Uncategorized

The universe as we have discovered it from cutting-edge contemporary science—especially when exploring the vast cosmic reaches of space and time via the Hubble (launched 1990 by NASA and “hungry to capture the most intimate images of the cosmos”¹) or James Webb (launched Christmas Day, 2021) space telescopes—while hugely important, is almost unimaginable. Process philosopher and theologian, and longtime Dean (from 1945–1954) of the University of Chicago Divinity School, Bernard M. Loomer (1912–1985), adds a touch of aesthetic flair when he suggests the evolution of our planetary life

is not only a fantastic tale of the incredible and cunning creativity of life’s powers exhibited over vast stretches of time; it is equally an awesome and humbling story of the ‘enormous in terlinked complexity of life’ as Loren Eiseley made the point by citing the poet Francis Thompson ‘One could not pluck a flower without troubling a star’.¹

Unimaginable… as in there isn’t just one other galaxy besides our own Milky Way, or just a handful more, but at least 100 billion, each containing at least 100 billion stars! Unimaginable… as in black holes, colliding galaxies, ghostly galactic structures, and a dusty supernova remnant, all of which reveal the universe is a restlessly chaotic place, constantly changing its face! “While conveying essential precision and depth to other scientists”,¹ all such levels of scientific and technological observations are remote, couched in language which is complex and inaccessible, generally speaking.² And where scientists themselves have often been overwhelmed by their discoveries, finding them difficult “to explain in other than scientific equations and mathematical description.”¹ Thus the problem: such language and presentations fail to capture both our imaginations or our feelings “to the necessary level of awe and wonder”

This is the introduction for a talk by Rev A E Rex Hunt on the topic of mysticism and how we might understand the wonders of the world. This talk can be read by clicking here.

A sermon by Rev Geof Usher. To introduce this talk, there are three readings.

EDWARD BEGAN TO SMILE
Moncure Daniel Conway, from Fredericksburg, Virginia, was one of the most dynamic Southern Unitarian ministers of the 19th century. He had early become enthralled with the ideas of Ralph Waldo Emerson, and, as a consequence, entered Harvard Divinity School to prepare for the Unitarian ministry. While at Harvard, he spent many enjoyable weekends at Concord with the Emersons and their friends. Here is one episode from Conway’s auto-biography. The date is 1853.
“I remember Ellen Emerson asking her father, ‘Whom shall we invite to the picnic?’ — his answer being, ‘All children from six to sixty.’ Then there were huckleberrying parties. These were under the guidance of Thoreau, because he alone knew the precise locality of every variety of the berry. I recall an occasion when little Edward Emerson, carrying a basket of fine huckleberries, had a fall and spilt them all. Great was his distress, and our offers of berries could not console him for the loss of those gathered by himself. But Thoreau came, put his arm around the troubled child, and explained to him that if the crop of huckleberries was to continue it was necessary that some should be scattered. Nature had provided that little boys should now and then stumble and sow the berries. We shall have a grand lot of bushes and berries in this spot, and we shall owe them to you. Edward began to smile.”
Key date: July 12, 1817: birth of Henry David Thoreau. Ref: Conway, Autobiography, I, p. 148.

A WORD ABOUT OUR FAITH by W G (Bert) Watson
Open-mindedness and tolerance sometimes suggest “easy come, easy go”, but we deny that Unitarianism should be an easy faith. Liberal religion forbids us to drift with the tide of popular opinion. For example, superficial appearances must be penetrated. Face values cannot be accepted.
Our world has too many people who are prepared to accept most of what they are taught without question. Education has not sufficiently encouraged the spirit of enquiry and effort to understand and rectify where needed. Most people are content with conformity. People reason that it pays off to think and act in the same way as those around us and thus avoid rough edges in our dealings with others. Life becomes shapeless in this way.
Unitarians base open-mindedness on the existence of a higher self within each individual rather than upon an external authority. The latter has only been elevated to supremacy when too much stress has been laid on human unworthiness.. Reliance on external power breaks down when people find that it does not carry them over life’s tragedies unscathed, and when things do not fit a pre-conceived pattern. Unitarians are ready to accept whatever comes to them, however unexpected or unwelcome. We try to school ourselves to see life as a kind of exploration, which sometimes leads to dead ends, but occasionally gives glimpses of a hidden grandeur beyond. We feel that there need not be a purpose in all life, and we are ready to accept what we cannot understand.
However, there is within us the power to change things, and to build on the experience which we gain. We believe that, in view of the potentialities which have come to fruition so remarkably in humankind’s development down the ages, we cannot regard the life process as doomed to perpetual frustration.
We cannot regard our fellow men and women as helpless and hopeless. There is power to break through, to higher things within each person. Liberal religion seeks to provide the incentive for all to make better use of these resources of heart, mind and body which are available.
This is why ours must always be a religion of purpose and effort, not an easy formless faith.

The third reading is a note about the style of Unitarian communities. ( click here for the full text).

The complete talk can be read by clicking here.

By the time he came to write David Copperfield, Dickens was increasingly concerned to call upon his audience to respond to the sufferings of the poor, in’ terms of the gospel demand for charity and forgiveness. His religion was always oriented towards society and social action. By the time he was approaching the age of forty he seems to have desired most strongly the re-enactment of what had become for him the “crowning m iracle” of the New Testament: the bringing of the gospel to the poor.

He saw the gap between the material conditions of the poor and the spiritual message offered to them. He had already remarked the “monstrous task” of attempting to impress the children of the poor “even with the idea of God, when their own condition is so desolate”. In a public speech in 1851 he stressed his conviction that “even Education and Religion can do nothing where they are ‘most needed, until the way is paved for their m inistrations by Cleanliness and Decency.”

This sermon by the Rev Geoff Usher on Charles Dickens view of religion as shown in the novel “David Copperfield” can be read here.

by Ginna Hastings

As we gather today to worship in our own fashion I cannot help but think that other people of other religions might think that we are not worshipping. We are not bowing down before a cross or a Buddha or some other representative of a godhead. Though we do pray at times, we are not reciting ritualised prayer. Our readings are inspiring but not always traditionally recited words. We have no creed. We do have an order of service – most times we gather. But we do have our 7 principles, the foundation of our “faith” – the moral principles that guide us in our lives, choices, decisions and self expression. These are:
• The inherent worth and dignity of every person
• Justice, equity and compassion in human relations
• A free and responsible search for truth and meaning

• Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations
• The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large
• The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all
• Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.

Inherent in all these principles is a moral outlook: a desire that we humans treat each other and our Earth with respect, allow one another to make our own spiritual and moral decisions, and seek peace and liberty for all humans. Inherent in these values is an outlook that all humans have an equal value, and it’s up to us to preserve this planet Earth.

Ginna’s considerations of how everyone’s right to worship is fostered by the separation of church and state can be read here.

Some Christians are suspicious of biblical criticism . They are especially suspicious of biblical criticism which suggests that they might have to give up their claim to having exclusive truth based on the miracle of the resurrection of Jesus. They do not like any suggestion of scholarship or criticism that might challenge their view of Jesus.
Theirs is a limited, blinkered view, relying on dogmatic assertions that do not always hold up to careful study and criticism .

This sermon by the Rev Geoff Usher analysing some of the developments in New Testament scholarship can be read by clicking here.