The mission of this blog is to stimulate interest in the deeply perceptive and still-relevant teachings of Levi A. Olan (1903-1984) by sharing from the Levi A. Olan Sermons and Images at Bridwell Library Digital Collection. The title "Conscience of the City" was applied to Rabbi Olan by a Fortune magazine reporter in 1964. Although Olan's city was Dallas, his thought transcends locality. Our goal is to...
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Come to Curse–Stay to Bless
“…When we do the wrong things we get the wrong results. …If we live by the demands of righteousness, we shall bring the right results.” In his sermon of January 1, 1967, Rabbi Olan uses …
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The Sin That Punishes
“Before we dismiss the idea of sin as meaningless to our age, we should try to discover its essential character.” In his December 25, 1966 radio sermon, Rabbi Olan spoke about sin and punishment. Both …
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Are Religious People Fooling Themselves?
“We do not know who created the world or how it came to be. Scientists do not know and the Biblical account is a beautiful myth. We do not know what God wills of man, …
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Is This a Holy War?
“Can any war be so holy that [it] warrants the horror it brings to so many innocent people?” Rabbi Olan courageously engaged with some of the most challenging and divisive issues of his time, and …
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Why Men Fight
“The world is a dangerous place. The historic causes which have brought war in the past are present today.” Rabbi Olan preached two sermons that he titled “Why Men Fight.” The first was in 1963 …
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On Being a Mature Person
“The most dangerous thing one can do is to stop growing as a person.” November 27, 1966 In optimal situations, life moves from childhood (total dependence) to adolescence (self-care and maintenance) to adulthood (investing our …
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Love is to give
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Life Should Be an Adventure
“Rapid change has a harmful effect upon many people. They find it difficult, and sometimes impossible to adjust. The result is expressed in a fear of the uncertainty and insecurity of the world they inhabit. …
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Will God Keep His Promise?
“If the results of injustice, indifference to the welfare of others, selfishness and greed, bring terror, then we may hope that if we learn to do the right we may bring peace and joy.” In …
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Religion and the Goals for Dallas
“Religion is worship and social action. It is both existential and worldly.” In this sermon of October 30, 1966, Rabbi Olan starts from the difference between priests and prophets. He sees priests as experts in …
