The Hollister Institute at St. Benedict’s provides opportunities for stimulating discussion and thoughtful exploration for everyone, whether or not they are members of a church. Courses are offered at St. Benedict’s Church in Los Osos. For more information about Hollister courses, contact St. Benedict’s at office@stbenslososos.org.
Past Programs
Please consider joining a conversation about Ignatian Spirituality. It doesn’t matter if you don’t know anything about it – you won’t be alone. Our conversation will be based on the great (and amusing) book, The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything: A Spirituality for Real Life by Father James Martin.
The book is an accessible introduction to Ignatian spirituality, a famous Catholic devotional practice developed in the 16th century by St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuits. Father Martin, who left a career in corporate finance to become a Jesuit priest, is a prolific and popular writer on Catholic topics. He is an editor-at-large for America, a prominent Jesuit magazine, although he is probably more well-known for his appearances on The Colbert Report. Martin believes that Ignatian spirituality can be adapted for practice by anyone, Catholic or non-Catholic.
Come and see whether you agree!
You are welcome to join in the conversation even if you don’t read the book. This discussion takes place on Zoom.
Lord Teach Us to Pray
The Lord’s Prayer is among the greatest treasures of faith. This study explores the key phrases of the Lord’s Prayer as they lead us to greater spirituality and growth.
- March 3: Keeping Our Distance: How close can we come to a holy God
- March 10: Crossing To the Future: What is the Kingdom and what is the Kingdom yet to come?
- March 17: Willing Obedience: How can we glorify God in our daily lives?
- March 24: Feeding Ourselves: What place does self-sufficiency have in Christian life?
- March 31: Writing it Off: What does the reality of our forgiveness say to our treatment of others?
- April 7: Crying For Help: How does a Christian respond to the enormity of evil in the world?
This discussion group will be based on materials provided by the Kerygma Program and will take place on Thursdays at 11am. Participants are encouraged to read the resource book which is available from the church for a suggested donation of $17 (includes shipping). Sessions will be led by the Rev. Caroline Hall.
Renewing the Process of Creation,
This book draws on process theology, Judaism and science to consider the meaning of Creation, and humanity’s role as steward and partner in Creation.
From the publisher:
In this daring blend of Jewish theology, science and Process Thought, theologian Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artson fleshes out an appreciation of creation in the light of science that allows us to articulate a deeper sense of space and time and the wonder of being alive. He explores the ethical and moral implications of humanity’s role as steward and partner in creation, as well as how the recognition of land as holy – the Earth in general and Israel in particular – enables a religious discipline of blessing and gratitude that makes it possible for life to bloom.
Eternal Echoes
During this difficult time we find our sense of connection and dis-connection being challenged. When we cannot connect without observing safe distances and wearing protective clothing, how does that affect our sense of identity and community?
In his book Eternal Echoes, philosopher and poet John O’Donahue explores the desire to belong and the “eternal echo of longing that lives deep within us and never lets us settle for what we have or where we are.” It has been described as “A demanding, high-wire existentialist adventure that will inspire readers to re-evaluate their goals and ways of being in the world. O’Donohue ends each chapter with a lyrical blessing or prayer, and his book itself is a profound, healing prayer.”
From the book:
Belonging: The Wisdom of Rhythm
To be human is to belong. Belonging is a circle that embrace everything; if we reject it, we damage our nature. The word “belonging” holds together the two fundamental aspects o life: Being and Longing, the longing of our Being and the being of our Longing. Belonging is deep; only in a superficial sense does it refer to our external attachment to people places, and things. It is the living and passionate presence o the soul. Belonging is the heart and warmth of intimacy when we deny it, we grow cold and empty. Our life’s journey is the task of refining our belonging so that it may become more true, loving, good, and free. We do not have to force belonging. The longing within us always draws u towards belonging and again towards new forms of belonging when we have outgrown the old ones. Postmodern culture tends to define identity in terms of ownership: possessions, status, and qualities. Yet the crucial essence of who you are is not owned by you. The most intimate belonging is Self-Belonging. Yet your self is not something you could ever own; it is rather the total gift that every moment of your life endeavors to receive with honor. True belonging is gracious receptivity. This is the appropriate art of belonging in friendship: friends do not belong to each other, but rather with each other. This with reaches to the very depths of their twinned souls.
This conversation will be led by Roz Malone. Session start at 10:15am
- August 18: Awakening in the world: the threshold of belonging
- August 25: Presence: the flame of longing
- September 1: Prisons we choose to live in
- September 8: Suffering as the dark valley of broken belonging
- September 15: Prayer: a bridge between longing and belonging
- September 22: Absence: where longing still lingers
The Untethered Soul 
Starting Tuesday, July 7 at 10:15am, join us for six weeks of exploration together as we consider the insights of the book The Untethered Soul and how it can help us on our Christian journey. Here is what the publishers say about it:
What would it be like to free yourself from limitations and soar beyond your boundaries? What can you do each day to discover inner peace and serenity? The Untethered Soul-now a New York Times bestseller-offers simple yet profound answers to these questions. Whether this is your first exploration of inner space, or you’ve devoted your life to the inward journey, this book will transform your relationship with yourself and the world around you. You’ll discover what you can do to put an end to the habitual thoughts and emotions that limit your consciousness.
By tapping into traditions of meditation and mindfulness, author and spiritual teacher Michael A. Singer shows how the development of consciousness can enable us all to dwell in the present moment and let go of painful thoughts and memories that keep us from achieving happiness and self-realization.
The Untethered Soul begins by walking you through your relationship with your thoughts and emotions, helping you uncover the source and fluctuations of your inner energy. It then delves into what you can do to free yourself from the habitual thoughts, emotions, and energy patterns that limit your consciousness. Finally, with perfect clarity, this book opens the door to a life lived in the freedom of your innermost being.
Rooted and Rising: A Book discussion
This fascinating book draws together stories from people of a wide range of different faith perspectives about how they keep themselves encouraged and hopeful in a time of climate crisis. There is lament, as there must be, but there is also courage, resilience, and action. The authors write:
We challenged our colleagues in the faith-and-climate movement to join us in sharing their stories of struggle and strength and to give us a glimpse of what sustains them when they are frustrated, depressed or despondent. We wanted to hear about their sources of hope and to learn what keeps them going in the struggle for a just and sustainable future.
Each of the writers in this volume is dedicating their energy and their vision to finding solutions to the climate crisis and to serving the common good. It is not about facts and figures but about the people who are responding to the call to work for change. As the authors say,
This is a book about personal stories and testimony, about witnessing to what we love, what we yearn for, what we mourn, and what we are fiercely committed to protecting.
Each section of the book includes three essays and then suggestions for spiritual practice. One section will be covered each week:
- May 14: Rooting in Interfaith Friendship
- May 21: Rising in Local Action
- May 28: Rooting Science and Policy in Faith and Spirituality
- June 4: Rising from the Margins
- June 11: Rooting in Liturgy, Moral Vision, and Vocation
- June 18: Uprooted, Replanted and Rising
- June 25: Grief, Love, and Trees
Sacred Light, presented by Dr. Michael Lucas
A Study of Climate Church, Climate World by Jim Antal.
Environmental leader Rev. Jim Antal from the United Church of Christ calls climate change ” the greatest moral challenge humanity has ever faced. “He presents a compelling case that it’s time for the church to meet this challenge, just as the church addressed previous challenges such as slavery and civil rights.
Antal calls for the church to embrace a new vocation so that future generations might live in harmony with God’s creation. He suggests practical ways that Christians can reorient what they prize through new approaches to worship, preaching, witnessing and other spiritual practices that honor creation and cultivate hope.
- Jan 9: The Climate Crisis and a Loving God
- Jan 16: Care of Creation: the Church’s Vocation
- Jan 23: The Moral Imperative – how do we respond to the Climate Crisis
- Jan 30: Giving Voice to Every Creature Under Heaven – Creation in Worship
- Feb 6: Witness – Climate Action in the Community
- Feb 13: Moving from Fear to Hope
Each session will include a short summary of Antal’s ideas, together with questions and activities to help us grapple with the climate crisis in a new way. Members of Earthcare will lead the conversations.
Entering the Passion of Jesus: A Beginner’s Guide to Holy Week
Amy-Jill Levine is an Orthodox Jew who is also a passionate teacher of the New Testament. In this six week series, she places the events of Holy Week firmly in their Jewish context. She writes,
“We will delve into the history and literature of the last days of Jesus’ life. We find ways to understand and question our own lives through the stories of his trials and choices. This Lenten journey challenges us to examine our consciences and find out how deepening our relationship with Jesus and the Bible brings us into closer relationship with others and the world.”
As we welcome the new interpretation of Jesus’ walk to the cross in the Stations of the Cross, this year seems like a good time to revisit and re-acquaint ourselves with the narrative of Jesus’ last week from Palm Sunday to Gethsemane.
This class includes a DVD presentation by Professor Levine as well as a short book. Your contribution of $15 will help to defray the costs for buying the course.
Thursdays at 4pm starting on March 7th AND Wednesdays at 11am starting March 13.
Led by Caro+
Creation and the Cross
6 Tuesday mornings at 10am starting June 12
Please join us for a conversation based upon theologian Elizabeth Johnson’s latest book. She asks how we can understand cosmic redemption in a time of advancing ecological devastation. In effect, how can we extend the core Christian belief in salvation to include all created beings? Immediately this question runs into a formidable obstacle: the idea that Jesus’s death on the cross was required as atonement for human sin—a theology laid out by the eleventh-century theologian St. Anselm.
Constructing her argument in the form of a dialogue, Johnson lays out the foundations in scripture, the teachings of Jesus, and the early Church for an understanding that emphasizes the love and mercy of God, showing how this approach can help us respond to a planet in peril.
This promises to be a fascinating conversation about the ways that we have understood the Biblical witness and how we might look at it differently in the 21st Century with the planet in peril.
Led by the Revs. Caro Hall and Barry Turner
The Heart of Christianity: Rediscovering a Life of Faith
Five Thursdays at 7pm, starting May 17, led by the Rev. Caro Hall
This study, based on the book by Marcus Borg, is an opportunity to re-think the basic tenets of our Christian faith together. Borg brings a fresh look to traditional ideas, providing us with language to talk about our faith which makes sense to progressive Christians.
He emphasizes the transformational aspect of Christianity by examining the “emerging paradigm” that is gradually replacing the belief-centered paradigm of the last several hundred years. The new paradigm, Borg writes, is about loving God and loving what God loves, rather than rigidly adhering to a specific set of beliefs.
That’s not new to most of us here at St. Ben’s but this is an opportunity to think together about our faith and how we understand and articulate it in new ways. I hope that you will consider joining us as we “tell the old, old story of Jesus and his love” together in a new way. You will get more out of the class if you read the book, but it is not necessary
This class also serves as preparation for confirmation, reception or renewal of vows.
Savage Grace
A study/action group using Joanna Macy’s Work that Reconnects. She invites you to join in this 6-week series. The aim is to help participants find more clarity, integrity, vitality and wisdom in this apocalyptic world moment.
The study/action group will use three resources:
1) Savage Grace: Living Resiliently in the Dark Night of the Globe by Andrew Harvey and Carolyn Baker (2017) to help us focus on the interlocking challenges now facing life on Earth, including the rise of fascism in varying forms.
2) The Work that Reconnects with its interactive practices that will enliven, deepen, and integrate our engagement with Savage Grace. A fruitful correspondence is to be found between the book’s four chapters (Reconnection, Resistance, Resilience, and Regeneration) and the four stations of Joanna Macy’s Spiral of the Work that Reconnects.
3) The living Earth, Gaia, with whom we can cultivate a direct, embodied, nourishing, and reciprocal relationship. Aided by our practice with one another, we open up to our mutual belonging, and we grow in our capacity to feel Earth supporting and acting through us, like grace.
The series will be led by Linda Seeley and will take place at St. Benedict’s Episcopal Church on Clark Valley Road in Los Osos. Dates: February 19, March 5, March 19, April 2, April 16. Time: 6:30-8:30 PM.
There is no cost for the series; however, at each meeting, a donation for the use of St. Ben’s will be taken.
The number of participants is limited to 16., When you have decided whether or not you can take part, please let Linda (lindaseeley@gmail.com) know right away. It may be possible to form a second group that will meet in the afternoons. If you are interested in this option please contact office@stbenslososos.org so that we can gauge interest.
Developing Compassion in Daily Life: Is It Possible?
The Coming of the Cosmic Christ
Thursdays 10 – 11:30 am,
Nov. 9, 16, 30, Dec. 7 (Call church to purchase book.)
Please join us for this four Thursday class, starting Thursday, November 9 at 10am. The class is based on Matthew
Fox’s book The Coming of the Cosmic Christ and it will enhance your learning if you read it, but it’s not required! The
sessions will be led alternately by Caro+ and Barry+.
- Nov. 9: Cosmic Christ in Scripture
Using lectio divina as well as other traditional bible study methods, we will contemplate and study some of the texts
which speak of the Cosmic Christ. - Nov. 16: Cosmic Christ in Science
We have a new Cosmic Creation Story. We will look at the parallels between the new cosmology and the tradition
of the Cosmic Christ. “Religion today is finaly ready to befiend the wisdom of science. And science is regaining the humility to
recognize the intuitions and metaphors of religion. They are two paths trying honestly to name our experience” – R. Rohr. We
will offer a showing of the Journey of the Universe at a time convenient for those interested. - Nov. 30: Cosmic Christ in Tradition
The Cosmic Christ is not a new idea in Christian thinking, rather one that has been eclipsed by modern thought. In
this class we’ll explore some of the theology that points to the Cosmic Christ and the importance of its rediscovery
today. - Dec. 7: Cosmic Christ in Mystical Experience
What is Creation Spirituality? Matthew Fox says it is the gift of an awakened Mysticism, described by Einstein as
“standing rapt in awe.” We will explore the Four Paths of Creation Spirituality as described by Fox in his book, Creation
Spirituality.
A Thinking Person’s Guide to the Bible
Many people feel intimidated by the Bible. They are uncertain how to approach a scared text which has caused so much inspiration, and so much strife. This class provides an overview of the scriptures and offers ways to read them for inspiration and understanding. It will be useful for anyone who wants to know more about the background of this book which has been so influential in our civilization as well as those who want to understand it in order to deepen their faith journey.
- June 1: Overview and ways of reading the Bible
- June 8: No Class
- June 15: The Old Testament – Pentateuch or Torah – the first five books
- June 22: The Old Testament – History and Prophets
- June 29: The Old Testament – Wisdom and Apocalypse
- July 6: The New Testament – Gospels
- July 13: The New Testament – Epistles
The class will be in a lecture and discussion format. led by the Rev. Dr. Caroline Hall
Creation through the Eyes of the Mystic
Join us to explore the world of creation through the eyes of four very different people of mystical vision.
Thursdays in September 7 – 8:30pm
Hildegard of Bingen (Sept 7) was a genius who has been considered the equal of Leonardo de Vinci. Living in 11th century Germany she had visions, wrote books, music and morality plays. Seeing clearly the connection between human and cosmos, she was a pioneer in many areas not least stewardship of the earth. This session will include music and the option of art work , but no experience is necessary!
Pulitzer prize winner, Mary Oliver (Sept 14) is one of our great living poets.“Like Henry David Thoreau of Transcendentalist fame she is a naturalist whose attention to what used to be called the Book of Nature borders on both devotion and experimentation. Her poems . . . speak about the mysteries of mortality in a language that feels like home . . . mindfulness seems to be Oliver’s métier, looking and listening her scientific method and contemplative practice.” —Stephen Prothero, Search
In this session we will explore our own connection to nature through Oliver’s words and images.
John Muir (Sept 21), who is best known for his exploration of the Sierra Nevada, founding of the Sierra Club and championing of wilderness areas. wrote,
“The sun shines not on us but in us. The rivers flow not past, but through us. Thrilling, tingling, vibrating every fiber and cell of the substance of our bodies, making them glide and sing. The trees wave and the flowers bloom in our bodies as well as our souls, and every bird song, wind song, and tremendous storm song of the rocks in the heart of the mountains is our song, our very own, and sings our love.”
Long-time Sierra Club outings leader, Joe Morris, discusses the life of John Muir—especially his years in Yosemite in the 1870s. He will recount Muir’s personal transformation into a wilderness visionary and founder of the environmental movement in America. Joe has visited Muir’s boyhood home in Scotland, his residences in California, and has hiked in many of Muir’s favorite places.
“Driven by the forces of love, the fragments of the world seek each other so that the world may come to being.”
Pierre Teilhard de Chardin (Sept 28) was a French idealist philosopher and Jesuit priest who trained as a paleontologist and geologist and took part in the discovery of Peking Man. Teilhard insisted that evolutionary theory provides the core of how man understands his relationship to nature. As well as a scientist, he was a man of deep faith and metaphysical vision. This session will explore some of his mystical writings.
Jesus: The Human Face of God
Thursday mornings, October 5 – November 2
10 – 11:30 am
Led by the Rev. Donna Ross
Today many Americans have concluded that Jesus never existed. In a time when cries of “fake news” are all around us, Christians have sometimes become prime examples of people who are willing to believe anything, even things that make no sense. But a century of study by archaeologists, historians, linguists and other scholars has revealed convincing evidence that Jesus of Nazareth did exist.
Even though the churches built on Jesus’ life haven’t always followed his teachings, his wisdom can still guide us in our own time – witness the life and teachings of Martin Luther King, Jr. for just one example. So consider joining us as we look at Jesus again through eyes of historian and poet Jay Parini:
The Worshiping Community *
Praying with the God of Becoming and Relationship
Meeting on Thursdays – March 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 – from 10–11:45 am
* Inspired by Rabbi Bradley Artson’s “God of Becoming and Relationship”
Why do we pray?
Why do we reflect on Scripture and other sacred texts?
How do we make peace with each other?
How do we share God’s peace with the world around us?
To register for these discussions, and for more information, email donnaross@charter.net.
A RABBI LOOKS AT GOD
God of Becoming and Relationship
by Rabbi Bradley Artson
January 12, 19, 26 and February 2
Hollister discussions: For several years, people from many faith traditions have been meeting weekly at St.Benedict’s to discuss topics of common interest. All points of view are welcome, expected, and encouraged in these discussions.
Starting January 12, we’ll be discussing a pioneering book on process theology, God of Becoming and Relationship, by Rabbi Bradley Artson. In past Hollister discussions we have touched on ideas from process theology; now we welcome Rabbi Artson’s clear perspective, which adds so much to our understanding. To focus on the nature of God – instead of the differences between Jews and Christians – we’re going to consider Jesus as a rabbi and teacher, along with other rabbis through the ages.
Each week, we’ll prepare for the discussion by reading a few short chapters in Artson’s book. When we meet, we’ll share our own thoughts, reactions, and/or insights from the reading. Again, all points of view are welcome, expected, and encouraged in these Hollister discussions.
Follow the ongoing discussion at 
http://faithmatters.us/
Advent Lectio Divina with Isaiah the Poet
Thursday mornings at 10 am (December 1, 8, 15)
Isaiah was a great prophet; he was also a great poet. This Advent we’ll hear readings from Isaiah, and pair them with readings from modern poets. We hope to listen deeply, and to focus on these questions:
- In light of the poem, what do you hear Isaiah saying? • In light of the prophet, what do you hear the poet saying?
- From what we’ve heard and shared today, what do we believe God is saying to us in our time?
hope to listen deeply, and to focus on these questions:
- In light of the poem, what do you hear Isaiah saying? • In light of the prophet, what do you hear the poet saying?
- From what we’ve heard and shared today, what do we believe God is saying to us in our time?
Led by the Revs. Donna Ross and Barry Turner, and poet Carol McPhee.
- Dec 1 – Isaiah 2:1-5 and “The Hostages”, by Muriel Rukeyser
- Dec 8 – Isaiah 11:1-10 and “There was a Child went Forth”, by Walt Whitman
- Dec 15 – Isaiah 35:1-10 and “Another Planet”, by Dunya Mikhail
Bonhoeffer – The Life and Writings of Dietrich Bonhoeffer
October 13 – November 3 10am
October 11 – November 1, 7:15pm
Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a German Lutheran pastor, theologian, anti-Nazi dissident, and key founding member of the Confessing Church. His writings on Christianity’s role in the secular world have become widely influential, and his book The Cost of Discipleship became a modern classic.
Apart from his theological writings, Bonhoeffer was known for his staunch resistance to the Nazi dictatorship, including vocal opposition to Hitler’s euthanasia program and genocidal persecution of the Jews. He was arrested in April 1943 by the Gestapo and imprisoned at Tegel prison for one and a half years. Later he was transferred to a Nazi concentration camp. After being associated with the plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler, he was quickly tried, along with other accused plotters, and then executed by hanging on 9 April 1945 as the Nazi regime was collapsing.
This DVD-based class will consider the major themes of Bonhoeffer’s writing and speaking, his resistance to Nazism and how his beliefs continue to impact the church today.
- Thursday October 13: What is the Church?
- Thursday October 20: Living in Christian Community
- Thursday October 27: Religionless Christianity
- Thursday, November 3: Come and Die
The conversation was led by the Rev. Caroline Hall. A study booklet, Bonhoeffer Study Guide: The Life and Writings of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, by Eric Metaxas is available from Amazon and other booksellers.
Care for Creation
Climate change is a wake-up call that we need to transform our attitudes about the planet on which we live if there is to be anything left for our children and grandchildren to enjoy. This five week study group builds on the insights we gained from the Pope’s encyclical Laudato Si; bringing together ecological science with Franciscan theology to help us understand new ways of looking at the relationship between humans, God and creation.
- Sunday August 28 – 7pm Film: The Journey of the Universe; From the Big Bang to the epic impact humans have on the planet today, this film is designed to inspire a new and closer relationship with Earth in a period of growing environmental and social crisis.
- Tuesday August 30 – 7pm Creation and Incarnation
- Tuesday September 6 – 7pm Creation as Family
- Tuesday September 13 – 7pm Creation and Contemplation
- Tuesday September 20 – 7pm The View from the Center of the Universe; a film which uses recent advances in astronomy, physics, and cosmology to frame an exciting new way to understand the universe as a whole and our role in it.
- Tuesday September 27 – 7pm Creation and Conversion
The class was taught by Hollister Institute faculty: Rev. Caroline Hall, John Horsley, Joe Morris, Bob Pelfrey, Barry Turner, and will be based on the book Care for Creation by Ilea Delio, Keith Douglas Warner and Pamela Wood. Participants may wish to read the book as a companion to the class.
Embracing an Adult Faith
Five weeks starting Thursday June 30 at 7pm
Join Caro+ in a small group discussion to revisit some of Christianity’s most fundamental questions: Who is God? What does salvation mean? What place does Jesus hold in contemporary Christian faith? Each session of this five-session class will be introduced by a video of scholar Marcus Borg in dialogue with a small, diverse group of adults as they honestly — and sometimes painfully — confront the big questions and work together toward authentic answers. The video will be followed by our own discussions of the questions raised and questions and ideas of our own. There are no stupid questions and no locked in stone answers.
The five sessions cover God; Jesus; Salvation; Community and Practice
We all struggle with revisiting our ideas about God and the world as our faith matures. This class will be helpful for those who have recently started worshiping at St. Benedict’s as well as those from all backgrounds who would like an opportunity to think more deeply together. Everyone is welcome.
Active Hope
Starting on Tuesday March 15, Linda Seeley of Mothers for Peace led a Study-Action Group using the book Active Hope by Joanna Macy and Chris Johnstone as the cornerstone.
A study-action group allows everyone to participate equally, and it helps people discover their own gifts and resources for healing the world. Active Hope is a great guide to work from. Participants will read 2 (or so) chapters before each meeting, discuss the chapters, and practice the Work that Reconnects together.
The group will meet at St Ben’s for 6 weeks on alternate Tuesdays, beginning March 15th. Meetings will be at 7:15 March 15, 29, April 12, 26, May 10, 24. You don’t have to be at every meeting in order to participate.
You can read more about the book here: http://www.activehope.info Please contact Linda if you plan to attend, lindaseeley@gmail.com
Linda has been studying with Joanna Macy since 1999, and says, “the Work that Reconnects helps me more than anything else to stay grounded while working in these times of great challenge for the world.”
Here’s a link to the book: http://www.activehope.info and to more information about Joanna and the Work that Reconnects. If you order from Amazon please remember to support St Benedict’s by using our link: Support Us . Thank you
Finding Christ Through Buddha
Four Thursday evenings. April 14 & 28 and May 5 & 12 from 7:00-8:30 pm.
During this four week class we will explore the ways that an understanding of some aspects of Buddhism can enhance our experience of Christian spirituality. Group members will be encouraged to share books, authors and practices that they have found useful. The key text will be “Without Buddha I could not be a Christian” by Paul F. Knitter. Knitter describes his difficulties with Christianity – many of which will seem familiar to Hollister Institute readers, and how his understanding of Buddhist insights helped him to resolve these issues. Led by Rev Caro+.
Things Hidden: Scripture as Spirituality 
Our discussion of the themes in Things Hidden will be held at St. Benedict’s Church on Thursday mornings in January, and online at http://faithmatters.us/
Discussions begin January 14 and conclude March 17.
The author of Things Hidden, Franciscan priest Richard Rohr, is the founder of the Center for Action and Contemplation in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He is the author of numerous books, including Falling Upward: Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life and The Naked Now: Learning to See as the Mystics See. Rohr writes,
“The development of consciousness is a gradual, lifelong process; it’s not typically a straightforward jour
ney. We may catch a glimpse of Divine Reality, but often it’s too much for our small self, and so we recoil until great love, suffering, or contemplative practice help us surrender a bit more.
“We see this dance – three steps forward, two steps back – mirrored in sacred texts. Human authors at different
levels of consciousness portray God in different ways. At times in most religious histories God has been described as violent, exclusive, and judgmental. It’s easy to point the finger at other religions and forget our own religion’s lower levels. For example, despite recent criticism, the Quran is not more violent than the Bible; our scriptures also hold many punitive, dualistic, and exclusionary passages. But also running throughout the world’s sacred texts is the thread of God’s desire for union, inclusivity, non-violence, forgiveness, mercy, and healing.
“At their most mature level, religions cultivate in their followers a deeper union with God, with each other, and with reality–or what is. The work of religion is to re-ligio–re-ligament or reunite what our egos and survival instincts have put asunder, namely a fundamental wholeness at the heart of everything.
“My calling has been to retrieve and re-teach the wisdom that has been lost, ignored, or misunderstood within the Judeo Christian Tradition. Any truth that keeps recurring and gathers humanity’s positive energy is called wisdom and most assuredly has to be from the One Holy Spirit.”
Interested in discussing these ideas and more?
Email donnaross@charter.net to register for the Thursday discussion group and/or to receive notification when new posts go up at http://faithmatters.us/
Lectio Divina in Advent
Advent speaks to us about living in God’s Kingdom with a different story about time. It’s a story larger than our own lives, beyond optimism or pessimism. It’s been called a future or an “eschatology of eventfulness.” It is a way of being attentive to our inner lives and at the same time seeing all creation alive, in the rhythm of reality and promise.
Reality is anything that happens at any moment. The change which comes to us moment to moment is a gift. We are invited to receive these moments as events worthy of our loving and a challenge for our living. Accept the moment with thanksgiving and trust the promise that it is a gift from God. It points and carries us into God’s future. Advent reminds us to pray for strength to do what is necessary to fill the present with faithfulness and with genuine waiting for God.
An opportunity for contemplative reflection upon several of the scripture texts appointed for Advent will be offered again this year at St. Benedict’s on Thursday mornings, Dec. 3, 10 and 17 following the first three Sundays of Advent, at 10 am. We will follow the practice of Lectio Divina, the contemplative reading of scripture. The sessions will be jointly led by the Rev. Donna Ross and the Rev. Barry Turner.
Laudato Si (the Pope’s encyclical on the environment)
Thursdays, August 20 – September 24 at 10 am
“LAUDATO SI’, mi’ Signore” – “Praise be to you, my Lord”. In the words of this beautiful canticle, Saint Francis of Assisi reminds us that our common home is like a sister with whom we share our life and a beautiful mother who opens her arms to embrace us. “Praise be to you, my Lord, through our Sister, Mother Earth, who sustains and governs us, and who produces various fruit with colored flowers and herbs”. Those are the opening words of Pope Francis’ encyclical on the environment. You’ve heard the media’s take on it. This class is an opportunity for us to go beneath the hype in order to consider what the Pope is saying and how it relates to our own understandings of the challenges facing humanity today. The class will be led by the Rev. Caroline Hall, Bob Pelfrey, Carol McPhee and other members of the Hollister Team.. We will probably take one chapter each week:
• What is happening to our Common Home?
• The Gospel of Creation
• The Human Roots of the Ecological Crisis
• Integral Ecology
• Lines of Approach and Action
This is an exciting document and the conversation will pick up some of the themes from Johnson’s “Ask the Beasts” and expand into areas of economics and development. It promises to be an exciting conversation. Thursdays at 10am starting August 20 for six weeks.
For more information, contact the Rev. Dr. Caroline Hall