Pagan and UU Theology: Missiology

Pagan Missiology: Some Notes

Starhawk, Pagan theologian and Reclaiming founder shares a mission-like statement in her description of the Tradition. It reads in part: [Reclaiming is designed] “to develop personal and communal empowerment, that combination of self-confidence, independent thought, intuition and engagement with the world that enables us to live by our principles and stand up for what we believe in. We see all systems of domination and exploitation, whether based on gender, race, economics, ancestry, beliefs, sexual orientation, physical appearance or capabilities as harmful to individual development and communal harmony. Liberty, equality and social justice are key values in our tradition..”

Circle Sanctuary, the largest Pagan organization in 1992 has as their mission: “Circle Sanctuary is a church rooted in Sacred Land, serving people of Pagan and other Nature-centered spiritual paths. We honor the Divine through nature preservation and fostering Community through celebrations, ceremonies, education, outreach and other ministries.”

Church of all Worlds, perhaps the largest Pagan organization of the 70s has a mission to “to evolve a network of information, mythology, and experience that provides a context and stimulus for reawakening Gaia and reuniting her children through tribal community dedicated to responsible stewardship and evolving consciousness.” The similarity of the CAW mission to the UU missions is striking. Using different terminology they convey the same ideas: Supporting one another in ‘evolving consciousness’, working in (tribal) community to create love and justice in the wider world (Gaia.)

Patheos blog author Tom Swiss asserts “The Pagan revival is in part a response to the urbanization and industrialization of the past few centuries.” on The Zen Pagan. In fact the American Transcendentalists, major architects of UU sensibilities, are responding in much the same way to the same thing.  The call is for a religious, ethical, response to the disembodiment and destruction of our earth.

Pagan UUs Making Harmonies

Perhaps unsurprisingly, there are UU congregations whose primary identity is Pagan. These congregations, and the CUUPS organization that networks Pagans who are within UU congregations, share similar missions.

Sacred Journey Fellowship in Garland Texas shares the following mission: “…We are a green organization and use our strengths in pursuit of a better world through community and environmental action. We nurture one another’s spiritual growth by providing sanctuary for personal discovery […] We raise awareness of Unitarian Universalist principles, including democratic decision-making, through active involvement in our shared ministry and the community at large.”

In Kansas City Missouri, Gaia Community UU congregation’s tag line is “We care for earth and each other because our lives depend on it.” The mission reads: “Our mission is to provide a spiritual home and point of connection for those seeking to:

• celebrate the fullness and healing power of Nature of which we are a part;
• honor the divine in all forms, manifestations, and genders;
• take responsibility for their spiritual growth in the context of shared ministry and democratic decision-making;
• model and to teach sustainable living in both an urban and rural context.

  

CUUPS is revising our mission. The project outline is here on the CUUPS website. The draft is available at a previous Nature’s Path blog by John Beckett.

Okay! What attracted you? What distracted you? Have you clarified your own Pagan, UU or other Missiology? Tell all in the comments below!