THE AESTHETICS OF RELIGION

A United Methodist pastor with over thirty-six years of pastoral experience, Rev. Wayne Plumstead describes what he has learned about the aesthetics of religion from the philosophy of Aesthetic Realism, founded by Eli Siegel.

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Location: Bloomfield, New Jersey, United States

The Rev. Wayne Jack Plumstead holds a BA from Drake University and an MDiv from Princeton Theological Seminary. Ordained a minister in the United Methodist Church in 1973, he has served since 1991 as Senior Pastor at the Park United Methodist Church in Bloomfield, New Jersey. Prior to that time he served pastorates in Lower Berkshire Valley, Bayonne, Arlington and Jersey City, all in New Jersey. Rev. Plumstead credits the philosophy of Aesthetic Realism, founded by Eli Siegel, with having an invaluable influence on his theological formation. He has given many public seminars at the Aesthetic Realism Foundation in New York City. In 1994, the Board of Global Ministries invited him to give a presentation at a consultation on Developing Multicultural Congregations in San Antonio, Texas to assist national church staff in developing strategies for congregations in transitional communities. In 2000, he was invited to give the opening sermon at the first meeting of clergy in the newly formed Greater New Jersey Annual Conference. And, in 2002, the United Methodist Publishing House printed an article he authored in its national magazine for United Methodist clergy, Circuit Rider.

Friday, July 03, 2009

An Immortal Statement by Eli Siegel on Immortality

Here is a statement by Eli Siegel from an Aesthetic Realism class of many years ago. It is about a subject I deal with all the time in my ministry--death. I have thought about this statement very often and while I can't say I have yet exhausted its possibilities or depth of meaning, it has continued to have a very useful and strengthening effect on me.

"The only time we cannot be afraid of death is when we are sincere all the time because it is the depths of things that are immortal, not the glittering surface." -- Eli Siegel

posted by Rev. Wayne Jack Plumstead | Friday, July 03, 2009