What’s in an Acronym?

As I wrote in the newsletter earlier this summer, delegates to our Unitarian Universalist Association’s General Assembly adopted extensive revisions to Article 2 of the UUA by-law–part of which I read earlier this morning. The years’ long process leading to the final version of the new Article 2 included thousands of Unitarian Universalists and tens of thousands of hours of discussion, two votes at successive General Assemblies with revisions, amendments and more discussion in between. Discussion within congregations and in online forums was robust and at times contentious, with some heated conflict over process and the perceived “disappearance” or “erasure” of the Principles as articulated in the version of Article 2 adopted in the mid-1980s. The vote in June, however, was overwhelming in favor of adopting the new Article 2.

The new Article 2, including the graphic we’ve been using from time to time on the cover of our order of service, will have greater or lesser practical effect on individual Unitarian Universalists according to personal preference. As it has always been, Unitarian Universalism is non-creedal, and we Unitarian Universalists are free to describe our faith and our common tenets in terms that make most sense to us, emphasizing what seems most important to us, in language that is meaningful to us or best suited to the particular audience we may be addressing. Some among us will no doubt continue to refer to the 7 Principles and the 8th Principle–at least for a time.

Where the new article will be most visible and prominent is in publications from the Association, including in pamphlets, RE materials, bookmarks, posters; in congregations that choose to display the new graphic in their spaces and their publications; and in the writing and preaching of UU faith leaders–both lay and ordained, for whom the new articulation sparks inspiration, invites engagement, and deepens an understanding of what it is to be Unitarian Universalist in the 21st century.

While the widespread discussion and debate and contention I alluded to just now was happening about the new Article 2, another debate was raging–well, raging is way too strong a word–another point of disagreement was developing among some Unitarian Universalist ministers and religious educators: the JETPIG debate.

JETPIG is an acronym for Justice, Equity, Transformation, Pluralism, Interdependence, and Generosity–the six newly articulated and adopted values of the Unitarian Universalist Association which are unified with Love at their center. Other possible acronyms suggest themselves: the casual but suggestively affluent PJ GETI, perhaps or the jaunty JIG PET. But JETPIG is the one that has taken hold, and some religious educators and ministers have gone all in, finding stuffed pigs wearing jetpacks and affixing Love badges to them, using AI to create graphic images of JETPIG, and starting to introduce both the acronym and the character to their congregations and religious education children and youth. Some have given the character a name: Jesse the JETPIG, or Jamey the JETPIG, or Josiah the JETPIG. OK. I made up those names because I can’t remember any of the real names I’ve seen in social media. But they work!!

The primary argument I’ve heard in support of JETPIG the acronym is pedagogical–acronyms help us learn and remember. And primary argument I’ve heard in support of JETPIG the character is that they are fun! Which is in turn pedagogical because fun helps us learn and remember, too.

The primary argument I’ve heard against JETPIG the acronym is that it lacks any intrinsic connection to faith, religion. And the primary argument against JETPIG the character seems to be that it is ridiculous or lacking in dignity which can be detrimental given that sometimes Unitarian Universalism is regarded by others as not a serious faith or real religion. Why play into that dismissal by adopting, even informally, an Olympics style mascot?

I don’t have any skin in the game in this argument. Here at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Savannah Megan will decide the best way to introduce our younger generation to the six values–Justice, Equity, Transformation, Pluralism, Interdependence, and Generosity. I don’t know if she’s considering JETPIG. I’m mostly good with it either way.

I mean, ridiculous, yes–but what better way to capture children’s attention? As long as we’re careful to keep the flaming chalice central to our moments of worship and other gathering, and teach its history and meaning for faith, then I see no problem in also having a sort of mascot that teaches our central values.

And as far as JETPIG not being intrinsically religious? Didn’t SCUBA become synonymous with underwater exploration only after it had been widely adopted as the shorthand for self-contained, underwater, breathing apparatus? And was it perhaps ridiculous in its day, too?

More significantly, however, I take no issue with the JETPIG acronym for the shared values of Unitarian Universalists because of its stark contrast to another acronym I learned in divinity school: TULIP. Sounds lovely, doesn’t it? Verdant and holding the promise of fresh life. Here’s what it stands for–the five tenets of Calvinism:

Total depravity as the inherent nature of humanity. In other words, original sin.

Unconditional election, meaning God’s love is not conditional, does not depend on who a person is or what they do. God loves who God loves, except…

Limited atonement means Christ’s atonement on the cross only extends to those who believe in Christ’s atonement on the cross. Unbelievers are sinners and subject to God’s judgment.

Irresistible Grace sounds a bit like Universal Love, but it’s not quite the same because, as one writer put it “[irresistible grace] says that if God loves you and wants you in His family, He is going to get you.” God is going to bring you to faith, whether you want it or not. Not as Unitarian Universalists have long believed, an immeasurable Love embracing us all regardless of desire, faith, lack of faith, or condition (that’s truly unconditional).

And finally, Perseverance of the Saints which means that God’s love for God’s people is permanent. Again, sounds good on first hearing, but it also means once a believer always a believer, with no room changing faith or converting, only a temporary straying perhaps, with an inevitable return to true faith.

TULIP. Tulip.

I offer a caveat: I’ve only encountered Calvinism academically–and then 30 years ago and not in depth. And, though the web article I went to for my refresher course yesterday is written by an adjunct professor at a Reformed Bible College and an associate pastor at a Presbyterian Church, I’ve not experienced the Reformed Church as it lives, teaches and preaches today or been in recent conversation with believers. I think the Presbyterian Church, like many mainstream Christian denominations, encompasses a range from progressive to liberal to conservative theologies. Still, I prefer the values of JETPIG to the tenets of TULIP. Yet, I hasten to add, I remember TULIP and what it stands for, these more than three decades later. Acronyms are powerful teaching tools.

In the end, what will earn my thumbs up or thumbs down if Megan should decide to introduce a graphic or 3-D JETPIG here at UUCS is the love badge. If we were to have a Joy or Jingle or Jordan JETPIG helping our kids learn and remember our UU values, I’d want Love unavoidably, boldly, brightly, prominently displayed on their chest or sleeve or emblazoned on their jetpacks.

It comes down to that Love badge. Love, our new Article 2 proclaims, is the power that holds us together and is at the center of our shared values. That harkens back to our Universalist heritage and it provides our twist on the trendy question from some years ago: what would Jesus do? When we don’t know what to do, we do the loving thing. We center love. Not Jesus’s love, specifically. Or God’s love. Or any particular, individual love. But Love. One Love that invites us to get together and feel alright. One Love calling us into our demands for Justice and our pursuit of Equity. One Love that Transforms individuals by Its workings and transforms the world by our workings. One Love comprising the Plurality of who we are. One Love binding us in the security and expansiveness and vibration of our Interdependence. One Love drawing forth our Generosity because held in that love we know our abundance.

The more I think about it, Love has to be on the jetpacks. It can be on the chest or sleeve of Juniper JETPIG, too. But it has to be on the jetpacks. Because that’s what they’re filled with. Love is what powers all the other values.

Like I said, Megan will decide how to introduce our newly articulated (but not new) values to our kids and youth. And this may be the last time you hear about JETPIG from the pulpit. But it won’t be the last time you hear about the values–and the Love holds us together as Unitarian Universalists and as members of this congregation. Because getting together here and feeling alright (an alrightness grown from the flowering of justice, equity, transformation, pluralism, interdependence, and generosity) is a blessing that sends us forth to likewise bless a world in need of, well, JETPIG and plenty of Love.

Amen