At a large congregation staff conference, the Rev. Gary Smith spoke about Unitarian Universalism. These are his stirring words:
"I believe we have a home, we have a spiritual tent, we have sanctuaries, we have sacred spaces that are large enough to hold those who hunger for something, hunger for something more in this lifetime. I believe that we have a message that speaks right to the deepest places of the human spirit as it cries out in its hunger and thirst. I believe that Unitarian Universalism and places like your congregations and mine are places where dreams have become realities for people, where they have been fed, where they have been given living waters."
If you entered church this morning by the side door, you couldn't help but notice a large, bright blue banner hanging just to the left of the door. It says in bold letters: "Looking for a liberal religious home? Unitarian Universalism: The Uncommon Denomination." Its eye catching and a clever play on words. A common denominator is a thing or a quality that is shared by a group. It could be it the lowest common denominator as in a fraction (I certainly don't mean that) or a popular taste or belief held by a group of people. So to be uncommon is to have a quality that is rare and unique. We believe that our denomination, Unitarian Universalism, has that rare quality...or more accurately that set of qualities. We believe that our uncommon denomination can provide spiritual food for those who hunger for something more in this lifetime. It can be living water for the human soul.
Unfortunately, sometimes even we have trouble explaining these rare qualities. Those among us of a more humanist or scientific leaning tend to describe our faith in rational or non-religious terms. We may speak about our seven principles. This only confuses people who think "this doesn't sound like a religion." Our UUA president, the Rev. Bill Sinkford, urges us to be less timid about using more religious language. Yes, let our faith be living waters for the soul. When I walked into the Brockton UU Church 26 years ago, I was a bit nervous. I didn't know much about Unitarian Universalism and only went because friends told me I would be comfortable there and that I'd find some people who shared by tastes and values. I was unsure, but longed to be a part of a liberal religious community. Since David and I were awaiting the birth of our daughter, we were also looking for a place to raise her. Maybe that was shopping a little early for a religious education program, but we liked to plan ahead!
I was relieved to find that we weren't expected to sign any creed or statement of beliefs. As free and independent spirits, I doubt that either of us would have done that anyway. We valued our own intellectual integrity too much. Yet it took me some time to discern just what this strange religion was about. I just knew that the sermons were interesting, the choir was good and David and I were accepted for who we were. And since it was a small congregation, we did not feel lost in a crowd. I hope that is the experience of our visitors here at the First Parish Church.
There was something else that attracted me. I couldn't help but notice that in the front of the Brockton sanctuary there hung a beautifully hand-stitched altar cloth. On it there were symbols of the major world religions in bright colored yarn on a plain muslin background. This included the Star of David, the Jewish symbol, the faith of my childhood and youth. Although I was aware that some called Unitarian Universalism a Protestant religion, I thought maybe there IS a place for me here after all.
I hope you all notice the new addition to our Sanctuary this morning. Below this platform there is a string of small flags with symbols of the world religions. There are a few more symbols than there were on that altar cloth in Brockton, but it has the same meaning. The message is that we as Unitarian Universalists draw inspiration from the great religions of the world. The last symbol is our own flaming chalice. It is one among many and on an equal level. What other religion would dare to be so open to other faiths? As Rev. Sinkford has said, "We are a religious people who have woven strands of a rich past into a tapestry of the present."
One strange quirk of our uncommon denomination is that we are a gathering of very different individuals with a wide variety of beliefs. We say "come as you are." But we don't stop there. We want you to question, to think, to be inspired, to growth. "We believe in the individual's responsibility to search for his or her own beliefs..." The mission statement of this church reflects that same sentiment. It is printed on the back of your bulletin. One sentence reads, "We provide a place for a free and hopeful search for meaning and truth that considers all viewpoints."
So what holds the different group of people together? Rev. Sinkford says it is not a common belief, but a common experience and a common approach to life. As a start, Unitarian Universalism has seven guiding principles rather than a creed. But somehow that doesn't sound very religious to many people. How can one be passionate about principles? So I'd like to take a different approach.
Many Unitarian Universalists are heady folks and tend to explain things at length. In that regards, some of us are like Senator John Kerry. We get bogged down in words... and in paragraphs. If we had to sum up Unitarian Universalism in one sentence, we'd have a tough time. I'm guilty of that myself. But never fear; there is hope for a brief answer.
Rev. Frederic John Muir wrote such a one sentence summary in Heretics' Faith; Vocabulary for Religious Liberals. (Yes, we do pride ourselves on being among the heretics. Some might say we have "attitude.") Rev. Muir wrote, "Ours is a religion whose theology is unitarian, its faith universalist, its worship creedless, its polity congregational." Our religion summed up in just 17 words! He continued, "Theology, faith, worship, and polity: it's these that shape a religious tradition, it's these that people wish to know about when they ask, 'What is your religion?'" Those terms may be unfamiliar to some and may need to be explained. But it catches the essence of our uncommon denomination and may intrigue them enough to ask further.
What does it mean that our theology is unitarian? Historically, we are descended from those who said that God is not a three-part deity, but a unity. In short, there is no Trinity; God is one. This was declared heretical by official Christianity way back in the year 325, when Christianity was struggling to become unified. Before then, it was up for debate. But those who held a belief in one God were on the losing side of this debate. The extreme penalty was to be persecuted or even burned at the stake.
Nowadays, we have grown away from our original Christian roots. Even belief in God is optional for us. We may joke that UUs believe in one God at most. Well, even that needs to be updated. Acknowledging those who believe in several manifestations of the divine in the world, we could say UUs believe in "one God more or less." We're a rather diverse group in a large tent. But we have spiritual food and living waters for many more.
But does it mean to say "our faith is universalist?" It means that over three centuries ago, our religious forefathers (and foremothers) rejected the angry, punishing God who condemned most people to the eternal fires of hell. Those early Universalists preached that God so loved humanity that He "held out to all the promise of salvation: universal forgiveness and atonement would be given to all, not just the elect." It could be summed up as "God is Love."
Eventually, most of Christianity backed off from this angry, vengeful God. They realized it was much more comforting ... and popular... to preach about a loving God, but we're proud that our religious ancestors got to there first.
Today we don't talk much about heaven and hell, except to say we don't know or doubt that such places exist. Our Universalist faith instead focuses on the here and now. It focuses on the love between people and the love between each person and their God. In short, "Love is at the heart of the religious experience."
Furthermore, the Universalist side of is more evangelical than the Unitarian. I hasten to add, evangelical in a good sense. "Universalism says that this message of love and salvation can be shared by every person no matter who they are and that this is such good news that it is incumbent on us to share it every opportunity we get."
As Muir wrote, "Universalism also proclaims that the world, our universe, the Cosmos, God is receptive to our needs, welcoming to our presence - we were meant to be here. So trust, be open, be responsive. These postures and attitudes are critical to our way of living."
The third phrase of that sentence is "our worship is creedless." Although we may read an affirmation or a covenant on Sunday morning as we did this morning, we subscribe to no creeds, no statement of religious beliefs. This is for three reasons.
First, a creed suggest that a religion has reached the end of the line, that it knows all there is to know about the divine and matters of the spirit. A creed discourages openness, exploration, new insights and spiritual growth. Creedal worship "is akin to saying, 'Here's the answer-just say this.'"
Second, something other than a creed binds us together. Most Unitarian Universalists say they stay together as a religious community because of the fellowship they share, the "covenant, the commitments and promises [they] voluntarily make to each other." It's the relationships. Third, "we place the highest value on the free mind, which means the freedom of religious belief. For centuries, freethinking religious liberals have been ostracized, castigated, and put in harm's way because they wouldn't relinquish their free mind to the majority view. And so, to protect... and nurture the free mind and the freedom of religious belief, ours remains a creedless religion." So what about that last phrase of the sentence, "its polity congregational?" I think it's clear from what I've said so far that we are a religious group which values freedom. We don't like some authority or hierarchy telling us what to think or how to run our business. This extends to how we govern our churches, fellowships and societies. Polity is governance, and congregational polity recognizes only the power of those folks elected from the ranks of the church membership. It's the right and responsibility of each congregation "to choose and ordain its own clergy, elect its own officers, direct them in the course of their duties, and replace them when necessary... there are no synods, bishops, or other person empowered elsewhere with authority over a congregation." (from Interdependence: Renewing Congregational Polity)
There are other religions which operate by congregational polity. Among them are the Baptists, the United Church of Christ, and the various branches of Judaism. It's just that "none of them are quite a radical in their form of governance as we are." Radical because each member has an equal voice in what goes on and an equal chance to participate.
When some one asks you what Unitarian Universalists believe, you may have an answer that you are comfortable with. I wouldn't dream of telling you what to say, just as long as doesn't misrepresent us. But some of you may be apt to say more of what we don't believe than what we do believe, which only leaves most folks confused about what it is we stand for. So I kindly suggest that you try Rev. Muir's sentence:
"Ours is a religion whose theology is unitarian, its faith universalist, its worship creedless, its polity congregational." And then, depending on their questions, you may launch into a lengthier explanation. Our uncommon denomination may not seem that hard to understand after all. With Rev. Sinkford, I believe "that we have a message that speaks right to the deepest places of the human spirit as it cries out in its hunger and thirst. I believe that Unitarian Universalism and places like [our] congregations are places where dreams have become realities for people, where they have been fed, where they have been given living waters."
I pray that this faith of ours grow ever brighter and stronger. May this congregation thrive and give living waters to many thirsty souls.
May it be so. Blessed be.