The Infinite Love of God
Deborah
Haines
Short Description:
When George Fox came to know the "infinite love of God" he understood it in Christian terms. Many today encountering that same "ocean of Light" apply a "universalist" interpretation. Explore universal love as manifested in the words of early Friends, Jesus, Hebrew scripture and contemporary Quaker ways of seeking truth.
Long Description:
This workshop follows on to the one I offered at the 2010 Gathering, entitled "Universalism, Christianity, and Quakerism." It addresses the same basic questions, but is designed to be more tightly focussed, and to take advantage of new insights and additional material. I have felt a leading for many years to help Friends explore and articulate their own individual beliefs, and to build bridges among the various branches of Friends. My work on universalism is one more step on that journey.
During the week I plan to present the following five topics:
Monday: The Hebrew Scriptures and Universalism
Tuesday: Christianity and Universalism
Wednesday: Early Friends and Universalism
Thursday: Quaker/Christian Universalism Today
Friday: What Canst Thou Say?
These topics will build on each other to some extent, but each can be understood on its own. Participants who can only come for a day or two would be welcome.
Each day will begin with worship, followed by a brief presentation. After a discussion period, we will divide into worship sharing groups to explore our individual responses to the issues raised in the presentation and discussion.
I will probably expand the list of recommended books over the coming months, but these are a few of the basics:
George Fox's Journal
Robert Barclay's Apology
Philip Gulley and James Mulholland, If Grace is True
Peter Eccles, The Presence in the Midst
Harvey Gilman, Spiritual Hospitality
Samuel Caldwell, Inward Light
There will be no required reading for the course. I will pass out handouts each day including selections from these and other sources.
