Shamanism

Shamanic Studies ULC Seminary My experience reading the work about Shamanism was interesting. I felt that it covered the history of shamanism well and allowed the students to peer inside the different cultural aspects of Shamanism around the world. I was particularly intrigued by the in expansive information on the many different cultures that have been represented in reading 18. I am very moved by the inclusiveness of all of the ancient civilizations that are a major part of our current civilizations pondering about the beginning of time, beings from other worlds, Mayans, Egyptians, Babylonians, Mesopotamia's contributions and so much more. There is one thing that I have noticed in many readings and studies is that many ethic cultures are discussed in dissociative terms with very little compassion, empathy or respect.  These bodies of work by Bishop Pat, I felt to some degree sought to dispel that. More so, I would have liked to read more about the Asian cultures contribution and mainly African contributions, although Egypt was covered it was limited at best. More effort in my opinion should be placed on the very cradle of civilizations contribution to these predicted world events and in just our very rights to existence. Once we are truly balanced in our perception, our finding, researching and sharing of information on a truly collective level then and only then will be able to truly see how we are all cosmically connected and significant. I enjoyed the course! Tai` Dozier *******************************   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

Spirituality

Michael S Barth

Doctor of Spirituality Final Essay

            Working on this course was really fascinating to me.  I really enjoyed the time working on it and learned quite a bit.  Before taking this class, I had never heard of the course or book called A Course in Miracles.  While taking this class, I ended up buying the book/course at a bookstore to read and even signed up for the newsletter from Foundation for Inner Peace.

            This course is about prayer which is a tool that I realize now that I need to utilize more often to communicate with my Heavenly Father.  I realize now that through prayer, I can be one with my Father.  When I was a kid, I would attend church and I was told to pray.  I did not pray much as a kid because I felt that God was not listen or not answering my prayers.  I would also gripe at God about all the problems that my family or I were having and would tell God what should be done or what I wanted.  This course really got rid of that view which had been diminishing over the years.

            Over the years, I always had thought that God was a completely separate entity but learned in this course that God is in each and every one of us and that God is waiting for us to come back to him.  The section on free will also really changed how I viewed free will.  I had always thought that I would be happy in whatever choices I made but that turned out to be wrong.  I stopped going to church and did things my own way.  I ended up in a lot of pain.  This is when I realized that things would be a lot better if I did them God's way.

            This course really changed my view on God too.  A little piece of me always believed in God and I always feared God, but realize now that God is all encompassing and is all love.  Growing up, I was taught that if I did something wrong or bad God was going to condemn me and judge me to an eternity in Hell but realize that this is not what God is since God is all love.

            I also was taught about the crucifixion of Jesus Christ with less emphasis put on the resurrection.  After taking this course, I realize that the lesson was the resurrection of Jesus Christ because he was one with his Heavenly Father.  I have felt a lot better since taking this course which clarified a lot of misperceptions that I had held about Jesus Christ.

            The material mentioned above is just a little of what I learned from this course.  This course has also been very helpful to me.  I have suffered from mental/emotional disorders for the last 10 years.  This course has given me hope by teaching me about miracles and prayer.  Since the start of this course, I have had fewer symptoms because I have been able to take things from this course and apply them to real life.  The biggest change that this course got me to do is to listen to God and let God into my life.  I am currently reading the course/book that this course is based on.  By taking this course first, I am understanding the course/book a lot better and getting a lot out of it.

            This course is easy to follow and presented very well.  The instructor does a wonderful job in this course.  I loved all of the lessons and the prayer visualizations that came with it.  I would definitely recommend that people take this course.

*******************************

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 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

St. Paul

Michael S. Barth

The Life of Saint Paul Final Essay

       After going through this course about the Life of Saint Paul, I am truly amazed at what he had to put up with when he was spreading the news about the Life of Jesus Christ.  I had no idea about the amount of geography that Paul had to cover in that day and it is amazing that Paul covered it with the transportation that was available in that day.  I was also amazed that Paul had been a Pharisees before spreading the news of Jesus.  I would have never guessed that he persecuted the early Church before helping go out and help it spread.

            I also did not know before taking this class that Paul, his Roman name, was used after his conversion and that he was called by his Jewish name of Saul.  This had caused me confusion in the past but now understand the Bible better with the clarification of his name.  I also did not know that he was a member of the Benjamin Tribe and that he had a sister and son.  I found Paul's early life very intriguing with Paul being raised in Tarsus and being a student of Gamaliel.

            I found his conversion very intriguing too.  I had not known before that he converted after seeing and talking to Jesus Christ while Paul was on the way to Damascus to persecute the early Church there.  I also learned that he was left blind and was astonished.  It surprised me to learn that he was greeted in Damascus with the salutation of Brother.  I learned that it was here in Damascus that Paul developed his approach to teaching the Gospel by entering the first Jewish synagogue.

            I am glad that Paul started teaching the Gospel to the Gentiles because if Paul had not, I do not think I would be a Christian now-a-days.  Also, I am glad that Paul put his effort into spreading the Gospel because Christianity might not be the religion it is today and may have never spread.  Paul's missionary journey's were just amazing to me like doing all that walking and sailing that Paul did to reach his destinations.  I am glad that Paul did not give up either especially after being beaten, jailed, or left for dead.  It goes to show how courageous Paul was and how Paul was dedicated to spreading the Gospel.  I do not think I would have that strength to continue even if Jesus Christ was by my side.

            I am glad that Paul's Letters are still in existence, even if they are copies now-a-days.  I think his epistles go to show what early believers went through.  The temptation the early believers put up with was amazing even if they did fall to temptation.  I am glad to see that Paul kept encouraging the early believers to stick to the path of Jesus Christ and not to give into the devil.

            Paul's trip was incredible to me because of the hardship on the ship and on the island.  I am glad that the centurion, Julius, treated Paul kindly.  I also find that Paul's poisonous viper bite is not fatal and this shows to me that God does exist and that God did not let the poison kill Paul.  It was hard for me to learn about how Paul died in Rome.  I think that Paul showed his faith in God by going to Rome and not running away from his trial and punishment.

     I think that taking this course was a great experience for me.  I liked the study questions that were at the end of the lessons.  The study questions were really helpful to me in figuring out what was important to learn.  The questions also helped me concentrate on the lesson(s) involved.  This course was very worthwhile because I learned a lot about Paul that I never knew before and this course straightened some confusion out that I had about Paul.  I would recommend this course to anyone who wants to know about the Life of Saint Paul.

********************

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

As a long time member of ULC, Rev. Long created the seminary site 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

Druidism

Master of Druidism Essay

Sue Bellworthy

This was yet another excellent course filled with so much information that it is again hard to identify any one point to highlight. Inevitably, it is the shamanic journey which has a strong magnetism, since it is the part of shamanism that is most frequently mentioned. The lesson gave a very clear description of the purposes and process. That the journey is an innate skill that simply needs practice is a fundamental point, as is the need to only journey for specific and ethically valid purposes. I have, beyond this course, done work on shamanic journeying and find it a very uplifting spiritual experience. That answers obtained through journeys are often cryptic is inevitable. There is skill in reading the portents of journeys, and there is skill in asking the correct questions. Even then, answers may be occult and may take time before they are revealed. This is the skill of the shaman.  I was interested to learn that shamanic journeys have found their way into many tales and myths.

Moving back to the start of the course, I also enjoyed the lesson on the different types of shaman. There is a tendency to group all shamans together as a single group or simply to split them between Native American and "others". This lesson gave details of all shamans in great detail and dovetailed perfectly with the later lesson on the Siberian shaman.

Earlier still in the course, we see that shamanism shares with the other pagan paths the belief that everything that exists is alive. Whether this means that all contains a divine spark or whether it actually is sentient depends on the path. The shamans take the latter view and communicate with all the "people" be they "stone people", "flying people", "swimming people" or whatever. They may journey to communicate with these people and so acquire the truths that they may hold. They form "relationships" with both animate and inanimate parts of creation and view all as holy. This latter is a view that should be held more widely for respect for the earth is sadly lacking in these times. There is evidence that the tide is turning, but it is uncertain whether it will be soon enough to save all ecosystems. This lesson on the assumptions of shamanism clarified many of the questions I have previously held, questions that were not answered when I was receiving teaching from a shaman for a while. As an excellent and in-depth introduction to the practice of shamanism, this course has no competition. It has raised many issues in my awareness and has prompted me to continue further in my studies of this area, and to use the truths in my own ministry.

********************

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

As a long time member of ULC, Rev. Long created the seminary site 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

Christian Studies

 "So don't worry, saying, 'What will we drink? What will be wear?' The pagans ask for all these things, but your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. Ask first for the kingdom of God and His justice, and these other things will be delivered to you. So don't worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow can worry about itself. Each day's evil is enough for the day. (Matthew 6:31) 

How many times a week, or even a day, do I think "How am I going to…", or "But what if…", or "But what about…"? What am I doing when I'm busy worrying? You can see that the dictionary says that I'm "tormenting myself". Taking the dictionary a bit further, I see that "torment" in this context means "extreme mental anguish and distress". 

Why in the world would I WANT to cause myself all this extreme mental distress? God tells me in His Word that HE is in control, that HE is aware of everything I'm facing, and that HE will take care of EVERYTHING. I'm not supposed to worry about ANYTHING, because God cares, and He promises to help me. 

A story I'm reminded of was when Jesus was traveling, and a woman named Martha asked Him into their home. Mary, her sister, sat at His feet, and listened to what He had to say, but Martha was all upset about the work she needed to do while He was there. She finally asked Him "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work all by myself? Tell her to help me."

His answer was so simple, so plain, and so unavoidably true. He said "My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her." (Luke 10:41,42 NLT)

There is ONLY ONE THING that I need to concern myself with in my life, and that is my current relationship with Jesus Christ and God the Father. If I'm committed to Him, then I am REQUIRED TO surrender my worries, and allow Him to do His job of taking care of me.

Compared to "extreme mental anguish", I'd rather Let Go of my worries, and Let God take care of my needs. I need to be talking to Him constantly about things, and thanking Him for His answers, and this is the ONLY way I can have peace and release from all of my concerns. Living in a trusting relationship with God can ONLY bring happiness, peace and contentment.

Pastor/Teacher Michael Eric Brown

The Four Gospels Course by ULC Seminary 

********************

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

As a long time member of ULC, Rev. Long created the seminary site 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

Spirituality

DEFINING SPIRITUALITY

I was very pleased that the first lesson recognized that there is a re-emergence of Spirituality, even now, within the current extreme materiality that has been with us over the last century.  I was additionally pleased that the author has recognized that many individuals have gone beyond "traditional religion" in their Spiritual Lives.

I put quotes around the phrase "traditional religion" because anthropology and history have revealed that over the thousands of years of human history people have held so many different religions and religious practices that it is impossible to call any one of them "traditional". Among all cultures there are records of those who have gone beyond their traditions.  It is these individuals who are held as the shining lights of their cultures.

Never the less, Spirituality or the spiritual impulse has moved within humanity even longer and more universally throughout all cultures than religion, per se.  This becomes clear when we look at the most ancient of the Shamanistic traditions.  It is clear that Spirituality moved within the human heart from the beginning and that initially, religions formed naturally as a way for people to try and make sense of the spiritual experiences they were having.

Unfortunately, some denominations devolved to become only concerned with bureaucracy and cash flow.  As a method of revitalizing the Spiritual core of the human experience, Philosophy became a study.  The author has given us an excellent review of some of the key 'moments" in the history of philosophy.  But, these ideas are presented as if they had up sprung in a vacuum.  There has been no discussion of the religious ideas and historical events that were occurring at the same time and in many cases were the impetus for the philosophical explorations (such events as war, the Spanish Inquisition, the exploitation of the poor, etc.).  Never the less, the presentation has been extremely impressive and parallels my own studies.  I addition to the author's observation that "…mysticism was recognized by science as being the ultimate truth of all things" (Lesson #3) a quote was discovered by a prominent physicist who, after studying the nature of matter for a lifetime, concluded that the Universe is a thought in the Mind of God.

What is Philosophy?  For simplicity's sake, let us say that a philosophy is a set of guiding principles.  In this regard then, we can say that all religions have a philosophy, but, not all philosophies are religions.  Also, in this regard, Philosophy is not necessarily antithetical to either Religion or Spirituality and in many instances has illuminated many aspects of both.  As a mental exercise, philosophy has illuminated the minds of many who have then gone on to achieve profound levels of Spirituality.

Many groups have recognized Spirituality as the core of their culture and have indicated this realization in their symbolism.  In the West, the rose and in Egypt and the East, the lotus is used to illuminate this idea.

In this symbol each flower is a life and each unfolding pedal is an experience, a lesson learned, knowledge acquired or a skill mastered.  As our life unfolds the golden Spiritual core is gradually revealed.  What is also revealed is that, whether we were aware of it or not, the Spiritual was always there in the center of things. 

Whomever we are counseling or teaching or ministering, whether they consider themselves religious or not, still have within them that Golden Heart of Spirituality.  Knowing this can enhance our effectiveness if we seek to speak to that core.  Each group has a vocabulary with which they are most comfortable and the first rule of communication is 'know your audience'.

With that in mind I would like to add to the discussion of the definition of the word 'sin' on the last page of lesson #18.  Originally the word was an archery term that means 'missing the bull' (bull's eye).  Far too many use the word to mean 'shooting arrows up into the grand stand', when it fact we are hitting the target but we just need more training.

Adding the above meaning to our understanding may allow us to use more kindness and thoughtfulness into our ministries, it has in mine.

Thank you for the opportunity to study this course with everyone.  I am always grateful for the opportunity to achieve greater understanding.

Again, thank you and Blessings upon all.

Rev Dr Kenneth A Thompson DD PhD

*******************************

 

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

Christian History

Christian History Final Essay

By Rev. Patricia Buben

According to the course, Judaism gave us the most perfect system of moral philosophy in existence.  The Jews saw sin as a violation coming from an impure heart that resulted in external sinful actions. Salvation was viewed as being only from God, and not in human ethical works or subjective mystery cults. 

Because of the location of Rome, at Christianity's birth and in the first three centuries of its existence, conditions were more favorable for the spread of the Christian gospel throughout the Mediterranean world than at any other time in previous eras. Of all the religions and cults practiced in the Roman Empire at the time of Christ's birth, only Judaism and Christianity have been able to successfully survive the changing course of world history and still be a major influence today. 

The life, death and resurrection of Christ began the era of Christianity.  Unlike other traditions, Christ cannot be separated from Christianity.  Christ did not leave a structure—just the apostles and the Holy Spirit from which the apostles were instructed.  The entirety of the church structure came from the apostles with the Holy Spirit working through them and continues to this day.

The members of the original Christian church were Jewish.  It wasn't until the apostle Paul went out to "all corners of the earth" that the Gentiles were invited to hear the gospel message.  This work is still not complete and is the continuing goal of the Christian church.  Although there was splintering of the church, it forced the creation of a canon, organizing the content of the doctrine and eliminating heresies created by those who wanted to wield authority.  All of these challenges served to strengthen, not weaken, the church. 

Over the years, many errors entered into the church as a result of pagan influence, scholarly debates and other doctrines brought into the church by St. Augustine and others.  The Protestant Reformation was an attempt at bringing the church back to the purity of salvation by grace through faith alone.

It is interesting that the dogmas and doctrines that have further "defined" Christianity were mainly a result of specific people's interpretations (personal opinions).  I always thought they were inspired by God, like the Bible.  This course gave a great overview of the historical events of Christianity giving timelines and putting everything into sequence—including how doctrines were formed, and who was involved in making these decisions.  It's interesting because these doctrines have always been communicated as fact, not the result of consensus or opinion of the church fathers. 

Putting all of this information into the right context can be a challenge because of differing opinions and rhetoric.  This course was very objective in its presentation and outlined the facts.  Therefore, one gets a good sense of how Christianity developed and why it is still viable today. 

*******************************   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

Comparative Religion

Final Essay……Comparative Religion (Kythera Ann)

Submitted By Rev. Ernest Kayorie

It has been some weeks since I finished reading and re-reading the materials that comprised the Comparative Religion course and now feel that I am ready to write the final essay. 

Initially, I would like to express gratitude to the Reverend Kythera Ann for putting together an excellent course on Comparative Religions, Part One.  The format of the course and the fact that it was an in depth overview and introduction to the study of Comparative Religions was truly refreshing.  Usually, courses on Comparative Religion end up presenting an extensive look into various religions with sidebars that attempt to explain  how they are similar or dissimilar. Because of this introductory format, it was relatively easy to establish a foundation on which a study of the various religious traditions could be started. 

I enjoyed the sections that explained the difference between exoteric and esoteric aspects of the religious experience and how that expresses itself in society among various cultures.  As ministers, we certainly should be aspiring to enter the inner courts of that temple and as such should be familiar with the various initiations that are required. 

Although the esoteric tradition was adequately represented , it might be interesting to expand the section on the mystical tradition, a tradition that pervades every religion  and in addition explain the difference between esotericism and mysticism.  

The pursuit of these "isms" have been accelerated  in modern society as people search for a new way to delve into their own spirituality.  The old is quickly passing away as those so inclined turn to alternate expressions and find that they can go directly to their inner selves and find the strength and solace that the exoteric religion traditions have failed to provide.

In an attempt to protect the "truth" or their version of it, traditional religions have thrown the baby out with the bath water.  Centuries of greedily guarding the message from those who were not prepared for it unfortunately crystallized this stance in a system that became rigid and dogmatic. It has never recovered …nor can it…To this day, traditional religion devotees adhere to the exoteric rites and rituals of their tradition and have no interest in pursuing further.  That is left to the meanderings of the select few (saints and mystics). 

Ironically, we all possess the faculty to delve deeper and to understand.  After all, did not the Master Jesus tell us that we would do all that he did  and even better.  Matthew records that  the people were astonished at what he said and taught as if one having authority and not as their teachers who mouthed  meaningless doctrines and laws. As exhibited in the example of Jesus, we too are able to speak with authority as masters of our own lives. We are searching for their own individual truths separate from the dogmatic "truths" of  established institutions. When faced with this pursuit, it is easy to follow a path of esoteric and mystical experiences unhampered by rigid rituals and established doctrine.   

I am not sure where I read or heard this but it seems to express what I am attempting to convey…..  

Esoteric thinking is concerned about a sincere interest in investigating different levels of consciousness and viewing them as "way stations" and not as obstacles in your search for God/Truth.  

Mysticism, on the other hand, focuses on reaching God/Truth in the most direct manner as possible and as such is an intensely personal journey that cannot be expressed in ordinary terms. 

In short, the mystic wants to reach the destination as quickly as possible and the esotericist wants to learn  about the landscape on the way. 

While I was reading the weekly lessons, I was also reading a self selected text that presented all religious traditions and belief systems written under current scholarship.    Michael Molloy's, Experiencing the World Religions  Tradition, Challenge and Change provided  an excellent backdrop for the course.

Hopefully, this course will be the first of a series examining the various aspects of the study of Comparative Religion. I anxiously wait……

  

*******************************

 

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

Defining Spiritualism

Defining Spiritualism Essay

This was a challenging course that provoked much inner thought. It is near impossible to know what to pick for this discussion. Perhaps one of the most interesting lessons was that on different spiritual philosophies. Here we learn of stoicism that played an important role in defining much of Christianity. 

The stoics believed there was no higher God than reason, a direct challenge to Christianity so it was interesting to uncover why stoicism was such an important tenet for Christianity. Stoicism says that everything may be understood through reason, and the Christians equated reason with God, so all things can be understood through God. This is a very profound statement. In spiritual development, to achieve true growth we must seek reason, we must understand concepts and understand God. The stoical Christian tenet says effectively that true understanding comes through connecting with God. 

This leads to the crucial statement of the lesson "understanding what influences us makes us better ministers". This is certainly true. To be able to act as a minister for others we need a true understanding ourselves – an understanding that must act on all levels. How can we lead others when we are searching in the dark ourselves. This does not mean that one must achieve perfection to minister, but it does mean that we need to understand the means for working towards perfection. Here, stoicism progresses to give revelations – that God is energy (and therefore part of everything as with the divine spark I discussed in the paganism essay) and that the way to oneness with god is to accept this existence and therefore god, exactly as it is.

The next key point of the lesson is that the bible is not the only source of Christian ethics and it goes on to show the key philosophical thinkers who shaped Christianity such as Saint Augustine. This gave rise to many of the concepts that have been accepted as Christian truth, coming from God, when they were not. These include pre-destination, the idea that only the chosen may go to heaven, and it was this that powered the inquisition and the burning times. This lesson shows one of the key points of the whole course, that spiritualism involves questioning, that nothing should be taken on trust, and that with an enquiring mind we can come to true understanding.

Again, an excellent course and I thank the creator for the wisdom it contained. 

Rev. Sue Bellworthy

********************************************

To ordain yourself with the Universal Life Church, for Free, for Life, right now, use the Free Online Ordination, button -- Click the link! 

As a long time member of ULC, Rev. Long created the seminary site to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  As an ordained minister with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning, I've enjoyed watching the continual growth of the seminary.

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Christian Studies

The Four Gospels Course

Thank you Universal Life Seminary and those who put this course together.  I had trouble getting started with this course but I am so glad that I finished the course in its entirety.  I began the course over at least three times in order to help me get into the course.  The course has given me a new way of looking at the Gospels and an aide to my preaching to our congregation here in Salem.   Teaching the Gospels as they apply to our lives today was really a new perspective for me.  Having been raised Catholic and the Gospel message given by most Priests related the Gospels more to the times of Jesus rather than being directed at how they relate to our present lives and times in this troubled world.  This course opened my eyes that the Gospels are a way of life and not a way of a particular religious organization.  Religion is a way of life not an organization.  

I thank you for including the section on the Gospel of Thomas.  This particular Gospel shows the preaching of love, peace, compassion and tolerance that Jesus taught while here amongst us. 

As from the past two courses I have taken I look forward to enrolling in yet another course being offered by the Seminary.

God's Blessings

Rev. Don Eck

*******************************

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

Comparative Religion

UNIVERSAL LIFE CHURCH SEMINARY Comparative Religions Course Rev.  Kythera  Ann FINAL ESSAY This course was a bargain for the price.   Despite the fact I already had college credits from a similar class, there was quite a bit of new information presented - and presented in a unique format making it quite worthwhile. The graphics were valuable and kept the rote and mundane information more interesting. I was particularly impressed with the flow chart which provides an overview of the timeline/overlaps regarding the development of major religions.  In one snapshot there is a considerable amount of information.   The lesson of the virgin-birth-of-the-one-true-savior offered new insights and was particularly interesting.   I was well aware of the commonality of the many creation stories,  and i knew more than one religion held beliefs in a virgin-birth-of-a-savior story - making the neat, efficient one-page summary particularly helpful. The large number of definitions will allow the text from this course to remain a valuable asset for years to come.  It serves as a reference book that combines the width of an encyclopedia with the detail of a dictionary.   I did not gain that much new insight from  this course but I most definitely gained a confirmation that much of what I believe is more easily substantiated now.    I also gained additional web-links and additional resources for all topics discussed in the course. The presentation of the course regarding the vocabulary of all world religions.....the commonality of terms used.....the sensitivity paid in discussing things sacred, and the professional and neutral tone is worth noting as well.   There is an even tone throughout the entire course and a gentle, nonjudgmental statement of facts. The lovely graphics did present a bit of a problem of me to download as I am on an ancient and rural phone line and a (31) page document (loaded with graphics) was a source of some "crashes".   However, I realize I am a minority with that situation as most students will be connected to high speed access.   The other situation is that of the cumbersome result of all this great information and the fabulous graphics.    Truly the valuable and artistic graphics are great - in fact so great I wanted to put them in plastic pages.   However the weekly addition of (20 +) pages  makes the end result a bit unwieldy.    As a reference item on a desk it takes up a good deal of space with a 3 - 4 inch binder that weighs a hefty amount.   If there would have been an option to  BUY a traditional text to accompany this class I certainly would have opted to do so.  The time (and frustration) of downloading, using up reams of paper and ink cartridges would have been better served to just purchase a traditional book-but that is a very minor issue. My only other frustration was that some weeks it was far more like a classroom of terms (dictionary-like) than a comparative study.   There were some weeks when  the lesson compared specific similarities between religions and contrasted those with differences between specific religions, however, for my interest there was not enough of that information. Again, this is a minor observation and only one person's preference.   It in no way should be taken as a criticism of the value of the course.     It is, again, a bargain for the price charged.    I paid far more at the university and was not treated to half as much interesting information.   Nor did we receive the enriching and highly artistic graphics. I would be VERY interested in taking another course from Rev. Kythera Ann as this course offered a chance to move forward ...and allowed a path of new question for me to explore. Rev. Elizabeth ******************** 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 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

Shamanism

It is not difficult to write you a 300 word comment on this course.

First, what I liked - Bishop Pat's attempt to be fair and unbiased in 
reporting of all this information. I particularly liked the documentation 
and footnoting that accompanies each week's offering. It not only gives 
credibility to the lessons, it allows me to do further reading on various 
specifics of the topic.

Week 20's essay was one of my favorites. I appreciate the integration of
the shamanic and the psychosocial, and the information about the various 
psychological studies on shamanic states. Calling attention to multicultural 
behavioral, expectational and consciousness comparisons was well done in 
this lesson as well. I have been presented  the question of whether what 
shamans do is actual, or psychological, particularly in the realm of soul 
retrieval and other "difficult to explain" practices. Bishop Pat puts
this into proper perspective in lesson 20. This is relevant on many levels and 
from many viewpoints, as is well explained in lesson 20. Placing shamanic 
work in proper cultural and community context is essential, as is 
acknowledging that shamanic work empowers the individual client, in the 
framework of community support. Bishop Pat's treatment of ethical 
considerations is excellent as well. It is my experience and opinion that 
shamanic ethics, integrity and confidentiality are no less essential than 
those of any medical or psychological practitioner.

It is particularly valuable to me to read about shamanic practices and 
customs in the various cultures worldwide. I believe that the course has 
done a good job of addressing that.  I liked the treatment of the shamanic 
cultures in Central Asia and Eastern Europe, as this is the hub and early 
diffusion of the ancient human shamanic diaspora. I would have appreciated 
more discussion of African shamanic customs. The taste of the !Kung customs 
was delicious, left me wanting more. I would have liked to see more and 
in-depth treatment of other traditions including the Amerindian, Australian, 
Maori and the variety of Asian cultures. The quick glimpse into Taiwanese 
shamanism was tantalizing.

What I did not like about the course was the amount of errata in the texts. 
I have served as an editor in the past, and so I may notice them more than 
other readers might. Some of this may be due to the process of transferring 
the text from print to electronic media, or merely to flying fingers on the 
keyboard.

I would have liked to see the text in a more conventional format, as well.  
Utilizing the entire page for text, rather than a long slender column would 
have been easier to read for me, and would present better continuity.

All in all, this is a valuable course, which manages to present, in only 20 
lessons, an overview of many aspects including more depth in some which are 
of particular interest to me.

Caroline "Kitty" Laib-Norris

*******************************

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

Paganism

Master of Paganism Essay 

Rev. Sue Bellworthy

Where to start? This was such an immense course that it impossible to pick just certain fragments for this short essay. The course was very much an overview – a quick dash through the practices of paganism, but was no less valuable for this. Perhaps one of the most powerful lessons was that on sacred space – the ways of creating a special and sacred place wherever you want it, moving the place of devotion or spiritual exercise from the Churches, making it real, personal and accessible. The lesson on sacred nature follows on from this – emphasizing that the divine is everywhere and may be found in every thing – living or inanimate, in all parts of creation.

Fundamental to paganism is the Great Rite, the hieros gamos or divine union. This represents the union of the Goddess and the God, the act that precipitated creation. It is regularly re-enacted in ritual in symbolic form plunging the athame (male principle) into the chalice (female principle). A seemingly simple act but one that is so very powerful. Although sometimes enacted in the flesh, usually by couples in private, the hieros gamos is more usually celebrated in the symbolic form. Historically, hieros gamos may be seen throughout history in many different pantheons the world over. It has been suggested that Mary Magdalene was a priestess of Ianna ( who were sometimes referred to as prostitutes in the old, not modern, meaning) and that she performed the hieros gamos with Jesus and thereafter became His wife according to custom.

No review of paganism would be complete without discussing magickal workings, the use of intent – the energy of the mind, to create an effect. This process may be helped by correspondences – for example candles of an appropriate colour or use of crystals, to all augment the power. Ethics are all important here, based on the wiccan rede. The fundamental ethos is that all magickal working should be ethical, intended for good and should "harm none". Many pagans adopt the policy of limiting magick to acts that create good such as healing, and avoid harmless workings of a more frivolous nature. Key to this passage is the power of the mind, the concept that all is energy, and that thought is also energy, and that energy fields of different things are affected by contact with another. Thus the energy   can alter the energy field of the "target" achieving the effect.

In conclusion I can only congratulate  and thank the course creator for such an interesting and complete study of paganism.

********************

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

As a long time member of ULC, Rev. Long created the seminary site 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