Walking and thinking some more with Henry Bugbee

Frank preaching in Ipswich two years ago

In my last blog post I pointed readers towards the work of Henry Bugbee found in his book "The Inward Morning: A Philosophical Exploration in Journal Form".  I came across Bugbee's extraordinary book thanks to a chance stumble upon a companion volume edited by Edward F. Mooney called "Wilderness and the Heart - Henry Bugbee's Philosophy of Place, Presence and Memory". This graceful event has suddenly opened up for me a previously unknown, rich and exciting seam of thinking, writing and living that seems highly relevant to the kind of liberal religious community I hope is being created here at the Cambridge Church where I am privileged to be minister. Having done a little more research and reading around this subject this week I can particularly recommend readers to take a look at Mooney's "Lost Intimacy in American Thought: Recovering Personal Philosophy from Thoreau to Cavell". 

I was fortunate to able to spend a little more time than usual last week reading Bugbee et. al. because last Sunday was my colleague, the Revd Frank Walker's 80th birthday - Happy Birthday Frank! Frank is the minister emeritus of the Cambridge Church and it was a genuine delight to have him conduct the service, give the sermon and then for the about ninety of us present to retire to the church hall for a splendid birthday buffet.

For me the first beneficial side-effect of this splendid and happy occasion was that I did not have to write a sermon myself - hence the extra time for reading. The second beneficial side-effect was that this reading gifted me with some rich and provocative ideas that I could take with me into the countryside as I walked along the Roman Road and on Magog Down under some beautiful, sunny, early summer skies on Monday and Tuesday.

In the coming weeks I have no doubt that I will be bringing some of the fruits of this before you for your consideration but, until then, I just add here a few photos that I took while I walked.