Buddhism will be the focus of talks the next two Sundays presented by the Adult Education Program at St. Francis in the Foothills United Methodist Church.
Brad Stoup, a student and practitioner of Zen and Vipassana Buddhism for more than 30 years - but who describes himself as "only a beginner" - will be presenting and discussing the topic.
This Sunday participants will consider and experience the Third Sutta (called "The Fire Sermon") given by the Buddha to novice monks in the fifth century B.C. in India.
What was Buddha's great insight and what can it mean for us today? Those will be the central questions.
On June 30, the presentation will focus on the question frequently asked by novices: "What is the way?"
The answers to this question were packaged in "koans" - puzzling, seemingly paradoxical sayings. In this session the emphasis will be on various Zen Buddhist answers to this key question, the point of which was to induce an experience of enlightenment.
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Both presentations will be held in the Church Center at 11 a.m. and are free and open to the public.
St. Francis in the Foothills is at 4625 E. River Road, at North Swan Road. For more information, call the church office at 299-9063.
- Submitted by Jerry Gill, church member
