I want to approach again this question that we have considered over the course of the last two services – of what faith is and what it makes us do. Krisnamurti used to tell people at his lectures ' I dont have any answers here, I am enquiring with you in to this question.' and … Continue reading Pots and pans and genitals

Last week I asked that we should consider faith, what is is and what our faith makes us do; I asked that we should carefully challenge ourselves as to what it might be that impels our attendance here at Mill Hill Chapel. In the intervening week there has been plenty of opportunity for reflection on … Continue reading Haphazard by starlight

While I was training at a college in Oxford each of us Unitarian students were also concurrently engaged in 'external' theology courses, external to the college where the ministry course was held, and this turned out to be a very fruitful way of working together as we'd have lots of insights to share from the different courses … Continue reading Begin again; and delight always

I was delighted to accept an invitation to speak to a group yesterday on the subject “How do Unitarians celebrate Christmas? ” I mentioned that if you tend to emphasise the humanity of Jesus then celebrating his birthday presents no problems at all - birth being generally agreed to be a reasonably natural start to … Continue reading Impossible Demands – A Christmas address

We are nearly at the winter solstice, the sun is at its lowest and the winter freeze has begun. And yet we acknowledge the greatest spiritual feeling that we encounter in contemporary culture; although they are not equivalent festivals, the Hindu Diwali is just passed, Jewish Hanukka, the festival of lights, is celebrated on From … Continue reading Even the darkness

Yesterday some of us were here for the Leeds heritage open day. A day where many folk who’ ve perhaps always wondered what goes on in this beautiful building on City Square could satisfy their curiosity. Of course we’re always open here on Sundays at 10.45 - but its quite understandable that some people will … Continue reading On Ambiguity and Porousness

I was once in a wonderful play called Summerfolk by the Russian writer Gorky. He was a fan of Chekov and a great naturalist so every line was finely balanced, each scene written meticulously, but there was one line that always jarred for me. A woman has fallen out badly with her oldest friend and … Continue reading Everything is Broken

Two weeks ago I identified the underlying principle which underpins human culture as the principle of co-operation and mutual aid, and suggested that a mystical description of this principle is the statement: 'God is Love'. Today I want to develop that idea a little further and ask if what we are really seeking to do … Continue reading The Spirit of Love – 3 : Towards a participatory spirituality

Recently I was considering mysticism in our tradition, and the theology of the Spirit; 'that of God' which is between us rather than above us. In my opinion this understanding of God as Spirit, interfusing and immanent throughout all things,  is the theological idea which has defined and characterised our dissenting tradition more than any other - … Continue reading The Spirit of Love – 2 : Mutual Aid and the real story of evolution