A Progressive and Cutting-Edge Forgiveness Series for Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 13 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The new voice of progressive Christianity, best-selling spiritual author and national pulpit voice, Dr. R. Scott Colglazier, Senior Minister of First Congregational Church of Los Angeles, is curating a new series of workshops and interactive experiences entitled "Love, Compassion and the Art of Forgiveness." The first big event exploring this theme will take place on the weekend of September 25, not only for the congregation, but as a gift for the city of Los Angeles, and will focus on the public health crisis being created by anger, bitterness and resentment.

Dr. Colglazier, whose accessible and optimistic spiritual work has been featured on CNN, The Today Show, and The CBS Morning Show as well as in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and The New York Times, was interviewed on Thursday September 9 by CBS 2 (KCBS, KCAL 9). Dr. Colglazier urged for a progressive Christianity that embraces the religious diversity of our city and world, using that diversity to make one's faith stronger.  

"Compassion is not feeling sorry for someone; compassion is recognizing the interrelationship of all things, and that includes people who hold a different religious faith. I am not a Muslim, but I share the same breath as a Muslim. I am not Buddhist, but I share the same earth as a Buddhist. I am not Jewish, but I share the same human feelings of love and awe and wonder as a Jew."

"All or nothing thinking is dangerous, but when you baptize it with religion, it can become lethal."

"Forgiveness is not condoning. Nor it is even repairing what has been broken, though often that is possible. And contrary to many popular notions, forgiveness isn't really about the other person. Forgiveness is deciding that you need to lay something down, put something aside, or simply make peace with a personal situation. You forgive so you can get on with your life."

Saturday, September 25 at 10am First Church welcomes Dr. Frederic Luskin of Stanford University, leads the workshop Forgive for Good. In this forum Dr. Luskin presents the forgiveness training methodology that has been validated through six successful research studies conducted through the Stanford Forgiveness Projects. Recently, Dr. Luskin's research has confirmed the virtues of forgiveness in the promotion of psychological, relationship and physical health. The program is free and open to all.  

Sunday, September 26, special guest, New York clergyman Rev. Lyndon F. Harris will be alongside Dr. Colglazier in morning worship at First Church.  Reverend Harris was the priest in charge of the relief ministries at Ground Zero offered through Saint Paul's Chapel after the terrorist attacks of 9/11.  He will speak about the transformative experiences of Saint Paul's Chapel, as well as the wider community's response.

For more info please visit www.FCCLA.org.

First Congregational Church of Los Angeles is located between Downtown & Hancock Park.

540 S. Commonwealth Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90020.

Director of Communications, Kim-Minh Huberwald, email/ [email protected]  tel/ 213.355.5236.

SOURCE First Congregational Church of Los Angeles