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Where shall we scarch for enlightenment? We tuca to science, bac only fairly recently have some scientists bowunt ta ask questions about posh, values, and meaning, We chink of philasophy; ceccinly philosophy has traditionally asked these questions. Buc we ate likely 1 find ver moder philosopher cur rently concerned with symbolical logical systems, where the question about meaning ia lite becomes a “meaningless” question. Well, then, surcly in act, ‘literature and pocery we find che questions asked, Bue the contemporary car is unused to the voice of rhe poct, understunding much bert the call to con formity of commercial advertising and the influential whisper of anonymous public opinion. Qur uncertainty mounts, We turn to the arca of religion. Here above all, men have asked how man fulfills himself, stecrs his course, finds meaning. But in our scientific age we are immediaccly faced with a perplexing question, “What is religion?” Is ic, as some current best sellers seem to suggest, faith that a particular belicf of being polite to God will bring powers which insure prosperity and success? [s ic a socially acceptable form of neurosis, of avoiding facing up 1 the real world? Is ita lor of false ideas and superstitions stemming from wishtul thinking? If an individual's religion may be considered co be his over-all attemnpe to come to practical seems with his environmens, then every one of us has a personal religion. Ie may be well thoughe out, i¢ may be accepred intact from past tradition, or ic may be a haphazard selection of values on the combined bases of expediency, chance, and childhood training, It is likely 10 prove an effective guide to making the decisions of lite only to the extent that it is both clearly and realistically thought through and also deeply experienced by the individual himsclt. These considerations scem to suggest that, above all else, the supreme need of men in our time is contemporary and mature religion, Many of us tend to seck a secure basis for action founded on cither scieneific proof or certainty through dogmatic fuith. This ignores the expericace of life that we must act even when there is no certainty. Initially the search for the optimum way of life offers no cetticude, There is, however, enough margin of probability 10 justify a choice; and in the choosing and acting, we may add to that margin, If we cannot expect scientific proof, we cam yet employ thar open-minded spirit of inquiry and that willingness to discacd inadequate theories which characterize what we know as the scientific method. We can draw upon the knowledge of the nature of maa slowly evolving from the scientist's researches and the psychiatrist's experience in the interviewing room, as well as upon the insights of the worlds great religious geniuses. Not “back to religion”, bat forward to an increasingly mature religion is the need of which men in our ime are becoming increasingly aware. 2 Source Material AN Asa guide in this vital search for oricntation, for principles «@ garde in factory living, the Sequoia Seminar makes use ot dhe wachings of Jesus of Nazareth. Whatever else he may or may nor have been, Jesus was apparently one who thought deeply abour human lite and what ic could be. There are several reasons for using the reachings of Jesus as the primary guide, racher chan material from more contemporary sources— psychologists, anthropologists, philosophers—or from"keaders of thought in other craditicns such as the ethical and religious geaiuises of the East. In the first place, Jesus’ ceachings have for centuries been held to be of high value by many, both in and our of the Christian tradition, borh in and ous of Western society, On this basis alone they would seem to meric looking at from the standpoine of investi- gucing their worth. Then too, the social situation in which Jesus found himself was perhaps much more like our own than casual examination would indicate. Then, as now, people tended tw extecnalize the sources of their woubles. In the Israel of Jesus’ day it appeared obvious that the source of much evil was the forcign oppressor; in our own time we tend 10 sev it in alien political doctrines, economic inequities, or the "human nacure” of others, The emphasis of Jesus on the source of ont troubles as within ourselves, seems as pertinent today as then. Perhaps 3s compelling a reason as any for examining these particular teachings is che impuct that che figure of Jesus has had on Western civilization Wherever we might begin our search, with Buddha or Freud, Socrates or Gandhi, we should eventually have co come to terms with this commanding figure, for he can hardly be ignored. Approach to the Material . In approaching any pare of chis material che artempr is made co answer various questions: "What is i¢ most probable thar Jesus said?”, “What did he most probably mean?”, "Docs it make sens¢?”, aad "What are its implications for "None of these questions is simply answered. me! ietinic The knowledge we have of the stzcements Jusus made during his was first ttansminted orally by his followers Who appear t have held very dcfinice views as to his identity and narure. It was firse wrircen down by members of the early Christian community who held equally definice, bye probably very different opinions. These earliest documents, none of which have survived co the present, could scarcely have escaped a cettain amount of reflection of their authors’ views.