Peter Bolland

No two names are more associated with the influential ethical theory of Utilitarianism that Jeremy Bentham (1748–1832) and his protégé John Stuart Mill (1806–1873). Attempting to bring scientific rigor to the messy business of morality, Bentham and Mill left a lasting legacy in the way we govern and legislate our collective decisions and navigate our personal moral calculations. Learn how Utilitarianism made modern rights movements possible, including women’s rights, animal rights and the rights of LGBTQ+ people. Whether you know it or not, you may already be a Utilitarian.

Join us for a four-day retreat where I'll be the keynote facilitator, alongside others, offering a variety of opportunities to learn, rest, expand, and grow. This retreat will sell-out, so please click here for more details, as well as registration options: https://uucamp.org/camps-for-adults/2026-adult-summer-break-camp-singing-in-the-pines/

Another of the British Empiricists, Scottish philosopher David Hume took Locke’s work to its logical conclusion, and shocked the philosophical world in the process. Known as skepticism, Hume’s philosophy openly questioned the existence of God, a radical stance in the early 18th century. Under Hume’s scalpel, no sacred cow was safe—not science, not reason, not theology, not even the existence of the soul. Join us for an inquiry into the brilliant, beloved, and unorthodox mind of David Hume.

Join Americana/folk singer-songwriter Peter Bolland for a rare and intimate solo concert of original songs. All of Bolland’s albums, both as a solo artist and as front man for The Coyote Problem, have been nominated for Best Americana Album at the San Diego Music Awards, and two have won. But music isn’t about trophies – it’s about opening up and laying bare the beating heart within us. The best songs celebrate our joys, salve our wounds, and move us toward healing. Let this simple, direct, and heartfelt music take you deeper into the beauty of your own life.

Join singer-songwriters Peter Bolland and Joe Rathburn for this special matinee concert of their favorite Beatles songs. Get your tickets here: https://visioncsl.breezechms.com/form/20260822 To be in the room with us is $25, or you can livestream it from home for a donation.

From the great Hindu wisdom texts called the Upanishads comes the Katha Upanishad, the story of a young spiritual seeker who goes on a mystical journey to study the secret of existence with none other than Yama the Lord of Death. As we study this story we are drawn into one of the most beautiful, sweeping, and inspiringly profound dialogues in all of the world’s wisdom literature. Is there life after death? What is God? To whom are the secrets of the universe revealed? All of this and more unfolds in the Katha Upanishad.

I have the honor of guest-preaching at Mission Hills UCC at the 10:00 A.M. service.

Join singer-songwriters Peter Bolland and Joe Rathburn for a special matinee concert of their favorite Neil Young songs. $25 to join us in the room, or make a donation to get a link to the livestream at https://visioncsl.breezechms.com/form/20261017