DOCSLIB.ORG

Unitarian*Universalism in Scandinavia and Eastern Europe

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Unitarian*Universalism in Scandinavia and Eastern Europe The Garden of Unitarian*Universalism Unit 13: Scandinavia and Eastern Europe Unitarian*Universalism in Scandinavia and Eastern Europe Angelica Archangelica The Garden of Unitarian*Universalism (12/2005) by Melinda Sayavedra and Marilyn Walker may not be published or used in any sort of profit-making manner. It is solely for the use of individuals and congregations to learn about international Unitarians and Universalists. Copies of the material may be made for educational use or for use in worship. The entire curriculum may be viewed and downloaded by going to http://www.icuu.net/resources/curriculum.html This project is funded in part by the Fund for Unitarian Universalism. Every effort has been made to properly acknowledge and reference sources and to trace owners of copyrighted material. We regret any omission and will, upon written notice, make the necessary correction(s) in subsequent editions. * The asterisk used in this curriculum in Unitarian*Universalism stands for “and/or” to include Unitarian, Universalist and Unitarian Universalist groups that are part of our international movement. The flower shape of the asterisk helps remind us that we are part of an ever-changing garden. Scandinavia & Eastern Europe p. 2 Unitarian Universalism in Scandinavia & Eastern Europe: Angelica Table of Contents for Unit 13 Preparing for this Unit p. 3 Session 1: History, Context, Beliefs and Practices Preparing for Session 1 p. 4 Facilitating Session 1 p. 4 Handouts: A Faith, By Any Name, Would Smell as Sweet p. 5 (with pre-reading activity) p. 5 Handouts of UU Groups: Russia p. 6-7 Latvia p. 8 Finland p. 9-10 Norway p. 11-12 Iceland p. 13-14 Post-reading activity p. 15-16 Session 2: Small Group Worship Preparing for Session 2 p. 17 Facilitating Session 2 p. 17 Handout: Small Group Worship p. 18 Harvesting: Additional Activities p. 19 The Tool Shed: References and Resources p. 20-22 Please note that if you are accessing The Garden of Unitarian*Universalism from the Internet, the Small Group Worship Order of Service is a separate document and must be downloaded separately, http://www.icuu.net/resources/curriculum.html Scandinavia & Eastern Europe p. 3 Unitarian*Universalism in Scandinavia and Eastern Europe: Preparing for this Unit This unit is divided into two sessions. Session 1 explores the history, context, beliefs and practices of Unitarian*Universalists in Scandinavia and Eastern Europe. Session 2 is a Small Group Worship service in a covenant group format in honor of the Unitarians and Universalists of Scandinavia and Eastern Europe. Facilitators should look over the entire unit to be prepared and comfortable with the material and the flow of the unit. Decide which session(s) or parts of a session to cover, which activities to do, and how long to spend on each part. For each session, facilitators should make copies of the readings and accompanying questions and hand them out in advance of the meeting time, or ask group members to access the material online at http://www.icuu.net/resources/curriculum.html. This gives participants time to read and reflect on the material before sharing with the group. The group or facilitator may choose one or more activities from the list under Harvesting (p. 19) to do after discussing the readings. These activities have been designed to honor other ways of learning, to create informal ways to make connections with one another and to add variety to the group meetings. Some groups may prefer to cover this unit in one meeting to discuss the readings first and then moving on to participate in a Small Group Worship, depending on their time frame, how the class is set up (whether it is a weekly class, a workshop or a retreat) and the interests of the group. The group may include an additional Harvesting activity between the discussion and the Small Group Worship service, or after the Small Group Worship service, or at a separate meeting time. Some groups may prefer not to do the additional activities and just do the readings and accompanying questions for reflection and discussion. We have tried to allow for flexibility. Introduction p. 4 Unitarian Universalism in Scandinavia & Eastern Europe I. History, Context, Beliefs and Practices Preparing for Session 1 ___ Make copies and hand out in advance the article, A Faith, By Any Name, Would Smell as Sweet (p. 5 and p. 15-16) and accompanying pre- and post-reading questions, or have members read the material online at http://www.icuu.net/resources/curriculum.html. ___ Make at least one copy of each article about the five Scandinavian and Eastern European UU groups to give to individuals to read and summarize (p. 6 –14). ___ Make copies and hand out The Tool Shed: References and Resources (p. 20-22) in advance. ___ Choose, or have the group chose, in advance, one or more activities from Harvesting: Additional Activities (p. 19) to do after your discussion or Small Group Worship service. Prepare materials needed for the chosen activities. ___ Invite members to bring items from Scandinavia or Eastern Europe for display. ___ Arrive early to set up your room. ___ Set up a chalice. Have matches handy. ___ Bring a world map or globe on which to locate the countries being covered. ___ Display a bouquet or a photo of Angelica Archangelica. ___ Have Scandinavian or Eastern European music playing in the background or the music of Edvard Grieg. Grieg and his wife were Unitarians from Norway. ___ Look over the instructions for facilitating the session in order to be prepared and comfortable with the material and the flow of the session. Facilitating Session 1 1. Welcome participants. 2. Chalice lighting: We have gathered here to light the chalice with a flame that symbolizes freedom - of expression, faith and other individual liberties. Flame that brings light, helps us to see, and fends off the darkness. Flame that warms us up when it is cold, either outside or in our hearts. Let’s have a moment of meditation. –Aki Pulli, Finland 3. Check-In/Announcements: Give everyone in the room an opportunity to tell their names and a high or low point of their week. Make announcements about today’s session. Choose an additional activity from Harvesting (p. 19) for next time, if appropriate. 4. Allow members to quickly and silently reread the article and look over their notes. 5. Ask members to share their answers to the exercise, Tilling, p. 5. Do they agree with and/or find any problems with the definitions of religion and philosophy given? How do they define religion? 6. Ask members to share what they learned about their chosen U*U group. 7. Ask members how they define religion and philosophy and how they would categorize Unitarian*Universalism (Hoeing, p. 15-16). 8. When discussion has wound down, extinguish the chalice: Lai butu miers pasaule (Latvian) May peace prevail on earth. 9. Gather for an Additional Activity from Harvesting, p. 19 (if your group decided to do so): designing chalice symbols, starting a “blog”, folk dancing, cooking or more. Introduction p. 5 The Unitarian*Universalists of Scandinavia & Eastern Europe Handout: A Faith, By Any Name, Would Smell as Sweet Tilling Religion is defined in one dictionary as the belief in and worship of a god, gods, or superhuman power, or any such system of belief and worship. Do you agree with this definition? Do you find any problems with this definition? How do you define religion? Planting Read the following introduction to the articles on the history, context, beliefs and practices of Unitarian*Universalist groups from Scandinavia and Eastern Europe. After reading the introduction, choose a country you would like to learn more about and read the accompanying article. Be prepared to summarize and share what you learn with the group. Please note that some articles are longer and more detailed due to availability of information. A Faith, By Any Name, Would Smell as Sweet Angelica archangelica: to some it is a weed; others cherish it as a lovely flower and find its medicinal properties useful. Many enjoy its sweet perfume. Angelica can withstand adverse environments and thus grows well in Scandinavia and the cold climates of Eastern Europe. Unitarian*Universalism in Scandinavia and Eastern Europe is like Angelica. It offers a fresh sweet fragrance to those for whom the State religion has grown stale and to those whose religious lives were suppressed. For U*Us in Scandinavia and Eastern Europe, our religion is powerful medicine, an antidote to religions that have offered them little meaning or comfort. But, of course, there are still those who don’t consider Angelica a lovely plant to be cultivated in the garden. And there are some who don’t consider Unitarian*Universalism a religion though it does bring spiritual richness and meaning to the lives of those who call it their religion. Unitarian*Universalism in Scandinavia and Eastern Europe looks different in different countries. But U*Us in those countries (with the exception of Latvia) all have one thing in common. They have all had to deal with, or are dealing with, getting their faith defined as a religion. Narrow definitions of religion have kept Unitarian*Universalism in some of these countries from being considered anything but a philosophy or charity. In most of these countries, there are advantages to being a recognized religion. Unitarian*Universalists seek this recognition and the legitimacy that comes with it. It’s a difficult environment to live and grow in but like Angelica, Unitarian*Universalism continues to seed, grow and, tended by loving hands, even thrive in Scandinavia and Eastern Europe despite the sometimes adverse conditions.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Same-Sex Relationships: Why Do Many Latvian Politicians Resist Them?
    SSE Riga Student Research Papers 2021 : 2 (234) SAME-SEX RELATIONSHIPS: WHY DO MANY LATVIAN POLITICIANS RESIST THEM? Authors: Daniela Gerda Baranova Samanta Mežmale ISSN 1691-4643 ISBN 978-9984-822-58-7 May 2021 Riga Same-Sex Relationships: Why Do Many Latvian Politicians Resist Them? Daniela Gerda Baranova and Samanta Mežmale Supervisor: Xavier Landes May 2021 Riga Table of Contents List of Abbreviations ................................................................................................................. 5 Abstract ....................................................................................................................................... 6 1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 7 2. Literature Review .................................................................................................................. 9 2.1. LGBT in the World ......................................................................................................... 9 2.1.1. LGBT Movement ....................................................................................................... 9 2.1.2. Legislation ................................................................................................................ 10 2.1.3. Sexual orientation discrimination and homophobia ................................................. 11 2.1.4. Supporting organisations .........................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Examining Ritual and Belief in a Unitarian Universalist Congregation Clara M
    University of Puget Sound Sound Ideas Summer Research 2013 Faithful Non-Believers: Examining Ritual and Belief in a Unitarian Universalist Congregation Clara M. Sciortino University of Puget Sound, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: http://soundideas.pugetsound.edu/summer_research Part of the Religion Commons Recommended Citation Sciortino, Clara M., "Faithful Non-Believers: Examining Ritual and Belief in a Unitarian Universalist Congregation" (2013). Summer Research. Paper 196. http://soundideas.pugetsound.edu/summer_research/196 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by Sound Ideas. It has been accepted for inclusion in Summer Research by an authorized administrator of Sound Ideas. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Faithful Non-Believers: Examining Ritual and Belief in a Unitarian Universalist Congregation Clara Sciortino Advisor: Greta Austin September 24, 2013 Though March 17, 2013 represented my first visit to a Unitarian Universalist church, it didn’t feel at all foreign. Growing up in a United Methodist Church, and visiting several other protestant services when I first arrived in Tacoma, it really felt quite familiar. I was greeted at the door and invited to put on a nametag. As I entered the sanctuary, an usher handed me a hymnal and a bulletin, and a kind older woman sat down next to me, introducing herself and asking me questions about where I went to school. Even the prelude, sung by a choir, was a traditional Christian song, “Zion’s Walls.” With the exception of a few subtle differences, such as the chalice lighting at the beginning, the service mostly felt about the same to me as a traditional protestant service.
    [Show full text]
  • A Reconstructed Indigenous Religious Tradition in Latvia
    religions Article A Reconstructed Indigenous Religious Tradition in Latvia Anita Stasulane Faculty of Humanities, Daugavpils University, Daugavpils LV-5401, Latvia; [email protected] Received: 31 January 2019; Accepted: 11 March 2019; Published: 14 March 2019 Abstract: In the early 20th century, Dievtur¯ıba, a reconstructed form of paganism, laid claim to the status of an indigenous religious tradition in Latvia. Having experienced various changes over the course of the century, Dievtur¯ıba has not disappeared from the Latvian cultural space and gained new manifestations with an increase in attempts to strengthen indigenous identity as a result of the pressures of globalization. This article provides a historical analytical overview about the conditions that have determined the reconstruction of the indigenous Latvian religious tradition in the early 20th century, how its form changed in the late 20th century and the types of new features it has acquired nowadays. The beginnings of the Dievturi movement show how dynamic the relationship has been between indigeneity and nationalism: indigenous, cultural and ethnic roots were put forward as the criteria of authenticity for reconstructed paganism, and they fitted in perfectly with nativist discourse, which is based on the conviction that a nation’s ethnic composition must correspond with the state’s titular nation. With the weakening of the Soviet regime, attempts emerged amongst folklore groups to revive ancient Latvian traditions, including religious rituals as well. Distancing itself from the folk tradition preservation movement, Dievtur¯ıba nowadays nonetheless strives to identify itself as a Latvian lifestyle movement and emphasizes that it represents an ethnic religion which is the people’s spiritual foundation and a part of intangible cultural heritage.
    [Show full text]
  • Baltic Unity Within European Unity – Why Myth, Not Reality?
    1 Baltic Unity within European Unity – why Myth, not Reality? In recent years a debate about development of the European Union (EU) has become hugely important. There are diverse views on the direction of federalism, which the President of the European Commission J. M. D. Barroso is passionately promoting: “Let’s not be afraid of the words: we will need to move towards a federation of nation states. This is what we need. This is our political horizon.”1 As a consequence of such ambitious plans, the question of national identity and independence has become crucial. However, less attention has been paid to the problem of regional cooperation and the effects of already existing European integration on it, which is exactly what this report aims at. In mass media one can often hear about an entity called ‘the Baltic States‘. This union of three states Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania has cooperated quite a lot in the two last decades of 20th century, however, now the importance of cooperation seems to be in decline. The Baltic unity in the European unity (i.e. EU) is a myth because of two reasons: passive effect of the integration in the EU, when the European unity indirectly and unintentionally influences the cooperation among the Baltic States, and active effect of the policies of the EU, when they have deliberate impact on the Baltic Unity. Baltic Unity before the EU In order to indicate why Baltic unity is impossible in the context of integrated Europe, it is necessary to recall the common aim of Baltic cooperation before the accession to the European Union.
    [Show full text]
  • Unitarian Universalism for Young Adults
    Finding a Spiritual Home Unitarian Universalism for Young Adults Michael Tino Transitions New schools, new jobs, new relationships and new communities—the lives of many young adults are filled with transitions, each of which adds both new possibilities and new needs to our lives. In this time of great change in our lives, we often need a setting that nurtures and grounds us. Unitarian Universalism provides young adults with just such a place. In our congregations and in the wider Unitarian Universalist community, we are simultaneously challenged to rigorously examine our faith and given the freedom to express it. Unitarian Universalism offers us somewhere to ask questions, to engage in dialogue, to meet others on their spiritual journeys, and to find our spiritual home. Unitarian Universalism is important to me because it’s revolutionary, magical, practical, welcoming, uplifting, mine. UU churches are where I find spiritual communities. My leadership is encouraged and nourished, not just by my elders but by my peers as well. I have made precious friendships with fellow young adults in church. I love UU young adults. As a whole, we’re a vibrant, dynamic, caring group of people. —Amy Strano, New York, NY Living Spiritually Are you searching for a community in which to explore spiritual questions without being given a set of “right” answers? Many young adults are. We seek a relevant and living spiritual environment in which we are free to question the answers that others have given us. For some of us, this means developing a faith that passes the tests of reason and logic.
    [Show full text]
  • 5 Starter Facts About Unitarian Universalism
    5 Starter Facts About Unitarian Universalism 1. Unitarian Universalism welcomes pluralism and diversity in its beliefs and practices, embracing teachings from Eastern and Western religions and philosophies. There are ~250,000 adherents in the United States. 2. Unitarian Universalism was established in 1961 from the merge of the Universalist Church of America (est. 1793), and the American Unitarian Association (est. 1825). The name refers to the oneness of God and the belief that all people gain salvation. 3. Unitarian-Universalists do not have a common creed or doctrine, but they share seven principles viewed as guidance for life and morality. It includes affirmation of the inherent dignity of every person, promotion of justice, equality and compassion, and a free and responsible search for truth and meaning. 4. Because Unitarian Universalism has its roots in Protestant Christianity, the Bible remains an important sacred text for many. However, they also turn to texts from other traditions and cultures around the world for wisdom and spiritual insights. Central to their understanding of scripture and sacred texts is that each text must be understood to be a product of a particular time and place. 5. Believing in God is not an expectation, like most Western religions. Rather, the varying concepts of the divine, or lack thereof, is what uplifts the community in not feeling alone in their personal beliefs. Learn more at: https://www.uua.org/beliefs https://www.huffingtonpost.com/jennifer-corter-/unitarian-universalism-wh_b_14174824.htm l These five points are not meant to be comprehensive or authoritative. We hope they encourage you to explore this spirituality more deeply and seek out members of this community to learn about their beliefs in action.
    [Show full text]
  • Discovering Unitarian Universalism from Catholic and Jewish Perspectives
    Discovering Unitarian Universalism from Catholic and Jewish Perspectives Patrick T. O'Neill and Linda R. Weltner People join Unitarian Universalist congregations from many different religious backgrounds. For some individuals, their childhood religion provided a strong moral or ethical foundation for growing up. For others it continues to offer religious sustenance in their daily lives. For all, Unitarian Universalism is an affirming place for their growing spirituality. Discover how two people from Catholic and Jewish backgrounds learned who they are as individuals and as Unitarian Universalists. From Catholic Roots: A New Religious Home Patrick T. O'Neill People are often startled to meet a Unitarian Universalist minister with a name like Patrick Thomas Aquinas O'Neill. As my name inescapably reveals, I come from a family that is very Irish and devoutly Catholic. Though my own religious journey has taken me on a different spiritual road than that of my immigrant parents, I remain proud of my family heritage and grateful for the deeply religious upbringing my family provided. My education was typical of the American Catholic school system of the 1950s and 1960s. My elementary school teachers were the School Sisters of Notre Dame. I attended a Carmelite prep school for boys, and graduated from a Jesuit college. I was an altar boy until I was sixteen. I attended college from 1965 to 1969 and came of age during that turbulent decade when America's social and religious values were so vehemently tested. As a sincere young Catholic, I struggled as all my friends did during those years with the profound moral upheavals of our time.
    [Show full text]
  • Theology in the Ghetto: the Life, Work, and Theology of Nikolajs Plāte (1915–1983), Pastor and Theologian of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Latvian SSR
    Uģis Sildegs Theology in the Ghetto: The Life, Work, and Theology of Nikolajs Plāte (1915–1983), Pastor and Theologian of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Latvian SSR Academic dissertation to be publicly discussed, by due permission of the Faculty of Theology at the University of Helsinki in auditorium XII, on the 20th of May, 2017 at 10:15 Abstract Nikolajs Plāte (1915–1983) was one of the most prominent and prolific Latvian Lu- theran pastors and theologians to carry the mission of the Church through the com- plicated Soviet period. The aim of this study is to extend a critical understanding of the Church’s Soviet totalitarian history through the experience of one man and his “silent heroics” of Christian resilience and steadfastness in a hostile environment. The narrow focus of the study is on Plāte’s life, work, and theology. The broader fo- cus, however, is on church life in general, challenging struggles for survival, and the various means of coping with the emerging realities. As one of the pastoral genera- tion serving the Church during these grueling times, the so-called “old guard,” Plāte provides a good case study to illustrate the troubled road of a Lutheran clergyman adjusting to a new ghetto-like environment. His intellectual exertions to respond to these challenges are here referred to as “theology in the ghetto,” where his theolog- ical thinking is better viewed in terms of an existential reaction than an academic discipline. In the first part of this work (I–III), I offer a step-by-step historical narrative of Plāte’s life and work.
    [Show full text]
  • Our UU “Source” Statement: It’S Time to Make a Good Thing Better!
    Our UU “Source” Statement: It’s Time to Make a Good Thing Better! There is much to admire in the current statement of Unitarian Universalist Principles and Purposes posted on the walls of so many of our houses of worship, on the backs of orders of service, and in other prominent places. I particularly appreciate the thoughtfulness of the section that lists and describes the many “sources of the living tradition we share.” The contents of this list are packed comfortably but also tightly, so tightly that it’s difficult to take them all in at a glance while viewing them through the lens we are accustomed to using: 1) Direct experience of that transcending mystery and wonder, affirmed in all cultures, which moves us to a renewal of the spirit and an openness to the forces which create and uphold life; 2) Words and deeds of prophetic women and men which challenge us to confront powers and structures of evil with justice, compassion, and the transforming power of love; 3) Wisdom from the world's religions which inspires us in our ethical and spiritual life; 4) Jewish and Christian teachings which call us to respond to God's love by loving our neighbors as ourselves; 5) Humanist teachings which counsel us to heed the guidance of reason and the results of science, and warn us against idolatries of the mind and spirit. 6) Spiritual teachings of earth-centered traditions which celebrate the sacred circle of life and instruct us to live in harmony with the rhythms of nature.1 Whenever we take the time to unpack these words and sort them out a little, we are likely to notice something that we missed before.
    [Show full text]
  • Unitarian Universalist Theology Renaissance Module ONLINE
    Unitarian Universalist Theology Renaissance Module ONLINE VERSION PARTICIPANT GUIDE By Lynn Ungar and Sara Lewis © 2018 by the Faith Development Office of the UUA, Boston, MA Table of Contents About the Authors; Acknowledgement 3 Overview of Sessions 4 Introduction to the Module 6 Pre-Module Assignments 16 Session 1: What Is Theology? 17 Session 2: Early Unitarianism and Universalism 34 Session 3: Expanding Beyond Christian Roots 40 Session 4: More 20th Century Influences 48 Session 5: 21st Century UU Theology 55 Session 6: Closing Session 59 UU Theology Renaissance Module, ONLINE Participant Guide 2 About the Authors Rev. Dr. Lynn Ungar holds an M.Div. from Starr King School for the Ministry and a D. Min. in religious education from McCormick Theological seminary. She has served as a parish minister in Moscow, Idaho and in Chicago, and as a director of religious education in Fremont and Hayward, California. She currently serves as minister for lifespan learning for the Church of the Larger Fellowship, our online UU congregation (www.questformeaning.org and www.clfuu.org ). Lynn is co-author of the Tapestry of Faith curricula Faithful Journeys and Love Connects Us and author of Sing to the Power. Lynn’s poetry can be found in a variety of publications, including her latest book Bread and Other Miracles. She is the composer of the round, “Come, Come, Whoever You Are,” Hymn 188 in Singing the Living Tradition. Sara Lewis, unchurched in her early years, found Unitarian Universalism in her teen years and has served as Director of Religious Education at the Olympia Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Olympia, Washington since 2008.
    [Show full text]
  • FOR ONE BRIEF SHINING MOMENT a Sermon Offered by Rev
    FOR ONE BRIEF SHINING MOMENT A Sermon Offered by Rev. Tim Kutzmark November 11, 2012 Unitarian Universalist Church of Reading If you don’t know where you’ve come from, How can you know where you are going? —Anonymous What we call the beginning is often the end. And to make an end is to make a beginning. The end is where we start from. —T.S. Eliot THE MORNING READING The History of Unitarian Universalism in Just 923 Words by Rev. Tim Kutzmark Unitarian Universalism is an ancient faith—growing from two separate and long-standing traditions: the Unitarian tradition and the Universalist tradition. Both Unitarianism and Universalism reach back 2000 years to Judaism, and to the teachings and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth. Our Unitarian forebears looked at Jesus as a human being and great teacher. They believed Jesus called us to become fully realized and loving human beings. These Unitarian roots are anchored in the radical belief that human beings have within themselves not original sin, but original blessing. If that blessing within us is nurtured, we have the potential to create much good in the world. Our Universalist roots are anchored in the radical belief that all human beings are worthy of love: that if there is a God, then that God is a Loving God who would never condemn anyone to eternal damnation. Universalism calls us to live not in fear but through love. Throughout our long history, our Unitarian and Universalist faith has reached beyond traditional religious thought. Our roots weave through the history of Europe in the 1400s and 1500s, in freethinking individuals and communities.
    [Show full text]
  • Unitarian Universalist History
    the Unitarian Universalist School of the Graduate Theological Union Unitarian Universalist History Frank Clarkson Clarkson wrote this paper in Spring 2004 for Starr King School’s online Unitarian Universalist History class. I grew up in a family that attended church every Sunday, but to me this was never much of a spiritual experience. It was what we were expected to do. Though baptized and confirmed in the Episcopal church, I never really self-identified as more than a cultural Christian.The Jesus story never seemed to resonate with me, and I had a hard time reconciling creeds and stories of miracles with my own lived experience. Religion seemed to be part social convention and obligation and part superstition. Still, there was something about the church that was powerful for me, particularly the gathered com- munity singing hymns together. After my first child was born, I decided to leave the Episcopal church and become a Unitarian Uni- versalist. The Unitarian Universalist church in Portsmouth, N.H., was a vibrant spiritual community where I could wrestle with my questions and practice being more authentic. I thrived there, discover- ing a voice and a spiritual life I didn’t know I had. After a time I realized that I needed to live au- thentically not only within the safety of my church community, but in the larger world. Surprisingly, this path that began in a Unitarian Universalist church led me back toward my own Christian roots, to reading Christian theology and spirituality and to wondering what Jesus’ call for me might be. The spiritual exploration my church sparked led me to enter a Christian seminary and to prepare for Unitarian Universalist ministry.
    [Show full text]