A major problem for American Unitarian Universalists (and perhaps Canadian UUs, as well) is how we tend to be overwhelmingly liberal politically. I find this coincidence of liberal religion and liberal politics quite congenial. But, it does create the sense we are the (left wing of the) Democratic party at prayer. Both to outsiders and to many of us.
This would be fine if we were a contemplative working group of the Democratic party.
But we’re not. We are a church, a gathered people of faith.
And as such we people of faith need to have some distance from the state. For a couple of reasons. For one we need, while being citizens and involved, also to have sufficient distance as to critique the structures of power. But, also, because we are involved, in the last analysis, in different projects. And, I would firmly assert, our way needs a greater diversity of opinion than does a political party.
The difficulty appears to arise because our liberal spiritual way is dynamic and open and non-creedal. And at the same time the human mind doesn’t rest easily in openness and so we (and those who watch us) are inclined to settle somewhere. Over the past century as we cut our traditional moorings to the left wing of the Christian church and for a long time abandoned much of traditional Western theological language it became ever easier to identify with political causes. Which, for the most part, were of the leftish variety…
But, but, but, this isn’t why I come to church. Nor is it, deeply speaking, why most of us come to church, a liberal church, a church without a creed, a church that honors the structures of the human mind deeply, but also has a deep mystical current.
Today we are in a major political battle in America. And it is going to be very easy to forget the separation of church and state in and around many of our UU congregations.
(A quick aside here. This blog is not an official anything. It does not represent, as I say in my biographical notes, the views of any institution to which I belong. I have every right to blather about issues political, as I do. And to blather about issues spiritual, as I do rather more. And no one should take these views to be official Unitarian Universalist, First Unitarian Church, Zen Buddhist, or Boundless Way Zen perspectives. Although I’d be delighted if many people who belong to these traditions and organizations agreed with me on any of them…)
Here I find myself thinking of ultimacy, to what it is that we give our ultimate attention, what is one’s ultimate concern?
And as I think of that, I think of who gave me that language.
Paul Tillich, of course.
By delightful coincidence, this morning I was wandering around the blogosphere when I arrived at one of my favorite blogs, The Evolution of the Mystery, where I found a lovely description of Tillichian theology, which as I read his fine summary, I saw once again how it mirrors much of our common view as Unitarian Universalists. (Shouldn’t be surprising. James Luther Adams, our last great UU theologian, was at least in part, a Tillich scholar.)
Paul Tillich was an important teacher for me early on in my trying to find the common ground between my by then full on Buddhist investigations and my Christian origins. While eventually there would be others even more helpful to me, personally, on my way; Tillich remains a beacon of light on the religious liberal way.
I find Wade’s description particularly relevant as we consider our place as citizens and our commitment to spiritual quest. And highly recommend either a review or a first-time visit to our teacher Paul Tillich’s world. At this critical time his insights might prove quite helpful…
At absolutely no extra charge, I recommend Wade’s wife’s blog Forbidden Gospels. Actually it was first reading April’s blog that led me to her husband…
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