Browse Items (291 total)

In this recording within the We Believe Series; Thurman reads from his text, "Meditations of the Heart," discerning the implications psychology has on the religious identity. He emphasizes that there is great danger in wishing one's life away. He emphasizes that it is in the responsibility that one finds in a religious identity that finds what it means to honor their own existence.

In this recording within the We Believe Series; Thurman reflects upon the way in which American culture makes…

This recording has two parts. In "Prayers," Thurman reads two prayers. The first is about responsibilities, needs, and our desire to help others without knowing how. The second is Psalm 139.

In "When I Awake," he discusses the relatedness of all humans to other humans, past and present. He suggests that we are never alone because of these connections and because we are all part of God.

In "Prayers," Thurman reads two prayers. The first is about responsibilities, needs, and our desire to help others without knowing how. The second is Psalm 139.

In this recording, Thurman explores the value of learning the patience of unanswered prayer. He suggests that this patience can lead away from a focus on the hunger for something that has not come to pass. Instead, we can focus on what it can mean to deal with that hunger and how it can help us understand ourselves.

He then offers a number of ways in which we can help answer the question, "What do you do with the frustrations of your own life?"

In this final entry on the Parables of Jesus, Thurman examines the Parable of the Rich Fool. The overarching question for Thurman is this: How do we relate to the money and resources that we have? We aspire to protect ourselves and make flourishing lives with our resources, but we also find ourselves measuring our value by these things. Thurman suggests that we measure our lives by our commitment – not by how much we have, but rather if we use our goods for things in which we truly believe.…

In Part 6 of the Parables of Jesus sermon series, Thurman explores the topic of commitment through the Parables of the Tower Builder and the Warring King. For Thurman, to be a disciple is to be committed to the religious experience that "dominated, electrified, and sustained the life of Jesus." This sort of commitment is not just commitment of the mind, but rather it must be done with the totality of one's being, or else the commitment will not last. To commit in such a way is to experience…

In Part 5 of the Parables of Jesus, Thurman examines the Parable of the Good Samaritan. We are called to love our neighbor, but how do we determine who is our neighbor? Thurman suggests that the parable is inviting us beyond the distinctions that determine who we care for and who we do not. Love takes place beyond the worthiness or unworthiness of the beloved. This is the love that God has for human life, and is thus how we should love one another as well.

In Part 4 of the Parables of Jesus sermon, Thurman interprets the Parables of the Two Debtors and the Unforgiving Servant. When we feel a deep need of forgiveness, we are more likely to be forgiving towards others. For Thurman, this is summed up in the thinking of Jesus: We can only seek forgiveness from God if we are willing to forgive people for what they have done to us. None of us can escape this need because none of us are without guilt. Thus, forgiving others and begging mercy for…

In Part 3 on the Parables of Jesus, Thurman explores the Parable of the Prodigal Son. For Thurman, God is like the story's father, and the brothers represent the ways in which we can fall out of relationship with God. In his interpretation of the younger brother, Thurman comes to two insights. Firstly, there is a relationship between the internal and external: the outside famine that the son suffered through was also an internal famine. Secondly, the son's story shows that the door to God must…

In this second sermon on the Parables of Jesus, Thurman uses the Parable of the Lost Coin and the Parable of the Lost Sheep to speak about salvation and the nature of God. Thurman says that both parables describe the redeeming process of God. As human beings we fall into being lost and isolated, often due to forces beyond our control. However, God works towards our salvation, restoring the isolated to a sense of belonging and relationship. For Thurman, community restores meaning and value to…