued from the wastepaper basket
Universalist retro wall plaque
While I writing my blog post about Bible-quote wall hangings, I recalled a small “suitable for framing” poster of the 1899 Universalist “Five Principles” a former (now deceased) church member gave me. I had made a scan of it to share, but can’t find that I had ever done. Over the years, the odd attack… Continue reading Universalist retro wall plaque
Sandy Day blogging
I’ve not bothered to see if Hurricane Sandy has degraded to a tropical storm (or been upgraded in colliding with that winter storm) because all evidence is that it’s terribly fierce. I hear the wind, rain and sirens of emergency vehicles. But we’re better off than the Jersey Shore; remember its people and our beloved… Continue reading Sandy Day blogging
Full text of “Parish Practice in Universalist Churches”
A while back I lifted out clips from the 1946 polity and administration guide Parish Practice in Universalist Churches with little commentary. Now you can download the PDF to read the whole thing yourself. I don’t know if it is still in copyright — there’s a terrible problem with orphan works — but I’ll keep… Continue reading Full text of “Parish Practice in Universalist Churches”
Selections from Parish Practice in Universalist Churches: on Religion
For the next few days, I’ll be lifting out fragments from Parish Practice in Universalist Churches (with little commentary). This is from early-on: a review of what religion is. Already in the post-war, post-Christian mode, but with a purpose and biblical orientation that’s worth examining. And a nice shout out from the Te Deum.
New “Union Prayer Book” and old “Parish Practice” arrived today
I’ll keep this brief because I came home feeling not-so-well today. Two books that I had ordered arrived: the hot-off-the-presses new addition of the Union Prayer Book, Sinai Edition, Revised And a used copy of Parish Practice in Universalist Churches, by Robert Cummins. The first is a modern adaptation of a classic Reform Jewish prayer… Continue reading New “Union Prayer Book” and old “Parish Practice” arrived today
Files from my presentation at Revival
Find here the resources I used and references for “Women, the Image of God and the Universalist Hope”, the workshop I presented at Revival. (PDF) The presentation deck: OpenOffice.org/LibreOffice version (editable; released under the Creative Commons US BY-NC-SA 3.0 license) (Get the office suite) PDF version of the same Hymn text found at this excellent… Continue reading Files from my presentation at Revival