Fire has a special place in every religion, often as a portal between the solid world and the spirit world. We hear that we have “domesticated” fire but it is not our pet, as we learn when fires spread through parts of the country. We’ll be talking about the sacred and dangerous aspects of flame.john … Continue reading Campfire Stories

The adoption of a dog ushers in a new beginning, but the human-canine relationship has been going on for as long as either of us remember. john (lower case intentional) Snodgrass is a frequent and popular speaker at UU Amherst. An instructor in Religion at Canisius University, john is also a playwright and author of … Continue reading A Whiff of Change

You don’t need to sleep all winter to awaken in the spring. john (lower case intentional) Snodgrass is a frequent and popular speaker at UU Amherst. An instructor in Religion at Canisius University, john is also a playwright and author of many books, the most recent being Shakespeare’s Goddess.

Anxieties can swarm like insects, and insects swarm like anxieties. When we’re feeling overrun and overwhelmed – what can we do in our little corner of the world? Maybe it’s time to clean the kitchen. john (lower case intentional) Snodgrass is a frequent and popular speaker at UU Amherst. An instructor in Religion at Canisius … Continue reading Creeps

Some species of animal will accept humans as part of their community, and this has made these “livestock” animals vulnerable to domestication and exploitation. But the bonds between herders and animals have also produced powerful religious symbols of protection and care.john (lower case intentional) Snodgrass is a frequent and popular speaker at UU Amherst. An … Continue reading Lock, Stock and Barrel

How many members does it take to make a community? And how do commonalities, and differences, help a species to survive? john (lower case intentional) Snodgrass is a frequent and popular speaker at UU Amherst. An instructor in Religion at Canisius University, john is also a playwright and author of many books, the most recent … Continue reading Two by Two

The human face is a jumbled mishmash of sensory organs, but it can also be quite pleasant to look at, and can communicate in ways beyond words. Much of our communication today is faceless and voiceless, like text messages and email, and the lack of tone and expression can make it harder to understand what … Continue reading Your Smiling Face

Before there was Netflix, there was the Eclipse, a light-show in the sky that inspired great feats of human imagination and storytelling. As the solar eclipse approaches, we’ll be exploring the significance of eclipses in world religions and mythologies. john (the lower case is intentional) is a frequent guest preacher at UU Amherst. Heteaches classes … Continue reading Eclipse

We’ve all heard about the serpent in the Bible, but who are some other prominent snakes in world mythologies? And despite this creature’s bad reputation, can it also be a sign of life and peace?john (the lower case is intentional) is a frequent guest preacher at UU Amherst. He teaches classes in religion at Canisius, … Continue reading Here Be Dragons

Winter has come and the birds are heading south. We’ll examine some religious beliefs about our fine feathered friends, and look forward to their return in spring. john Snodgrass teaches religion courses at Canisius University, and has written numerous books including “Supernatural Shakespeare” and the sci-fi comedy novel Thirteenth Moon. He lives in Buffalo with … Continue reading “For the Birds”