Gary Kowalski writes: "Which is More Dangerous; science or religion?" I did a double take when a friend handed me a newspaper clipping with that headline. It was an ad from an organization called the The Great American Think off, which posed the question as the subject for its annual Philosophy Competition. Reading more, I learned the contestants were invited to submit opinions in the form of an essay of 750 words or less, with a monetary award and book contract promised to those with best answers.
Maybe my friend thought I might want to enter the contest. But while the idea of a philosophy competition has a quaint appeal, this one seemed deliberately misleading. Isn't it possible that science and religion are allies rather than antagonists? Doesn't the real peril arise when the two are seen as stark alternatives rather tan as natural partners? The timing of the contest, on the edge of the twenty-first century, was an alarming indication that the warfare between science and religion - a running skirmish for the past four hundred years - is still unresolved and spilling over now into a whole new millennium.
Gary Kowalski serves our congregation in Burlington, Vermont as its minister and his most recent book Science and The Search For God argues that the antagonism between science and religion stems from an argument between bad science and bad religion, and he writes convincingly the most recent scientific research and theory compels us "to move beyond materialism toward an understanding of the world that includes the realities of consciousness and spirit. In the twenty-first century, human beings have less reason than before to feel they hold a privileged or special position in the cosmos, but more cause than ever to feel connected and akin to all that is."
Gary Kowalski provides his readers a wise and thoughtful guide to wrestling with one of religion's perennial problems, what do (we think) we know and how do we know what (we think) we know. Don't do a book reports sermon on this book, but ponder it and it may give birth to a dozen reflections over the years.
Our theological diversity: October 2005 Archives
Several weeks ago I wrote of cliché book report sermons.
Books make good jumping of points for sermons, even reports can help frame a sermon. But the sermon should be more than what one has read.
I offer an example of a preacher using written material as a jumping of point, but also using personal experience and theological reflection to bring the message home. but John Cullinan writes about Engaging Our Theological Diversity. But John uses stories from his personal experience to discuss his understanding of theological diversity, check out a audio file of his sermon How We Walk Together.
This is no book report sermon, Preacher John speaks from his own authority!
There is also a written manuscript.
If you think that religious humanism is an invention of dominant culture intellectuals rooted in the European enlightenment, then you might be surprised by this anthology of writings. Anthony B. Pinn has assembled a collection which includes slave narratives, selections from novels, essays, and theological analysis that shows a religious humanism that arose out struggle for liberation of African Americans in the United States, a religious humanism that is engaged in an ongoing dialogue with African American Christianity and earth centered spirituality. By these hands: A documentary history of African American Humanism is essential reading for Unitarian Universalists who seek to understand the intellectual history of the United States, and the contribution of African Americans to that history. Discover a rich, engaged religious humanism in the writings of Frederick Douglas, James Baldwin, Zora Neale Hurston, Alice Walker, William Jones, Richard Wright and many other writers. The writings reveal a different struggle than the one usually raised by Enlightenment based "scientific humanism." The struggle for African American religious humanism is not "does God exist given science," but rather "is God an old white man." This humanism does not seek to liberate from "superstition" as much as it seeks freedom from submission to the dominant culture's God game. Reading these writers one receives the gift of a liberating theology not imported from another land, and not rooted in an alienating supernaturalism.
The publishers blurb sums the book up in this manner: "The Black church is often praised for its contribution to Black culture and politics. More recently Islam has been recognized as an important force in African American liberation. Anthony Pinn's new anthology By These Hands demonstrates the crucial, often overlooked role that Humanism has played in African American struggles for dignity, power and justice. Pinn collects the finest examples of African American Humanism and shows how it's embrace by a variety of prominent figures in African American thought and letters has served as the basis for activism and resistance to American racism and sexism."
"Pinn uncovers little known treasures of African American Literature such as The Slave Narrative of James Hay, where an abused slave decides to rely on himself, rather than God, for deliverance from the horrors of slavery, and a letter from Frederick Douglass which scandalized his religious friends by proclaiming that "One honest Abolitionist was a greater terror to slaveholders than whole acres of camp-meeting preachers shouting glory to God."
Since the publication of the Commission of Appraisal's Engaging Our Theological Diversity we have experienced a renewed conversation about what is the core of Unitarian Universalism. The conversation has been energized by the Commissions provocative question; with so much theological diversity are we danger of imploding, exploding, splitting, or otherwise suffering adversely from our decades long celebration of theological diversity?
Jeff Wilson over at The Transient and The Permanent has answered no, he "predict[s] that UUism will not implode, that it will not fracture into a bunch of Balkanized groups, that it will keep marching on toward a future of squabbling and coffee hours and social justice work and revelation of beauty. Because what holds us together isn't really coffee or politics or any specific religious language, it's a belief in love and freedom." Matthew Gatheringwater began an extended discussion at Coffee House with the provocative question whether a changing Unitarian Universalism will drive some people to leave. He asked what is your Tipping Point? Many of the participants argued that for them, they prize Unitarian Universalist "diversity" and if it was threatened they would leave. Since the Unitarian Universalist community consists of multiple spirituality's, and multiple theological orientations, it seems unlikely that we will become less "diverse" in the near future.
Richard Grigg has made the distinction between exclusive pluralism, and inclusive pluralism. The United States is religiousily plural, but Grigg would point out that that is exclusive pluralism. Each religious community is in competition with all the others, and members of a particular religious community identify with their own religious community exclusively. While liberals Christians, Jews, Buddhists, and Unitarian Universalists may function in alliances relative to the Religious Right, we recognize boundaries between say ourselves and the United Church of Christ. But at our best Unitarian Universalists practice inclusive pluralism; we are not like an interfaith coalition, we support each others spiritual development and members see such support as good for their congregations as a whole. I know of many non-Christian UUs who helped to develop fellowship groups for UU Christians, and non Pagan UUs that have helped develop activities for pagans. It is essential to our way of doing ministry that theists ministers find ways to minister to non-theists, and vice versa.
It is my contention that Unitarian Universalism is a religious movement that arose out of interaction of the humanist tradition as it [re]emerged during the Renaissance and by (heterodox) Protestants during the Reformation. Those North Americans whom we associate with the early emergence of Unitarianism and Universalism in this country were simultaneously humanists and dissenters from orthodox Protestantism.
Peacebang put it thus way: "I think Unitarian Universalism is a Humanist religious tradition that uses readings and teachings from various world religions, and which respects and remains enthusiastic about the diversity of wisdom sources available to us. We're not inter-faith, IMHO, unless we actually are congregations of Muslims, Jews, Christians, pagans, etc." I agree, and applaud her placing the question so starkly. We share a religious humanist orientation, and that we manifest in a plurality of spiritual preferences. And, while many will find this controversial, I observe that we are continue to function as a Protestant denomination. Most of us can identify with Unitarians, Universalists and other religious liberals going back to Renaissance and Reformation, because we share in a common tradition.
We share a common framework and that framework is both humanist and Protestant. We have allowed the word humanist to defined in a way that excludes many, if not most Unitarian Universalists. We have allowed the conflict to be defined as "Humanist" versus UU Christian, versus UUs who use the word God, and versus those who just love the universe and want to use poetry to describe their exuburance. We have accepted a definition of humanism that is militantly secular and which scorns all religious language. The result has been that in the reaction to this arrogant secularism, humanism has acquired a bad name within our movement. Thus we have become divided over words, rather than over differences of substance.
I believe we must renew our understanding of the humanist tradition, so that god loving humanists, humanists who don't do god, Christian Humanists, Cosmic Story humanists, and "naturalistic" humanists can learn to talk to one another once again. Because we share a core religious humanism and because most U.U.s continue to draw inspiration from our formative Protestant tradition we have been enabled to explore the wisdom of the world's religions.
We have not become an interfaith organization in the process. While there is a small number of individual members of in many of our congregations who do not share in this core orientation, that orientation has both a history and a momentum that has prevented us from flying apart, or any of the other dire predictions that some perceive to be the consequences of our diversity.
There are social, religious, and political forces in this world that oppose the values and world view of humanism, liberalism, and Progressive Christianity, and while we are fighting with each other we may lose this world.
Carl Jung gave us the terms extroversion and introversion, and people have been misusing the terms ever since. Being aware of the world and of people outside of oneself and at the same time being in touch with our inner lives of ideas and emotions are dual components of living a life of wholeness. If one were a total extrovert one could not stand to be alone, one could not think outside of a conversation, one would have no inner resources to handle the difficulties that humans are prone to encounter. Similarly a total introvert would have no relations with other people, and would be oblivious to their environment. Most of us balance introversion and extraversion, living both in the outer world of people and things and inner world of ideas and feelings.
When we use the term "spirituality" we are usually refering to our inner, and personal religious lives. Some of us have a spiritual practice, for example prayer, or mediation. Unitarians and Universalists had their own particular spiritual practices, such as journaling, and walking in nature.
When we use the term "religious" we are usually referring to our practices in the world, or to the practices of a particular faith community.
When people tell me that they are spiritual but not religious it reminds me of the misuse of the terms introversion and extraversion. Can one really be spiritual (seeking the inner and personal) and have no practice in the world? Can one find "inner meaning" and wholeness with no regard for the wisdom of the world's spiritual traditions (a.k.a. the world's religions.)
I think what these "spiritual but not religious" people are actually saying goes something like this: "I am aware of my need for a spiritual life, and I am oriented toward enduring values, but the organized religions that I have experienced are too dogmatic, authoritarian and/or hypocritical.
And they want to confess that to a Unitarian Universalist.
I once won a T-shirt with the ICUU slogan printed on it because I was able to name the member organizations of the International Conference of Unitarian Universalists, that was 1997 and they keep adding new countries with a Unitarian and/or Universalist movement. In case you are confronted with a quiz at some UU meeting here is some information.
PREAMBLE TO THE CONSTITUTION OF THE INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL OF UNITARIANS AND UNIVERSALISTS
We, the member groups of the International Council of Unitarians and Universalists, affirming our belief in religious community based on:
€¢ liberty of conscience and individual thought in matters of faith,
€¢ the inherent worth and dignity of every person.
€¢ justice and compassion in human relations,
€¢ Responsible stewardship of earth's living system,
€¢ and our commitment to democratic principles,
We declare our purposes to be:
€¢ to serve the Infinite Spirit of Life and the human community, by strengthening the worldwide Unitarian and Universalist faith,
€¢ to affirm the variety and richness of our living traditions,
€¢ to facilitate mutual support among member organizations,
€¢ to promote our ideals and principles around the world,
€¢ to provide models of liberal religious response,
€¢ to the human condition which upholds our common values.
Full Member List
Organizations that fulfill the conditions laid down in the ICUU constitution and by laws. An organizations applying for full membership must satisfy the EC and the Council that it has established a record of stability, unity, and effective administration.
€¢ Australia & New Zealand
€¢ Britain
€¢ Canada
€¢ Czech Republic
€¢ Denmark
€¢ Europe
€¢ Finland
€¢ Germany
€¢ Hungary
€¢ India
€¢ Nigeria
€¢ Pakistan
€¢ Phillipines
€¢ Poland
€¢ Romania
€¢ Russia
€¢ South Africa
€¢ Spain
€¢ Sri Lanka
€¢ United States
Provisional Member List
Argentina
Although Argentina is known as a traditional Christian country, many people are looking for an alternative answer for their spiritual needs.
A group is meeting in Ushuaia where people from different traditions exchange ideas and worship together in a new Meditation Center at Lilian Burlando's home.
Dr. Lilian Burlando۬del Tolkeyen 976۬(9410) Ushuaia۬Tierra del Fuego۬Argentina۬Phone: 54-2901 445294۬Email: lburlando@uolsinectis.com.ar or ushargentina@yahoo.com.ar
Brazil
A new leader replacing Paulo Ereno will be announced shortly.
Rev. Greta Browne۬801 Vernon Street۬Bethleham, PA 18015 USA۬Email: sauus@hotmail.com
Bolivia
A group has been organized in La Paz as part of the Federation Latinoamericana.
Teresa Flores Bedegal۬Casilla 499۬La Paz, Bolivia۬Email: tflores@mail.megalink.com
Latvia
Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Latvia.
In 1993 a new congregation was started in Riga. The group now meets regularly and has been granted recognition and registration by the Latvian Government. Group (15 to 20 people) meet every week in an Art School.
Haralds Purins۬Email: haraldspurins@inbox.lv۬or maijaozolina@hotmail.co
Puerto Rico
Unitarian Universalists of Puerto Rico,۬Barrio Mariana, 305۬Naquabo, PR 00718۬Website: UUPuertoRico.org۬Donner Lohnes: donnerlohness@hotmail.com
The International Council of Unitarians and Universalists announced the 26th in its monthly series of global chalice lighting readings. Congregations worldwide are invited to participate in this community-building project. All ICUU-affiliated groups have been asked to submit brief chalice lightings for the project. Every month, a chalice lighting reading will be distributed to Unitarian and Universalist congregations around the world. We ask each congregation to use the reading for at least one worship service in the designated month, identifying it as the "Global Chalice Lighting" for that month and naming the group which submitted it. Readings will be circulated in English and, where different, in their original language.
It is hoped that the ICUU Global Chalice Lighting Project will enhance the worship experience in our congregations and raise awareness of the international dimensions of our religious movement.
This Chalice Lighting, in English and French, is to be used during October 2005. It was submitted by the Canadian Unitarian Council and was written by Janet Vickers.
Breath of the divine, light a flame of reflection in all that we do.
Breath of creation, light a flame of connection in our circle of care.
Breath of wonder, light a flame of inspiration to cultivate participation.
Breath of fear, light a flame of courage to be who we are: sentient, vulnerable, and diverse.
Breath of this moment, light a flame of celebration for our future unfolds the covenant of this day.
Souffle du divin, donnez vie à la flamme de la réflexion pour découvrir le sens profond de nos actes.
Souffle de la création, donnez vie à la flamme de la compassion pour créer des liens qui nous unissent.
Souffle de l'émerveillement, donnez vie à la flamme de l'inspiration pour nous inciter à la participation active de tout notre être.
Souffle de la peur, donnez vie à la flamme du courage pour être qui nous sommes : consciencieux, vulnérables et diversifiés.
Souffle du moment, donnez vie à la flamme de la celebration pour que notre avenir puisse se déployer grâce à notre engagement d'aujourd'hui
