2012 Ordination
In December 2012, six students chose to become ministers at the conclusion of their 2¼-year program of study at the School of Sacred Ministries. The beautiful ceremony included contributions from many graduates as well as from members of the faculty and Advisory Circle. Dr. Tom Legere, a senior member of the faculty, gave the following convocation speech.
There is one photograph that everyone has undoubtedly seen, and that everyone can certainly call to mind: the photograph taken by our astronauts of our beautiful blue-green planet earth, viewed from the moon.
“Those who will be ordained here today embody the spiritual leader of the FUTURE. Not ordained to represent any one traditional religion, they have been called to embrace the Universal Principles that underlie all religions, yet transcend all religions.”
We look at that photograph and we do not see the boundaries of individual countries and we do not see evidence of any religious denominations.
Certainly the world still needs, at this time, caretakers of individual countries and it still needs those who can pastor individual flocks. Increasingly, travel is shrinking distances and technology is putting us in touch with different ideas and realities, such as climate changes, the Arab Spring, and the terrible events that just took place in Connecticut that have broken all of our hearts. We need a new breed of spiritual ministers who can transcend religious differences and respond to these realities that traditional religions usually bypass.
Those who will be ordained here today embody the spiritual leader of the FUTURE. Not ordained to represent any one traditional religion, they have been called to embrace the Universal Principles that underlie all religions, yet transcend all religions.
They have been educated over two years, in a variety of ways, to understand (to stand under) all of the religions of the world, but also to go beyond each religion, to the spiritual core that unites all of us as God’s children.
There is a need for individuals with such a vision. They represent the cutting edge of our evolving world consciousness. As old forms of religion crumble before our very eyes, we are reminded of what Jesus of Nazareth said over 2,000 years ago: “New wine needs new wineskins.” A new consciousness needs new forms; the old forms and formulas no longer seem to hold. These ministers have seen the signs of the times and are responding with their “Yes” to the call of spirit.
As they do so, they will need humility, faith and courage because they dare to tread where few before have dared to go: towards a form of spirituality that respects all religions, yet does not identify totally with any of them.
“…they are called to surrender to what the poet Dante called “The love that moves the sun and the other stars.” We trust that this love that moves the universe will use our loved ones in a mighty way.”
May you who have assembled here today to be with your loved ones who are about to be ordained give them your full support. You may not fully understand what motivates them to take this step; perhaps they themselves do not fully understand the meaning of this day. But they are called to surrender to what the poet Dante called “The love that moves the sun and the other stars.” We trust that this love that moves the universe will use our loved ones in a mighty way.
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