A Pluralistic Religion for a Pluralistic Country

I believe that our approach to religious pluralism is one of Unitarian Universalism’s greatest strengths. The six sources by which our religion is formed are the following:

• Direct experience of that transcending mystery and wonder, affirmed in all cultures, which moves us to a renewal of the spirit and an openness to the forces which create and uphold life;
• Words and deeds of prophetic women and men which challenge us to confront powers and structures of evil with justice, compassion, and the transforming power of love;
• Wisdom from the world’s religions which inspires us in our ethical and spiritual life;
• Jewish and Christian teachings which call us to respond to God’s love by loving our neighbors as ourselves;
• Humanist teachings which counsel us to heed the guidance of reason and the results of science, and warn us against idolatries of the mind and spirit.
• Spiritual teachings of earth-centered traditions which celebrate the sacred circle of life and instruct us to live in harmony with the rhythms of nature.

The only thing I would add to this, although perhaps it’s obvious, is that we draw from our Unitarian and Universalist theological heritage as well — our own history is a source of wisdom, tradition, and beliefs. So, while Unitarian Universalists are grounded in the history and traditions of our own religion, we are also open to finding meaning and belief and in other religions, people, and experiences.  This makes us uniquely suited to the challenges of 21st century America.

Our country is increasingly pluralistic; we’re a country of of people switching out of the faith (or non-faith) of their childhood, of interfaith marriages, of domestic struggles over religious freedom, and of foreign policy deeply informed (or misinformed) by our perceptions of non-Christian religions. 

 Let’s take a couple of practical examples of how we can meet the challenges of religious America… 

Being relevant. Our religion is relevant to the way Americans make meaning today. Most Americans do draw on many different sources for their beliefs — conversations with friends, books they read, what they see on television and in the movies, and dropping into classes or worship services in multiple faith traditions. Our approaches to spirituality in an interfaith world are going to be shaped by encounters with different people, experiences, and religions– Unitarian Universalism is encouraging us to undertake this exploration in an intentional and mindful way, with a community of support, reflection, and worship. 

Welcoming interfaith couples. As a member of an interfaith couple, I am so grateful that Unitarian Universalism has been welcoming not only to me, but also to my wonderful spouse. We were married in a Unitarian Universalist church, in a ceremony that included both UU and Jewish traditions and clergy. It felt right to me that in a marriage where we strive to both support one another, both of our religious traditions were included and celebrated. I’m not sure how easy it would have been to start our life this way, if I had been a member of a more conservative faith tradition.   

Unitarian Universalism offers not only a place for interfaith couples to have a meaningful wedding ceremony that incorporates multiple traditions, but also potentially, a place for both members of a couple to worship, engage in spiritual practice, and make friends. 

Promoting religious freedom on the local level. There is a constant stream of news stories from towns across American about infringements on religious freedom. These usually come in two varieties: separation of church and state issues, or attacks (verbal or physical) against congregations and individuals based on their faith traditions. In both cases, we as Unitarian Universalists can speak directly from our own religious beliefs about the need for religious freedom. Religious freedom isn’t just a cause we happen to feel strongly about — our commitment to religious freedom is grounded in our universalist theological heritage, in the very way that we do religion, and the very core of what our religious practice and structure is today.  

Addressing international issues. Now is the time for clear-eyed foreign policy, based on a truly informed understanding of other countries and cultures, especially those whose religion differs from our own. Unitarian Universalism’s six sources suggest that we should reject easy, hateful characterizations of other religious groups. Americans are grappling with fear and confusion about foreign policy, and the role of religion in that policy, and we as Unitarian Universalists have an opportunity to promote learning about other religious traditions in a fair way.  

Some Unitarian Universalists would say that our theologically diverse nature and our embrace of wisdom from many different traditions is our greatest obstacle — that it keeps us from a sense of unity and a clear message, that it hinders discussions of our deepest beliefs, that it keeps us too far at bay from our Christian religious heritage, and that it leads us to the misappropriate the traditions of other religions. In some circumstances and situations, that is true. But I’m convinced these are obstacles that we can overcome (and that we are already overcoming in some places), and that when we do, we offer a unique, relevant, spiritually-sustaining religious experience.