The Fifth Source of Unitarian Universalism

In the Unitarian Universalist faith, there are seven principles that are the foundation upon which UUs stand unified, and there are six sources that are drawn from that create a "living tradition" of both wisdom and spirituality. I want to explore one of the sources and its implications in this faith and relationship to other faiths, but first I want to list all of the sources in case you are not familiar with what they are. Even if you are not a Unitarian Universalist, it is likely that your own faith (or perhaps choice of no organized faith) uses one or more of these same sources in its traditions (or in your life).

Sources of Our Living Tradition (taken from the UUA website)

• Direct experience of that transcending mystery and wonder, affirmed in all cultures, which moves us to a renewal of the spirit and an openness to the forces which create and uphold life;
• Words and deeds of prophetic women and men which challenge us to confront powers and structures of evil with justice, compassion, and the transforming power of love;
• Wisdom from the world's religions which inspires us in our ethical and spiritual life;
• Jewish and Christian teachings which call us to respond to God's love by loving our neighbors as ourselves;
• Humanist teachings which counsel us to heed the guidance of reason and the results of science, and warn us against idolatries of the mind and spirit;
• Spiritual teachings of earth-centered traditions which celebrate the sacred circle of life and instruct us to live in harmony with the rhythms of nature.

If you have further interest in the sources, there's a book I read not too long ago called Sources of Our Faith that was informative and inspiring.

Related Story-of-the-Day
I was at a Methodist church this morning playing percussion at the services as part of a symphonic band. One of the biggest things I kept hearing was how ignorant wisdom and intelligence were in contrast to God. I think I understand what they meant, as not being pompous in the face of God, but the way the message was delivered, [I think] it could be interpreted in an unintended way. Perhaps the way I took it is how it was meant, but I have no way of knowing for sure. Scripture from Corinthians was quoted and additional thoughts were added during the sermon. Whether intended or not, it felt like the congregation was being told not to seek wisdom or human intelligence to approach worship and a relationship with God.

The Fifth Source & Humanism
Look for a moment at the fifth UU source, which says "Humanist teachings which counsel us to heed the guidance of reason and the results of science, and warn us against idolatries of the mind and spirit." We can break this down a bit... Humanist teachings which tell us to pay attention to the guidance of reason and the results of science, and warn us against extreme admiration/love/worship of the mind and spirit." We can also explore what is meant by "humanist teachings". According to the American Humanist website, "Modern Humanism... is defined... as 'a naturalistic philosophy that rejects all super-naturalism and relies primarily upon reason and science, democracy and human compassion.'"

Reflection on the Fifth Source & Humanism
Humanism makes a lot of sense to me. I think it is EQUALLY as important as the other five sources in the UU faith and in drawing faith-based and life-based conclusions. I don't perceive humanism as more important than the spiritual side of things; rather, I believe balance is key. When a church leans too heavily to one side, we get nothing but science, facts, and likely the absence of God. We lose the heart and spirit of faith. When a church leans too heavily to the other side, we get nothing but spiritual words, feelings, and mysterious "experiences" or stories from people long ago. Tying in science and reason allows us to make sense of how our everyday discoveries fit in our spiritual world. They help keep our faith relevant to our daily lives. When churches eliminate or deny discoveries in science or refuse to accept human reasoning, they are living in the dark ages and struggle to make faith relevant in the lives of their congregations. Often times refusing to accept scientific discoveries or human reasoning excludes members from a congregation. Having democracy in faith makes people feel valued and, again, makes faith relevant to the lives of the people in it. It helps keep a "living tradition." Showing human compassion should be a "no-brainer" in churches, though there are many churches who will help the homeless but will deny rights to their congregation members. It's a quandary.

I have friends who consider themselves to be humanists. Looking at the definition of humanism above, I would struggle to be solely humanist. To reject ALL super-naturalism seems close-minded. Science, reason, democracy, and human compassion are all things we can have a direct impact on in daily life, and I think it's really important to have that positive impact on the human condition. Humanism seems to touch on the tangible and see-able. I think there is a lot to learn in the mysterious realm though. To exclude teachings from the world religions, direct experiences that transcend mystery and wonder, spiritual teachings, etc. seems like a mistake, though I suppose not believing in God at all would make it seem pointless to worry about these things or perhaps difficult to believe in them. It is a struggle sometimes for me to believe, but I want to believe and have felt much more spiritual depth and growth within myself in the past year. I love how my church, also known as "The Place of Deep Thinking", encourages questioning and welcomes people of all faiths and paths with open arms. I also like walking under a rainbow flag when I enter...it's another reminder that I am accepted. I like the absence of crucified Jesus imagery and enjoy, instead, him being celebrated for the life he lived and loving words and impact he had on others. I love the unifying symbol of the flaming chalice. There are a lot of things I really enjoy about it that speak to me. Truly not trying to make this sound like a PSA... I just never thought I would find a place to belong in the spiritual world, especially as someone who labeled myself as agnostic for years and turned my back to the thought of anything spiritual or religious or, Heaven forbid, ORGANIZED religion.

If you find the desire to open a dialogue with me about religion, I welcome it wholeheartedly. We may not agree on everything, but I enjoy conversation about faith, as that is one of the ways I am continuously learning. On the flip side, if you have any questions about my faith, which I am still learning more about and probably will be learning forever, just ask. :-)

Favorite Readings that Reflect the Fifth Source
(from the book referenced earlier, Sources of Our Faith)

"This is the mission of our faith:
To teach the fragile art of hospitality;
To revere both the critical mind and the generous heart;
To prove that diversity need not mean divisiveness;
And to witness to all that we must hold the whole world in our hands."
          William F. Schulz

"We come to our religious values experientially. The beliefs we hold are not so much revealed to us as experienced by us. We encourage our children to develop their own working wisdoms instead of their inheriting the truths of their parents or tradition. All who would participate in our Unitarian Universalist cradle-to-grave religious adventure have the opportunity to develop a faith that is personally meaningful, intellectually sound, socially relevant, and spiritually expansive. We are not ashamed to confess that “truth comes in small installments,” to quote Universalist minister Clinton Lee Scott. Those modest and well -lived insights are sufficient to sustain a fulfilling existence."
          Tom Owen-Towle

"My Humanist religion . . . prods me to consider the moral principles by which I should live. Humanist ethics, based on love and compassion for humankind and for nature, place the responsibility on humanity for shaping the destiny and future direction of the world. I am called to find my better self and to try to become the best person I can be. Humanism also makes me aware of the existence of moral dilemmas and the need to be very careful and intentional in my moral decision-making, for every decision and action has a consequence now and for the future . I am compelled by my own analysis of the world situation to become involved in service for the greater good of humanity, recognizing that things are changing so quickly that an open-ended approach to solving social problems is needed."
          Sarah Oelberg