In the first century a Roman slave named Epictetus earned his freedom. Literate, well-read, and lame from torture, Epictetus rose from obscurity to fame, attracting many students to his philosophical discourses. Along with Marcus Aurelius and Seneca, Epictetus represents the best of the wisdom of Stoicism, a practical, down-to-earth philosophy of forbearance and fortitude in the face of fickle fortune. In our ongoing series on The Great Philosophers, perhaps none before or since spoke as intimately or insightfully as Epictetus about the specific challenges we face as human beings. Please note that this event will be offered at the brand new Rancho Bernardo Oasis Center. See you there!

In this class we’ll focus on a close reading of Walt Whitman’s “Song of Myself,” the first poem in his 1855 masterpiece Leaves of Grass. As we move through extended passages, Whitman’s prophetic voice takes hold and a bracing vision of American individualism rises into view. Equally worldly and transcendent, carnal and spiritual, Whitman artfully blends the contrasts of life into a living mystery that shimmers with beauty and power. It is the sacred in all things, especially in us, that Whitman celebrates.

I've been honored with an invitation to give the sermon at both the 8:00 and 10:30 AM services at St. Paul's Episcopal Cathedral.

The most important pupil to emerge from Plato’s Academy in Athens, Aristotle (384-322 BCE) would end up challenging Plato’s core metaphysical assertions while refining and strengthening his ethical theories. In our ongoing series on The Great Philosophers, join us for this exploration into the way Aristotle shaped the Western worldview like no other philosopher before or since. Please note that this event will be offered at the brand new Rancho Bernardo Oasis Center. See you there!

Join us every Friday morning from 10:00-10:30 (PT) for Friday Reflections with Peter Bolland as we go deeper to reveal the wisdom hidden just beneath the surface of our everyday lives. New themes, questions, and readings every week.

Join us every Friday morning from 10:00-10:30 (PT) for Friday Reflections with Peter Bolland as we go deeper to reveal the wisdom hidden just beneath the surface of our everyday lives. New themes, questions, and readings every week.

Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) took it upon himself to repair the rift between rationalism and empiricism in startling ways, and ever since Kant, we’ve been arguing about whether or not he pulled it off. But one thing’s for sure, Kant left behind a towering body of work upon which all modern philosophy is built. Particularly impactful is the way he grounded moral philosophy in metaphysics. Ethical determinations, Kant argued, are best anchored to logical calculations instead of being left to the vagaries of the heart. Morality, he claimed, was our birthright and our moral obligation. Join us in this inquiry to learn just how much of our modern worldview is rooted in the philosophy of Kant.

Join me for this Sunday morning service at 10:00 AM either in person or online.

Join us every Friday morning from 10:00-10:30 (PT) for Friday Reflections with Peter Bolland as we go deeper to reveal the wisdom hidden just beneath the surface of our everyday lives. New themes, questions, and readings every week.

It is said that all philosophy after Plato is “merely footnotes”—so formative is the work of this 5th century BCE Greek philosopher. Using his dead teacher Socrates as a character in nearly all of his dialogues, Plato (429-347) essentially invents the philosophic method while laying the foundation for Western philosophy across metaphysics, epistemology, and ethics. Even now we recognize our own philosophical curiosity and longing in his remarkable writing and incomparable influence. In our ongoing series on The Great Philosophers, Plato is not one to miss. Please note that this event will be held at the brand new Rancho Bernardo Oasis Center. See you there!

Join us every Friday morning from 10:00-10:30 (PT) for Friday Reflections with Peter Bolland as we go deeper to reveal the wisdom hidden just beneath the surface of our everyday lives. New themes, questions, and readings every week.

Before God became a man, God was a woman. Throughout history cultures all over the world personified the sacred source as a feminine energy. Join us as we survey key examples of this universal archetype, paying special attention to the mythologies of India and Classical Greece and Rome. In Hinduism, Devi, the Great Mother, is understood as the generative energy behind all of the other gods and goddesses, while the Olympian goddesses of ancient Greece and Rome personified the myriad powers we find within ourselves. If all god and goddess personifications are externalizations of the energies of our own psyches, then our study of goddesses leads inexorably to increasing self-knowledge.

Join Peter Bolland for an intimate evening of songs and stories spanning his 40-year career as an award-winning singer-songwriter and front man for The Coyote Problem. Both wine and other beverages will be available. Live-event tickets are $25-$30. We'd love to see you there in person, but if you live out of the area or for any other reason can't attend, we are offering a live-stream option (and a link to the concert video for later viewing) on a love-offering basis. Click here for in-person, live event tickets: https://visioncsl.breezechms.com/form/20230729inperson Click here for streaming access: https://visioncsl.breezechms.com/form/20230729online

Join us every Friday morning from 10:00-10:30 (PT) for Friday Reflections with Peter Bolland as we go deeper to reveal the wisdom hidden just beneath the surface of our everyday lives. New themes, questions, and readings every week.

Join us every Friday morning from 10:00-10:30 (PT) for Friday Reflections with Peter Bolland as we go deeper to reveal the wisdom hidden just beneath the surface of our everyday lives. New themes, questions, and readings every week.

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.

In “The Great Philosophers” series we explore the most influential luminaries in the history of Western philosophy, from Socrates to Sartre. And it all began with Socrates (470-399 BCE), the “gad fly” of Athens, teacher to so many, including the young Plato who would go on to devote his career to writing the most important philosophical dialogues in the Western canon, nearly all featuring his long-dead teacher Socrates. Against a backdrop of moral relativism, destructive self-interest, and political chaos (sound familiar?) we find Socrates cajoling his fellow Athenians, and us, to devote our energies instead to the care of our souls. This is my first lecture at the brand new Rancho Bernardo Center! Come out and help me celebrate the launch of this philosophy series, and this great new facility.

Join us every Friday morning from 10:00-10:30 (PT) for Friday Reflections with Peter Bolland as we go deeper to reveal the wisdom hidden just beneath the surface of our everyday lives. New themes, questions, and readings every week.

Join us every Friday morning from 10:00-10:30 (PT) for Friday Reflections with Peter Bolland as we go deeper to reveal the wisdom hidden just beneath the surface of our everyday lives. New themes, questions, and readings every week.

Sorry, but this event has been cancelled. All advance registrations have or will be refunded. We apologize for any inconvenience. We will offer this program again in September. Thanks for understanding!