Inner Life (1951-52, Fellowship Church, San Francisco, CA)

Description

In this series, Thurman explores the dynamics of the Inner Life. For Thurman, the Inner Life is the ultimate resource for our outer living. To navigate the inner world is to commune with God in the way that only we can. Through the God of our inner life, we find the supreme source of renewal, approval, and our infinite worth as children of God.

Date

1951/1952

Contributor

Descriptions by Rodell Jefferson III

Collection Items

Inner Life, Part 1, 1951 January 18
On this first sermon on the Inner Life, Thurman speaks to the varying levels of the inner life. Thurman walks us through the thinking mind and our ability to nourish it. Next, he examines the "vast continuum" of the unconscious, and how we might relate to it. And finally, Thurman says that there is an even deeper level, "the group soul," that Thurman refers to as God. Thurman urges that we must tunnel all the way down to this "eternal residue," like the great Sahara trees that bathe their roots…

Inner Life, Part 2, 1951 January 25
In this second lecture on the Inner Life, Thurman says that one must keep a dream in their heart, for dreams are nourishment for the human spirit. The dream is our inward consent to life and what we hope to do with it. We must ask ourselves what we are after, and what we are for. That which our inner authority says yes to becomes our link with the Eternal, and feeds our lives with significance. It becomes, as Thurman says, the "the will of the only God you can worship."

Inner Life, Part 3, 1952 February 1
In this excerpt from the third lecture on the Inner Life, Thurman says that it is rational and necessary to have a goal in life. To be without a goal is to undermine the self-respect of one's own being. Life is dynamic and responds to our commitment. When we hold a goal or purpose at our center, life energy rallies to support our efforts. This goal need not be extravagant, but can be as simple as making something beautiful from our lives. With a goal in our hearts, we are linked with God as a…

Inner Life, Part 4, 1952 February 8
In this fourth lecture on the Inner Life, Thurman explores the relationship between the inner and outer life. Though our culture tends to draw a sharp distinction between the two sides of life, Thurman says that there is an integrated flowing between them. There is no either/or choice between inner and outer, rather the inner life is where our outer life is restored. Furthermore, centering in our spirits allows us to make genuine contact with others. Seeking harmony between inner and outer helps…

Inner Life, Part 5, 1952 February 22
In this fifth lecture on the Inner Life, Thurman proposes that we cannot live without approval. We hunger for approval, and approval guides who we become. We dance in a world of approvals, from larger society to our more intimate communities. The security we get from belonging affects how we live and make decisions. Thurman says that we must come to a point where we settle for nothing less than ultimate approval, that is, approval from God, from the deepest part of our being. With this, we go…

Inner Life, Part 6, 1952 March 8
In this sixth lecture on the Inner Life, Thurman explores ethical awareness. For the religious person, any sin against another is a sin against God. The person must always connect their acts to their ultimate relationship with life. We are all personally responsible for our ethical lives. Thurman says that we often fall into the trap of pushing people outside of our moral responsibility, but he insists that Christian ethics proclaim that no person can ever be defined as being out of bounds.…

Inner Life, Part 7, 1952 March 15
In this final lecture on the Inner Life, Thurman illustrates the infinite value of the human spirit. Here, Thurman ponders what it is that makes human beings "a little lower than God." There is an aspect of the human spirit that is limitless. The deepest things in us are always emerging against all obstacles. Once we become aware of this truth, all experiences become our teachers, helping to liberate our depths and bring us towards fulfillment. Our task is to honor this mystery of the human…

The Inner Life, Part 3 (Alternate Version), 1952 February 1
In this excerpt from the third lecture on the Inner Life, Thurman says that it is rational and necessary to have a goal in life. To be without a goal is to undermine the self-respect of one's own being. Life is dynamic and responds to our commitment. When we hold a goal or purpose at our center, life energy rallies to support our efforts. This goal need not be extravagant, but can be as simple as making something beautiful from our lives. With a goal in our hearts, we are linked with God as a…
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Collection Tree

  • Inner Life (1951-52, Fellowship Church, San Francisco, CA)