By Rev. Carol Bodeau
Dear Friends,
As a UU congregation, many of our newest visitors and members come from religious experiences that require ‘re-construction’—reconstructing a sense of belonging in a religious or faith community, reconstructing a feeling of hope or security in such a place, and reconstructing some basic sense of what we believe. For many of us, the journey into Unitarian Universalism is a journey out of something else. And possibly something else that shaped our lives profoundly.
Recently, we’ve been exploring some more traditional religious concepts (sin, karma and holiness) that are not discussed as often in UU contexts as they are in other religions. And these conversations have invited us to consider what we believe, really, about big questions like:
• Are people inherently good, bad, or neither?
• How is ‘justice’ accomplished when people err or intentionally harm one another?
• What is our role or responsibility in correcting others’ behavior, actions, or choices?
These are big questions, and point to some of the primary social roles that many religions attempt to fill. But for UUs, there can be many and widely varied answers to these questions. In other words, we don’t necessarily agree on ‘the big questions.’
One of the courses that UU congregations often share with adults in our Adult Religious Exploration programs is something called “Building Your Own Theology” (BYOT—bring your own theology!). In it, we reflect upon and share our journeys of coming to terms with these questions as individual seekers.
What has your journey been like? And where have you landed on the big questions? In the fall, we’ll have some opportunities to share these ideas together, so keep your eyes open for upcoming BYOT opportunities.
And stay cool out there!
Rev. Carol
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