Religious Education

TOPIC: Religions: Religions of the World
AGE: 11-13 years, Gr. 6-8

How are Religions of the World Reflected in Unitarian Universalism?

Goal:

To identify groups within the Unitarian Universalist Association that reflect religions of the world.

Activity

How have religions of the world influenced our Unitarian Universalist worship, spiritual practice and rituals? Look at the Singing the Living Tradition (hymnal) for songs and readings from religions of the world.

The several distinct groups that have developed within the Unitarian Universalist Association give an idea of the diversity within the Unitarian Universalist Association. Review the brief information given here. (Groups are presented in alphabetical order.)

Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans

The Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans (CUUPS) is an organization dedicated to networking Pagan-identified Unitarian Universalists (UUs), educating people about Paganism, promoting interfaith dialogue, developing Pagan liturgies and theologies, and supporting Pagan-identified UU religious professionals. CUUPS was founded in 1987.

The Statement of Purpose: CUUPS exists to enable

• Networking among Pagan-identified UUs; providing outreach of Unitarian Universalism to the broader Pagan community continentally.
• Providing educational materials on Paganism for Unitarian Universalist congregations and the general public.
• Promoting Pagan - Jewish & Christian dialogue; encouraging the development of theo/alogical and liturgical materials based on earth and nature centered religious and spiritual perspectives.
• Encouraging greater use of music, dance, visual arts, poetry, story, and creative ritual in Unitarian Universalist worship and celebration.
• Providing support for Pagan-identified UU religious professionals and ministerial students; and fostering healing relationships with our mother the Earth and all her children.

The Conservative Forum for Unitarian Universalists

The Conservative Forum for Unitarian Universalists was founded in 1986. The mission of the CFUU is to ensure that all Unitarian Universalists are free to pursue a responsible search for religious truth and meaning in our societies and throughout the association regardless of their views on politics, economics or social issues.

Objectives of the CFUU include:

Creating forums for Unitarian Universalists that actively encourage the expression of a wide range of political, economic, and social views consistent with our Association’s Purposes and Principles,
Supporting the right of each Unitarian Universalist to be free to express such views and still be accepted and respected within our movement,
Promoting vigorous dialogue and debate between Unitarian Universalists of all political, social and economic persuasions on issues of importance to Unitarian Universalists, and
Increasing the awareness of the rich diversity of economic, social and political viewpoints that exist within the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA).

HUUmanists Association

Founded in 1965, the purpose is: "To enhance, promote, practice and enjoy humanism in liberal religion, and to provide a continental organization for those who consider themselves humanists within the UUA. To this end, HUUmanists shall defend and protect freedom of thought in Unitarian Universalism, arrange programs, forums and lectures, encourage humanist writing to give voice to humanistic values, encourage the establishment of local humanist groups, maintain a humanist presence on the internet, and hold discussion groups, seminars, worships and conferences."

Unitarian Universalist Buddhist Fellowship

Since the introduction of the first Buddhist texts to America in the mid-nineteenth century, Buddhism has been as extremely influential force among Unitarians and, over the last thirty years, Unitarian Universalists. Early Unitarians, such as Henry David Thoreau, Margaret Fuller, and Ralph Waldo Emerson responded with great enthusiasm to Buddhism's emphasis on individual experience, rather than appeal to scriptures or belief in miraculous events, as the basis for authority in spiritual matters.

In recent years, Unitarian Universalists have increasingly been drawn to explore Buddhist religious practices, especially seated meditation, in order to ground the "free and responsible search for truth and meaning" that is one of the guiding principles of the UU tradition. Meditation invites a direct and immediate experience of reality and provides a balance to purely intellectual inquiry.

Unitarian Universalist Christian Fellowship

While some within Christianity would exclude us now as before because of our non-creedal basis, the term "Unitarian/Universalist Christian" would once have been considered a redundancy, the same for example as "Methodist Christian." Unitarians and Universalists have roots in the liberalizing movements within the Protestant Christian Radical Reformation, and in many places Christianity continues to be the common way to be Unitarian Universalist. UU Christians feel they can best follow in the spirit of Jesus and best deepen their spiritual lives within the freedom of UU congregations, whether or not those congregations are expressly Christian-oriented. There is a also the Council of Christian Churches within the UUA, and also the Magi Network, whose websites are linked through the UUCF website.

Discussion:

What difference does having various faith and political traditions visible make to Unitarian Universalism?
How can we practice religious tolerance within our congregations?

Last updated June 12, 2005