East Shore,
“In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer. And that makes me happy. For it says that no matter how hard the world pushes against me, within me, there’s something stronger – something better, pushing right back.” ~ Albert Camus
I have been struggling with hope. This is as a philosophical notion, a theological notion. There are the issues in front of us that some of us see, and the issues that so many of us deny – I know I’m in both camps – the issues of privilege and oppression, classism, racism, exploitation of our environment and each other. I have been around long enough to know disappointment as we build sandcastles to address these existential threats, only to see the tide wash them away.
Anthony Pinn, Black Humanist and UU Scholar, once wrote: “Hope has to be this-worldly, something produced by human efforts to work through, change, or radically alter our circumstances . . . The traditional ‘outcomes-driven’ hope can become a distraction from addressing real-world suffering and ethical responsibilities.” – from Theology after Hope and the Projection of Futures By Anthony B. Pinn published in the American Journal of Theology and Philosophy
We get obsessed with having the “right words,” we forget about “right action.” Those right actions are grounded in moments. Having the ethics and backbone to speak up at injustice – I picture Gandalf the Gray declaring, “You Shall Not Pass” to the monster about to devour his companions. As the systems of oppression and late-stage capitalism attempt to devour our friends, companions and accomplices, Gandolf’s model is a prudent one.
There is an inner resilience and resistance. We see this in our covenantal theology and our Bond of Union. The “Walk” together, the Journey we are accomplishing together – this is spiritual journey of actualizing peace in this world, of realizing what democracy looks like in our systems – the efficacy of our listening to all voices, the ways we deconstruct centralized power with the goal of camaraderie and personal and collective growth over dogma, doctrine and “being right.” The ways that consent informs the journey together.
Over the next few weeks, we will be using the Bond of Union and variants of it in different liturgical ways for different emphasis on this covenantal theology, and the ways that we change the circumstances of ourselves and others.
There are many people full of fear, and there are many experiencing hardships. We will do the Work of the Church to care for these folks: for our people and for all people. We can focus our efforts on the lines we cast in the “right now,” in the existential resilience and resistance we muster in the moment. This will look like building alternatives, disrupting systems that hurt others, creating options to preserve civil institutions and lifting our siblings. Is this controversial?
Love is the center of what we do. Where do you find Love? Where do you foster the inherent worth and dignity of each of us and all of us? For me, it is the miracle of community – coming together in fellowship and fun, but also in accomplishment and work.
When we get together – yeah, there might be many more opinions than elbows – but our collective bends the arc of history, our songs lift up despair, our flaming chalice serves as a flare to all of existence that Love is our center.
We advocate for peace and love. We work toward building Safe Places throughout our communities – that one day we might be the Beloved Community. The work we do: Love is our center. That is my invincible summer.
So, with all this in mind… Is Love controversial?
No, Love is my religion. Love is our Religion.
Ashe and Amen
…”Cause Good Trouble”
Rev. Will