We Are One: Another Definition of Universalism
Once upon a time my daughter learned a catchy little song at Chalice Camp–a Unitarian Universalist day camp. The lyrics, by Laila Ibrahim, come as close to a UU catechism as anything I’ve ever encountered:
It’s blessing each of us was born.
It matters what we do with our lives.
What each of us knows about God is a piece of the truth.
We don’t have to do it alone.
Heritage of Martyrdom
Two weeks ago, I mentioned Jan Huss, a Bohemian Catholic martyr who was burned at the stake for, among other critiques, saying the Catholic church of his day got it wrong in restricting the cup of communion wine to priests alone, excluding the laity. I tied Huss’s theology of more broadly inclusive access to the elements of the Eucharist to my understanding of the meaning of our Unitarian Universalist symbol of the flaming chalice.
Why a Flaming Chalice?
Upstairs in Phillippa’s Place this morning Megan and our children are having a lesson about symbols and making chalices for the children to bring home with them. I remember a similar lesson from my Sunday School days. The mimeographed symbol sheets included religious and international symbols–Red Cross, the peace symbol, a cross, the Star of David, the then quite recognizable logo from a now defunct local grocery store chain
Convicted by Faith
469 years ago this week Spanish physician and theologian Michael Servetus was burned at the stake, on orders of John Calvin.
Servetus had published a couple books that brought him under the scrutiny of both Catholic and Protestant authorities.