Remembering the Reverend Marjorie Bowens-Wheatley (ritual, preaching, church, atheist)

[Green Gaia]

Here is the article about her you can read that on your own.

From the writings of Marjorie Bowens-Wheatley:

The good news of Unitarian Universalism
"While I do not believe in proselytizing, I am an evangelical Unitarian Universalist in the sense that I want to spread the good news of our faith, freedom (freedom of conscience and freedom from oppression.) How the congregation presents itself is an important internal and external resource to witness our faith in the world and to increase commitment to the whole life of the congregation."

The strength of religious liberalism
"I began my journey into Unitarian Universalism as an atheist, and [now am] one who has reclaimed parts of my Christian heritage. And still, I cherish my doubts. Such is the beauty of our faith: that through adult religious education and self-study, I have been able to change and embrace ever broader theological perspectives through continued learning. What is the strength of our religious liberalism if not to truly ‘encourage a free and responsible search' for one's own truth, and to translate the great truths of the world (whether religion or science or literature) in ways that people can hear. What is our liberal faith for if not to teach respect for difference: different easy of seeing, different contexts, different cultural orientations. As a minister, I must be authentic, while at the same time not impose my personal theology on others. This is a skill acquired over time and can only be done when there is true empathy, compassion, and respect for difference."

The importance of lifespan religious education
"I subscribe to Maria Harris' premise that the church does not have religious education, but the church is religious education. In other words, religious education is the total work of the church. Explicitly or implicitly, religious education for children, youth, and adults takes place in many venues—in the sanctuary, in the classroom, in the home, through active involvement in the life of the congregation and community, in behaviors modeled by ministers and the leadership of the church. A structured lifespan religious education program is as important as preaching and worship, pastoral care, social justice, or administrative work. For me, religious education begins with a comprehensive program that helps people engage in life's most challenging questions through a spiritual lens."

"My work with the Religious Education Department at the UUA has given me a greater understanding of and appreciation for Family Ministries as an aspect of both religious education and pastoral care. Unitarian Universalists have always had a humanistic concern—to love our neighbor as ourselves—which has placed us at the cutting edge of social activism and social change movements. This makes us uniquely positioned to probe the great questions of our times, and to support release from all that oppresses the human spirit. I believe that adult religious education plays an important role in the arena of social justice, and that as religious liberals, we must develop a theological and cultural critique—not as an end unto itself, but as a way to strengthen our understanding and help us transform dehumanizing structures. When adequately developed—in tandem with the total ministry of the church—religious education can become an important venue from which to witness to a vision of justice."

Read Marjorie Bowens-Wheatley's lecture, "Nurturing Our Faith: Not by Ourselves Alone" delivered in Birmingham, Alabama, to the Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association, March 8, 2002.

[lilithu]

Originally Posted by Maize

Here is the article about her you can read that on your own.

Below is a link to the Washington Post's obit for Marjorie:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...emailarticlepg

As these articles suggest, Unitarian Universalism has lost one of its brightest stars. I do not feel sorrow for Marjorie. As her husband Clyde wrote on her blog (A People So Bold), she "passed into glory." I feel sorrow for us who miss her here, especially her family.