July 7

"The Common Sense Religion of Tom Paine"
Lindsay Stroh

Thomas Paine, whose rousing essay, "Common Sense," inspired Americans to seek independence, fell into disfavor when he expressed his religious beliefs in "The Age of Reason." We'll get acquainted with this true American hero and his radical ideas. Lindsay Stroh is a lifelong UU, a member of 1U downtown, and a frequent and welcomed friend of UUUF.

July 14

“Imagine All the People”
Rev. Bryan Fulwider 

When John and Yoko Lennon wrote "Imagine" they shared a vision of a world at peace. We'll talk about that world, why it seems so far away, and what we can do to help shape that world going forward. We can see it opening up before us, but its unfolding will take our active partnership. Rev. Bryan has been a pastor for over 30 years, one of “The Three Wise Guys” on WMFE 90.7, president of the Central FL Interfaith Council and a much-loved presence at UUUF.

July 21

"Spiritual Dimensions of Transhumanism”
Dr. Tom Cook

Dr. Cook, Professor of Philosophy at Rollins College, returns to UUUF to discuss transhumanism - an international philosophical movement that advocates for the transformation of the human condition by developing and making widely available sophisticated technologies to greatly enhance human intellect and physiology. It’s a topic he’s been thinking about this summer and he’ll share some of his thoughts on a human-machine interface, from mechanical/bionic enhancements to downloading the mind into a computer for immortality purposes.

July 28

"Putting the Ritual in Spi-ritual”
Dr. Greg Cavenaugh

Rituals are an important part of all cultures and exist to bring order and purpose to many areas of life, particularly in religion. Dr. Cavenaugh, Lecturer of Communication at Rollins College, will guide us through examples of contemporary ritual, the functions of ritual and the ways ritual practice enables the spiritual experience.