July 4th is our nation’s Independence Day. It commemorates the day that our forebears took the radical step of formulating and declaring their declaration of independence from the British Monarch King George III. This act of dissent from established norms took significant risk and fortitude.

In honor of this day, Reverend Dennis Ashley will present three Spiritual Revolutionaries. These radicals are Buddha, Jesus, and Gandhi. What makes them revolutionary is the fact that in their time, they too were dissenters. By opposing the ideology and conventions of their time while demonstrating new ways of being, they transformed their societies and established new social and religious norms. In other words, their teachings did not align with the common beliefs of their time. Yet, as their message spread, they all brought on massive and disruptive change. In this way, their influence on social and religious practices proceeded to affect the societal structure in which they lived.

The point is that they each demonstrated their teachings by their example and integrity. As a result, they succeeded in pulling down obsolete ideas and social practices that were out of alignment with the new reality they envisioned.

Join Reverend Dennis Ashley for a lesson on spiritual revolutionaries whose thoughts and actions catapulted their societies and the world toward more holistic ways of being.  

Our featured ensemble is S.O.U.L. They are Gwen Gathercoal, Patty Ashley, Debbie Raby, Laura Wineteer, Paul Gathercoal, Ken Curtiss, and Steve Croteau.