Dr. Holly Hudley
This week, Ordinary Life brings to you a guest speaker that many of you already know from past presentations, Dr. Holly Hudley. Holly has presented with Bill on many occasions and especially supported Bill through the pandemic when there was no audience for Ordinary Life.
Holly has titled her presentation to Ordinary Life,
"Faith Development and Mysticism
Where the Two Seas Meet"
Holly describes her presentation in the following manner:
Today’s class is inspired, in part, by the tagline for Ordinary Life which reads, “Wisdom teachings for ordinary mystics in ordinary life.” I began to think about what it means to be an ordinary mystic, and while any of us could claim that path, to genuinely live it requires something of us.
1) To love people more than doctrine
2) To stay curious and humble
3) To trust that there is an underlying unity keeping this whole thing together.
As we progress in our spiritual journey, most scholars agree that mysticism is the ultimate destination. It is “The Place Where the Two Seas Meet.” The title of today’s talk is borrowed from a story from the Qur’an in which Moses goes seeking wisdom.
Outside of the political violence and division currently braiding the Abrahamic traditions, there is actually a common thread that connects them, and it is that thread I want to tug on in hopes that we can lean toward love rather than hate and heal rather than harm.
As you all know, Holly is a recent PhD in Philosophy and Religion and I am amazed how Holly managed to do this while raising three children. It takes a great deal of dedication and hard work.
Holly says of herself, "My PhD is in a subject I very likely learned to love by attending this class (Ordinary Life) for a quarter of a century. I'm a native Houstonian, and was raised attending St. Paul’s Church, but found my true spiritual home with my mentor, Dr. Bill Kerley. I am a mother of three teenage boys, a huge baseball fan, an educator, and possibly more than anything, a life-long learner."
I hope you can make it this Sunday, in person or by livestream. Blessings.