Pagan and UU Theology: Missiology

Pagan and UU Theologies in Dialog

I am trying to draw circles around Pagan and Unitarian Universalist (UU) Theologies to see where they overlap. I sense that they are in harmony. The challenge is that the theology of Pagan and earth-spirituality individuals and groups vary wildly, as do UU individuals and groups.

I must unfocus my inner eye, to see areas of concentration, and areas of overlap.

I invite you to explore with me. I expect (I hope) the statements I make below will inspire you to think about where you agree and disagree. What attracts you? What distracts you? Okay… here we go!

Looking for the harmonies

Imagine this: put a dot on a map of theological concepts for every theological position held by someone who is Pagan/Earth-spirit. You’ll end up with sparse and dense areas. Now do the same for UUs. Now hold the two maps up to a source of light together.

Yes. there is overlap in the darkened areas. Now let us imagine that each dot was a musical note. Where are there harmonies? One area of overlap is an understanding of what is good. the theological concept of “what is good” can be understood as the theos (or God concept.) Another theological concept of “what is good” could be the missiology: that which we work toward.

This month I will focus on missiology. Theology, andrology, christology, ecclesiology, soteriology, eschatology and their friends may visit in upcoming months.

A word from Christian scholarship and a Christian background

For many liberal Christians their missiology, (message/mandate/mission) is to create the conditions for the state of heaven on earth, or the new heaven (sometimes called the new earth.) What is good is that heavenly state that was experienced in the Garden of Eden and will be experienced again when Christ returns and ushers in the new age. This new earth is described throughout the bible. Here are a few passages:

• People live in joyful relationships with God and with other people. (Genesis 2:19-25)
• People do work that is enjoyable and provides the necessities of life for everyone. (Genesis 2:7-9)
• People have equal standing in society without discrimination by race, economic disparity or sex. (Galatians 3:23)
• There is no sickness or disease. (Revelation 21:4; 22:2)
• Societies live in peace and prosperity. (Micah 4:3-4)

UU Missiology: Some Notes

The above biblical passages describe a compassionate and just world. Meadville Lombard Seminary professor Mark Hicks uses the term “building the world we dream about” to describe the mission of his UU faith, and of the work he coaches UU congregations to do.

The UU movement is rooted in liberal Christianity. You can see echoes of these themes in the UU Seven Principles and in the missions of many congregations. Here are four sample missions.

The Unitarian Universalist Church of Fort Myers, where religion and reason meet, takes as its mission: · To nurture the search for truth and meaning · To minister to each other and the community at large · To improve the quality of life by living our values and working for local and universal justice. –Unitarian Universalist Church of Fort Myers, Fort Myers, Florida

We are an open and nurturing spiritual community, gathering in love for renewal, learning, and celebration. We are reaching out and living our commitment to social justice and a sustainable environment. –Unitarian Universalist Community Church, Glen Allen, Virginia

It is the mission of the First Unitarian Universalist Church of San Diego to become an increasingly diverse community with differing beliefs yet shared values. In joy and mutual support we offer spiritual nourishment, create beauty, affirm the worth of each individual, and honor the democratic process. From this place we encourage all ages to learn and grow together while we labor for compassionate justice in our society and on our planet. –First Unitarian Universalist Church of San Diego, San Diego, California

Our mission is to be an inclusive spiritual community that serves all families and individuals as a sanctuary, a beacon of enlightenment and a call to service. –West Shore Unitarian Universalist Church, Cleveland, Ohio

Our UU missiology is to bend the arc of the universe toward justice, or to build the world we dream about, here, not in some hoped-for heaven. We create a world that welcomes the broken, the tired, the poor, the seeker and those yearning to be free. The UU mission is to support one another in our responsible search for meaning and nurture our work, in community, to bring more love and justice to our congregations, communities, and wider world.