UUSD public course on religious traditions starts Oct. 7

The Unitarian Universalists of Southern Delaware will offer a seven-week course exploring the sacred or divine in several religious traditions. The course runs from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m., Tuesdays, Oct. 7 to Nov. 18. It is open to all, and all are welcome to  attend as many sessions as they choose. No preregistration is necessary. A donation of $5 is requested for the entire series.

According to professer Ewert Cousins, known as The Prophet of the Second Axial Age, the Earth can be seen as  “a single globe of remarkable beauty and unity." "Humans have experienced the convergence of disparate cultures and the emergence of global consciousness,” Ewert said. "Religions likewise are converging in a new and complex form of religious consciousness.”

A crucial first step in understanding different religious traditions is to address the question, “What is the sacred or divine in this tradition, and how does that sacredness or holiness affect the lives and spirituality of adherents to the tradition?”

This course addresses that crucial question in relation to several diverse religious traditions and reflects on each tradition (initially) from four diverse perspectives. The traditions studied include the Hindu, Buddhist, Confucian, Taoist, Earth/Goddess, Judaic, Christian, Religious Humanist, Muslim and Sufi. The initial reflection is by a panel of four UUSD members: Len Bowman, Christian (RC) and academic; Ron Schaeffer, Religious Humanist; Beebe Frazer, Creation Spirituality and Earth/Goddess devotion; and John Sykes, Buddhist.

Each session will begin with a brief presentation on what is divine or ultimate in the particular tradition(s) addressed that week. The presentation will be followed by a brief reflection by the panel, and then by open discussion.

Course content is as follows: Oct. 7 - Introduction: the crucial question, the panel, the context, the concepts; Oct. 14 - The Hindu tradition with many gods in harmony; Oct. 21 - The Buddhist ways without a god figure; Oct. 28 - The Confucian and Taoist traditions, ultimate value/reality; Nov. 4 - The Goddess and the Earth; Nov. 11 - The God of Israel to the Christian Triune God to the rise of Religious Humanism; Nov. 18 - Islam proclaims Allah is God and thence Islamic mystics (Sufi) seek insight across all religions.

The course will be held at UUSD, 33739 Marsh Road in Toddy’s Business Complex off Route 1 and Wescoats Road in Lewes, www.uussd.org. Contact Bowman at LenBowman@gmail.com or 443-286-3495.