Clergy as fixers, UU as 'flavor enhancer,' thoughts on Holy Week

Ministers aren't 'fixers'

The Rev. Victoria Weinstein is inspired by an interview with Thomas More, who says, "In many different traditions the spiritual leader is not really called to fix the world." She writes:

I never came into ministry thinking it was my job to “fix” anything. In fact, I find that concept offensive. And it is for this reason that I feel profoundly uncomfortable in many UU collegial gatherings, surrounded by well-intentioned men and women who seem to feel or believe that their/our job is to impose “our” version of righteousness onto the world. I feel alien in these gatherings because I believe that God is the Fixer and that our work is to discern God’s will both for ourselves and for our larger communities, and to do it in the spirit of healing, love and reconciliation—not Fixing. ("PeaceBang," April 9)

Presidential endorsements

The Rev. Rosemary Bray McNatt announces her endorsement of the Rev. Dr. Laurel Hallman for UUA president ("Rev Rose," April 10). Lizard Eater publicizes the Rev. John Crestwell's decision to switch his endorsement from Laurel Hallman to the Rev. Peter Morales ("The Journey," April 10).

Meanwhile, on Peter Morales's campaign blog, the candidate responded to a question about the perennial tension between humanists and theists in the UUA. Joel Monka found his response unsatisfying ("CUUMBAYA," April 9).

Celebrating gay marriage victories in Iowa, Vermont, and D.C.

The Rev. Ricky Hoyt celebrated the supreme court ruling in Iowa and the legislative vote in Vermont that legalized same-sex marriage in those states: "No it isn't just west and east coast liberals—it's Iowa, too. No it isn't just 'activist judges'—it's state legislatures, too, elected by vote of the people" ("One More Step," April 7).

Erik Resley writes, "Love is in the air, and justice in its wake" ("Embodied Fragments," April 7). Kari Kopnik, whose family celebrates Loving Day on June 12 to mark the end of anti-miscegenation laws, writes, "I hope that very soon we can add another day to our holidays" ("Chalice Spark," April 7).

Unitarian Universalism: Main course, or seasoning?

Pagan UU Joel Monka responds to Doug Muder's uuworld.org column, "A Religion for Hard Times?," and says:

My spiritual life has been greatly enhanced by my UU experiences . . . But despite having been an enthusiastic UU for more than a dozen years, I'm afraid that UU itself is still like monosodium glutamate in my life—a flavor enhancer for what I already had, rather than a stand-alone religion in its own right. ("CUUMBAYA," April 8)

In reply, commenter Ogre, who grew up UU, writes:

One of the incredible strengths and joys it offers is one that's too easily dismissed, I think, and one that's pretty close to unique:

When we change our views, our minds, our beliefs, we are not faced with the requirement to abandon one of the things most important to human beings—the community we are part of—or to deny our inner truth and play hypocrite.

UU reflections on Passover and Holy Week

Harrumpher describes the long and lively Passover seder at his UU church, where he discovered the "brotherhood of the broken bone" ("Harrumph!" April 5).

The Rev. Ricky Hoyt describes attending an Episcopal church's Maundy Thursday service (April 10).

Earthbound Spirit posts a prayer she delivered at an ecumenical Good Friday service ("Earthbound Spirit," April 8). Logan Geen writes that Christianity is "haunted by Good Friday" ("The New Unitarian Universalist," April 10).

The Rev. Fred Hammond reflects on the crucifixion of Jesus, but writes, "The gift that God bestowed to the earth then was not the death and resurrection of Jesus but rather the life of one who so embodies the principles which we hold dear" ("A Unitarian Universalist Minister in the South," April 10).

Although Fausto doubts that Jesus's corpse was revived, he nevertheless affirms that "the Body of Christ rose again, and remains alive eternally" ("The Socinian," April 9).

Sharon says that, for her, Easter celebrates "a faith in Nature and the seasons and that this amazing Universe will always surprise me with beauty and awesomeness and creativity and newness" ("The View from Raindrop Ridge," April 6).

Smijer at "Tête-à-Tête-Tête" and Stentor Danielson at "Debitage" both express frustration with the orthodox doctrine of substitutionary atonement, the notion that Jesus died to pay for the sins of the rest of us (April 10).

Jeff Liebman describes his approach to Easter and Passover as an atheist: "The atheist can know epiphany without a risen Christ and can appreciate the man Jesus and his message. The atheist can know the triumphal redemption of Passover beyond the temple rules and the bound of any one folklore. Easter and Passover represent the celebration of renewal, a feeling we all can marvel in and share" ("UUJeff's Muse Kennel and Pizzatorium," April 10).

Miscellany

Lizard Eater describes how her congregation got rid of age divisions in its religious education program ("The Journey," April 6).

Plaidshoes puts in a good word for "the art of pledging" ("Everyday Unitarian," April 10).

David Pyle says many people are confused by his belief that "I have a deep and abiding personal relationship with a God that is incapable of knowing that I even exist" ("Celestial Lands," April 3).

The Rev. Cynthia Landrum looks at some of the growth challenges her small congregation faces ("Rev. Cyn," April 9).

The British Unitarians have published a new hymnal, writes the Rev. Eric Cherry, the UUA's director of international resources ("Inspired Faith, Effective Action," April 8).

The Rev. Meg Riley, the UUA's director of advocacy and witness, writes: "[F]inally, a trend emerges which I am solidly part of.
Populist Rage" ("Inspired Faith, Effective Action," April 8).