Go to Online Courses to find out more about our online classes, or to register for these and other upcoming courses. Most classes carry a $40 registration fee.
Ancient Roots: The Feminine Face of Western Religion Part II—Women and the Sacred in Judaism and Christianity
This second part of the Ancient Roots curriculum addresses women in early Jewish and Christian story and history, looking again at some elements and characters we may know well—or may not know as well as we think! Starting with Eve and the lesser-known Lilith in the Hebrew Bible, we'll look also at the roles and relevance of some famous matriarchs in early Judaism. Then moving on to Christianity, we'll consider the Gnostic gospel of Mary Magdelene—which presents a very different early Christian woman with very different significance than has come down in popular understanding. Finally we'll move into early European history by exploring different roles for women in the early Irish church.
Taught by the Rev. Elizabeth Lerner, UU minister and scholar of the history of women in religion, this course begins January 5th and runs for four weeks.
Religion and Ecology: A Shared Fate, A Shared Task
How are the world’s religions responding to environmental concerns? Is the environment a religious issue? John Henry Newman has stated that people will die for a dogma who will not stir for a conclusion. What if, then, environmentalism was discussed in religious rather than scientific language? Would the 2/3 of the world’s population who belong to a religion then pay more attention, be willing to make changes? In this course we’ll explore the spiritual aspects of the environmental crisis and how the world’s religions are working separately and together toward saving this sacred space called Earth, from the Hindu concept of ahimsa (do no harm) and the ethics of Buddhism, to the shareable wisdom of Islam, from the Protestant work ethic, Thoreau’s Walden, the ruach or “breath” of Judaism, to the Mennonite philosophy of living more with less. We’ll look at the resources that these religions bring to the discussion of what is being called “deep ecology,” the religious and ethical dimensions of viewing the earth as sacred.
Taught by Peg Shaffer, one of our most popular online teachers, this course begins January 12th and runs six weeks.
The Soul of Nature: A Journey into the Poetry of Mary Oliver
Mary Oliver has been lovingly called “the poet laureate of Unitarian Universalism.” Through keen observation of the natural world, Oliver finds delight, sorrow, mystery and paradox. Her poems are deceptively simple, containing rich layers of meaning that are illuminated in unexpected ways when we discuss them with like-minded readers. In this six-session class, we will find a safe container for our reflections on the spiritual and personal meanings of Oliver’s poems, using her themes as pathways into a spiritual practice of close observation of nature. There will be optional weekly writing exercises for those who wish to try their hand at poetry. The class will be based on Oliver’s New and Selected Poems, Volume 2, which is widely available.
Taught by the Rev. Amanda Aikman, UU minister and playwright, this course begins February 9th and runs six weeks.
Church of the Larger Fellowship (CLF), 25 Beacon Street, Boston, MA 02108-2823, U.S.
or
Phone: 617-948-6166; or for international callers, use 00-1-617-948-6166
Fax: 617-523-4123, or for international faxes, use 00-1-617-523-4123
