Browse Items (7 total)

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…

Howard Thurman uses the parables of the sower (Matt. 13:1-23) and the fig tree in the vineyard (Luke 13:6-9) to explore the growth of the kingdom of God. He claims these parables illustrate that “the kingdom of God comes independent of human effort aside from the initial act.” This initial act is the choosing and planting of the seed and after that, “there isn’t any more than can be done.” Then, once the time to reap the crop has come, we must be able to discern between the wheat and the tares.…

Thurman's discussion revolves around the concept of integrating inner and outer worlds, emphasizing how repeated external actions can shape one's internal world, which is vital for personal growth. His conversation touches on how awareness and self-reflection can bridge these worlds, promoting wholeness and spiritual development while recognizing the potential of both inner contemplation and outer action.

Thurman reflects on the tension between active engagement in the world and the need for contemplation and self-respect. He explores the balance of giving to others without self-harm, the importance of waiting and contemplation in life, and how these practices relate to personal growth, social justice, and spiritual awareness.

Thurman emphasizes the spiritual journey and the deep human longing for meaning beyond ordinary life, suggesting that connecting with others and opening our hearts to broader truths can lead to profound personal growth. He encourages openness to transformative experiences, drawing on personal anecdotes and meditations on faith, highlighting the importance of finding deeper alignment with God and one’s true beliefs in order to shape a more authentic life.

In this second installment of Disciplines of the Spirit, Thurman builds upon the concept of growth introduced in part 1 of the series. Here Thurman describes growth as the ability to accept what is fact and to handle change, whether the change is gradual or radical. Our desire to resist change for fear of being without a familiar structure requires us to grow in wisdom as we navigate the anxiety associated with the search for stability having lost all that is familiar to us. Our ability to…

This initial lecture in the Disciplines of the Spirit series is a discussion about the development of patience through the discipline of growth. Thurman describes discipline as the training, development, response to, and often responsibility for something. The spirit is disciplined, trained, cultivated, and fashioned by many things. One of these things is the experience of growth. Growth is characteristic of life and as our body continues to develop, so does our mind and spirit. In our initial…