Fiddle classes started back up. The class went well, I could tell I hadn't practiced any over the summer. Practicing this week, however, has gone quite well.
I also started a class, With Head and Heart: The Writings of Howard Thurman at ANTS. The class went well.
Thurman was a graduate of then Rochester Theological Seminary. He had a tremendous impact on three generations of clergy, peace activists, and folk on the spiritual journey; yet he hardly garners the respect and attention he deserves. When I was at CRDS, the school marked his 100th birthday with a lecture and the dedication the Thurman Room. This year's H.T. lecture will be delivered by J. Alfred Smith. A theologian of his significance should have had a room named after him long before then!When I first read the majority of his writings I didnt think there was much there (which says more about me than Thurman). But a couple years ago I visited him again and found words jumping off the pages and a depth of inquiry and thought. Thurman had something to say that is worth your time and worthy of deep study. I look forward to a systematic and critical survey of writing corpus.
One more note about Thurman. I have long held the thought that liberalism needs reformation. I do not think the reformation needs to come from the outside but the resources are within its tradition. Thurman offers a life and a body of writings that could go a long way towards birthing some new life into mainline Protestantism. Why Thurman? He shows the way to the deep river of Christianity. It appears that mainliners are catching onto this need, but it is a tragedy that folk are not taking serious look at Thurman.
Some Thurman Links:
Wikipedia's Entry
PBS documentary
Howard Thurman Film Project Their link section has several fruitful journeys.
No comments:
Post a Comment