205 Emanuel Swedenborg: Buddha of the North

This week Glencairn Museum will be opening a temporary exhibit, “Buddhism in Pennsylvania,” and hosting a group of Tibetan monks from the Drepung Gomang Monastery in Nepal, who will be creating a mandala (sand painting). One of the events offered in connection with the exhibit and visit by the monks is a lecture by the Rev. Barry Halterman. His illustrated presentation will explore the origins and unique aspects of the Tibetan style of Buddhism, the purpose, symbolism, and ritualistic elements of mandalas, and some possible connections between Buddhist and New Church teachings (Wednesday, September 26th, at 4pm). 

Dr. Stuart Chandler of the Indiana University of Pennsylvania is the guest curator of “Buddhism in Pennsylvania.” In addition to studying Buddhism, Dr. Chandler conducts research on the evolving religious landscape of Pennsylvania, and has served as the director of the Center for the Study of Religion in Pennsylvania since its founding in 2002. After learning more about Swedenborg, Dr. Chandler has written the following: 

“The Buddhist and Swedenborgian traditions share certain basic insights about how we humans can realize complete fulfillment. The Buddha would certainly have agreed with Swedenborg Continue reading » » » »

197 New Church Bible and Book Car (1916)

“Dear Father

After leaving home we soon found out that our posters threatened to blow to pieces by the wind, and proceeded to remove them.

Sellersville was the first town we considered giving a talk in; but there were too few people on the streets . . .

Our next stop was Quakertown eight miles from Allentown. We put out our signs and played a little music, but as this did not draw a crowd we talked to some of the people sitting on the porches without any success . . .

This morning we left Allentown and with no other accidents after two blow outs we arrived at Stroudsburg. Continue reading » » » »

195 Shall We Dance? Early Phi Alpha and Sigma Delta Pi Dances

“On Friday, May 7th, the Sigma Delta Pi Fraternity held its fourth annual dance in the DeCharms Hall Auditorium. Four happy hours were whiled away in dancing amidst a veritable fairy-land of greens from the neighboring woods, which are now in the full glory of spring foliage” (New Church Life 1915, 421).

The Sigma Delta Pi fraternity was formed in the spring of 1911 by Academy of the New Church male students living in Bryn Athyn. They adopted the Latin phrase non sibi sed omnibus (“not for oneself but for all”) as their motto. A week after it was founded the club held a picnic in the woods, complete with Japanese lanterns and a “transparency” of their motto suspended across the Pennypack Creek Continue reading » » » »