To all UUS:E Members:
Our ministry theme for February is trust. In reflecting on this theme, I realize trust occupies a different location within Unitarian Universalism than it does in other faiths. Ours is a this-worldly, covenantal and relational faith. We gather around a set of behavioral principles—guidelines for how we are going to be together, how we are going to treat each other. We purposefully do not gather around a particular theology or doctrine. What does this mean? It means that we place our primary trust in each other. Our trust is horizontal. It extends from person to person within the congregation and out into the wider community.
In doctrinal faiths, people gather around a theological idea or, more simply, a collective belief. Thus they place their primary trust in God or whatever metaphysical reality lies at the heart of their faith. Their trust is vertical, extending “up” to God. This does not mean that they don’t trust their fellow-parishioners or that they don’t have behavioral covenants—they do. But by definition that kind of horizontal, person-to-person trust is secondary to trust in God.
In doctrinal faiths, the conversation about trust is necessarily grounded in belief. In relational faiths, the conversation about trust is grounded in relationships.
Of course, within any Unitarian Universalist congregation there is a wonderful array of spiritual sensibilities, spiritual orientations, spiritual identities, and spiritual beliefs. In worship an atheist might be sitting next to a naturalistic theist, who might be sitting next to a Christian, who might be sitting next to a completely different kind of Christian, who might be sitting next to a Pagan, who might be sitting next to a completely different kind of Pagan, who might be sitting next to an Agnostic, who might be sitting next to a Buddhist, and so on. Our beliefs clearly do not unite us. But our UU principles and our UUS:E covenant call us into relationships with our fellow congregants, with people in general, with non-human creatures and, ultimately, with the planet. And not just any relationships. No, we are called into relationships that have dignity, justice, compassion, a sense of interconnection, and love at their core. As Unitarian Universalists, we agree that such relationships here and now, in this life, in this world, matter immensely. That’s what unites us!
In order to cultivate such relationships, we must trust each other. We must trust that each of us enters into congregational life (however we do so) with a desire to treat each other with dignity, justice, compassion and love. The more I think about this, the more I realize how truly precious it is to be part of a relational faith. Especially in this era of bitterness, conflict, polarization and fear—when trust is so, so, so difficult—it is precious beyond measure to have a relational faith. Sustaining such a faith is hard work. But in my view, it is righteous work! And it’s the work we’ve all signed up for. I hope that gets an “Amen!”
With love,
—Rev. Josh
