Paul Wilczynski's Observations

Grubbs: We Gather Together

Clyde Grubbs, in a piece entitled We Gather Together" Some thoughts on ecclesiology, seems to concentrate on what holds Unitarian Universalists together. For example, he says

I would venture that the two pillars that holds this diverse faith together are: 1) mutual support for each individuals search for truth and meaning, or as it is more likely to be said in our time, for their own deep spirituality, and 2) that religious community, created by mutual covenant of the faithful is called to witness to a vision of community that is more the aggregate of the individuals who have assembled. The second is a reformulation in contemporary terms of the vision of the church universal. The most common language among Unitarian Universalists to describe this vision today is “the beloved community.”

I think there are two relevent questions: 1) What holds UUs together, and to me more importantly, 2) what makes us different - what differentiates us.

I expect he's right in saying that community holds us together. The thing is, we're not the only religion that community holds together. So to me, community, while essential, isn't the cosmicly interesting thing about our religion. Rather, I think it's his first pillar: mutual support for each individual's search for truth and meaning. Isn't that what have that no other religion has?

posted by Paul Wilczynski @ 7:41 AM