Last week, we read a passage from Rev. Jabez T. Sunderland’s 1902 book, The Spark in the Clod: A Study in Evolution, in which he approached the scientific theory of evolution from a religious standpoint. Today, an opposite approach, where religious ideals are found from a more scientific point of view, in the writings of Pierre Teilhard de Chardin (1881-1955).

Teilhard was a Jesuit priest, but also a scientist, and his ideas were unsuccessfully quashed by the Roman Catholic Church. His primary work, The Human Phenomenon, was written in the 1930s but published after his death in 1955. While he was not himself officially a Unitarian or Universalist, it can be argued that his theology was very much in line with both forms of liberal religion, and informs liberal theology today. A rather comprehensive chapter on Teilhard from the book God and Science, by Charles P. Henderson, can be found here for further reading.

What I find fascinating in this excerpt, on the nature of matter, is Teilhard’s conclusion of the interdependence of all things, from our very atoms.

from The Human Phenomenon

by Pierre Teilhard de Chardin (1881-1955)

Moving an object back into the past is equivalent to reducing it to its simplest elements. Followed as far as possible in the direction of their origins, the last fibers of the human composite are going to merge in our sight with the very stuff of the universe.

The stuff of the universe–that ultimate residue of the more and more advanced analyses of science. To know how to describe it properly, I have never developed the kind of direct and familiar contact with it that makes all the difference between someone who has read about it and someone who has experimented with it. I also know how dangerous it is to take as material for durable construction hypotheses conceived of as only meant to last a day, even in the minds of those who originate them.

(Read on … )

Democracy is one of the core values of Unitarian Universalism, embodied in our fifth Principle: Unitarian Universalist congregations affirm and promote the right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large. Since today is the day that citizens of 22 states exercise their right to vote in the Presidential Primary elections, I bring you an essay printed in the January issue of Quest, the newsletter of the Church of the Larger Fellowship, written by the Rev. David E. Bumbaugh, Professor of Ministry at Meadville Lombard Theological School and Minister Emeritus of the Unitarian Church in Summit, New Jersey. Rev. Bumbaugh recalls his experience with the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. that helped him to realize that “we are not required to succeed, or even to be right; we are required to serve the truth as we understand it.”

Enjoy, and don’t forget to vote.

Cherish the Dream

by Rev. David E. Bumbaugh

I suppose that every American of my generation has a “how Dr. King shaped my life” story. Here is mine. I had graduated from seminary in 1964 with a clear idea of the focus and shape my ministry would take. I spent my time reading and reflecting, and crafting sermons which shared the result of that effort with my congregation. Inevitably, in those times, much of my reflection focused on the enormous social issues which confronted the nation— racism, war, poverty. I regarded it as my job to enlarge their sense of responsibility and compassion as people experienced deep and disturbing challenges and changes. But in no sense could I have been considered an activist. Indeed, one of my colleagues, only half kidding, suggested that I was running a spiritual filling station— rounding people up once a week, pumping them full of the holy gas and then, tires and fluid levels checked, sending them out to confront the world, while I stayed home and kept the restrooms clean.

Then came the day that Martin Luther King sent out his invitation to the clergy to come to Selma, Alabama, to help with the drive for voting rights. Now, I knew about the invitation, but I did not for a moment believe he meant me. I had grown up in a community in which we had been carefully taught to avoid attracting attention to ourselves. We had been taught that even when the sign on the door said, “welcome” or “enter,” it probably did not mean us. It never occurred to me that an invitation to the clergy to come to Selma meant me, too. I did not go.

(Read on … )

On Monday, Doug Muder reminded us why we belong to religious community.

Today, Rev. Audette Fulbright, from the Unitarian Universalist Church of Roanoke, Virginia, reminds us that what we find inside the walls of our religious communities is something that deserves a greater audience than just those sitting in the pews.

UU Evangelism/Sharing Our Good News

by the Rev. Audette Fulbright

Let me start with a combination story/article that comes from a UU Minister and someone now serving as a district exec., the Rev. John Morgan:

“A few weeks ago, I happened to use “evangelism” in a sermon. As I was gathering together my notes and heading for the coffee, I noticed out of the corner of my eye that someone was marching toward me, faced flushed, angry eyes looking for a landing spot on my psyche.

“Don’t ever use that word here,” she said.

“What word?” I asked innocently, already knowing from past experiences what she was going to say.

“Evangelism!” She drew back as if the word itself had caught in her throat. I think it had. “Don’t use it again. We have newcomers here today!”

(Read on … )

This week is dedicated to the ideas presented in Rev. Robert Hardies’ essay, “Love the Contradictions,” printed in the UUWorld’s summer 2007 issue, from The Seven Principles in Word and Worship, edited by Ellen Brandenburg (Skinner House Books, 2007). Rev. Hardies serves All Souls Church, Unitarian, in Washington, D.C.

The essay is just packed, so I’ve broken it into three sections. The first describes Rev. Hardies’ personal realizations of the contradictory nature of the world, and his life within the world. I don’t know anyone who hasn’t struggled with this.

Part two can be found here, and part three here.

Love the Contradictions, pt. 1

by Rev. Robert Hardies

When I was in seminary, I had to take a test called the Minnesota Multi phasic Personality Inventory, a multiple-choice exam that asks questions like, “Have you been hearing voices lately?” When I sat down with the psychiatrist two weeks later to hear the results, he told me, “By and large, this is a healthy profile.” Then he pointed to a line that plummeted from the top of the page to the bottom. “But do you see this? This means that your soul is conflicted, filled with tensions and contradictions. Those tensions can either be a blessing or a curse; they can either stimulate creativity and vitality in your life, or they can shut you down.” Seeing my reaction, he reassured me, “Rob, you have to learn to love the tensions that are in your soul.” Love the tensions? I wasn’t sure I had heard him right.

Ten years later, I am still trying to discover what it really means to not merely accept the tensions and contradictions of life but to love them. We want to love the world, but does that mean we must condone all that is wrong with it, that we must quietly acquiesce to injustice? What is there to love about contradictions?

(Read on … )

Working on a theme here, on how Unitarian Universalist create religious identity, or how we answer the question of, “What is Unitarian Universalism, anyway?”

Today, a sermon from the Rev. Lisa Ward, who serves the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Harford County, Maryland, tackling the question of a creedless faith and what it means to join in covenant rather than in creed — a way of being together in community rather than a list of religious beliefs one much confess to in order to join in.

From Creed to Covenant: Roots of Unitarian Universalism

by Rev. Lisa Ward

Reflection: Navigating Creeds

The most common question asked of any faith community is “What do you believe?” Most expect a formulaic answer, one that is easily recognizable and repeatable, one that would be the answer if you asked anyone of that faith anywhere. A creed. That is not, however, the kind of answer a Unitarian Universalist can give, nor one, I might add, that a Buddhist or Hindu or Taoist can give, so we’re not alone, really, in this communication gap.

One could give any number of answers, based on our seven principles. A Unitarian Universalist could reply: “God Is One,” which is the phrase chiseled on the walls of Transylvania Unitarian churches that remain standing from the sixteenth century. Or one could say “There is unity within infinite diversity,” as a transcendentalist might say, observing nature as the key toward understanding. Another Unitarian Universalist might say “We must all work together for a fair and free world,” much like our Unitarian and Universalist forebears might have said as they helped draft the Declaration of Independence and Bill of Rights in this country. Or one might say, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” honoring our Judeo-Christian heritage, and add, “You are the light of the world.”

(Read on … )

The first question most people unfamiliar with Unitarian Universalism ask is usually, “What is Unitarian Universalism, anyway?”

Due to the free nature of this faith, there are many possible answers. The Unitarian Universalist Association says, “If you’re searching for a religious home that is guided by a quest for truth and meaning, not by a set creed or dogma, we invite you to discover Unitarian Universalism. We are a caring, open-minded religious community that encourages you to seek your own spiritual path. Unitarian Universalist congregations are places where people gather to nurture their spirits and put their faith into action by helping to make our communities—and the world—a better place.”

Peter Bowden, a fellow minister’s partner, has dedicated a lot of time and energy to answering this question in ways that speak to different kinds of people. He hosts the UUFAQ website, where he states, “You’ve probably heard we don’t make anyone believe anything specific. It is true that we have no creed we force everyone to believe. Now I know you’re saying, Peter, so what unifies you as a religion? Simple, we are unified by our values and how we should care for one another. While all of our congregations are independent democratically governed communities, the majority of UU congregations in the USA have joined together in an association of congregations. This association has a set of principles that member congregations agree to ‘affirm and promote’ - think of it as our UU glue.”

He has also made a couple of videos, one in tandem with his wife, Rev. Amy Freedman, speaking to a wider audience about Unitarian Universalism. About a year ago, a mysterious message from a purple alien speaking from the Pentagon surfaced on YouTube, and had these “Cosmic Principles” to share:

1. Respect sentient life: respect the inherent worth and dignity of all sentient life forms, even if it isn’t profitable.
2. Get along and be fair: be just, equitable, and fair in the way you relate with others in all aspects of your life
3. Wise up: accept one another and help each other grow in mind, body and other species-appropriate ways.
4. Seek greater understanding: engage in a lifelong search for truth, meaning and understanding, and let others do this their own way, too.
5. Sentient beings get a voice and a vote: give all sentient beings a voice and a vote in matters that concern them.
6. Build a happy planet: strive to build a peaceful planetary community with freedom and justice for all sentient beings.
7. It’s all connected: since everything is connected, we must work together to care for all beings, the planet and beyond!

Source: “How to Save the Planet,” a message from the great beyond, courtesy of Peter Bowden of UUFAQ.com

This morning we celebrate an extraordinary songwriter, who just happens to belong to the Community Church of New York, Unitarian Universalist: Pete Seeger. Many of us had the privilege a couple of years ago at the General Assembly in Fort Worth, Texas, of hearing him play and sing along with a host of musical friends. For me, at least, it was one of the most spiritual experiences I had at that General Assembly.

Pete Seeger wrote a song in 1997 called “And I’m Still Searching,” which I find to be one of the best examples of a simple song with a profound message, something he is a master at:

And I’m still searching
Yes, I’m still searching
For a way we all can learn
To build a world
Where we all can share
The work, the fun,
The food, the space,
The joy, the pain,
And no one ever
Ever need or want to seek
To be a millionaire.

There is a wonderful interview with Pete at Beliefnet, with text and recordings, that sheds a lot of light on his story and his beliefs. While most of his most famous songs are from the Vietnam War protests, or part of the environmental protection movement, they all seem to have a common thread of a simple theology: Be nice to each other, don’t take more than you need, be fair and loving. Here are a few of those that speak most deeply to me:
(Read on … )

There’s a chill in the air in the mornings now, as we go deeper into September. And though I have not been able to have a garden in years, this time in early fall always brings to mind, for me, that last session of weeding, before pulling up the last of the harvest, the last few weeks of a farmer’s market, filled with squash and gourds, and soon, pumpkins. There’s something about growing food for your own table, or meeting the person who grew it for you.

From Rev. Max Coots, minister emeritus of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Canton, New York:

Gratitude for the Garden

by Rev. Max Coots

I am finished with my garden for the year—almost. Oh, I’m still playing that game of hide-and-seek with the inevitable frost. Every night, when the temperature counts down to begin the game, I do run out to help the last tomatoes hide.

It was a good year, more or less—more for the snow peas than for the corn, less for the spinach, more for the rest. The turnips were immense, like spheres of opulence, though the radishes went more to maggots than to me. My potatoes remind me of that old country quip: “How’d your padadas do?” “So-so. I got some the size a beans, I got some the size a peas, and then I got a lotta little ones.”

But it was a good year, more or less. Most everything that missed the drought, overcame the weeds, and survived the bugs got home safe enough. From time to time I can go to the freezer and the shelf of jars in my cellar and count my canned contentment. The harvest will be an attitude, not a time of year. And maybe I’ll be wise enough to feel a sort of litany of gratitude:

(Read on … )