Celestial Lands The Religious Crossroads of Politics, Power, and Theology

Tag Archives: Death

Osama bin Laden and Unrealistic Hopes

Wednesday May 4, 2011 0:31 +0000 ⋅ 6 Comments ⋅ Rev. David

These last few days, I have been on a trip to attend a U.S. Army Chaplains training conference in Scottsdale, Arizona. I have been in hotels, airports, and restaurants in my military uniform, sometimes with other Army Chaplains, but often on my own. For these several days, I have had … Read more →

Posted in: Articles, History, Military, Patriotism, politics, Turnings ⋅ Tagged: 911, al Qaeda, bin Laden, chaplain, David Pyle, death, death of Osama, fear, hope, killed, liberal, Military, military chaplain, Ministry, Navy Seals, Osama, Osama bin Laden, politics, Prophetic Voice, responsibility, Seal Team Six, soldier, terror, terrorist, Usama bin Laden

Decline, Denial, and an 8K Ruck March

Tuesday November 23, 2010 5:22 +0000 ⋅ 1 Comment ⋅ Rev. David

This weekend was a military drill / Battle Assembly for me, and it taught me something… that I’m not as young as I once was. Nor am I as young as I would like to be. Nor am I as young as I like to think I am. I was … Read more →

Posted in: Articles, Humor, Military, Military Chaplaincy, Turnings ⋅ Tagged: age, airborne knees, chaplain, death, decline, fear, hope, Military, military chaplain, Ministry, old soldier, PT Test, ruck march, rucksac, soldier, Spiritual Practice, UU Military

Commonalities in Liberal Faith

Sunday August 22, 2010 7:36 +0000 ⋅ 1 Comment ⋅ Rev. David

This summer I had the privledge to preach a four part summer sermon series at the Unitarian Church of Evanston, IL, that has explored what some of the ties between us as Unitarian Universalists may be. I specifically sought to name some things that are rarely said, and to make … Read more →

Posted in: Articles, liberal faith, Prophetic Voice, theology, UU Movement ⋅ Tagged: Angus McLean, David Pyle, death, dying, faith, hospice, James Luther Adams, liberal, liberal faith, liberal religion, liberalism, living scripture, Ministry, prophet, Prophetic Voice, relationship, religion, scripture, social justice, theology, unitairan, Unitarian, Unitarian Universalism, Unitarian Universalist, Universalist, UU, UU Principles

My Friend, Grief

Thursday May 27, 2010 12:23 +0000 ⋅ 1 Comment ⋅ Rev. David

I have come to the belief that what makes our culture so afraid of grief is that we often have buried within us layer upon layer of losses, one piled on top of another, the way that sand piles up upon the ruins of ancient cities, gets packed down, and … Read more →

Posted in: Articles, Care of the Soul, Ministry, Pastoral Care ⋅ Tagged: bereavement, berevement, death, dying, fear, grief, griefs, grieving, hospice, loss, mourn, mourning, relationship, sadness, stages of grief