Being a Reluctant Radical

[Davidium]

A few people have said they were interested in the text of the UU Services that I present here in Galveston once a month.

Here is the text of the service that I will be presenting this Sunday. As no one from our congregation reads this forum I'm ok letting it out of the bag a day early.

Lillithu, I would love your critique, as well as that of our mutual friend who is interested in the ministry. In fact, that of anyone would be wonderful. I re-work each service before I re-present them somewhere else.

It is entitled "Being a Reluctant Radical: The Social Action Example of William Ellery Channing"

So to save space on here, I will only provide a link.

http://dynamicdeism.org/forum/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=4860#4860

I'd love comments!

YoUUrs in Faith,

David Pyle
Galveston Island, TX

 

[lilithu]

Namaste David,

sorry to take so long to respond to this. Have been dealing with mundane but essential issues like health, housing and money pretty much since I got back from GA. Long story, and resolved now.

All in all I liked your sermon a lot, and certainly found it informative and engaging. I too had never heard of William Ellery Channing until coming to UU. The story about his own personal struggle between ideals and social action is relevant to all of us. Good job!

There is, however, another reason in addition to the two you list why Channing is considered to be the father of American Unitarianism, and not just a precursor to Emerson. I don't think it's relevant to the crux of your sermon but you may want to keep it in mind for future reference. And that is that it is Channing who introduced humanism into our tradition. Yes, he was most definately a Christian, and I especially liked your question of whether he would even recognize us as his spiritual progeny. But Channing turned Calvinist Christianity on its head. In his sermon, "Likeness to God," Channing argued that human beings are essentially good; we are essentially divine. And if given the opportunity to develop to our full potential, we can be godly. This was a direct rejection of the Calvinist position that we are "utterly depraved" (due to the Fall) and can only be saved by God's capricious mercies ("election" and "grace"). Even tho he remained deeply embedded in Christianity, one can see how this view of humanity blows the door wide open for the secular humanism and pluralism to follow. If humans are essentially good, they do not really need Christ to be saved. Salvation is inherent within each divine soul. And to take it a step further, if humans are self-sufficient, what do we need God for?

Anyway, this is the theologian in me nitpicking. It is not relevant to the crux of your sermon, which I think is great. I bet you deliver it well too.

I will pass the url on to people at All Souls who may be interested.
-lilith

 

[Davidium]

Lilithu...

You are absolutely right.... and beleive it or not I was aware of that... but I thought it would go right over the heads of many members of our Fellowship. The concept of a Christian Humanist is not one many of them are ready for.

There is also the problem of the time limits on a service... I have found that the moment I hit 21 minutes, people start shifting in their seats, no matter how interesting and engaging I am.

I think I would love to discuss this further though. They wanted a social action service, and not a theological one from me, but I would like to look at channing's humanism...

Maybe another thread!

YoUUrs in Faith,

David

 

[lilithu]

You are absolutely right.... and beleive it or not I was aware of that... but I thought it would go right over the heads of many members of our Fellowship. The concept of a Christian Humanist is not one many of them are ready for.

All the more reason to bring it up!! but I agree not in this particular sermon.

I think I would love to discuss this further though. They wanted a social action service, and not a theological one from me, but I would like to look at channing's humanism...

I think it's a great social action sermon - a good balance of "kick in the pants" and compassion for why it is that we need the kick in the pants. It's all about the balance.

David, I don't know if I've made it clear how thankful I am to have met you, thru these forums and then GA. It's so good to hear from other UUs in other parts of the country who are open to discussing things like Christian Humanism. It gives me great hope for our future.

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

It seems to me reading your posts on this forum that the uu Churches are on a journey. Is this how UU's see it?

Terry
___________________________________________-
Blessed are the merciful, mercy shall be shown unto them

 

[Davidium]

Hello Terry....

Lillithu, I return the same compliments to you... meeting you was a great joy. In fact, I'm going to send you a copy of another service I did earlier in July, because I think it will speak to you...

Terry, I am going to respond with a quote from a famous historical UU Minister. Lillithu can check me to make sure that I get the quote right, but I think it was Hosea Ballou. He was once asked where Universalists stood on a particular issue. His response was "We do not stand... we move".

Imagery of the Journey runs all through Unitarian Universalist philosophy and theology. But, as I heard a UU minister say recently, a journey without some idea of a destination is just aimless wandering. I think that destination is the concepts of covenant and right relations replacing contract and personal self interest in our world.

Most all religious faiths are creedal in nature. In other words, they revolve around a particular set of beliefs. Unitarian Universalism is different.... it is covenantal in nature. It revolves around a set of promises we make to each other... a covenant. It is an agreement, some might even say a sacred agreement, on how we live in this world, with one another.

Lillithu and I had never met until this past June. We had corresponded on this forum, but we had never spoken... and yet because we were both UU's, when we did meet we were already in a covenantal relationship with one another. It is expressed many different ways, but here is one of them....

Love is the spirit of this church, and service is its gift. This is our great covenant: To dwell together in peace, to seek the truth in love, and to help one another.

You see, UU's realize that religion is not about belief, but about community and relationship. It is about support and friendship... it is about love. Not sexual love, but Agape... the love of friends and companions. The holy love.

The early christian church knew it... but somewhere along the way it got lost.

Some people focus on the journey to explain our faith, but I do not. I focus on covenant. I focus on living in right relationship with one another.

Imagine a world where belief took a backseat to love, support, and friendship. Imagine a world were we lived in Covenant with each other, not contracts. Imagine a world where the motive force is love.

That, my dear friends, is the "Good News" of Unitarian Universalism.... or as I often think of it in my mind.... the Good News of the Church of All Souls.

YoUUrs in Faith, Love, and Reason,

David Pyle
Galveston Island, TX

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

Hello Terry....

Lillithu, I return the same compliments to you... meeting you was a great joy. In fact, I'm going to send you a copy of another service I did earlier in July, because I think it will speak to you...

Terry, I am going to respond with a quote from a famous historical UU Minister. Lillithu can check me to make sure that I get the quote right, but I think it was Hosea Ballou. He was once asked where Universalists stood on a particular issue. His response was "We do not stand... we move".

Imagery of the Journey runs all through Unitarian Universalist philosophy and theology. But, as I heard a UU minister say recently, a journey without some idea of a destination is just aimless wandering. I think that destination is the concepts of covenant and right relations replacing contract and personal self interest in our world.

Most all religious faiths are creedal in nature. In other words, they revolve around a particular set of beliefs. Unitarian Universalism is different.... it is covenantal in nature. It revolves around a set of promises we make to each other... a covenant. It is an agreement, some might even say a sacred agreement, on how we live in this world, with one another.

Lillithu and I had never met until this past June. We had corresponded on this forum, but we had never spoken... and yet because we were both UU's, when we did meet we were already in a covenantal relationship with one another. It is expressed many different ways, but here is one of them....

Love is the spirit of this church, and service is its gift. This is our great covenant: To dwell together in peace, to seek the truth in love, and to help one another.

You see, UU's realize that religion is not about belief, but about community and relationship. It is about support and friendship... it is about love. Not sexual love, but Agape... the love of friends and companions. The holy love.

The early christian church knew it... but somewhere along the way it got lost.

Some people focus on the journey to explain our faith, but I do not. I focus on covenant. I focus on living in right relationship with one another.

Imagine a world where belief took a backseat to love, support, and friendship. Imagine a world were we lived in Covenant with each other, not contracts. Imagine a world where the motive force is love.

That, my dear friends, is the "Good News" of Unitarian Universalism.... or as I often think of it in my mind.... the Good News of the Church of All Souls.

YoUUrs in Faith, Love, and Reason,

David Pyle
Galveston Island, TX

Thank you for that.

Terry
_____________________________
Blessed are those who bring peace, they shall be children of God