“Grace Explored: Amazing, Earned or Nonexistent,” February 6, 2011
The concept of grace is a timeless one – the inspiration for songs, poetry and religious teachings. Yet, how much thought have we really given to the concept of grace? This sermon will explores concepts of grace presented by philosophers and world religions. In addition. thoughts on the “stages of grace” are outlined and illustrated with examples.
“New Directions in Spirituality”, October 17, 2010
Recently there have been several books exploring spirituality for a religion focused on this life. Books with titles like The Little Book of Atheist Spirituality and Spirituality for Skeptics have appeared. This sermon shows how this approach differs from traditional notions of spirituality and how it can bring depth to our lives today. The dangers of spirituality without the use of intelligence, social concern and common sense will also be pointed out.
Rev. Dr. Jerome A. Stone is Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at William Rainey Harper College and was a United Church of Christ pastor for 18 years. He is the author of The Minimalist Vision of Transcendence and Religious Naturalism Today (named by the International Society for Science and Religion as one of the 200-250 most significant contributions to the science-religion discussion). In Preliminary Fellowship with the UUA, he is on the adjunct faculty of Meadville-Lombard Theological School.
“Soulful Diversity” , September 26, 2010
As the US and the world get more diverse in many ways, what implications does this have for individuals as well as for faith communities? What are the spiritual dimensions of diversity and inclusion? In this sermon, Andrés Tapia, Chief Diversity Officer at Hewitt Associates and author of The Inclusion Paradox: The Obama Era and the Transformation of Global Diversity, shares his take on these questions and offer both an inspirational call to embody diversity and practical ways to make it happen.
