Index Page - Holy Manners Study # 32 Meeting Death with Hope and Understanding - 2 Studies: Moody and Spong

Course Outline and Links to the 10 Session Pages

Part 1 - The Light Beyond - by Dr. Raymond A Moody Study Presenter - Jock McTavish "It is this dividing line between life and death that is challenged by the NDE. Many times over the past twenty years, I have watched the fascination on the faces in an audience as someone recounted his or her near-death experience. It seems as though many people never become accustomed to the idea that a person standing before them has not only ?returned from the dead,? but has witnessed something spiritual that many people identify as an afterlife"  p75

NOTES Session 1 Introductions. Videos - The Authors speak. 1a - Dr Raymond Moody - LiLou Interview in Marseille at NDE Conference. 1b - Moody interview in Perry's documentary Afterlife. 2 - Bishop John Spong - Eternal Life - PBS Radio Interview-15m Radio with some Pictures. Course Overview by Jock and Wayne. Jock - Bringing Science into the Christian understanding of Death. Wayne - Returning Hope to the Christian understanding of Death.- Course Outline NOTES Session 2 Moody - Introduction to NDEs Ch 1 The Experience of Almost Dying Ch 2 Changed Lives: The Transforming Power of NDEs Powerpoint - key points. Video - French Anesthesiologist talks about his experience with NDE - 29m07s NOTES Session 3 Moody - The Wonder of NDEs Ch 3 Children and NDEs: Meeting the Guardian Angel Ch 4 Why Near Death Experiences Intrigue Us Ch 5 Why the NDE isn?t mental illness Powerpoint - key points. Video - excerpts from Becki Hawkins? fascinating talk on her years as a Nurse to the terminally ill. NOTES Session 4 Moody - Science, Religion, & New Age Ch 6 The Researchers Ch 7 Explanations (this finishes book) Powerpoint - key points. Video - Eban Alexander?s ?Proof of Heaven? experience Handout - Near Death Experiences, GM Woerlee (Anesthesiologist) - a lucid and extensive counter to claims of afterlife. Handout - Sam Harris? Blog piece, This Must be Heaven - the Eban Alexander case. NOTES Session 5 Moody - New Data - Shared Death Experience Videos 1 - Raymond Moody on Shared Death Experiences_ excerpt from IANDS Conference 2 - Pim Van Lommel - The Mystery of Perception during NDE - Dutch Research

Part 2 - Eternal Life - a new vision - by John Spong Study Presenter - Wayne Holst "I now know that not only did I have to walk the religious walk, but those excessive claims that we so often made for our religious "truth" ultimately had to be broken open for our sakes - dare I say for God's sake. That breaking was the prelude to a new awareness."  p208

NOTES Session 6 Spong - Introduction of Theme Ch 1 Setting the Stage - A Necessary Personal Word Ch 2 Life is Accidental Ch 3 All Life Is Deeply Linked Ch 4 Dancing with Death: The Discovery of Mortality PDF of slides of Powerpoint Presentation. Video - excerpts from Fora lecture (10 min) on "Facing the Issues of Mortality". Video - full Fora lecture (60 min) on "Facing the Issues of Mortality". NOTES Session 7 Spong - Religious Traditions and Death Ch 5 The Lure of Religion Ch 6 Life?s Dominant Drive: Survival Ch 7 Religion?s Role in the Fear of Death Ch 8 The Faces of Religion Ch 9 The Tools of Religious Manipulation Powerpoint - key points. Video - excerpts from Fora lecture (60 min) on ?Facing the Issues of Mortality?. NOTES Session 8 Spong - A New Perspective on Death Ch 10 Ridding Religion of Both Heaven and Hell Ch 11 Putting Away Childish Things: The Death of Religion Ch 12 The Shift of the Religious Paradigm NOTES Session 9 Spong - The Elements of Hope Ch 13 Who Am I? What is God? Ch 14 The Approach of the Mystics Ch 15 Resurrection: A Symbol and a Reality Ch 16 Hiding - Thinking - Being Ch 17 I believe in Life Beyond Death Powerpoint - key points. Video - excerpts from Fora lecture "Exploring the Mystery of Life" 2nd lecture at Eternal Life Seminar - Chautauqua 2010.. NOTES Session 10 Wrap Up Evening. Review of the death theme. Sharing of Learnings.

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Holy Manners The background on the phrase and why we have adopted it. The guidelines for our studies.

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Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge. ... Proverbs 23:12 (NIV)

Group Facilitator. Wayne Holst              EMAIL WAYNE I spent most of my life thinking like a church professional, rather than as a regular congregational member. My training as a pastor always had me asking myself 'how can I apply this discovery, insight, new information to a regular church setting?' Often, clergy have been hesitant to share the discoveries they have made through a 'critical' approach to the Bible with their parishoners because they wonder how laypeople might accept it. I have found that many thinking laity are professionals in their own fields of endeavour and understand a critical approach very readily. What they seek are ways of relating faith to daily living. I am grateful for the journey I have been taking through ordained ministry to teaching at the university and serving as a fellow layperson at St.David's United Church. Here we find that questioning and honest expression of our faith and doubt is readily accepted and supported.

Group Facilitator. Jock McTavish           EMAIL JOCK I am a student and a poet, a democrat and a techocrat, an eclectic eccentric. I grew up in a loving Baptist community, so in my heart I'm still a Bible loving evangelical. As I grew in learning I found a new home in the United Church whose tolerance embraces the broadest range of Christian understanding. I most enjoy the illumination of our ancient traditions by modern scholarship. For they show in clear novel ways that the perspectives of the Special Ones were seldom the understandings of those that followed. They show all knowledge to be in relationship . There seems a lack of understanding in our secular world for religious practices. The reasons why I still gladly - even necessarily - attend church are difficult to voice to those unfamiliar with church, or those injured by church. Elliott got it right. We find our way back to the place we started from. But with new understanding.