Synopsis: What really happens to human consciousness at death? How might
love and immortality be related? What is purgatory and do most religions
teach the concept of purgatory? What is spirituality? Is the essence of
the mystery we call "God" the same for the Buddhist, Christian, Hindu,
Jew, and Muslim? Is it more important what my religion teaches me to
believe, or is it more important that my religion enables me to become
more loving and compassionate? How might one practice a reverence for
life by our food choices? How do we balance work and spirituality? How
do we balance spirituality and social-justice work? In this collection
of sermons and reflections, Floyd Vernon Chandler suggests that there
are many valid spiritual paths to Enlightenment and Holiness.
Understanding the mystery we call "God" is akin to the story of five
blind men touching different parts of a huge elephant. Each man's
description and understanding of the elephant will vary based upon the
location of his touch. The importance of any religion is determined by
how much our respective spiritual paths lead us to grow in love and
compassion for one another and for all other forms of life on this
planet. The sermon and reflections found in Beyond the Grave: Love and
Immortality express a Universalist theology that all souls will
eventually be reunited with the mystery we call "God." Inherent in this
collection of writings is the belief that there is truth in all
religions and that there are many valid spiritual paths. No religious
dogma or ideology has a monopoly on truth. Author Bio: Floyd Vernon
Chandler is an ordained Unitarian Universalist minister and has provided
ministry in a variety of settings over the past thirty-three years,
including parish ministy, correctional chaplaincy, and military
chaplaincy.
