Unity Church of Dallas - Rev. Townley's Message


Rev. Ed Townley Associate Minister

A Message from
Rev. Ed Townley,
Associate Minister

Bentley and the Bishop

Well, as many of you already know, I have added a Bentley to my life. No, it’s not a luxury car which I have attracted through the diligent application of prosperity principles. Bentley is a Pembroke Welsh corgi, two years old, which I have attracted, I guess, through my desire to experience an energy of love – and a touch of discipline! – in my life once again. He appeared – through the loving auspices of the wonderful people at Operation Kindness in Addison – almost exactly two years after the death of my earlier corgi, Stryker; and I sense a definite “passing of the torch” as Bentley moves into the space Stryker left.

Corgis are extremely smart dogs, and we are currently negotiating the terms of our living arrangements. Bentley has reluctantly agreed to accept The Leash as a necessary evil in our urban neighborhood. I have agreed that a rule such as “No Dogs Allowed on Furniture” may be arbitrary, unrealistic and possibly a violation of civil rights. We both recognize that certain delicate topics – especially the issue of “people food” and the allowable time frame for the early morning walk – may require Rev. Kurt’s peacemaking skills at some point. Through it all, my already busy life has become more chaotic, and more richly rewarding, simply through the presence in my home (and car, and office) of another expression of divine energy.

Shifting from Bentley to the Right Reverend John Shelby Spong may seem like an impossible stretch, but they both contributed to a new and related depth of spiritual appreciation in me last week. Bear with me here.

My connection to Operation Kindness dates back over a year, to their work with Mercy, the gentle and loving pit bull who had been horribly tortured and mutilated by her owner for not being sufficiently aggressive. Many of you remember the story – it was the focus of a lot of media at the time. Despite heroic efforts by Operation Kindness, Mercy did not survive. (The owner was subsequently tried and sentenced to prison for his crime.)

The staff and volunteers at Operation Kindness wanted to hold a memorial service for Mercy. Several ministers declined to lead such a service, because “dogs don’t have souls.” Through a UCD congregant who is also on the Operation Kindness board, I was called, and felt honored to accept the invitation. It was a beautiful service, attended by hundreds of people, and there was a real sense of completion as we released Mercy’s spirit with love and appreciation – especially in view of the challenge and anguish of her final days in physical form.

The question of whether animals have souls is one I am often asked, by people of all ages. I’m not aware of an “official” Unity position, but I believe without question that the universal spiritual principles we affirm tell us that there is no absence of God anywhere – and every expression of God is good. Certainly there is an element in our human expression of God that is unique – different from all the other expressions of God we see in life around us. To me this element is the divine gift of creativity – the fact that our thoughts and intentions co-create this shared life experience in ways that the energy of animals and plants do not. But that does not mean that other forms of life don’t have souls – just that their sacred energy and purpose express in other ways.

Which brings us to Bishop Spong, whose weekly email message “A New Christianity for a New World” is always exciting, thought-provoking and inspiring. (You can learn more about it at www.johnshelbyspong.com.) In recent weeks he has been addressing the question of what Christianity means to him, given that he finds many conservative Christian fundamentalist beliefs to be inadequate and unacceptable. He writes with a passion and intelligence that makes me want to stop strangers on the street to read passages aloud.

“I define myself as a Christian,” he writes, “by which I mean I am a disciple of Jesus, who is for me the human icon through which I embrace the reality of God.” And what, then, is God? Get this:

“God to me is experienced as the power of life that surges through the universe and that comes to self-consciousness in human beings alone.

God to me is experienced as the presence of love that enhances life and that human beings alone can name.

God to me is experienced as the “Ground of Being” empowering all that is, to be what every created thing can be, but which only human life can understand or articulate.”

I think that says it about as well as the English language will allow. The italics are mine, intended to emphasize this week’s important understanding that while our human relationship to God is unique, it is not exclusive. If dogs have no souls, then mistreating them is no more offensive to God than – I don’t know – breaking a dish. If other species on this planet are not important expressions of the power of life that is God, then the destruction of life and elimination of whole species is at most a pragmatic problem free of spiritual implications. I can’t imagine anyone today holding such arrogant, dismissive attitudes toward any expression of life.

We are, according to the early chapters of the Book of Genesis, given “dominion” over this rich and varied planet. That doesn’t mean we can trash it and destroy its expressions of life without consequences. Just the opposite: It means we have been charged with appreciating, supporting and enhancing it in every way our divine creative consciousness can devise.

My personal spiritual path is now enhanced because “the power of life” in me is supported by the canine power of life that is Bentley. Every expression of life on this entire planet offers us its own unique power and love – and all of it is essential to our spiritual journey forward from here. To deny that power and love is the very height of spiritual ignorance. To ignore it, to refuse to honor it and embrace it, is the height of spiritual foolishness.

So take a moment this week – no, take many moments! – to put your life on pause long enough to feel the divinity of all life around you supporting the unique divinity of life within you. Bishop Spong writes that “the affirmation of life, love and being is in fact a therapeutic path to wholeness.” Bentley is convinced that my therapeutic path involves taking time to play with my dog. The soul of the bishop and the soul of the corgi are both about love and healing!

Blessings!
Rev Ed

Message date: November 15, 2007