Tomorrow, I will be leading a worship service at the First Congregational Parish of Kingston, MA. The title of my sermon reads: "Wandering Beyond a Pathetic Provincialism." As I head off to bed this evening, I pause and pray for inspiration:
God,
I need you to stand with me tomorrow.
I seek your presence
amidst my fear and uncertainty.
I ask for your steadfast strength
in the form of passion and confidence.
Let the words from my mouth
flow with humble honesty,
gathering in
hope,
inspiration,
faith.
God,
I need you to stand with me tomorrow.
Amen.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Admitting to our own Metaphysics
In his cultural anthropological account of religion entitled The Interpretation of Cultures, Clifford Geertz posits:
Bearing witness to injustice, pain and suffering in the world is not the foundation upon which we form our religious convictions. Rather, such encounters – the darkest nights of the soul – serve as the field in which we apply our religious commitments. In a very real sense, then, the Unitarian Universalist promise of justice, equity and compassion operates as a metaphysical heuristic that gives meaning to our universe by denying “that there are inexplicable events, that life is unendurable, and that justice is a mirage.” Though at times we may question the seeming invisibility of equity, for example, we are infrequently prone – if at all – to actually doubt the possibility of its existence somewhere or sometimes.
In effect, we do not worship the authority of said values, but instead accept the authority of such principles in our worship. Our ‘religious perspective’ – as one of many that inform our being and help us discern, apprehend and grasp our environment – works to move beyond “the realities of everyday life to wider ones which correct and complete them.” Through commitment to and encounter with reality’s often brute and harsh ‘reality,’ our religious perspective imbues a certain specific “complex of symbols” with a persuasive and undeniable authority. Here, we are left no other option than to admit to our own metaphysics.
In his provocative response to Geertz’s post-Enlightenment context of secularization, Talal Asad focuses on the genealogy of religious discipline and power. He strikingly takes Geertz to task, insisting that “changes in the objects of belief change the belief.” In this way, then, adjustments to the discursive webs that produce suffering also open up a space for the recasting of religious interpretations thereof. Again, this nuanced addendum to Geertz’s notion of (external) authority-sanctioned-belief raises questions and concerns for Unitarian Universalist theology: will we be willing to change our principles on account of new socio-historical realities? We have in the past - how about in the future? To what extent do we take our metaphysical ordering system for granted, such that realignment with a newfound status-quo will either go unnoticed or cause cataclysmic dissonance? What values have we safeguarded in the realm of the eternal?
Religious belief involves...a prior acceptance of authority which transforms [the] experience [of Evil].
Bearing witness to injustice, pain and suffering in the world is not the foundation upon which we form our religious convictions. Rather, such encounters – the darkest nights of the soul – serve as the field in which we apply our religious commitments. In a very real sense, then, the Unitarian Universalist promise of justice, equity and compassion operates as a metaphysical heuristic that gives meaning to our universe by denying “that there are inexplicable events, that life is unendurable, and that justice is a mirage.” Though at times we may question the seeming invisibility of equity, for example, we are infrequently prone – if at all – to actually doubt the possibility of its existence somewhere or sometimes.
In effect, we do not worship the authority of said values, but instead accept the authority of such principles in our worship. Our ‘religious perspective’ – as one of many that inform our being and help us discern, apprehend and grasp our environment – works to move beyond “the realities of everyday life to wider ones which correct and complete them.” Through commitment to and encounter with reality’s often brute and harsh ‘reality,’ our religious perspective imbues a certain specific “complex of symbols” with a persuasive and undeniable authority. Here, we are left no other option than to admit to our own metaphysics.
In his provocative response to Geertz’s post-Enlightenment context of secularization, Talal Asad focuses on the genealogy of religious discipline and power. He strikingly takes Geertz to task, insisting that “changes in the objects of belief change the belief.” In this way, then, adjustments to the discursive webs that produce suffering also open up a space for the recasting of religious interpretations thereof. Again, this nuanced addendum to Geertz’s notion of (external) authority-sanctioned-belief raises questions and concerns for Unitarian Universalist theology: will we be willing to change our principles on account of new socio-historical realities? We have in the past - how about in the future? To what extent do we take our metaphysical ordering system for granted, such that realignment with a newfound status-quo will either go unnoticed or cause cataclysmic dissonance? What values have we safeguarded in the realm of the eternal?
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
More Than Merely Liberal?
What unites our faith? While it may be tempting to point to the seven principles as a base-line foundation upon which our congregations sprout and grow, we must not forget that self-defined Unitarians and Universalists around the world infrequently turn to this religious patchwork for identity or inspiration. In his brief narrative history of Unitarian Universalism, David E. Bumbaugh suggests that a common historical thread – though often selectively constructed and imagined – binds our tradition to its early Christian and European heritage. With new manifestations of our faith cropping up in Burundi, Uganda and Kenya – to name but a few – the argument of continuity grows tenuous and fragmentary, however. Is it our position on the fringes of mainstream religion – that prophetic call to a progressive faith – that ultimately defines our denominational being? Are we merely religious liberals, whatever that term may connote or suggest?
These questions, I believe, deserve serious attention, especially as the cultural, ideological and demographic sea changes of our day reconfigure preconceived notions of majority/minority positions. With (political) liberalism no longer marginalized or cast in defensive shadows, how does our self-identity shift? Today in lecture, Prof. Ronald F. Thieman provocatively called for the development of a critical stance to authorizing discourses, practices and expectations in our own religious communities. Where should we look for an outside perspective: evangelical Christianity? What are the consequences of (post)Protestantism’s emerging minority status (both numerically and intellectually) vis-à-vis Islam and Catholicism?
These questions, I believe, deserve serious attention, especially as the cultural, ideological and demographic sea changes of our day reconfigure preconceived notions of majority/minority positions. With (political) liberalism no longer marginalized or cast in defensive shadows, how does our self-identity shift? Today in lecture, Prof. Ronald F. Thieman provocatively called for the development of a critical stance to authorizing discourses, practices and expectations in our own religious communities. Where should we look for an outside perspective: evangelical Christianity? What are the consequences of (post)Protestantism’s emerging minority status (both numerically and intellectually) vis-à-vis Islam and Catholicism?
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Responsive Reading: Tolerance
When we tolerate one another, we affirm the inherent worth and dignity of every person.
Moving beyond prejudice, we learn to accept and cherish all.
When we tolerate one another, we recognize the finite limitations of our own being.
Moving beyond vanity, we acknowledge with humble gratitude the gifts that we may share with others.
When we tolerate one another, we celebrate compassionate communion in difference.
Moving beyond exclusion, we open ourselves up to others with a trusting faith.
When we tolerate one another, we actively embrace life’s proliferating variation.
Moving beyond indifference, we care and love for one another.
Moving beyond prejudice, we learn to accept and cherish all.
When we tolerate one another, we recognize the finite limitations of our own being.
Moving beyond vanity, we acknowledge with humble gratitude the gifts that we may share with others.
When we tolerate one another, we celebrate compassionate communion in difference.
Moving beyond exclusion, we open ourselves up to others with a trusting faith.
When we tolerate one another, we actively embrace life’s proliferating variation.
Moving beyond indifference, we care and love for one another.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
A Call to International Engagement
Anyone can travel; it takes a lot more compassion, humility and faith to wander. When we wander without expectations, we accept our surroundings as they are - glorious - dynamic reflections of our own nature. One of the gaping miscalculations that plagues our denomination, I believe, is the conflation of these two categories. As anyone who has voyaged abroad almost certainly experienced, other peoples can have strikingly different customs and ways of life than we have here in the United States. It is tempting to dismiss these differences as deficiencies. It is tempting to insist on similarity in the midst of discomfort. We can’t afford isolationism and we can’t afford paternalism. International Unitarians and Universalists will undoubtedly surprise us. They will catch us off guard, make demands of us that test our resilience. They will practice this faith very differently than we do. Regardless, we must collectively wander beyond a pathetic provincialism (Dana McLean Greeley) into world community with peace, liberty and justice for all.
In his inaugural address, President Barack Obama articulated his goal of world community: in his words, “the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.” What the President recognizes, and what we Unitarian Universalists must recognize, is that ‘the world has changed, and that we must change with it.’ Old prejudices, hard-fought hatreds, have unfortunately not yet disappeared. We must continue to toil for these basic human rights. But let us not forget the great calling of tomorrow: the increasingly interdependent global community of which we are a part. ‘This challenge may be new. The instruments with which we meet it may be new. But those values upon which our success depends – the seven principles of our faith – these things are old.’
The inner power and strength of this living tradition derive from its ability to reach out to and compassionately absorb its margins. We renew the vitality of our faith by deliberately wandering beyond our pathetic provincialisms – be they gender, race, sexuality or geographical location.
Let us extend a hand to our fellow Unitarian and Universalist brothers and sisters around the world. Let us build meaningful relationships and savor difference in equality. Let us exchange love without judgment. Lao Tzu poignantly observes, “a journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.” Today is our day to take that defiant step towards realizing the Kingdom of God on earth.
In his inaugural address, President Barack Obama articulated his goal of world community: in his words, “the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.” What the President recognizes, and what we Unitarian Universalists must recognize, is that ‘the world has changed, and that we must change with it.’ Old prejudices, hard-fought hatreds, have unfortunately not yet disappeared. We must continue to toil for these basic human rights. But let us not forget the great calling of tomorrow: the increasingly interdependent global community of which we are a part. ‘This challenge may be new. The instruments with which we meet it may be new. But those values upon which our success depends – the seven principles of our faith – these things are old.’
The inner power and strength of this living tradition derive from its ability to reach out to and compassionately absorb its margins. We renew the vitality of our faith by deliberately wandering beyond our pathetic provincialisms – be they gender, race, sexuality or geographical location.
Let us extend a hand to our fellow Unitarian and Universalist brothers and sisters around the world. Let us build meaningful relationships and savor difference in equality. Let us exchange love without judgment. Lao Tzu poignantly observes, “a journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.” Today is our day to take that defiant step towards realizing the Kingdom of God on earth.
Monday, January 19, 2009
On the Eve of Obama's Inauguration
O God,
known by many names
and by no single name known-
Accompany us as we strive to
repair, rebuild, reconcile, reunite.
Our salvation lies not without,
but within;
The promise of resurrection
rests in our self-anointing.
As the winds of history
propel us into unknown lands,
help us,
Great God,
to revel in this mystery.
Empower us
to be the change
that love demands.
known by many names
and by no single name known-
Accompany us as we strive to
repair, rebuild, reconcile, reunite.
Our salvation lies not without,
but within;
The promise of resurrection
rests in our self-anointing.
As the winds of history
propel us into unknown lands,
help us,
Great God,
to revel in this mystery.
Empower us
to be the change
that love demands.
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