Upton C. Ewing
Upton C. Ewing | |
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Born | Upton Clary Ewing 1894 |
Died | 30 October 1967 (aged 72) |
Occupation | Sculptor |
Upton Clary Ewing (1894 – 30 October 1967) was an American sculptor, philosopher, theologian and writer.
Career
[edit]Ewing was born in Cincinnati in 1894.[1][2] He left school in the 5th grade and would go on to study painting professionally.[3] In 1955, Ewing visited Albert Schweitzer in Alsace–Lorraine where he took pictures and measured the dimensions of his head.[1][4] Upon his return to Coral Gables he sculptured a bronze bust of Schweitzer.[1][3] Several casts from the original are displayed at Boston University.[3] Ewing carved a statue of Bowman Foster Ashe, president of the University of Miami which was displayed in the Beaumont Lecture Hall on their main campus.[5]
Ewing was an architect and designed All Souls Unitarian Church on Flagler Street.[5] He co-founded the Library of Humane Literature with Herman Binder.[5] He offered a pipe organ in his Ewing Gallery for the University of Miami recitals.[3] He was a member of the American Institute of Architects and of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.[1] As a philosopher, Ewing was a convinced believer in personal survival after death.[1]
Theology
[edit]Ewing was an ordained minister.[6] He was influenced by Buddhism, Confucianism and the teachings of the Essenes.[7] He opposed the slaughter of animals, slavery and war. He argued that eating animal flesh is a sin and that Paul the Apostle had perverted Christianity by condoning the consumption of animal flesh.[7]
Ewing wrote about the Dead Sea Scrolls, pre-Christian origins of the New Testament and the Unknown years of Jesus.[8] In his book The Essene Christ, Ewing argued that Jesus was an Essene and vegetarian.[9] He spent five years doing historical research on early Christianity for the book. He argued that inconsistencies were inserted into the New Testament throughout centuries, obscuring the true moral character of Jesus.[10] Ewing corrected what he believed were distortions in the Canonical gospels and reconstructed a Fifth Gospel in which all violence to animals was purged.[7][11] For example, the Feeding of the 5,000 were fed with only bread and not fish.[11] The book won the M. R. L. Freshel prize of $1000 for "its timely contribution to the ethical, the moral and the human education of mankind".[12]
Personal life
[edit]Ewing was a vegetarian and a life member of the Anti-Vivisection Investigation League.[13][14] He banned meat from his household and predicted that his meatless diet would help him maintain a 120 year lifespan.[15] He died from a heart attack on October 30, 1967 at his home in Coral Gables, aged 72.[5] His wife Lois E. Ewing died in 1985.[16] They had two adopted daughters.[5]
Selected publications
[edit]- Thresholds of Existence: A Cosmogony and Theory of Evolution As a Way of Life. Philosophical Library. 1956.
- The Essene Christ: A Recovery of the Historical Jesus and the Doctrines of Primitive Christianity. Philosophical Library. 1961.
- The Prophet of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Philosophical Library. 1963.
- The Martyred Jew: An Expository Treatise on the Life and the Death of the Historical Jesus. Library of Humane Literature. 1967.
Quotes
[edit]A philosophy of compassion must include nonviolence in any form to any creature. We can't teach a philosophy of compassion unless we take it to the roots of the universe. Whatever man practices he becomes adept at, either for good or for bad. If he practices violence, whether to fellow man or other creatures, it leads to more violence. That is the history of wars. If he practices prejudice there is no limit to it and it leads to demagogues and violence.
— Upton C. Ewing, in 1962[15]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e Washburn, Beatrice (October 30, 1955). "Famed Schweitzer Just a Friend to Townsfolk". The Miami Herald. p. 97.
- ^ Hollingsworth, Tracy (1949). History of Dade County Florida. Glade House. p. 101.
- ^ a b c d "Upton Ewing, Artist, Author". The Miami Herald. November 1, 1967. p. 54.
- ^ "Miamian Tells of his Week with the Doctor". The Miami News. September 6, 1965. p. 4.
- ^ a b c d e "Upton C. Ewing Dies, Man of Art, Thought". The Miami News. October 31, 1967. p. 3.
- ^ "Dr. Ewing's Contributions". The Miami News. November 1, 1967. p. 20.
- ^ a b c Turner, George A. (1962). "The Essene Christ: A Recovery of the Historical Jesus and the Doctrines of Primitive Christianity". Asbury Seminarian. 16 (2): 64–67. doi:10.7252/Journal.01.1962Jun.12.
- ^ "The Prophet of the Dead Sea Scrolls". The Lewiston Daily Sun. March 9, 1963. p. 4.
- ^ Hurd, John C. (January 21, 1962). "Jesus the Vegetarian!". The Austin American. p. 43.
- ^ Hartman, John (April 22, 1962). "Jesus' True Character has been Obscured in Interpretations". The Jackson Sun. p. 13.
- ^ a b Young, Richard Alan (2012). Is God a Vegetarian? Christianity, Vegetarianism, and Animal Rights. Open Court. pp. 4–5. ISBN 978-0812698206.
- ^ "Essene Christ Tells of Early Christianity". Nevada State Journal. March 11, 1962. p. 13.
- ^ "New Judgement of Old Record". The Miami News. February 4, 1962. p. 18.
- ^ Scharlemann, Martin H. (1963). "The Prophet of the Dead Sea Scrolls" (PDF). Concordia Theological Monthly. 34 (12): 759.
- ^ a b "Pure Religion Goal of Architect Philosopher". The Miami News. October 28, 1962. p. 8.
- ^ "Ewing". The Miami Herald. December 6, 1985. p. 38.