Alessandro Gagliardi

Unitarian Universalist Ministerial Candidate

I am a Unitarian Universalist Ministerial Candidate and seminarian at Starr King School for the Ministry. My approach to ministry is, at it's core, multi-religious.

This is some of my work:

• Sermons and Monologues — I urge you to listen to the recording provided if possible, particularly in those cases where the sermon or monologue was given extemporaneously.
  • Expository Sermons — Each of these sermons were meant to illuminate a certain text: the Qur'an, the Bhagavad Gita, and the 7 Principles from the UUA Bylaws respectively.
    • What Do A Billion Muslims Have to Teach Us About Unitarian Universalism?
      This was my first sermon, given on invitation by the Rev. John Buehrens before he (and I) left my home congregation in San Francisco.
      On request, I reprised it at BFUU a year later.
      • Recorded live at UUSF on July 16, 2017 (including reading)
      • Recorded live at BFUU on July 22, 2018 (sermon only)
      • PDF Transcript (including reading)
    • Many Paths to the Goal: Wisdom from the Hindu classic, the Bhagavad Gita
      • Recorded live at BFUU on January 28, 2018
      • PDF Transcript
    • Unitarian Universalism: A Radical Vision for 21st Century Religion
      This sermon came from a special request to preach on Unitarian Universalism.
      This sermon was delivered extemporaneously.
      • Recorded live at BFUU on September 23, 2018
      • preliminary version (differs from recording)
  • Dramatic Monologues
    • Rahula, the Lucky: Original Monologue from the Point of View of the Buddha’s Son
      The goal of this sermon is to help reconcile what happens when we realize that a greatly admired mentor figure is flawed.
      • Recorded live at BFUU on April 8, 2018 (The Buddha's Birthday) (monologue only)
      • preliminary version (including reading) (monologue differs from recording)
    • The Warrior and the Wise Man
      I had volunteered to preach to NVUU on Memorial Day weekend and so decided my theme would be on the ambiguous relationship between war and religion.
      The original performance of this monologue was not recorded but I got to reprise it at UUSF in July.
      • Recorded live at UUSF on July 15, 2018
      • preliminary version (monologue differs from recording)
• Academic Papers and Essays
  • The Flaming Chalice parts 1 and 2 — The goal of this essay is not only to reveal this history of the symbol but also to reveal it's deeper and innate psycho-spiritual potential.