12-09-2007, 06:59 PM
We like to say that we have 7 simple principles that guide the American Unitarian Conference.
We pride ourselves that they are easy to read and understand. We say that we are a creedless religion or association. But do we look and examine all the meanings and responsibilities that are contained in these seemly simple statements.
I think not. I know I have not set down before and given deep thought about them. The principles look simple. I’ve read them many times but to try to examine them line by line or word by word in some instances was not a high priority. I thought if called upon to explain the principles, it would be easy. It should only take 2 or 3 minutes to explain each one. This would make a nice 15 to 20 minute talk or sermon.
My first examination of the principles revealed to me more than 30 points that need to be looked at and explained. The next time I looked I found 40+ points that could be examined. In truth as many as 100 points could be made in examining the Principles in detail. So much for them being a set of simple principles.
Just the three words in the Title speak volumes. “Our Religious Principles” -- Have you thought about what these simple words really say and mean.
The word “Our” – What does it say?
We claim ownership. We make a commitment. These belong to us and we will abide by them.
The word “Religious” – What does it say?
Pertaining to our Religion—we have a religion. We worship God, etc. With religion and worship we are in fact a church or a group of churches and a group of individuals who worship God.
The word “Principles” – What does it say?
We have rules and laws or principles that we agree to adhere to. These guide our decisions and our actions as an individual and as a group. In other words, we have a creed. We have to rethink and admit we are not a creedless religion. We do have a statement of belief, a doctrine, or a creed.
Yes. Despite the claims of some, we are a religion, we are a church body or denomination, and we do have a creed to follow.
It is important, therefore, to understand in detail just what our 7 simple religious principles are stating. Before we go further let us read the principles as they are stated on the Web Site:
Our Religious Principles
1. God's presence is made known in a myriad of ways. Religion should promote a free and responsible search for truth, meaning, communion and love.
2. Reason is a gift from God. Religion should embrace reason and its progeny, including the scientific enterprise which explores God's creation.
3. Free will is a gift from God. Religion should assist in the effort to find a path that exercises that gift in a responsible, constructive and ethical manner.
4. Conscious of the complexity of creation, of the limits of human understanding and of humanity's capacity for evil in the name of religion, we hold that humility, religious tolerance and freedom of conscience should be a central part of any religious experience.
5. Religious experience is most fulfilling in the context of a tradition. Our religious tradition is the Unitarian tradition, which emphasizes the importance of reason in religion, tolerance and the unity of God.
6. Revelation is ongoing. Religion should draw inspiration not only from its own tradition but from other religious traditions, philosophy and the arts. Although paying due regard for the hard lessons learned in the past and to the importance of religious tradition, religion should not be stagnant but should employ reason and religious experience to evolve in a constructive, enlightened and fulfilling way.
7. Conscious of the spiritual and material needs of our fellow men and women, the evil they may be subjected to and the tragedies they may endure, works of mercy and compassion should be a part of any religious experience.
Now that we have looked at the Principles as a whole, let us proceed to examine them in detail.
No: on second thought let us take another route. To take your time and mine to explain 30, 40, or 100 meanings hidden in the principles would or could lead us into an endless debate.
The question or problem that we all must face is how to explain what Unitarians believe. I cannot count the times I have been asked, “What is a Unitarian?” and “What do Unitarians believe?” I am sure many of you have been asked these same questions.
Our principles are good but do not lend to an easy answer to these questions. Is it possible to come up with a simple answer to each of these questions that we all can use?
What is a Unitarian?
Simply put, a Unitarian is a person who believes there is only One God.
What do Unitarians believe?
This is a much more difficult answer. This is where we need to draw on our principles and develop a clear statement or creed. I will suggest 5 simple statements that can be used to explain what we are and what we believe.
Our religious tradition is the Unitarian Faith. We believe there is only One God worshiped in different ways. We believe that love and works go hand in hand. We believe in the free and responsible search for truth and meaning. We believe that revelation is ongoing.
These are very simple and easy to remember statements that we all can relate to. Let’s now look at them in a little more detail.
1. Our religious tradition is the Unitarian Faith. This statement sums up many things. We are Unitarians. Unitarianism has been around since the beginning of recorded history. Most of the literature that we have only traces Unitarianism back a few hundred years. This has set up the conflict of Trinitarian verses Unitarian. People tend to define the Unitarian Movement as a sect of Christianity and no more. This is very limiting and is driving away many Unitarians from other faiths and cultures. A modern way of describing Unitarianism has been to say it is the teachings of Jesus plus the richness of the compatible teachings found in many different traditions.
2. We believe there is only One God worshiped in different ways. As there is only One God, all forms of worship must be worship of some aspect of the One God. Because of our various backgrounds, we may not understand or comprehend the form of worship. That does not change the fact that there is only One God. It does open up a way for us to gain new insights and new teachings that are useful in our development and growth. In learning about other forms of worship and their scriptures we gain a deeper understanding of our own scriptures. Sometimes we gain insight and the meaning of verses that have seemed obscure or meaningless to us in the past.
3. We believe that love and works go hand in hand. We emphasis the two commandments to love and serve God and to love and serve our fellowman. Without works we have a dead faith. Without love we have no faith at all. These are the cornerstones of all the great religions that have helped to advance mankind. Jesus indicated that this love and service is the center support on which all other rules, laws, and commandments rest. When we fulfill these two requirements we do all that is necessary to take our place as children of God.
4. We believe in the free and responsible search for truth and meaning. Each individual and in turn each church has free will to choose the appropriate path. We each accept individual responsibility for our choices and the way we live life. We are each given the ability to reason or think. We have the ability and the guidance available to determine what is true and what is false. We can determine the meaning of instruction and accept or reject that instruction on an individual basis. In the Unitarian Faith there is no blind faith or blind obedience demanded. Each individual may use the form and teachings that works for them and set aside the rest. With this comes the understanding that we are to use our gifts in a responsible, constructive, and ethical manner.
5. We believe that revelation is on going. Inspiration can be found everywhere. It can come from nature, science, literature, scripture, the arts, and from all the religious traditions. We can receive revelations in meditation or prayer. We can receive revelations just by listening to the small voice that is within each of us. Sometimes thoughts come in quiet times and dreams. We often dismiss the information as being too simple to be worthwhile or true. Many of us come from traditions that restrict God’s revelations to just a few individuals or to one form of scripture written thousands of years ago. God still speaks each day. All we have to do is be open and listen. More and more is being revealed from the ancient past in new discoveries. Still we each have direct access to God and can receive revelations or inspirations on a day to day basis.
Let me repeat again these 5 simple statements:
1. Our Religious tradition is the Unitarian Faith.
2. We believe there is only One God worshiped in many ways.
3. We believe that love and works go hand in hand.
4. We believe in the free and responsible search for truth and meaning.
5. We believe that revelation is on going.
I believe that these five simple statements set the stage for all that we can accomplish or achieve. In a manner of speaking they form a simple creed or statement of faith. They can serve as the basis for our unity of effort. We can be on the same page when others ask who we are and what we believe. I ask you to accept these statements. Let us work together to achieve a balance of love, harmony, and peace. Let us grow together as Children of the One God.
We pride ourselves that they are easy to read and understand. We say that we are a creedless religion or association. But do we look and examine all the meanings and responsibilities that are contained in these seemly simple statements.
I think not. I know I have not set down before and given deep thought about them. The principles look simple. I’ve read them many times but to try to examine them line by line or word by word in some instances was not a high priority. I thought if called upon to explain the principles, it would be easy. It should only take 2 or 3 minutes to explain each one. This would make a nice 15 to 20 minute talk or sermon.
My first examination of the principles revealed to me more than 30 points that need to be looked at and explained. The next time I looked I found 40+ points that could be examined. In truth as many as 100 points could be made in examining the Principles in detail. So much for them being a set of simple principles.
Just the three words in the Title speak volumes. “Our Religious Principles” -- Have you thought about what these simple words really say and mean.
The word “Our” – What does it say?
We claim ownership. We make a commitment. These belong to us and we will abide by them.
The word “Religious” – What does it say?
Pertaining to our Religion—we have a religion. We worship God, etc. With religion and worship we are in fact a church or a group of churches and a group of individuals who worship God.
The word “Principles” – What does it say?
We have rules and laws or principles that we agree to adhere to. These guide our decisions and our actions as an individual and as a group. In other words, we have a creed. We have to rethink and admit we are not a creedless religion. We do have a statement of belief, a doctrine, or a creed.
Yes. Despite the claims of some, we are a religion, we are a church body or denomination, and we do have a creed to follow.
It is important, therefore, to understand in detail just what our 7 simple religious principles are stating. Before we go further let us read the principles as they are stated on the Web Site:
Our Religious Principles
1. God's presence is made known in a myriad of ways. Religion should promote a free and responsible search for truth, meaning, communion and love.
2. Reason is a gift from God. Religion should embrace reason and its progeny, including the scientific enterprise which explores God's creation.
3. Free will is a gift from God. Religion should assist in the effort to find a path that exercises that gift in a responsible, constructive and ethical manner.
4. Conscious of the complexity of creation, of the limits of human understanding and of humanity's capacity for evil in the name of religion, we hold that humility, religious tolerance and freedom of conscience should be a central part of any religious experience.
5. Religious experience is most fulfilling in the context of a tradition. Our religious tradition is the Unitarian tradition, which emphasizes the importance of reason in religion, tolerance and the unity of God.
6. Revelation is ongoing. Religion should draw inspiration not only from its own tradition but from other religious traditions, philosophy and the arts. Although paying due regard for the hard lessons learned in the past and to the importance of religious tradition, religion should not be stagnant but should employ reason and religious experience to evolve in a constructive, enlightened and fulfilling way.
7. Conscious of the spiritual and material needs of our fellow men and women, the evil they may be subjected to and the tragedies they may endure, works of mercy and compassion should be a part of any religious experience.
Now that we have looked at the Principles as a whole, let us proceed to examine them in detail.
No: on second thought let us take another route. To take your time and mine to explain 30, 40, or 100 meanings hidden in the principles would or could lead us into an endless debate.
The question or problem that we all must face is how to explain what Unitarians believe. I cannot count the times I have been asked, “What is a Unitarian?” and “What do Unitarians believe?” I am sure many of you have been asked these same questions.
Our principles are good but do not lend to an easy answer to these questions. Is it possible to come up with a simple answer to each of these questions that we all can use?
What is a Unitarian?
Simply put, a Unitarian is a person who believes there is only One God.
What do Unitarians believe?
This is a much more difficult answer. This is where we need to draw on our principles and develop a clear statement or creed. I will suggest 5 simple statements that can be used to explain what we are and what we believe.
Our religious tradition is the Unitarian Faith. We believe there is only One God worshiped in different ways. We believe that love and works go hand in hand. We believe in the free and responsible search for truth and meaning. We believe that revelation is ongoing.
These are very simple and easy to remember statements that we all can relate to. Let’s now look at them in a little more detail.
1. Our religious tradition is the Unitarian Faith. This statement sums up many things. We are Unitarians. Unitarianism has been around since the beginning of recorded history. Most of the literature that we have only traces Unitarianism back a few hundred years. This has set up the conflict of Trinitarian verses Unitarian. People tend to define the Unitarian Movement as a sect of Christianity and no more. This is very limiting and is driving away many Unitarians from other faiths and cultures. A modern way of describing Unitarianism has been to say it is the teachings of Jesus plus the richness of the compatible teachings found in many different traditions.
2. We believe there is only One God worshiped in different ways. As there is only One God, all forms of worship must be worship of some aspect of the One God. Because of our various backgrounds, we may not understand or comprehend the form of worship. That does not change the fact that there is only One God. It does open up a way for us to gain new insights and new teachings that are useful in our development and growth. In learning about other forms of worship and their scriptures we gain a deeper understanding of our own scriptures. Sometimes we gain insight and the meaning of verses that have seemed obscure or meaningless to us in the past.
3. We believe that love and works go hand in hand. We emphasis the two commandments to love and serve God and to love and serve our fellowman. Without works we have a dead faith. Without love we have no faith at all. These are the cornerstones of all the great religions that have helped to advance mankind. Jesus indicated that this love and service is the center support on which all other rules, laws, and commandments rest. When we fulfill these two requirements we do all that is necessary to take our place as children of God.
4. We believe in the free and responsible search for truth and meaning. Each individual and in turn each church has free will to choose the appropriate path. We each accept individual responsibility for our choices and the way we live life. We are each given the ability to reason or think. We have the ability and the guidance available to determine what is true and what is false. We can determine the meaning of instruction and accept or reject that instruction on an individual basis. In the Unitarian Faith there is no blind faith or blind obedience demanded. Each individual may use the form and teachings that works for them and set aside the rest. With this comes the understanding that we are to use our gifts in a responsible, constructive, and ethical manner.
5. We believe that revelation is on going. Inspiration can be found everywhere. It can come from nature, science, literature, scripture, the arts, and from all the religious traditions. We can receive revelations in meditation or prayer. We can receive revelations just by listening to the small voice that is within each of us. Sometimes thoughts come in quiet times and dreams. We often dismiss the information as being too simple to be worthwhile or true. Many of us come from traditions that restrict God’s revelations to just a few individuals or to one form of scripture written thousands of years ago. God still speaks each day. All we have to do is be open and listen. More and more is being revealed from the ancient past in new discoveries. Still we each have direct access to God and can receive revelations or inspirations on a day to day basis.
Let me repeat again these 5 simple statements:
1. Our Religious tradition is the Unitarian Faith.
2. We believe there is only One God worshiped in many ways.
3. We believe that love and works go hand in hand.
4. We believe in the free and responsible search for truth and meaning.
5. We believe that revelation is on going.
I believe that these five simple statements set the stage for all that we can accomplish or achieve. In a manner of speaking they form a simple creed or statement of faith. They can serve as the basis for our unity of effort. We can be on the same page when others ask who we are and what we believe. I ask you to accept these statements. Let us work together to achieve a balance of love, harmony, and peace. Let us grow together as Children of the One God.
