Theology
I have the heart of a poet, a curious mind, and grounding in eco-humanist ethics. I embrace the Shared Values of Unitarian Universalism. Religious naturalism and process metaphysics are the theologies that most connect for me personally. But my allegiance to the transforming power of Love trumps all ideas. What matters most is how we live.
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I once wrote a Co-Mingling Chant that expresses much of my theology poetically. Here are the lyrics:
Harmonic backdrop parts: [repeating] A: The fishes in the seas and birds in the trees Mother Earth and you and me B: Birthing – breathing – living – dying C: Outward… inward… outward… inward... D: [rain stick] E: [verses]
1 - Growing cosmos, circling planets, mingling all around. 2 - Growing life forms, circling eagle, mingling from sky to ground. 3 - Growing geodes, circling atoms, mingling all the way down. 4 - Growing insight, circling wholeness, mingling where love is found. 5 - Birthing, breathing, living, dying, to all we are bound. To all we are bound. Any curious musician or music-lover may review the sheet music. |
Background:
This song was inspired by deep chanting in a seminary class with pagan UU Margot Adler; by process theology (dynamic, interrelated, all-natural reality); by love of nature and the grief and urgency that come from awareness of our present path of destruction; and by mystic perception of our interconnectedness, as captured in these words of William James: “Our lives are like islands in the sea, or like trees in the forest, which co-mingle their roots in the darkness underground. Just so, there is a continuum of cosmic consciousness, against which our individuality builds but accidental fences, and into which our several minds plunge as into a mother sea or reservoir.” |
You & Me & Theology
I am delighted to belong to a tradition for which theological diversity has been a hallmark for two centuries. My personal faith is shaped by forces similar to those that shaped Unitarian Universalism: direct experiences of wonder, awe, and connection, often in nature; the best of the Judeo-Christian heritage, including the call to prophetic action and to build the Beloved Community; the ever-unfolding revelations of science about our amazing universe; the rich insights and beauty found in the arts; and deep encounters with Eastern sources of wisdom.
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I accept the labels life-long learner, eclectic seeker, eco-mystic, and lover of life. Every Source of wisdom honored in Unitarian Universalism holds inspiration for me. I find the pull of personal experience - mine and others' - to be particularly strong. I have had moments of spiritual bliss and moments of existential despair. In my personal spiritual life I have used many names for the ineffable, feeling that collectively all these words and images may come closer to capturing our vast reality than any single name could. Yet ultimately I am left with an intimate Mystery. In worship I favor poetic imagery and am sparing in the use of God-language, which connects for some people but disconnects others.
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As a UU minister I support people as they develop and live out their own understandings and commitments. Whatever else we bring with us, Love is the center that holds us together. Since I left the Protestant church of my childhood for our faith of "deeds not creeds," I understand that well-worn path to Unitarian Universalism. I also recognize that people come to us from many other heritages – Catholic, Jewish, or pagan; humanist, Hindu, or Muslim; Buddhist, secular, and born-and-raised UU. I invite people into a spirit of curiosity, respect and mutual enrichment as we engage in meaning-making with a variety of viewpoints. Our diversity is itself a resource for our collective growth.
