May 21st, 2013
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Comparative Religion

Comparative Religion Essay
Rev. Sandra P. Malloy
Comparative Religion Reflection Essay


When I am free to see comparisons in religions over historic time, without regard to the hows and whys, I experience a deep appreciation for my own belief system.  Someone asked me, “Doesn’t seeing these parallels make you think that this (what we believe) is all just a of version of some superstition people made up a long time ago to explain what science couldn’t?”  Surprisingly, instead of doubt I feel stronger in my faith, more deeply connected to humanity, and grounded in my concept of spiritual oneness.  I have a greater appreciation for the diversity that cultural and historic influence have had on our attempts, as a human race, to communicate with and understand the nature of the Divine and as a result, to communicate with one another and understand ourselves.  

I feel especially grounded, as a Christian, when I contemplate the number of religions prior and parallel to Christianity that revere Christ-like figures.  The stories of Osiris, Dionysus, Mithras and others show how many different cultures have grown in their spiritual development through the same archetype.  This leads me to feel a greater underlying truth in the symbolism than I ever could see while studying in isolation.  It breaks down time and geographical boundaries and makes me feel more apart of the global, timeless, beingness.  Seeing other similarities, such as how in every religion we tend to celebrate cycles, important events in our histories, great leaders and teachers, how we communicate with the Divine through prayer, and pass on ideas through sacred texts and symbols also leads me to a deeper appreciation.  At the same time it inspires gratitude for how our differences allow all of us to participate and meet the Divine right where we are.  

I really appreciate the way this course was designed to compare religions in topic format.  Viewing the similarities and differences of how the angel concept manifests and how leadership is named and decided helped me see things in a new way.  I never realized how pervasive angels are throughout world belief systems.  I also never thought about Jewish religious titles and the idea that a Jewish community does not necessarily need a rabbi to lead it.  Instead, any member of the community educated to perform leadership tasks can do so.  I also saw the rabbi as both teacher and “priest.”  I did not connect that the title priest is held for those ordained to do ceremonies in the temple.  This stood out to me, because the entire topic of religious titles are given in one lesson.  This format also helps me remember more of the extensive information presented.  I also like the many resources sited for further reading.  Although it would be impossible for this course to be an exhaustive study of comparative religion, I feel I have plenty of resources to learn more about every topic presented.

One thing I would really like is a second part to the course that puts me into the lives of those practicing these religions today.  Now that I have the appreciation for the background and some fundamental concepts of each, I would like a more focused view of what it is like to live the life of a someone who practices Shintoism or Islam.  I am hoping that other courses offered by the ULC Seminary, such as Master of Buddhism, Shamanism and others will offer this kind of information.  I love the way Reverend Kythera Ann introduces the course and includes a section on the development of interfaith studies.  In the spirit of this message of creating appreciation and understanding among faiths, it seems that a second layer of deeper comparison should be completed by those of us in the Seminary.  This way, when we go into the individual courses, such as Master of Wiccan Studies or Paganism, we have a stronger foundational scaffolding in which to attach new information.  I cannot site anything specifically about this course that I disliked or should be changed.  

I would definitely be interested in taking other classes through Reverend Kythera Ann.  Overall, I am impressed with not only the amount of interesting information and examples from scripture, architecture, and symbolism that are given, but also the ease with which I could read, understand, and assimilate it.  This is just the beginning of my studies of world religions and I am grateful that I am heading into the rest of my journey with the appreciation of the unity we share across the world through our religious diversity.  

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Many people get ordained through the ULC as a means to become wedding officiants, but also to study through our online seminary. If you need minister supplies or online ceremonies, we have a wide selection to choose from, as well as a place for spiritual articles and spiritual bookmarks. Visit our FB Page at ULC Seminary.
As an ordained minister with the Universal Life Church for many years and it’s Seminary since its inception, I’ve had the privilege of watching the Seminary grow.
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May 21st, 2013
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Spirit Quest

When I started this course, I was not too sure about how I would feel about it… Personally, I am quite pragmatic and it has taken me a long time to admit to and share my inner feelings. However as I progressed through the course I “warmed up to it” and I must say that it has been quite an eye-opener for me personally.
 
There were many aspects I learned that I was more or less familiar with and even practiced in some form of another, but the course has given me a framework to put it all in place and to put it into practical use.
 
Early on in the course when starting the exercises sitting quietly and attaching a grounding cord, I spent a lot of time on that. I found out a really funny experience: I’m traveling by plane a lot, and even when I’m in the plane, I am able to attach the grounding cord going to the center of the earth. First I thought that would not be possible but it felt quite naturally, even at 30,000 feet going fast.
Later I added another technique: Wherever I am, I first imagine myself sitting quietly in my living room. Then from that position I attach my grounding cord and go through the exercises.
 
“Getting what you want” and “Creating your own reality” were also exercises that kind of came naturally. I have believed in those concepts for a long time, but this course has structured it for me.
 
On a side note, my stepdaughter is a chiropractor and practices Applied Kinesiology. It has become more clear to me now how that all come together. She has one test she performs regularly on her patients (and on myself and my wife) where she puts pressure on the stretched out arm while letting the person taste several spices and foods. This way she can determine what the body is allergic to. Very similar to the tests in this course.
 
When the subject turned to spirit communications I became a little wary… I personally found that subject a little scary. My wife is very perceptive to “the spirit world” and after several “encounters” early on in life which were not very pleasant she turns it off. But going through the course it turned out not to be “scary” at all, as I was afraid of initially.
Over the years I have philosophized quite a bit about “the afterlife” and what happens to us. I believe that we all remain as spirits (remaining energy) in some virtual world (in which you would create your own heaven or hell), and where the strong spirits can communicate with our world.
 
All and all this turned out to be a great course with many tools which can be used from now on (and be used better over time). I also loved the positive message being used throughout.
 
Thank you!
 
Rev. Peter van Sluis

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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more. I have been a proud member of the ULC for many years and the Seminary since its inception.

As a long time member of ULC, Rev. Long created the seminary site to help train our ministers. We also have a huge selection of Universal Life Church  minister supplies. Since being ordained with the Universal Life Church for so many years and it’s Seminary since the beginning, I’ve watch the huge change and growth that has continued to happen.
 
Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar
As an ordained minister with the Universal Life Church for many years and it’s Seminary since its inception, I’ve had the privilege of watching the Seminary grow.
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May 21st, 2013
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Become A Chaplain

Lesson 11
It’s always tough to minister to those who have lost loved ones. It’s important to explain to them that crying is more than alright and it’s grieving is a natural part of the process. Ensure that you’ll be there for them and make sure that they have a decent support system that will see them through their difficult time.

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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have various classes in Christianity, one on Wicca, along with several Pagan courses, more than a few courses about Metaphysics with more being added regularly.
Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free, legal and lasts for life, so please take advantage of our Free Online Ordination.
The  ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of minister supplies.  I’ve been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and am proud to have started the Seminary.
Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

 

chaplaincy studies
May 21st, 2013
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Historical Jesus by Ernest Kayorie

Final Essay
Search for the Historical Jesus
Submitted by Ernest Kayorie

The search for the Historical Jesus course has been a delightful review/romp through the various theories surrounding this controversial subject.  The instructor takes you through the various theories surrounding the search beginning with Reimarus and his school of thought and ending with current theories which have recently found fresh food for thought on the subject. The instructor’s expansion of ideas about Jesus’ kingdom theories and his approach to his role as a way shower and messenger is carefully explained to show how each could be a viable explanation of Jesus’ role on the world scene.

The search for a better representation of this important figure is a worthy journey and the only one that makes any sense.  If we can determine who this individual was and how he viewed himself and his role, we might better appreciate his message of simplicity. His strong sense of mission and his insistence on establishing the kingdom of God was a message of timely import.  He stated over and over again that the kingdom was within and not an earthly one that was hoped for by many.

The otherworldly persona placed on him and his role has been the product of other’s thoughts and philosophies under the guise of divine interpretation and is not wholly associated with his message.  When historians and theologians create their own divine messenger, it is easy to attribute and manipulate what they thought was stated.  The Jesus/God that was created was the product of Jewish thought intermingled with Greek metaphysics.  There is no scarcity of documentation attesting to the existence of  the God/man Jesus.   The solidification of those theories eventually became a reality as a result of the   decrees issued by the various Church councils.   On the political side, all of this to insure that the emerging administrative church could take its place as an heir to the Roman Empire.  On the spiritual side, the Fathers  (theologians, philosophers et al.) of this organization were sincerely earnest in their quests to understand the divine nature of Jesus/God’s message and messenger.  They endeavored to interpret doctrine and dogma in the best possible way for the Church and its followers.

The major challenge begins when one realizes that the subjects are on two different levels.  The Fathers of the Church were dealing with their own conception of their deity or at least the one that came to be accepted as the “true” god.  The search for the historical Jesus is a search for a “real” human being who had hopes, aspirations, ideals and  a sense of mission or not.  The human Jesus is the one that people can identify with as opposed to some “created” superhuman giant.

The value of the search is important because the closer we get to valid possibilities, the better we can appreciate those possibilities.  This seems to be the only way to proceed because of the scarcity of first hand documentation.  Jesus apparently did not write his teachings down but relied on oral transmission of his message to others and seemingly left it to their discretion to relate what was said and meant.

Historical research has a tendency to rely too heavily on its own definition of historical fact.  Much of what we know of our own historical past is based on tradition and also fictionalized versions of those individuals we deem as great personages.  The same situation applies to the individual we know as Jesus. The translation of apocryphal writings, some very fictionalized, present a very human Jesus.  They present stories of his mother’s life and his childhood.  They relate stories of his family life and how he was viewed by his peers and neighbors.  Again no one person has played on the imagination of the world as has this person.  The more we have a chance to know and experience Jesus, the easier it will be  to make an informed decision about his mission and how it can influence our lives.  Millions of individuals look to the New Testament  as their leader and guide without questioning the authenticity of the writings.   Many do not question anything relating to “accepted” scriptures not realizing that the canon of those scriptures was the result of a decision made by men and sanctioned by an organization.  They were the result oftentimes of decisions motivated by bitterness and jealousies and petty rivalries.

This writer finds that the search for the historical Jesus is a worthwhile endeavor in and of itself and finds that delving into that search is both exciting and informative.

The role of the academic community devoted to finding the historical Jesus beginning with  Hermann Reimarus’ investigations (1778/old quest), and continuing today with the Jesus seminar groups has brought to the forefront the necessity of finding out who the human Jesus was. The recently formed Jesus Project continues the search with promised results that will be as varied as previous attempts no doubt.

Prior to these endeavors, it seems that the existence of a historical/human Jesus had become irrelevant.  Who needs to be concerned with humanness when we have a divine being to emulate?   As was pointed out in the course, quite simply human and divine…they were the same or at least they were explained as how that could be. The years of establishing that fact was the result of the first seven Church councils and since that time, little alteration has been necessary.  As time progressed and the farther we got from that fact, the need to reacquaint ourselves with the source became evident.  There is ample evidence that suggests that each culture who claim to be Christian see their founder in their own light.  In this case, people are not interested in the Jesus of history but prefer to “worship” their own conception of Jesus even if that conception is exaggerated or totally distorted.  As an example, some Christians find the fact that Jesus was Jewish to be an affront to their beliefs.  They prefer their “god” to be like them.

The value of the search for the Jesus of history forces us to confront falsehood and study this popular figure  for what he was, namely a Jewish man from the Middle East who was responsible for relating a message that could change lives for the better.  The simplicity of that message is astonishing and will remain so despite the efforts of so many to destroy it, albeit in good faith.  The value of the various quests definitely lies in the fact of seeing this person as everything from a social revolutionary to a wandering peasant sage to a disillusioned teacher who was ushering in a new age.  The search will go on under the guise of different theories with different names but the importance lies in the fact that the search continues.  Seen in this vein, it seems that the search for a valid explanation of who the historical Jesus was is a separate study from what has been the search for our own cosmic significance.

The quest for the historical Jesus has transitioned to a quest for the Cosmic Christ.  The search for the Cosmic Christ has become the quest of modern man in search for his own destiny.  It is the time for our return to our beginnings and the realization of who we truly are and if Jesus can bring that about in our lives then it’s good to have someone or something to rely on until we find enough confidence to realize that we have to learn to stand on our own.   Was it not said by Jesus through the gospels that “whoever believes in me will perform the same works as I do myself, he will perform even greater works.”    Was this an allusion to the fact that we have inherited the right to become like the “Christed” one that he represented?  Paul, in his letter to the Galatians refers to this progression  when he says that “I live now not with my own life but with the life of Christ who lives in me”  (Gal. 2:20)  and again “I must go through the pain of giving birth to you all over again, until Christ is formed in you.” (Gal. 4:19)

As studies progress towards that inevitable conclusion with the pioneering works of Teihard De Chardin and Matthew Fox and many notable members of the scientific/religious  community (the list goes on and on), we can conclude that the journey continues.

 

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May 21st, 2013
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Spirit Quest by Rev. Lana R. Minkler

Universal Life Church
When I decided to do the “Spirit Quest” course, I was skeptical about what all it entailed. I truly only knew I wanted to change, open, learn and grow spiritually, and this course piqued my interest. Little did I even begin to realize the awesome journey I would embark upon in the following nine months. Through delving deep, sometimes deeper than the course covered, I experienced miraculous changes as doors once closed opened, changing my attitudes, perceptions, thoughts, beliefs, and life. I started a journey of spiritual renovation, renewal and growth which has expanded way beyond the course and is still in process.
Within every lesson a thousand nuances led to deeper depth and further exploring. Truly your statement “What you put into the course is what you get out of it,” was mirrored in my experience. I wanted Oneness with my Source, God, and to hear His Voice. I didn’t just want to know or understand it. I wanted to experience it.
My response to one of the lessons highlights my experience of God. In lesson #18, the lesson stated “Gold is a very cleansing color,” and “the only color above gold is white.” The lesson stated that the color gold keeps me in my body while white knocks me out of body.
When in deepest meditation I experience pure, intense white light. The white light never initiates from outside of me, but starts from within me, steadily growing till eventually radiating outward. The purity of that white light acts as protection. I have a sense, a feeling, a knowing in my very core I’m buried and engulfed in the very presence of God when in this state.
There is absolutely no shadow in this pure white light, just as in the Biblical saying “there is no shadow or turning in God.” I believe this is the very pure Spirit of God dwelling within. It also states in the Bible, “the Kingdom of God is within.”
When filled with and radiating this pure white light, I sense a peace and love I’m not able to humanly verbalize. I also experience joy and bliss beyond my wildest human sensations. In this state, I truly remember I really am a spirit.
I have come to believe each one carries this same light, or spirit within. We each need to find it within and connect to the same spirit within each other. So much could change if each one of us would get past the outward appearances, perceptions, forms and behaviors, and see instead in each other the same spirit in which we are one.
Colors, numbers and sounds reflect the outward world, universe, bodies, images and other form manifestations. What I’m experiencing in this meditative state is God speaking to me, though not audibly, through content, not through form. By content, I mean love, peace, joy and forgiveness. When I’m in connection with that pure white light, I experience those characteristics of the Creator, Source, or God. I know when I am not connected also, because I experience fear, guilt, pain, loss, etc. At present, I keep trying to come from that deep center of love, joy, peace and forgiveness in my day-to-day life.
The above is just a very small example of multiple changes that have resulted from taking the course. Spirit Quest opened doors in its teachings that led to doors way beyond this course. Thank you for the opportunity of the course and the journey it has evoked.
Rev. Lana R. Minkler

 

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May 20th, 2013
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Four Gospels

I just concluded the Four Gospels. I am now to write a paper on the course those that know me say it should be easy for me. Many moons ago I sat in a classroom for two years being taught this same course, only from the prospective of the founder of my religious denomination, one that I was not to question their teaching. This Four Gospels Course was all questioning, designed to make you question preconceived notion that you may or may not have. To bring away a personal prospective, it is well written and easy to understand. I took this course looking for some answers, I found some and I found some more questions to take a deeper look into.
Our Christian Bible is a Jewish book born out Judaism. At the time of Christ there was no such religion as Christianity; Jesus was a Jew, as were Peter, James, John, Andrew, Mary Magdalene, and Paul all twelve of the chosen were Jewish. Christianity accepts the fact of only one being a Jew Judas Iscariot.
Jesus was a Galilean Jew and lived his entire life within the boundaries of Judea, the mountainous southern part of the historic Land of Israel an area now divided between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, and, in a few geographical definitions of Judea , Jordan. Historians and Four Gospels generally describe Jesus as an itinerant preacher and leader of a religious movement within Judaism. The followers of Jesus composed an apocalyptic Jewish sect during the late Second Temple period of the 1st century. Some groups that followed Jesus were strictly Jewish, or those strongly attracted to Jewish practice, including the church leaders in Jerusalem. The Roman Centurion Cornelius is the first Gentile (non-Jewish) convert Paul of Tarsus, after his legendary incident on the Road to Damascus, he had success in proselytizing among the Gentiles.
According to biblical reconstruction, Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist, taught in parables and aphorisms, challenged pious traditions, legalism and social hierarchy. Is that what we who are Christians are doing in the Universal Life Church — challenging the established church? Is that challenging pious traditions, legalism and social hierarchy the reason some say that we are not Christian enough? It is not until we throw of the chains of oppression of fundamentalism and legalisms of today’s church will we find the freedom in Christ.
What the Church does not tell you is during Jesus’ time and for 20 years after his death; converts to the Christian sect of Judaism were required to convert to Judaism first to become Christians. The very fact then becomes Jesus was Christianity’s greatest spokesman, but not its originator.
As such I study the course through Midrash a modifying adjective, Midrashic. For me the Four Gospel Course drove me deeper into the course than ever before. Do you know how delighted I was when my eyes were opened to a simple fact that I missed so many times. Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, is a midrashic creation! The name Zechariah stemmed from the fact John had been identified with prophet Malachi, whose immediate predecessor in the Bible was the prophet Zechariah!
The more I study the Four Gospels I personally question and I am challenged by the concept of the Trinity. I can not find it any where in the Four Gospels. Neither of the words “Trinity” nor “Triunity” appear any where in the Old Testament or New Testament. The Old Testament depicts God as the father of Israel and refers to divine figures such as Word, Spirit, and Wisdom. The Hebrew Scriptures tell us that God is one, and the Godhead a single being. “Hear, O Israel : The LORD our God is one LORD” Deuteronomy 6:4. “Thou shalt have no other gods before me” Deuteronomy 5:7 “Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel and his redeemer the LORD of hosts: I am the first and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.” Isaiah 44:6
The New Testament does not use the word “Τριάς” (Trinity) nor explicitly teach it. Jesus and his followers I did not believe intend to contradict the Jewish Shema Yisrael: “Hear, O Israel : The Lord our God is one Lord” Deuteronomy 6:4
I know some of you may or may not understand at this point of what I am talking about but this part of the course is troubling to me. I would love to get my hands on an out of print book written by Michael Goulder, Midrash and the Lection in Matthew. I now find myself questioning the existence of what some call the Q document because I now see Luke and Matthew are to be understood liturgical and lectionary books. I find some of the themes of Exodus in both Matthew and in Mark. I also see examples in Mark and Matthew of Genesis being a guide for these narratives.
The more I read the Four Gospels I find Christianity to be one way to God not the only way. I find words like ALL and NOTHING being used. Matthew 11:28”come to me all” said the Christ of God. That is an invitation for all to seek God through his or her faith even those of other faiths through their faith. I see infinite inclusiveness of the God whose invitation is not selective. I see the love of God “Nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” Romans 8:39. Nothing and all must mean nothing and all.
Rev Linda Miskimen
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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive and affordable online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, a beginning course on  Wicca, as well as a beginning course on  Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more.
Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is a free and lifetime ordination, so use the Free Online Ordination, button. We also make available many free wedding ceremonies for your use, as well as funeral ceremonies and other types of ceremonies.

 

The  ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program where you can earn the coveted title of Chaplain. We also have a huge selection of Universal Life Church materials to help you with your professionalism and confidence.  I’ve been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it’s Seminary since the beginning and an amazed by the frequent upgrades and new functions of the seminary.
 
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As an ordained minister with the Universal Life Church for many years and it’s Seminary since its inception, I’ve had the privilege of watching the Seminary grow.
christianity, metaphysics, midrash, online ordination, online seminary, religion, seminary, seminary program, ulc, ulc seminary, universal life church , , ,
May 20th, 2013
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Universal Life Church

An Open Letter to Current and Future Seminary Students
Rev. Lucinda Parker    M. Min., D.Div.

We have all been called to service for many different reasons, bringing many different backgrounds and many different aspirations. And yet, as ethical, theological servants to humankind, we all have a need to broaden our knowledge base, for only then can we truly understand not only what we believe, but to understand what others believe.

It is this basic need for knowledge that has kept theological schools and seminaries in existence for hundreds of years. The ULC Seminary continues this long-standing tradition. While some denominations in the US require one to attend seminary first and then be ordained or called to serve, ULC allows us to answer our spiritual call of service and ordination first and to pursue our training second. And while this approach is “out of the box” I have found it most useful and practical.

Over the last two years I have completed 61 credits with the Seminary. For those of you with traditional higher education, you will thoroughly understand the statement, “I hate this class but it is required.” And yet, when completed, you realize that you really did learn something. Your mind was expanded. You can relate to someone else better than before you embarked upon the dreaded class. There are a few classes I have taken at the Seminary that I didn’t like. They were expanding my mind and making me think. It is akin to exercising when you have been a couch potato for twenty years. It HURTS! It is work. And yet, the classes were good. The thinking and forum postings were good.

One of the strong points of the ULC Seminary is the variety of classes. We are encouraged to truly broaden our knowledge of other theologies and other spiritual quests. There are two paths to follow in the Seminary. Not traditional curricular paths, but personal paths. One is learn for one’s self, to grow in our own spirituality. There are several classes designed for that and for some that may be enough. Spirit Quest is a great start for personal growth and discovery. The second path is the attainment of understanding of what others believe which enables us to better serve them from their point of view. These classes include Druidism, Paganism and Comparative Religion.

I strongly urge you to pursue at least one class from the ULC Seminary. Select the one that intrigues or interests you the most. Once a week you will receive a dose of knowledge and thought provoking exercise via email. Most of the classes include citations and bibliographies that list other readings or sites on the Web that only add to your quest of knowledge and understanding.

I am confident you will find the classes well written, well organized, and truly a path to wisdom. While no class or seminary can answer all personal questions of spirituality or theology, the offerings from ULC Seminary are well rounded. There truly is something for each of us.

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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more.

Ordination with the , is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button.We also offer many free wedding ceremonies for your use.

 

The  ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I’ve been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it’s Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.
 
Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar
 
As an ordained minister with the Universal Life Church for many years and it’s Seminary since its inception, I’ve had the privilege of watching the Seminary grow.
free online seminary, metaphysics, online ordination, online seminary, religion, seminary, seminary program, ulc, ulc seminary, universal life church
May 20th, 2013
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Gospel of Luke

                                                            Gospel of Luke 

The debate over who actually wrote the Gospel of Luke is one of the most lively exegetic topics in modern theology. Although some scholars insist that Luke, a companion of Paul who was named in Colossians, is highly likely to have been the author, the debate is by no means settled and there are many who believe that the issue of Lukan authorship is very much up for further research. One of the few things that most scholars do agree upon is that the author of the Gospel of Luke is likely to be the same person who wrote the Acts of the Apostles, since there are many philosophical and stylistic similarities between the two. Beyond this, there is very little agreement, with some scholars even doubting that the author of the books was named Luke.

The most common theory is that the Gospel of Luke was written by Luke the physician.

 Luke was a companion of Saint Paul the Apostle and is mentioned on a number of occasions in epistles attributed to Paul. Most early Christian documents assume that Luke was the author of the gospel bearing his name, but it is unclear whether this theory gave rise to the title The Gospel According to Luke, or whether the title gave rise to the theory (Green, 1995). Nevertheless ancient source are almost unanimous in their belief (or assumption) that the Luke referenced by Paul must be the same Luke who wrote the gospel in his name. Supporting this belief is the existence of certain passages in the gospel where the term ‘we’ is used to referred to activities surrounding Paul, strongly suggesting that the author was an associate of Paul’s and therefore tying in with the belief that it was Luke.

However in the preface to Luke there is explicit mention on having eyewitness accounts ‘handed down to us’, strongly suggesting that the author was not present at the time. This raises the question of why the author would then use ‘we’ in certain parts of the text, but there are numerous possible explanations for this that, although unlikely, cannot be discounted. It is possible that the preface was written after the gospel, by another author, but in this case the subsequent author clearly went to great lengths to copy the style of the rest of the gospel. Again, however, this cannot be ruled out. It is equally possible that the ‘we’ portion of the gospel could have been from another author and was simply included by whoever was responsible for the majority of the gospel. A small number of critics have advanced the theory that the author of Luke may have been female.

This is based on the fact that the gospel spends considerably more time dealing with the roles and lives of women, affording more time to the lives of Elizabeth, the wife of John the Baptist, and the Virgin Mary than is the case in the other gospels (Reid, 1996). However, as evidence of female authorship of the gospel, this is clearly extremely thin: there is no reason to think that the author of Luke may not simply have chosen to cover this because he recognised that females were unfairly underrepresented in the other gospels, and this may have even been the reason for the decision to write this gospel in the first place. There is no specific reason to assume that the author was male, but nor is there any firm evidence to support the idea that the author was female.

Most of the debate over the authorship of the Gospel of Luke returns to the use of the term ‘we’ when discussing parts of the journeys undertaken with Paul. There are those who suggest that this was a stylistic convention of the time, used to refer to long journeys. However there is little evidence to support this idea. Some believe, instead, that the author used the style in order to add an element of historic accuracy to the gospels and perhaps even to misguide readers into believing that he was present when he was not.

 Since such practices do occasionally occur today, there is no reason to assume that they could not have occurred at the time that the gospel was written, which is believed to be between 80-90 CE.

There does seem to be a great deal of evidence to support the idea that the Gospel of Luke was indeed written by Luke the physician. Questions surrounding the question of authorship are a popular topic among theology discussions, and many Religious Studies classes focus on this issue. While the arguments in favour of another author can be made to work, they depend on a number of assumptions that seem to exist primarily in order to challenge the popular assumptions of Lukan authorship.

The Gospel of Luke like the other three Gospels depicts the life, teachings, death and the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth. This is the largest of the four Gospels.

The Gospel opens with a salutation to Theophilus and proceeds to tell the story of the appearance of Angel Gabriel to Zachariah, whose wife Elizabeth did not have the ability to bear a child. The Angel announces to Zachariah that his wife will bear a child and that “he will bring back many people of Israel to the Lord their God. He will go as God’s messenger, strong and mighty like the prophet Elijah. He will bring fathers and children again; he will turn the disobedient people back to the way of thinking of the righteous; he will get the Lord’s people ready for him”. The dumb founded Zachariah could not believe the words of the Angel Gabriel. Zachariah was spending a long time in the Temple and when he came out he could not speak. He was punished with the dumbness till the miracle was realized by him. People knew that he had seen a vision in the Temple since he was making signs to them with his hands and unable to say a word.

Gabriel then appears before Mary, who was promised in marriage to Joseph and proclaims that the Holy Spirit will come on her and she will give birth to a son who is to be named Jesus. He adds that “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High God” and that the Lord God will make him a king, as his ancestor David was, and he will be the king of the descendants of Jacob for ever and his kingdom will never end”.

After a few months Mary visited her cousin Elizabeth, and when Mary greeted her, the baby in Elizabeth’s womb “jumped with gladness”. In due course Elizabeth gave birth to a baby boy and he was circumcised and named John. Zachariah regained his speech at that time, as he was filled with the Holly Spirit. The baby grew up into John the Baptist.

Joseph and Mary went to Becklehem to register their names for the census and ordered by Emperor Augustus. There Mary gave birth to Jesus and laid him in the manger. An Angel announced the birth of Christ to the shepherds. The shepherds visited the Holy Baby and spread the word around.

The baby was named Jesus, as preordained, was circumcised, and was taken for the ceremony of purification. There Simeon, a God-fearing man, filled with Holy Spirit, held the baby in his hand and praised the Lord for bringing glory to the people of Israel.

When Jesus was twelve years old his parents took him for the Passover ceremony as usual, but that year he did not return with his parents, and stayed back in the temple, with the Jewish teachers listening carefully, and asking intelligent questions. Jesus grew into a boy of great wisdom.

While Herod was the ruler of Galilee, John the Baptist was appealing to the people to turn away from their sins and to get baptized. He also preached the Good News that one much greater than him is coming to baptize them with the Holy Spirit. He also spoke critically of Governor Herod and subsequently became imprisoned.

When Jesus was about thirty years old the power of the Holy Spirit started radiating from him very powerfully and he was revered and praised by all. The Devil tried his level best to tempt Jesus through many tricks, but Jesus did not succumb to any of the tricks.

But when Jesus went to Nazareth to read from the scriptures, He was not appreciated there. There is a saying that the darkest place is under the candle. Nazareth was the place where Jesus had been brought up. Yet people failed to recognize the Holy Spirit emanating from Him.

The power embedded in Jesus started performing miracles. At Capernaum, a town in Galilee, He drove away the evil Spirit that had possessed a man. He cured the high fever of Simon’s mother-in-law.

Learning about His miraculous powers, sick people started flocking to Jesus. A touch by his hand cured every one of them. He cured a leper of his leprosy. Once a paralyzed man was carried on a bed and brought to Jesus. He told the man that “your sins are forgiven you, my friend”. The listeners were puzzled by this, thinking that only god can forgive sins. They thought Jesus was impersonating God. The paralyzed man walked back home.

Jesus was unconventional in many of his acts. He kept company with outcasts, supported and eating on Sabbath days, and even cured the crippled hand of a man on a Sabbath day. Gradually anger hatred and fear started building up against Jesus among the Pharisees and the teachers of law.

Jesus went on healing and teaching the people who flocked to him. He even breathed life into a dead man. He assured the poor and the sorrow-stricken that there is a great reward awaiting them in Heaven. He taught them to shun violence. He spread the gospel of love. He warned people against judging others. Through powerful parables Jesus started driving great ideas into the minds of the people.

As time passed, the number of miracles performed by the spiritual power of Jesus grew unbelievably. The fisherman who could not net any fish in spite of a hard day’s labor, caught netfuls of fish at the order of Jesus. A mob of evil spirits had been driven away from a possessed man into a group of swine. He calmed a storm in the ocean with a single command. A woman who had been sick for twelve days touched the robe of Jesus and got cured instantly. He raised from death the daughter of Jairus. Once He fed a crowd of five thousand with just five loaves of bread and two fish.

Jesus had gathered His disciples from among the fisherman. He gave them power and authority to drive out demons and to cure diseases. In due course of time He told His disciples about His impending death and resurrection. He recruited more disciples and sent seventy two of them to different towns with the message of God’s love.

To the skeptical teacher of law, He gave the parable of the Good Samaritan. He advised the Pharisees to keep their minds clean and worthy. He even told them that they “are like unmarked graves which people walk on without knowing it.” When one of the teachers of the law protested saying that Jesus was insulting them, Jesus accused them of holding the keys to the house of knowledge, neither themselves going in, nor allowing anybody else to go in. This infuriated the teachers and they wanted to wreak vengeance on Him.

In the meanwhile Jesus went on enriching the peoples’ minds through the parables of the Yeast, Mustard Seed, the Narrow Door, the Unfruitful Tree, Faithful and the Unfaithful Servant, the Great Feast, Worthless Salt, the Lost Sheep and many more. His healing miracles continued as ever. He taught the people that the kingdom of God is within themselves. He reminded them that it is harder for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God than for a camel to go through the eye of the needle.

Jesus drove the merchants from the Temple, and warned people to watch out for the Teachers of Law who take advantage of the weak. They wanted to kill Jesus and finally Judas under the devil’s influence agreed to betray Christ. During the Feast of the Unleavened Bread, Jesus broke the bread and gave it to His disciples saying that it was His body, and gave them the wine as new covenant sealed with His blood. He added that “the one who betrays me is here at the table with me”. Jesus also predicted the denial of Peter.

Jesus was arrested after being kissed and identified by Judas, and Peter three times denied knowledge of Him, as predicted by Jesus. The elders of the Jews, the teachers and the Chief Priests asked Him if He was the “ Son of God “ and He answered “ you say that I am “. For claiming Himself to be God, they decided to punish Him and took Him to Pilate. Pilate sent for Herod. Pilate told the crowd that he did not find Jesus guilty, but the crowd shouted that Jesus must be killed. He was nailed on the Cross along with two criminals.

At Jesus’ death, noon turned into darkness, and the curtain in the Temple tore into two. His body was received by Joseph of Arimathea and some ladies who were with him and He was buried. But the third day Jesus resurrected, as He had foretold earlier. Jesus later appeared before His disciples and then was taken into heaven.

Conclusion:

The word Gospel literally means “Good News”. But the Gospels in the Bible are more than “Good News”. They belong to the genre of biography and historiography. As biography it races the birth, growth, crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus. As historiography it draws a continuous line from the scriptures, from Abraham, through Moses, David, and Isaiah to the age of Jesus.

The gospel of St. Luke, from another perspective, is the exposition of God. Its power as scripture is simply unique.

References

Green, Joel. The theology of the Gospel of Luke. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1995.

Reid, Barbara. Choosing the better part? Women in the Gospel of Luke. Collegeville, The Liturgical Press, 1996.

Andy Gaus  The Unvarnished Gospel , 2001.

Rev. Steve Dunkley

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Many people get ordained through the Universal Life Church as a means to become wedding officiants, but also to study through our online seminary. If you need minister supplies or online ceremonies, we have a wide selection to choose from, as well as a place for spiritual articles and spiritual bookmarks. If you need any assistance in any area of your ministry, please feel free to contact amy@ulcseminary.org and we’ll give you all the help we can. Visit our FB Page at ULC Seminary.
As an ordained minister with the Universal Life Church for many years and it’s Seminary since its inception, I’ve had the privilege of watching the Seminary grow.
Four gospels, gospel of luke , , ,
May 20th, 2013
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Chaplaincy Studies

Rev G Douglas Goodson
Essay: Master of Chaplaincy

    I enrolled in the Chaplaincy program offered by ULC because I felt called to serve the spiritual needs of more folks. I have enjoyed facilitating weddings and other rites of passage as an ordained minister for some time now.

I have come to view all positive faiths as beautiful, however my experiences in facilitating religious services have been centered on my own spiritual path. In speaking with people of other faiths I have found that my personal beliefs, in all the significant aspects, mirror theirs. Folks always assume that I am of their faith. It has become apparent to me that I am being called to be of more use to my community. The most common service that is requested is counseling in some form, even if it’s just to lend a sympathetic ear.

I would like to work in hospitals, nursing homes and perhaps a prison ministry, as well as sharpen the skills needed to assist those already coming to me for guidance. I felt that enrolling in this course would further my development as a spiritual leader and after taking the Master of Chaplaincy module I feel I made the right decision.

Through this course I had the opportunity to give some thought as to what someone who has received a spiritual calling looks like. I am fortunate in that I am literally surrounded by ULC ministers. I see the calling in each of them. They all have a sincere desire to serve the needs of others, a kindness of spirit, a calmness that is reassuring, and an aura about them that attracts others seeking their message. The most flattering comment my wife and I have ever received was “You guys are so much more than ministers you’re more like Buddha or Gandhi”. The reference wasn’t in regards to our spiritual path or how we dress, it was in relation to our attitude toward life, our acceptance and love of others, and a welcoming feeling that a wide variety of folks were attracted to spiritually. It was a reference to our ability to find the common ground among all spiritual paths.

    Though this course does not qualify anyone to offer pastoral counseling, it does at least make you aware that those skills will be needed to be an effective chaplain and gives you an understanding of the ethical concerns in regard to offering spiritual guidance to others. Some things are just common sense. For instance not putting yourself in a position that could get you in trouble or discredit your ministry, such as avoiding personal relationships with those you are guiding. What was nice to see in the course were the sections on other pitfalls to avoid such as unhealthy relationships and transference. The advice in avoiding those problems was spot on. There are many counselors of different modalities that use similar methods, such as limiting the number sessions up front.

    The sections concerning the multitude of opportunities for chaplains to serve, was very thorough and laid out not only what types of work you might expect but also the type of educational background and other requirements that each type of opportunity would expect you to have to qualify for the job. Depending on the type of facility or company you plan on serving you will probably need to have ministerial accreditation, possibly a certificate stating you have passed a state certification to counsel and a back ground check among other qualifications.

    Some of the places that use chaplains are Nursing Homes, Hospitals, Prisons, Corporations, aboard ships, Military, Fire Departments and Police Departments. I grew up in area where the most famous chaplain was the Fire Chaplain. We have a bridge that was fairly popular as a spot to commit suicide. This was no low bridge, it was quite high. The chaplain was constantly in the paper because he would climb up to the jumpers and he had a pretty good record talking them down.

I grew up in a home that was Navy friendly. I met many chaplains when they would join our family for the holidays. Most times these chaplains were the only folks available to serve the needs of many service men of different religious backgrounds. I believe exposure to military chaplains sparked an interest early in my life and led me to be very open minded and accepting of people of different faiths.

    More recently, my wife and I volunteered some of our time to cleaning a local church. We were there once a week for about 5 years. It was an Episcopal church. Down the street about two blocks is a Congregational church. The ministers would cover for each other when needed. In our area many hospitals have Priests, Rabbis and Ministers that would alternate acting as chaplain in much the same way. The hospital doesn’t need a full time chaplain because everyone dedicates a little time to see that the spiritual needs of the patients are met. I am a member of an organization that has a good percentage of members that are elderly and of different religious back grounds. There are many in nursing homes. Because they are aging they also spend a bit more time in the hospital for one reason or another. I plan on serving the needs of those folks at a minimum. My hope is to cultivate relationships with the staff and management of those facilities over time as well. Maybe I can get a per deim volunteer position.

    There is a lot of information in this course but I will try to keep this essay within the parameters of 1000 to 1500 words. That said, I will discuss the tools I plan to use.

    The most important tools are education, understanding, the ability to listen and empathize, and the ability to understand and execute the rites of different religions should you be the only one available and it being proper to do so. The second would be a working relationship with, and directory of, other religious leaders of different backgrounds and mental health professionals to refer folks to.

    As for material tools, the most efficient and necessary is my smart phone. Not only does it store my documents and contacts phone numbers it also stores a searchable copy of the Torah, Koran and the King James version of the Bible. The searchable editions are free apps that I downloaded. I also keep briefcase at the ready. It keeps all the things I might need in one place. I have soft cover editions of the same books of holy writ that are on my phone, a pad, pens, Holy water and consecrated oil, stick incense and other assorted interfaith items. Being that most religious observance can be conducted without the aid of props, most things in the brief case are for convenience and comfort.

    I work six days a week at two jobs and facilitate around 30 observances in the course of the year. This course was convenient for me take because it was accessible from my phone. I enjoyed it and believe has laid a solid foundation upon which to build as I complete other courses needed to complete the chaplaincy program.

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Many people get ordained through the ULC as a means to become wedding officiants, but also to study through our online seminary. If you need minister supplies or online ceremonies, we have a wide selection to choose from, as well as a place for spiritual articles and spiritual bookmarks. Visit our FB Page at ULC Seminary.
As an ordained minister with the Universal Life Church for many years and it’s Seminary since its inception, I’ve had the privilege of watching the Seminary grow.
chaplain program, chaplaincy, ulc
May 19th, 2013
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Spirit-Quest by Rev. Pritchard

Master of Metaphysics
I will begin with praise for the course “Spirit Quest.” I found it well presented, easy to understand, and comprehensive. It has been very easy to share many of the lessons learned through this course with my friends, family and those in my ministry.

I account myself as an eclectic Gnostic Christian because I believe in the basic tenets of faith as outlined by many different schools of religious and spiritual thought. The lessons presented in “Spirit Quest” reaffirmed my beliefs and enriched my faith. I have always found it easier to learn with the hands-on exercises, especially when the information is so esoteric. The homework assignments were fun, exciting, and enriching.

How did the heart of “Spirit Quest” reach the depths of my personal beliefs to have such a reaffirming, empowering affect? In this way:

Jesus of Nazareth taught me about sin, forgiveness and how to be one with “God” and hope for an eternal home. Spirit Quest outlined the art of forgiveness in the nicest way. It made it so clear as to why it is important, and made the process of following through so plain.

Buddha taught me how to control my emotions and how to be quiet in the stillness of night. Spirit Quest gave me new approaches to the skill of grounding and focusing. We can only hear the still, small voice that whispers to us (the God of our understanding, spirit guide or whatever you believe in for guidance) if we can be still in our own mind and body long enough to listen. In these hectic times this inner quiet is very important not only for our spirituality but for our sanity as well.

The Hindu path showed me the multiplicity of the Deity, and how to tap into other dimensions. Spirit Quest gave me protection from the negativity of others within this dimension to help me quietly escape from the negative, painful, abusive energies and attitudes of others. This is all so discrete and unassuming. I was delighted to use this technique when being confronted by a former spouse who is steeped in negativity. It made the encounter almost effortless.

Allah taught me through the Koran and the tenets of Islam to follow as my heart dictates so long as I harm none (Wicca teaches the same line of thought ‘an harm none, do as ye will.). This was re-enforced over and over by the belief of ULC and the baseline of this course.

Many paths led me to believe in the three-fold law of Karma-whatever you do comes back to you three fold. Even commercialized advice guru’s like Dr. Phil, will tell you that it is bad news to try to manipulate someone else…you can only change and control yourself. He would never tell you that to manipulate another being is “bad” karma, but it is and as sentient beings we all understand that at some level. This course outlines karma and all the essences of balance, meditation etc. quite concisely.

I plan to review the course on a regular basis to remind myself of the many aspects of the spirit. Judaism teaches that there are many great writings by many great teachers whose wisdom holds true through the millennia. I won’t say that the course is great literature but the words are certainly wise and I think we will find that it will indeed hold true through the millennia…look how long these concepts have been around already….

Dana Franklin Pritchard, Ph. D., D.D.

 

online ordination, online seminary, seminary, ulc seminary, universal life church , , ,
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