Master of Religion

The Essay of the Religious Class ULC Seminary

It is most interesting that during this class I’ve been able to gain an Old Insight into the Lord which was buried in my heart for over twenty years. This submersion of spirit had been caused by an event which shall remain nameless at this point but caused such a tragic response from my soul I shut down. I loved God still but did not function and would not due to my lost hope of the faith of Christ. About a year and a half ago I had a battle with God and it was a knock down drag out affair. God won. Now the second part of the puzzle has been placed on the board and the truth of my heart is taking shape.

As a Traditionalist Apologetic I am one who uses theology to justify the claims, demands, mission, and ultimate truth of Christianity or which is designed to help others do the same. Apologetics is generally a response to particular challenges, attacks, or questions, and is thus distinguished from evangelism and outreach, which by their nature try to seek out and persuade men to turn from erroneous beliefs and to accept Christianity.

Thus let us look at the “philosophia perennis” or Perennial Philosophy affirms that a direct insight into the nature of Reality is a universally human possibility -- whether it is gained after practice of spiritual disciplines and study of scriptures or through a wholly unanticipated illuminating experience of union with God or the Ultimate. A result of such awareness is the confidence that we have devolved from a single Source and the process of spiritual development is completed and perfected in our return to that One.

To call this perennial is to say that such an insight reappears in diverse times and places, not limited to any particular culture, class, or community. In more formal words, this philosophy has been described as the metaphysic that recognizes a divine Reality behind the world of things and lives and minds; the psychology that finds in [one] something identical with divine Reality and the ethic that places [one's] final end in the knowledge of the Immanent and Transcendent Ground of all things."

In other words, the term philosophia perennis is intended to describe a philosophy that has been formulated by those who have experienced direct communion with God or the Ultimate. However brief the experience; it transforms the thinking mind of “the acquaintancer”, so that they are never the same again. Such revelatory experience, captured however dimly in symbols supplied by human language or by whatever artistic _expression, however often repeated through the ages by people of all races, genders, cultures and religious beliefs, open onto the Perennial Philosophy.

If we imagine ourselves living at the time of Jesus we can suppose that we would have had an easier time believing in Him. After all, He was visible, a warm, breathing person, and we could have walked with Him and talked with Him and shared a meal. We would have lost no time sorting through the various arguments about whether Jesus existed or what He said and did, and in addition to His words we would have seen His deeds when he healed the sick and gave other signs, like at the wedding feast at Cana. And thus, it would have been easy to believe, or so we suppose.

But if we read the Canonized Gospels it becomes evident that the people around Jesus had just as hard a time believing in Him as we do today. What they gained by the immediacy of His presence they tended to lose by their expectations for an earthly messiah, and their inability to get the whole picture of Jesus that comes to us through the Gospels. But the problem went beyond this. Even the words of Jesus and His deeds did not necessarily convince or compel them to believe. No matter how many reasons to believe they had, these reasons in themselves did not add up to faith.

But to talk in this language of theology and of the Trinity may seem highly abstract and speculative, but it really isn't. It's the very center of Christian life and should be at the very heart of the Christian life of prayer. Without emphasizing the transcendent nature of the act of faith we will never really understand it. We will be like the “manualists” at the turn of the century who wanted to cling to faith's reasonableness, but reasonableness is not the heart of faith. If faith is the greatest challenge that Christianity faces, the challenge can only be met head on by attempting to deal with what can be called the critical problem of faith. This is the primary problem of the act of faith. It is a problem that is prior to the question of how the interior experience of faith is related to the exterior preaching of the Gospels.

But in the case of Jesus there is a new depth to penetrate. There is a deeper entity of union. If we were to see Jesus in the flesh, or to see Him in the Gospels narratives, we would see a man, and like meeting any other man; we would piece together what he does and says and come to some perception of His personality. And this relationship could blossom into a relationship of human love. But there is much more involved here. As we try to discern Jesus' inner nature we are disconcerted, for the pieces simply do riot fit our normal expectations, and much of the drama of the Gospels lies here.

The humanity of Jesus, then, becomes the sacrament, or symbol of His divinity. We cannot encounter it without being drawn towards its inner challenge which is the question of whether we can affirm or must deny that this is really the Son of God. And what gives us the ability to make this affirmation? It cannot simply be flesh and blood. Like must be known by like. On the human level the mystery of spirit played upon the face of flesh and it was reserved to the person who loved to see into this mystery with the eyes of love. In the case of the Incarnation where it is not a question of spiritualized matter, but of divinized humanity, it is the mystery of the Trinity that plays upon the face of Christ, and to truly accept Christ is to allow ourselves to be drawn by His humanity to the Son, and through the Son, to the Father and to the Spirit.

Thus I have approached the inner nature of faith through different directions: personal experience, the debates of the theologians, the reading of the Scriptures and Fathers, and the works of Gospels. And finally, we have examined the inner nature of faith itself as knowledge through love. All this can leave us with the impression that faith is a complex matter best left to the deliberations of theologians. This is not true. In fact, faith resists our intricately woven nets of concepts because of its simplicity and depth. And in virtue of this simplicity it permeates our lives like the air we breathe, but too seldom take notice of. We think God is absent because we do not find him like one object among all the others, when all the time He is there within us as our deepest goal. We are continually being drawn by this mysterious, powerful, silent call to union with Him, and it is faith which is our response to this hidden presence. At any moment, in any place, we can go on the journey of faith, for it is that tiny, quiet reaching out with our heart to God.

May God bless you and keep you forever.

Louis Charles Hook SSG (CA)

Senior Master Chaplain Assistant

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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.

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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.

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Becoming an ordained minister

My journey started in 1982 when I was going through my first divorce and was very much down in the dumps with all that was going on in my life. I sought, and found, answers in the bible and have been a student of God’s Word ever since. In 1985 the United States Air Force sent me to Turkey and I ended up spending five years there and even married a Turk. My journey at that juncture took another turn and I felt that God was leading me to write the truth of my experiences and knowledge.

The first work was titled, God’s Forgotten Holy Land and was copyright in 1993 and I sent inquiries to literally a hundred different publishers. Receiving back about sixty five reject letters I felt the need to learn how to get into the new arena of the Internet and created my own website in 1995 and incorporated as a non-profit organization in 1998. I have continued to send inquiries to various publishers as my work has expanded and I continue to get reject letters. In many cases the letters provides enough information to indicate that I am an unknown entity with no credentials to prepare such work in the genre that I deal with. It became more of a game to try and figure out how I could get the recognition they desired that I have and I turned to the Internet. In 2000 I applied to ULC to become a minister and directly behind that I made submission for my Doctorate of Philosophy in Religion.

It now seems so long ago that all of this was done. I now look over my shoulder and wonder about society and mankind as a whole who must categorize others as being in such-and-such a state, position, station, etc. or have this title or that tile for them to know anything about a particular subject. Mankind seems so hell bent to remove God from any equation and that anything that pertains to God has to somehow be religious and wrong for the ordinary man. How foolish they really are and their foolishness will bring them to a very important question one day and I don’t think they are going to like the answer they will hear. One day these foolish people will stand before God Almighty and He will ask them if they would like to be in the smoking or non-smoking section and they will of course answer ‘non-smoking’ and God will tell them, “Sorry, but your actions do not qualify you for the non-smoking section!”

Please review my website for content. The address is http://www.VQPub.org . I said that I had just finished my last book, titled “The Hunters Are Here” and have enclosed a page from that book that you and others of the ULC Seminary may find interesting. I continue to seek a publisher who is serious about publishing my work and if you happen to know of an interested party please direct them toward my website and myself.

So, that (in a nutshell) is why I became a ULC minister.

Sincerely,

Charles E. Darnell

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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.  
 

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The Gospel of Matthew

The Gospel of Matthew

Writer: Matthew

Place Written: Palestine

Writing Completed: c. 41 C.E.

Time Covered: 2 B.C.E.“33 C.E

Introducing Jesus and news of "the kingdom of the heavens" (1:4:25). Logically, Matthew begins with Jesus' genealogy, proving Jesus' legal right as heir of Abraham and David. Thus, the attention of the Jewish reader is arrested. Then we read the account of Jesus' miraculous conception, his birth in Bethlehem, the visit of the astrologers, Herod's angry slaying of all the boys in Bethlehem under two years old, Joseph and Mary's flight into Egypt with the young child, and their subsequent return to dwell in Nazareth. Matthew is careful to draw attention to the fulfillments of prophecy to establish Jesus as the foretold Messiah.”Matt. 1:23”Isa. 7:14; Matt. 2:1-6”Mic. 5:2; Matt. 2:13-18”Hos. 11:1 and Jer. 31:15; Matt. 2:23”Isa. 11:1, footnote.

Matthew's account now skips down through nearly 30 years. John the Baptizer is preaching in the wilderness of Judea: "Repent, for the kingdom of the heavens has drawn near." (Matt. 3:2) He is baptizing the repentant Jews in the river Jordan and warning the Pharisees and Sadducees of wrath to come. Jesus comes from Galilee and is baptized. Immediately God's spirit descends on him, and a voice from the heavens says: "This is my Son, the beloved, whom I have approved." (3:17) Jesus is then led into the wilderness, where, after fasting 40 days, he is tempted by Satan the Devil. Three times he turns Satan back by quotations from God's Word, saying finally: "Go away, Satan! For it is written, 'It is the LORD your God you must worship, and it is to him alone you must render sacred service.'"”4:10.

"Repent, you people, for the kingdom of the heavens has drawn near." These electrifying words are now proclaimed in Galilee by the anointed Jesus. He calls four fishermen from their nets to follow him and become "fishers of men," and he travels with them "throughout the whole of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the good news of the kingdom and curing every sort of disease and every sort of infirmity among the people."”4:17, 19, 23.

The Sermon on the Mount (5:1“7:29). As crowds begin to follow him, Jesus goes up into the mountain, sits down, and begins teaching his disciples. He opens this thrilling discourse with nine 'happinesses': Happy are those who are conscious of their spiritual need, those who mourn, the mild-tempered, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peaceable, those persecuted for righteousness' sake, and those reproached and lyingly spoken against. "Rejoice and leap for joy, since your reward is great in the heavens." He calls his disciples "the salt of the earth" and "the light of the world" and explains the righteousness, so different from the formalism of the scribes and Pharisees, that is required for entering the Kingdom of the heavens. "You must accordingly be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect."”5:12-14, 48.

Jesus warns against hypocritical gifts and prayers. He teaches his disciples to pray for the sanctification of the Father's name, for His Kingdom to come, and for their daily sustenance. Throughout the sermon Jesus holds the Kingdom to the fore. He cautions those who follow him not to worry about or work merely for material riches, for the Father knows their actual needs. "Keep on, then," he says, "seeking first the kingdom and his righteousness, and all these other things will be added to you."”6:33.

The Master counsels on relations with others, saying: "All things, therefore, that you want men to do to you, you also must likewise do to them." The few that find the road to life will be those who are doing the will of his Father. The workers of lawlessness will be known by their fruits and will be rejected. Jesus likens the one who obeys his sayings to the "discreet man, who built his house upon the rock-mass." What effect does this discourse have on the crowds who are listening? They are "astounded at his way of teaching," for he teaches "as a person having authority, and not as their scribes."7:12, 24-29.

Kingdom preaching expanded (8:1“11:30). Jesus performs many miracles—healing lepers, paralytics, and the demon-possessed. He even demonstrates authority over the wind and waves by calming a storm, and he raises a girl from the dead. What compassion Jesus feels for the crowds as he sees how skinned and thrown about they are, "like sheep without a shepherd"! As he says to his disciples, "the harvest is great, but the workers are few. Therefore, beg the Master of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest."”9:36-38.

Jesus selects and commissions the 12 apostles. He gives them definite instructions on how to do their work and emphasizes the central doctrine of their teaching: "As you go, preach, saying, 'The kingdom of the heavens has drawn near.'" He gives them wise and loving admonition: "You received free, give free." "Prove yourselves cautious as serpents and yet innocent as doves." They will be hated and persecuted, even by close relatives, but Jesus reminds them: "He that finds his soul will lose it, and he that loses his soul for my sake will find it." (10:7, 8, 16, 39) On their way they go, to teach and preach in their assigned cities! Jesus identifies John the Baptizer as the messenger sent forth before him, the promised "Elijah," but "this generation" accept neither John nor him, the Son of man. (11:14, 16) So woe to this generation and the cities that have not repented at seeing his powerful works! But those who become his disciples will find refreshment for their souls.

Pharisees refuted and denounced (12:1-50). The Pharisees try to find fault with Jesus on the Sabbath issue, but he refutes their charges and launches into a scathing condemnation of their hypocrisy. He tells them: "Offspring of vipers, how can you speak good things, when you are wicked? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks." (12:34) No sign will be given them except that of Jonah the prophet: The Son of man will be three days and nights in the heart of the earth.

Seven Kingdom illustrations (13:1-58). Why does Jesus speak in illustrations? To his disciples he explains: "To you it is granted to understand the sacred secrets of the kingdom of the heavens, but to those people it is not granted." He pronounces his disciples happy because they see and hear. What refreshing instruction he now provides for them! After he explains the illustration of the sower, Jesus gives the illustrations of the weeds in the field, the mustard grain, the leaven, the hidden treasure, the pearl of high value, and the dragnet—all portraying something in connection with "the kingdom of the heavens." However, the people stumble at him, and Jesus tells them: "A prophet is not unhonored except in his home territory and in his own house."—13:11, 57.

Further ministry and miracles of "the Christ" (14:1–17:27). Jesus is deeply affected by the report of the beheading of John the Baptizer at the order of spineless Herod Antipas. He miraculously feeds a crowd of 5,000 and more; walks on the sea; turns back further criticism from the Pharisees, who, he says, are 'overstepping the commandment of God because of their tradition'; heals the demon-possessed, the "lame, maimed, blind, dumb, and many otherwise"; and again feeds more than 4,000, from seven loaves and a few little fishes. (15:3, 30) Responding to a question by Jesus, Peter identifies him, saying: "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Jesus commends Peter and declares: "On this rock-mass I will build my congregation." (16:16, 18) Jesus now begins to speak of his approaching death and of his resurrection on the third day. But he also promises that some of his disciples "will not taste death at all until first they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom." (16:28) Six days later, Jesus takes Peter, James, and John up into a lofty mountain to see him transfigured in glory. In a vision, they behold Moses and Elijah conversing with him, and they hear a voice from heaven saying: "This is my Son, the beloved, whom I have approved; listen to him." After coming down from the mountain, Jesus tells them that the promised "Elijah" has already come, and they perceive that he is speaking about John the Baptizer.—17:5, 12.

Jesus counsels his disciples (18:1-35). While at Capernaum Jesus talks to the disciples about humility, the great joy of recovering a stray sheep, and settling offenses between brothers. Peter asks: 'How many times must I forgive my brother?' and Jesus answers: "I say to you, not, Up to seven times, but, Up to seventy-seven times." To add force to this, Jesus gives the illustration of the slave whose master forgave him a debt of 60 million denarii. This slave later had a fellow slave imprisoned because of a debt of only 100 denarii, and as a result, the merciless slave was likewise handed over to the jailers. Jesus makes the point: "In like manner my heavenly Father will also deal with you if you do not forgive each one his brother from your hearts."”18:21, 22, 35.

Closing days of Jesus' ministry (19:1“22:46). The tempo of events quickens and tension mounts as the scribes and Pharisees become more incensed at Jesus' ministry. They come to trip him up on a matter of divorce but fail; Jesus shows that the only Scriptural ground for divorce is fornication. A rich young man comes to Jesus, asking the way to everlasting life, but goes away grieved when he finds he must sell all he has and be a follower of Jesus. After giving the illustration of the workers and the denarius, Jesus speaks again of his death and resurrection, and he says: "The Son of man came, not to be ministered to, but to minister and to give his soul a ransom in exchange for many."”20:28.

Jesus now enters the last week of his human life. He makes his triumphal entry into Jerusalem as 'King, mounted upon the colt of an ass.' (21:4, 5) He cleanses the temple of the money changers and other profiteers, and the hatred of his foes mounts as he tells them: "The tax collectors and the harlots are going ahead of you into the kingdom of God." (21:31) His pointed illustrations of the vineyard and of the marriage feast hit home. He skillfully answers the Pharisees' tax question by telling them to pay back "Caesar's things to Caesar, but God's things to God." (22:21) Likewise he turns back a catch question by the Sadducees and upholds the resurrection hope. Again the Pharisees come to him with a question on the Law, and Jesus tells them that the greatest commandment is to love God completely, and the second is to love one's neighbor as oneself. Jesus then asks them, 'How can the Christ be both David's son and his Lord?' Nobody can answer, and thereafter no one dares to question him.—22:45, 46.

'Woe to you, hypocrites' (23:1“24:2). Speaking to the crowds at the temple, Jesus delivers another scathing denunciation of the scribes and Pharisees. Not only have they disqualified themselves from entering into the Kingdom but they exert all their wiles to prevent others from entering. Just like whitewashed graves, they appear beautiful on the outside, but inside they are full of corruption and decay. Jesus concludes with this judgment against Jerusalem: "Your house is abandoned to you." (23:38) As he leaves the temple, Jesus prophesies its destruction.

Jesus gives 'sign of his presence' (24:3“25:46). On the Mount of Olives, his disciples question him about 'the sign of his presence and the conclusion of the system of things.' In answer Jesus points forward to a time of wars, 'nation against nation and kingdom against kingdom,' food shortages, earthquakes, an increasing of lawlessness, the earth-wide preaching of "this good news of the kingdom," the appointment of "the faithful and discreet slave . . . over all his belongings," and many other features of the composite sign that is to mark 'the arrival of the Son of man in his glory to sit down on his glorious throne.' (24:3, 7, 14, 45-47 25:31) Jesus concludes this important prophecy with the illustrations of the ten virgins and of the talents, which hold forth joyful rewards to the alert and faithful, and the illustration of the sheep and the goats, which shows goatish people departing "into everlasting cutting-off, but the righteous ones into everlasting life."”25:46.

Events of Jesus' final day (26:1“27:66). After celebrating the Passover, Jesus institutes something new with his faithful apostles, inviting them to partake of unleavened bread and wine as symbols of his body and his blood. Then they go to Gethsemane, where Jesus prays. There Judas comes with an armed crowd and betrays Jesus with a hypocritical kiss. Jesus is taken to the high priest, and the chief priests and the entire Sanhedrin look for false witnesses against Jesus. True to Jesus' prophecy, Peter disowns him when put to the test. Judas, feeling remorse, throws his betrayal money into the temple and goes off and hangs himself. In the morning Jesus is led before the Roman governor Pilate, who hands him over to be impaled under pressure from the priest-incited mob who cry: "His blood come upon us and upon our children." The governor's soldiers make fun of his kingship and then lead him out to Golgotha, where he is staked between two robbers, with a sign over his head reading, "This is Jesus the King of the Jews." (27:25, 37) After hours of torture, Jesus finally dies at about three in the afternoon and is then laid in the new memorial tomb belonging to Joseph of Arimathea. It has been the most eventful day in all history!

Jesus' resurrection and final instructions (28:1-20). Matthew now climaxes his account with the very best of news. The dead Jesus is resurrected -- he lives again! Early on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and "the other Mary" come to the tomb and hear the angel's announcement of this joyful fact. (28:1) To confirm it, Jesus himself appears to them. The enemies even try to fight the fact of his resurrection, bribing the soldiers who had been on guard at the tomb to say, "His disciples came in the night and stole him while we were sleeping." Later, in Galilee, Jesus has another meeting with his disciples. What is his departing instruction for them? This: "Go . . . make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit." Would they have guidance in this preaching work? The last utterance of Jesus that Matthew records gives this assurance: "Look! I am with you all the days until the conclusion of the system of things."—28:13, 19, 20.

Why Beneficial

The book of Matthew, first of the four Gospels, truly provides an excellent bridge from the Hebrew Scriptures into the Christian Greek Scriptures. Unmistakably, it identifies the Messiah and King of The LORD's promised Kingdom, makes known the requirements for becoming his followers, and sets out the work that lies ahead for these on earth. First John the Baptizer, then Jesus, and finally his disciples went preaching, "The kingdom of the heavens has drawn near." Moreover, Jesus' command reaches right down to the conclusion of the system of things: "And this good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations; and then the end will come." Truly it was, and still is, a grand and wonderful privilege to share in this Kingdom work, including 'making disciples of people of all the nations,' working after the pattern of the Master.”3:2; 4:17; 10:7; 24:14; 28:19.

Matthew's Gospel is indeed "good news." Its inspired message was "good news" to those who heeded it in the first century of the Common Era, and The LORD God has seen to it that it has been preserved as "good news" until this day. Even non-Christians have been compelled to acknowledge the power of this Gospel, as, for example, the Hindu leader Mohandas (Mahatma) Gandhi, who is reported to have said to Lord Irwin, a former viceroy of India: "When your country and mine shall get together on the teachings laid down by Christ in this Sermon on the Mount, we shall have solved the problems not only of our countries but those of the whole world." On another occasion Gandhi said: "By all means drink deep of the fountains that are given to you in the Sermon on the Mount . . . For the teaching of the Sermon was meant for each and every one of us."

However, the whole world, including that part claiming to be Christian, continues with its problems. It has been left to a small minority of true Christians to treasure, study, and apply the Sermon on the Mount and all the other sound counsel of the good news according to Matthew and thereby derive inestimable benefits. It is profitable to study again and again Jesus' fine admonitions on finding the real happiness, as well as on morals and marriage, the power of love, acceptable prayer, spiritual versus material values, seeking the Kingdom first, having respect for holy things, and being watchful and obedient. Matthew chapter 10 gives Jesus' service instructions to those who take up preaching the good news of "the kingdom of the heavens." The many parables of Jesus carry vital lessons for all who 'have ears to hear.' Moreover, Jesus' prophecies, such as his detailed foretelling of 'the sign of his presence,' build strong hope and confidence in the future.”5:1“7:29; 10:5-42; 13:1-58; 18:1“20:16; 21:28“22:40; 24:3“25:46.

Matthew's Gospel abounds with fulfilled prophecies. Many of his quotations from the inspired Hebrew Scriptures were for the purpose of showing these fulfillments. They provide indisputable evidence that Jesus is the Messiah, for it would have been utterly impossible to prearrange all these details. Compare, for example, Matthew 13:14, 15 with Isaiah 6:9, 10; Matthew 21:42 with Psalm 118:22, 23; and Matthew 26:31, 56 with Zechariah 13:7. Such fulfillments give us strong assurance, too, that all the prophetic forecasts of Jesus himself, recorded by Matthew, would in due course come true while God's glorious purposes with regard to "the kingdom of the heavens" reach fruition.

How exact God was in foretelling the life of the King of the Kingdom, even to minute details! How exact was the inspired Matthew in faithfully recording the fulfillment of these prophecies! As they reflect on all the prophetic fulfillments and promises recorded in the book of Matthew, lovers of righteousness can indeed exult in the knowledge and hope of "the kingdom of the heavens" as God's instrument for sanctifying his name. It is this Kingdom by Jesus Christ that brings untold blessings of life and happiness to the mild-tempered and spiritually hungry ones "in the re-creation, when the Son of man sits down upon his glorious throne." (Matt. 19:28) All of this is contained in the stimulating Gospel "according to Matthew."

--

Sincerely yours,

Judge Edward Singleton, D.D., CNSA

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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.

The Universal Life Church offers handfasting ceremonies, funeral ceremonies and free minister training.

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.

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Comparative Religions

Final Essay for Comparative Religion

Thank you Amy for all your work you do. I would also like to thank Rev. Kythera Ann for writing and teaching this course. It was very interesting and informative. I would definitely take another course from Rev. Kythera Ann. I can hardly wait until part 2. I had a difficult time just waiting week to week for this course. I HIGHLY recommend this course to everyone who plans to work in any type of ministry. This course covered so many aspects of religions, their symbolism, rituals, history and much, much more.

Rev. Kythera Ann included hundreds of color pictures to go along with the subject being covered. The pictures help to understand the subject matter. The recommended readings and the extra web sites were awesome. I built up an excellent library of resources and read a great number of the recommended books. I enjoyed and learned a great deal from these resources. For example, one site was the Peace Pole Project. I had never heard of it. When I checked into it I found a nearby city that had a Peace Pole. That lead me to talk to locals about it and I gained even more information.

Rev Kythera Ann’s knowledge of this course was impeccable. I gained insight in religions I never heard of. There was one religion, Zoroastrian, I’ve wanted to learn more about. Having a Zoroastrian acquaintance from India, she often spoke of her religion. Now I’ve gained new insight into her life.

I now have a very extensive library on world religions. So many books I’d heard of but never took the time to read until this course. It’s been educational and fun.

The history of these religions and the battles and sufferings people went through just to bring their beliefs out into the open.

The thing I liked least about this course was that it had to end after 20 discourses. I could take this course on a regular basis. These discourses are perfect. They were a great length and had great photos and other resources to back them up. I don’t think you could make them any better.

My favorite part in this course (which is hard to pick one) was on symbolism. The use of symbolism is apparent in every religious tradition. It is an important part of most religions. As Philip Rawson said about the symbolism of Indian Art "All religions include a clutch of interwoven "fossil" symbols. These basic symbols serve to structure otherwise inexpressible intuitions about the origin, meaning and destiny of the human world, and guide people’s behavior as well as their spiritual effort. Symbols link together experience at personal, social and cosmological levels." Carl Gustav Jung pioneered the psychology of symbolism. Jung stated that some symbols were of universal significance. Important parts of psychic process influence every aspect of human thought and endeavor.

Geometric forms in religions are important. One is the circle, which is the beginning and the end and has no end or direction. Often a serpent is used for the circle. One example is the Ouroboros, a snake swallowing its tail. Often a serpent is used for the circle. The Ouroboros is a Greek word meaning "tail swallower". It is usually circular, although sometimes it is in a lemniscape shape. It originated in Egypt as a symbol of the sun and represents the travels of the sun disk. In Gnosticism, it was related to the solar God Abroxas and signified eternity and soul of the world. One other circle is the Buddhist Wheel of Law and in Zen Buddhism the circle stands for enlightenment and the perfection of humanity in unity with the primal principles. In history the circle becomes a symbol of divinity. It is also seen in western art. It has seen around Jesus and the Apostles at the Last Supper, Saints, and many religious figures. Even today on food or cleaning projects halos are used. Such items include Uncle Ben’s rice, Sun Maid raisins, Tide, and Mr. Clean.

Other symbols are the Axis Mundi, circumanbulation, the cross, the ankh, triangle and squares. There are even combined uses of symbols like the Celtic cross. In Northern Europe, Egypt, the Middle East and China the circle is female and the cross is male and stands for union. A cross, inscribed within a circle, is used in Native American traditions. This symbolically means the connection of sky and earth. The circle combined with a square is supported by the Buddhist mandala, in which squares inside circles represent the passage from material to spiritual planes. There are many, many more symbols.

As you can tell I get very excited talking about this course. It was wonderful and Rev. Kythera Ann was a great teacher.

In Christ Jesus name,

Rev. Nancy Rutledge

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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.

The Universal Life Church offers hand-fasting ceremonies, funeral ceremonies and free minister training.

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

Buddhism

Final Essay on Buddhism

Buddhism, like most of the great religions of the world, is divided into a number of different traditions. However, most traditions share a common set of fundamental beliefs.

One fundamental belief of Buddhism is often referred to as reincarnation -- the concept that people are reborn after dying. In fact, most individuals go through many cycles of birth, living, death and rebirth. A practicing Buddhist differentiates between the concepts of rebirth and reincarnation. In reincarnation, the individual may recur repeatedly. In rebirth, in a person does not necessarily return to Earth as the same entity ever again. He compares it to a leaf growing on a tree. When the withering leave falls off, a new leaf will eventually replace it. It is similar to the old leaf, but it is not identical to the original leaf.

After many such cycles, if a person releases their attachment to desire and the self, they can attain Nirvana. This is a state of liberation and freedom from suffering. I have found that this program has opened my up to a deeper understanding of Buddhist thought and right living. I have spent many hours meditating and have come up with one conclusion. We must all do our utmost to just see! Once we slay the ego, then true enlightenment and fulfillment will be ours.

Eric Jennings

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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.

The Universal Life Church offers handfasting ceremonies, funeral ceremonies and free minister training.

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

Four Gospels

Four Gospels Course Paper

Rev. Hal Coffen

In the synoptic gospels and the Gnostic gospel of Thomas the Pharisees and John’s disciples question the fact that Jesus’ disciples are not fasting. He replies with a question: “How can the friends of the bridegroom fast when he is with them for but a short time, there will be time for fasting when he is gone.” This point leads us on a brief journey into tradition and resistance to change.

On the surface this appears to be the observation of a teacher who is all too aware of his mortality. I feel that it is another point where Christ draws our attention to his deity. Jewish tradition, as outlined in the poetic and prophetic books of the Jewish bible, describe God as the bridegroom to the Jewish people.

In accepting this mantle, he not only declares Himself to those who “have ears to hear” He also creates a new corporate entity. Just as He is the perfect melding of God/man, by becoming the Bridegroom he opens a door for us to join with him. Much as a man and a woman leave their parents to create a new entity, so must we join with Christ to create a new entity. This is not the corporate “body of the church” that the temporal powers would have us believe, but rather individually as we follow our path to God.

The warnings that follow are too frequently glossed over. To superficially add the teachings of the Bridegroom to the old covenant is to rend the new and leave it incomplete. Further even if this repair didn’t shrink and further damage the old, it would just draw attention to its difference and mask the substance of its message.

The wine skin analogies are perhaps the most telling and discouraging. If we try to force this new relationship with God into the old patterns they will burst, leaving the relationship to spill away and be ultimately lost. If as Thomas warns in his gospel we accept the new relationship but fill it with the details of the old it will spoil the new dispensation as well as the old, and leave us further behind then when we started this journey. Perhaps the most disturbing portion of this parable is in the writing of Luke. The warning that: who, having tasted the old will not prefer it to the new. If it is hard to change old physical and mental habits, how much harder will it be to change our spiritual habits? How much easier is it to follow the old ways especially given the laws to guide our way? The priests and shamen are there at the ready to correct our errors, to guide us along the way they have discerned and perhaps most telling interpret for us the meaning of the Bridegroom’s teachings.

The true path, for those of us who follow the Christ, is the one he presented. It is through him, not some hierarchy of a temporal church. Just as we should not place priests between us and our temporal spouses, (even if they seem to think they have that right today) how can it be wise to place them between our self and our Holy Bridegroom.

What then is our role as pastors? Beyond finding our own way along this difficult path, we must stand as signpost for our fellow travelers. As they explore the way to spirituality and peace we must support them in their path, not matter how different from our own. While we discover our own way we may share our discoveries with fellow travelers. But we must let our example be our guide, we must teach by that example, and the good our chosen path will present it self. How much easier it would be to present a “proven” dogma, to present that old familiar wine to searchers, rather then to lead them to the path of their own. If we our true to our own spirituality, our light will lead them to a path less prone to the human errors we call sin.

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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.

The Universal Life Church offers handfasting ceremonies, funeral ceremonies and free minister training.

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

Four Gospels Course

The Four Gospels Course By Mark Carey

Luke Chapter 18 v1-9

I have always found this first story one of the most interesting yet least understood. To me it is about faith. Not just in God, but in the fact that he knows what is best for you and when you should receive things or challenges. It deals with how people pray for help or things. (For themselves for the most part) But when they do not receive the things or the problem for which they prayed is not solved they pray or ask less offend feeling that God is not listening to them. But the faith you should have is that of a child to a parent. Because God loves and protects you as a parent does. We do not always understand why thing happen ( story one ) or why God gives us challenges (story two ). But if you like Matthew chapter 7 v 7-8 Says “ Ask and it will be given you; seek, and Ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For everyone that askteth, Receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened” says to and do not quit, talked as you would to a parent who loves their child. It does not mean that we should stop asking or praying just because we got what we wanted or not. But this story is about the fact we should never give up praying to God and ask for his help for others or ourselves. But keep asking, knocking, seeking for God he will help and answer you, but in his time not ours and sometimes when least expect it he gives you want you were asking for even if it something we should have not ask for or it a small thing that we did not really need.

Story One

This has happen to me and I think you will like this little story. It was about two years ago. The day was in late June and it was in the 90’s and so was the humidity. I had to run because I was training for a road race. So after about a half mile or so, I said out loud God please let it cloud up I’m so hot. Well I know you can see this going, it did get cloudy and to my surprise a misty rain I said Thank you God and keep on going. Well after a few more miles I was still very hot. I thanked God for the misty rain again and said, please I’m so hot let it rain harder. Well with in five minutes it rained so hard and the wind got so strong that cars were pulling off the road. We got four inches of rain in a half hour. From that day on I still get a little smile whenever I think of it.

Story Two

It been eight years and I still do not understand why this challenge was given. I still pray for God to give me some light to understand why. I was sick with the flu and had a bad chest cold. After two or three weeks I went to the doctor for help. He gave me some medicine, well after about twenty minutes I started feeling very bad. So I turned around and went back to the doctor’s office. When I got there, I told them that something was wrong and fell to the floor. I remember hear thing like he gone, there’s no pulse, and that my blood pressure was zero. After a few minutes they had me back. The medicine they gave me earlier was one that I was allergic to. I went for able to do running and bike races, to barely able to walk. It has been a hard road back, but I am able to run again.

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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 Universal Life Church, 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

Wiccan Basic Training

Wiccan Basic Training

By Rev. Barbara Hynal

How it affected my life

What I learned

I have pretty much been practicing Wicca, naturally not knowing what it was, since I was a child. I did not believe in the things that the different religions, in the Bible Belt, taught about their God. Each religion saying their God was the true God. Teaching of fire & damnation if you followed any teaching other than "theirs". I believed in a "greater power" that gives life &  love to all living things.

As I grew, I became fascinated with the stories of the Greek Gods & Goddess's. I felt that we all had the God/Goddess spirit within us, if we would only acknowledge this spirit. You can imagine how the idea of being a Goddess in oneself went over in this geographical area.

My philosophy of: what I do is MY BUSINESS (as long as my intention is good, I take responsibility for my actions & I bother no one else) use to drive my parents up the wall. They thought I was a disrespectful person. "An it harms none, do as thou wilt".

All of the above was well before the broom closets were opened. I moved to California about the time you could say witch or Wicca without thinking you might be burned.I found Scott Cunningham's books to my liking & they added to my education of what I was practicing. I am still a solitary practitioner. I have attended several covens & found the power struggle for the HP status too stifling.

I enjoyed this course very much.I liked the way we are reminded that the ritual must speak to YOU. An effective ritual unites the worshipper with Deity. I had not thought about the alter tools as being "attention-getters" to focus your attention. I like that theme. I have several tools that "I like" that do not really fit with the pattern of alter tools. They do now, because they are "attention-getters" for ME.

Being reminded that alters grow & change (with the growth of the person), reminded me that it is OK to set my alter my way.The Invoking-evoking was a good lesson. I really had not realized the difference. I have always "invited" the element to honor me with the presence. I have heard HP use "EVOKING". That tern did not set well & now I know why.

Lessons 12-13-14 were pretty intense & educational.

Lesson 23 on improving your spells was very helpful. The information

about which moon phase for the purpose of the spell was very helpful.

This course reinforced most of my beliefs & taught me a few new ways of looking/doing things.

So Mote it be!

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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.

The Universal Life Church offers hand-fasting ceremonies, funeral ceremonies and free minister training.

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

The Unvarnished Gospels

The Essay of the Gospel Class ULC Seminary

The fact I recognize I knew more than this was most evident in my writings and of course the Lord smiled as I made a complete fool of myself. The chances of this factual knowledge of God being in one old broken down cavalry trooper was remote. Once I reread the vitally important section of the Sermon on the Mount (all references for this diatribe are those from the Unvarnished Gospels) presents a problem which is not easy to resolve - the question whether it is to be linked with what has gone before or be taken as introduction to the ensuing section about false prophets and false religion. In favor of the former it can be urged that the definite article: “the strait gate”, often has a demonstrative sense in New Testament Greek: “this strait gate”. In which case reference would appear to be to the comprehensive but difficult precept which Jesus had just laid upon his disciples: “All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them.”

Yet this is not free from difficulty. The picture presented to the mind is of a narrow gate giving access to a narrow way, with eternal life as its end. Such a mental picture does not seem appropriate to this principle of Christian graciousness. And, further, to apply it in this way would surely imply justification by one’s own good works. If indeed a man is to keep himself in the narrow way to life by observing the Golden Rule, then it must be admitted that a vast proportion of the Lord’s people, with the best will in the world, are frequently astray from it. Again, the commentary: “few there be that find it” is hardly appropriate to the Golden Rule, which is easy enough to “find” but terribly difficult to maintain as a constant guiding influence in one’s life.

The words of Jesus here strongly suggest a faith which has to be sought out, and a personal decision and choice which have to be made. A man does not drift into the service of Christ. He becomes a disciple by making up his mind that this is the only loyalty he can accept, the only way of life for him to follow. This is the spirit of the appeal made to Israel by Moses, an appeal now reiterated by Jesus in even more challenging fashion: “I call heaven and earth to witness this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live” (Dt. 30:19).

It was a far-reaching claim that if a man would have eternal life he will find it in no other way than through the service of Christ himself: “I am the true and living way: no man cometh unto the Father but by me” (John 14:6). “I am the door: by me if any man enter in he shall be saved” (John 10:9). A man must give his own personal assent to these truths, and make his own personal decision in the light of them. The only alternative is the wide gate and broad way by which the many follow the road to destruction. The teaching of Jesus here could hardly be more explicit. There are not many or even several ways a man may follow. The Unvarnished Gospels therefore show there are only two, and every individual is in one or the other.

This “either - or” theme gets plenty of emphasis in the Bible-and needs it. Two ways (Jer. 21:8; Pr. 4:10-19); two trees (Ps. 1:6, 7; Jer. 17:5-8); two houses (Mt. 7:24-28). The Greek word for “narrow” is rather frightening. It means “squeezed up”; not “narrow”, but “made narrower”. This narrow way in Christ has to be sought for: “Few there be that find.” And since, only a short while before, Jesus had declared so unequivocally: “Seek, and ye shall find” (7:7), it follows logically that there are only few who seek! Experience underlines the truth of this. The vast majority, if not actually content with life as they find it, are so devoid of higher spiritual aspirations that they never seek anything different from what they naturally know. They do not have to “find” the way that leads to destruction. They are already in it, and are well content to make fast or slow progress there.

The teaching of Jesus here is eclecticism in its most rigorous form. In plain unvarnished fashion he made it perfectly clear that he expected no sweeping success in his preaching. The nation’s ultimate response to his appeal would be small. And in the wider field of Gentile evangelism also the same would be true.

It has become fashionable in the past several hundred years to attack the Christian faith in a unique and allegedly scholarly manner. Prominent universities, critics, skeptics, and scholars try to deny what the New Testament record reveals about Jesus Christ. Generally, most people will accept Jesus as a moral teacher whose followers developed His teachings into a religion, but what they will not accept is the testimony of Christ and Holy Writ.

The Unvarnished Gospels give us his baptism, the proclamation especially in parables of the present and future kingdom of God, a ministry of exorcism, his gathering of disciples across socio-economic boundaries, his sharing a common meal that celebrated their new relationship to God, his challenge to the Jewish teachers of His day, the arousal of opposition that led to his arrest, his trials by the Jewish authorities on charges of blasphemy and by the Romans for sedition, and his crucifixion.

The Jesus Seminar with liberal theologians, such as Burton Mack and John Dominic Crossan, differ significantly in their conclusions than the scholarship of the Historical Quest or that of the Unvarnished Gospels. The Jesus Seminar tries to claim intellectual scholarship with the Historical Quest, but fails miserably in such desperate attempts. For example, the Historical Quest and the Unvarnished Gospels believes that there are considerable sections of the Gospels that are historical. In contrast, the Seminar believes that only a minute section of the Gospels are historically reliable.

The disquieting trend in surveying the scholarship for the historical Jesus is the level of demand that is placed upon the Christian church to adjust its theologies and doctrines in light of the progression of “historical reconstructionism” of modern scholarship. However, these demands assume that the modern discoveries concerning the historical Jesus are the definitive interpretation of Jesus in contrast to the testimony of the Unvarnished Gospel writers. The question that needs answering is whether or not the historical Jesus of this research is the true counterpart of Jesus in His fullness as the New Testament documents reveal Him.

The answer to the question is without equivocation a resounding “no.” The breach between the historical Jesus of the various researches and the real Jesus of history and faith requires two things. First, scholars who are relying on history alone as the most important tool to understand Jesus Christ must understand and recognize the limits and restrictions of history. Without equivocation, the Christian faith is historical but understanding the whole of Christianity has never been based solely on historical studies. The interpreter of Scripture needs to be able to properly evaluate and reevaluate the role of history in studies of Jesus. Second, scholars must be able to correctly consign the real and historical Jesus within the life and theology of Christianity as a whole. The modern reconstructions of the historical Jesus quests need not put centuries of Christian thought and practice out of place. Certainly, the quests are profitable if the proper method and perspective are employed in such studies of the Person and work of Jesus Christ.

It is my most humble opinion that the Unvarnished Gospels and the studies we have done in this class point to the factual truth of God’s Infinite Word. Faith, Tradition, and Honor are the basis of our path to the One True God of the Multi-Cosmos (Traditionalism’s Tenets of Faith). I am a Traditionalist and I seek the Lord via that open and strict view of the Word. We must all see the truth and know that the heart gives us the power to know. It is up to us to hear the quiet call.

God loves you.

Louis Charles Hook SSG (CA)

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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.

The Universal Life Church offers handfasting ceremonies, funeral ceremonies and free minister training.

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

Wiccan Studies

Thank you for the opportunity to take the Master of Wiccan Studies course. I thoroughly enjoyed every part of it. I am an initiated 3 degree High Priestess in the Gardnerian/Alexandrian Tradition of Wicca. I am currently a High Priestess and Elder in an eclectic coven, and have been for almost 9 years. 

Before that, I received my training in another coven which was Alexandrian. I have been fortunate enough to receive training from some very wonderful, knowledgeable witches who from the beginning led me down the right path and helped me in this long spiritual journey. It has been very fulfilling, but I know that there is always more to learn. It is a never ending journey and therefore I am always searching for new sources of information. That is why I decided to join the ULC Seminary and to take this course. I thought it would be a good chance to learn more about my religion and to learn more about other religions too. I really loved the course and Lord Starwalker. He is a very good instructor. He is very knowledgeable and gifted as a teacher and witch. I am glad I took the course because I got alot out of it. It helped me review some things from past training and to fine tune things that I hadn't thought about in a while.

Being a witch is about being in balance with nature and with the universe. We work with the cycles of nature and there we find balance. Our world is in balance when we are not fighting, controlling or manipulating the natural cycle of things. As witches, we flow with nature, not against it. This is how we live. Wicca for me is where I find happiness, love, peace and fulfillment in many areas of my life.

I am also going to recommend that the other 3 Elders in my coven also take Lord Starwalker's course. I think it is good to keep searching for knowledge and to be on your toes as an Elder in the Craft. Our coven is based here in Massachusetts and we do a lot of rituals right here in Salem, MA. As you can imagine, Wicca is very popular in this part of the country, so we get approached alot to train new witches. This is why I like to keep learning myself. I would like to sign up for another course in a couple of weeks because I enjoyed this one so much.

Thank you.

Linda Weibrecht

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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 Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button.

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