Charles Chauncy Charles Chauncy served the prominent First Church of Boston for 60 years: 35 as assistant minister and another 25 as senior minister. His support of the American Revolution in sermons and pamphlets led him to be called "theologian of the American Revolution". Born into the elite Puritan merchant class that ruled Boston, Chauncy came to oppose the Great Awakening and spoke out against religious enthusiasm stirred up by revival preachers. 1. Despite his Puritan heritage, Chauncy rejected Calvin’s doctrine of total depravity, and argued that human beings have God-given "natural powers" that were meant to be nurtured toward "an actual likeness to God in knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness". 2. Chauncy and other more...

The last time I did a major update of my main website was around 2009. It was looking pretty old and creaky. So I did a complete redesign, and it’s now responsive and html5 compliant. On the content side, I added some significant new content, including an essay on change management in congregations. I did … Continue reading "Website update"

Joe Manchin is doing everything he can to undermine effective legislation to address the climate crisis and stop any sort of expansion of the social safety net. Like a lot of people, I have been feeling a lot of anger and despair over his power to dictate the Democratic Party’s legislative agenda at a time […]

The IWW relied on street meetings like this one in New York state to organize workers.  When Spokane, Washington authorities tried to shut them down in 1909 they sparked a legendary Free Speech Fight. I didn’t start out to be probably the greatest landmark battle for free speech and free assembly in Americanhistory.   It grew out of the practical, if militant concerns of a labor union trying to establish itselfin an all important local industry—the lumber trade of the Pacific Northwest. But on November 2, 1909 the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) launched a Free Speech Fight in the streets of Spokane , Washington.   Before the first day was out 103 workers trying to mount a literal wooden soap box on Stevens Street had been h...

I had plans to do something magical, spiritual, religious, and very important to me – and I had to postpone it. This was a hard thing for me to do.

    Mu: A Love Letter Tom Wardle Empty Moon Zen The Gateless Gate, Case One: Zhaozhou’s Dog A student of the way asked Zhaozhou (Joshu), “Has the dog Buddha nature or not?”Zhaozhou said, “Mu.” The Verse  Dog, Buddha nature—The full presentation of the whole;With a bit of “has” or “has not”Body is lost, life […]

Prayer beads serve as a focus for meditation. Much more than a mnemonic aid to prayer, prayer beads engage the senses to create a state of mindfulness. Find something to hold onto today, the touch of which helps remind you to return to your center.

In this week's Pagan Community Notes, announcements of rituals and events, as well as crossings of the Veil. Continue reading Pagan Community Notes: Week of November 1, 2021 at The Wild Hunt.

Susanna and I spent a lovely morning and early afternoon in the Cambridge University Botanic Garden and, for your enjoyment, I include here a few photographs.  Just click on a photo to enlarge it All were taken with a Fuji X100V and are straight out of camera jpegs