Browse Items (351 total)

Thurman tells the story of how he travelled to New York to speak with Martin Luther King Jr. while King was in the hospital. Thurman talks about how he is able to reach King, and the conversations they have which center on his healing.

Thurman begins by discussing the shyness he had when he was young, and how it caused him to create a strong relationship with God. With this, Thurman emphasizes the importance of a sense of validity with something greater than a human being. He also talks about his teacher of systematic theology, and how he shaped him to be his absolute best. His teacher had great plans for him, but unexpectedly passed away before Thurman could execute all of them. After this Thurman tells anecdotes about how he…

Thurman starts this recording by talking about the desire to be remembered and recognized in the world. If one is anonymous in their life, then they are living without life, and death isn’t even fully dying. Then he proceeds to answer questions from people in an audience. This prompts Thurman to tell the story of how the group he brought to San Francisco and the Fellowship Church formed. With this, he also explains the racial breakdown of the United States while this was happening. Thurman tells…

In this recording, Thurman reflects on the ways in which our needs are so often met by people we do not know and how we are indebted to those unknown benefactors. In turn, we must try to be generous with others even when there is no possibility of merit or recognition.

Thurman begins by comparing Hanukkah and Christmas. They are both crucial moments that “gather into themselves the essence of all striving and the meaning of all hope.” Hanukkah remembers “preservation of the eternal light.” Christmas “announces . . . a light that lightest every man that cometh into the world.” He then shares two touching Christmas stories. The first of a man who celebrated Christmas with his towns impoverished children. The second of Thurman viewing the sunrise over Mt.…

In the final 4 minutes of part 3 of the sermon series, "The Religion of Jesus," Thurman concludes his discussion of the story of Jesus and the Syrophoenician woman.

In this final installment of Mysticism and Social Change, Thurman gives a final word to the relationship between the inner life and social action in response to a questioner who wonders if mysticism is a luxury for the comfortable and the elite. Thurman begins by saying that he has little hope for institutions to change the social order of things, rather each person must choose where they stand and live out their dream for the world they want to live in. Thurman says that he chose the church to…

This recording is a continuation of the Q&A discussion on Mysticism and Social Action. Thurman begins by fielding a question about the relationship between innocence and knowledge, and the tension that one feels between inner reality and outer reality. Thurman also gives his thoughts on death as an experience of life, saying that death is not the final extinguishment of life, but rather an event that is a part of life. Thurman insists that there is a life-continuity rhythm just as there is a…

This section of the Mysticism and Social Action collection contains a brief talk by Thurman followed by Q&A discussion. Thurman grounds the discussion in the paradox of religion: How does one keep their inner life uncluttered whilst not using the inner life as an escape from involvement in the world? Thurman insists that these two rhythms are actually part of one pulse beat. One questioner asks Thurman about the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness and how this might reflect the dynamics of…

This continuation of Thurman's talk on mysticism and social action finds him illustrating the ultimate principles of the mystic. For the mystic, social action is not an end in itself, but rather is the process by which the mystics removes obstacles blocking the altar in their own heart. The mystic is one who has undergone a journey of self into their central core where God dwells, where the forgiveness of God is found. But what the mystic discovers is not just for themselves, but for all people.…