Presented at the Unitarian General Assembly meetings, April, 2012:
Fellow seekers, sharers and servers, I am grateful that the GA is providing us with this opportunity to share personal views. ‘Without vision the people perish’. No one view will suit all or remain static, but I look forward to not only hearing, but reading the whole series – and to future dialogue.
As a named movement, our tradition begins in the Reformation, with the stress on the authority of the individual to interpret scripture, Church teachings and life itself. But it seems to me that the spirit of Unitarianism has been around as long as the human race, as I once told a Conservative Rabbi who was extolling the virtues of having a 4000 year old tradition. I think we should broaden our horizons.
I think the essence of Unitarianism is a liberal approach to life, a recognition that all individuals experience life for themselves, uniquely. By using reason – and emotion- we discover and we develop meaningful living. We also realise how integrated we are into society and nature; we are not really alone. Nor can we be certain of the full truth . Facts, yes; significance, no. ‘Unity in diversity’ is not just a slogan: it reflects reality as we experience it;it reflects the universe, the human race and the individual. Each of us is an evolving, social interpreter of reality, a unique actor in the drama of life. We are the meaning-makers in theory and practice.
We Unitarians are the living tradition, not a preservation society. Each of us, alone and together, will continue to search, share and serve. What we do will hopefully enrich the quality of life for all humanity and reality, living and non-living.
I would like to see us fulfil our potential as an evolving world religion. Can we, should we, be a religion for one world, open to the insights from ALL ages and ALL peoples, working WITH all people and FOR all people?.
This is my vision.
What is yours?
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