Sermons

READING ~ excerpt from the Unitarian Universalist Association Bylaws
and Rules as amended through February 14, 2022 – Article II Principles
and Purposes
The living tradition which we share draws from many sources:
• 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

READING ~ Universalism: A theology for the 21st century – Taken
seriously, no theology is more challenging morally, spiritually, or intellectually.
By Forrest Church in UU World Nov/Dec. 2001
“…Universalism is an exacting gospel. Taken seriously, no theology is more
challenging-morally, spiritually, or intellectually: to love your enemy as yourself;
to see your tears in another’s eyes; to respect and even embrace otherness,
rather than merely to tolerate or, even worse, dismiss it. None of this comes
naturally to us. We are weaned on the rational presumption that if two people
disagree, only one can be right. This works better in mathematics than it does in
theology; Universalism reminds us of that. Yet even to approximate the
Universalist ideal remains devilishly difficult in actual practice. Given the natural
human tendency toward division, Universalists run the constant temptation to
backslide in their faith. One can lapse and become a bad or lazy Universalist as
effortlessly as others become ice-cream social Presbyterians or nominal
Catholics.”
“…In fact, at the root of all direct human experience of the Holy are the two
essentials for a true Universalist faith: humility and awe.”

SERMON ~ “Universalism: Awakening the Heart” ~ Rev. Margaret A. Beckman
What is Universalism? People often answer that it is the belief that all
people will receive salvation. Those who reject this conviction have said,
unkindly I think, that universalists are the ones who believe that all dead
people go to heaven. Perhaps we learn most about ourselves from our
critics!
For those who recall the early universalists, we might say that all souls
will, in the end, be reconciled with God. In more contemporary
language, we might say that everyone will return to the Source of Being.
Why? Well, because the God of Universalism is a loving God. This loving
God was, and still is, in stark contrast to the God of Calvinism and
fundamentalism whose God is a God of judgement, retribution and
punishment. Most souls will not be reconciled with God or Source or the
great mystery. Most souls will be condemned to the eternal punishment
and torment of hell. Many fewer souls will find their way to heaven and
eternal peace.
John Murray preached the gospel of love and said, “give them not hell,
but hope and courage, preach the kindness and everlasting love of God.”
Another early Universalist, Hosea Balllou, preached not only the love of
God, but the unity of all life. He understood that a necessary component
of universal salvation is the unity of spirit in all of humanity. He is the
preacher who said, “Let us endeavor to keep the unity of the spirit in the
bonds of peace.”
In the 18th and 19th centuries, universalism was both hated and admired.
Did you know that in the mid-1800s Universalism was a major religion in
America? Many people were attracted to universalism and the gospel of
love.
Those who rejected universalism as a dangerous heresy did so for many
reasons. Primarily because of their notion that the nature of human
beings is sinful. Why, they asked, would anyone choose to do good or
practice kindness and compassion when there is no downside to being
sinful and selfish? We need the threat – and reality – of hell they said, in
order to keep people from behaving abominably.
These arguments against universalism are alive and well in our world
today. The standard, orthodox shall we say, theology teaches that
humanity is, by nature, sinful and must be redeemed.
Universalism is based on the theology of a loving creator whose creation
is good. Universalism holds the view that humanity is not divided into
scoundrels and angels who will be sorted into the hell bound and the
heaven bound.
Now – – which point of view, I ask you is easier to make the basis of your
own life?
We are basically good and we all will enjoy the love of God.
Or
We are basically sinful and only a few who cling to the death of Jesus as
their lifeline will enjoy the love of God.
At first, we may say “Ah, no brainer. Let’s go for the goodness no hell
approach.”
And then when we think about what that really means, we are not so sure
any more.
In universalist view, we are all loved and valued equally; there can be no
of the saved the damned.
It is here that we see the truth of our UU principle regarding the inherent
worth and dignity of all beings expressed. Much easier to say than make
our practice.
Universalism teaches that the God of Love loves all humanity – equally
and eternally. And this Universalism, dear friends, requires of us much
and nothing is more essential than an awakened heart that leads us
always back to Love.
Let’s recall the words of Forrest Church who understood that
universalism is very appealing and also very demanding.
“…Universalism is an exacting gospel. Taken seriously, no theology is more
challenging-morally, spiritually, or intellectually: to love your enemy as yourself;
to see your tears in another’s eyes; to respect and even embrace otherness,
rather than merely to tolerate or, even worse, dismiss it. None of this comes
naturally to us.
We are conditioned to see the world dualistically. There is right and
there is wrong. There is blessing and there is curse. Universalism rejects
that dualism and asks us see each other and the world as being equal
expressions united in divine love.
Often UUs will say God is Love or my religion is love. We proclaim this to
be the case. We wear our yellow shirts and boldly state that we side with
love. Taken seriously, our faith teaches us that there is no other side,
there is only one side and that side is love.
Oh my gosh. That sounds so lovely and affirming and obviously true.
Saying it is one thing. Living with this truth is something else altogether.
Let me put it to you this way.
In the dualistic system, there is always an in group and out group. There
is always the split between those who are right and those who are wrong;
those who are acting, thinking and believing appropriately and those
who are not; the saved and the damned. There is always a We and a
THEY. We are most favored by God and will receive our reward at the
gates of heaven. They are outside the sphere of God’s affection, they do
not believe or act correctly and they can be rejected, ignored, dismissed
and persecuted because they do not have the same value and are not
deserving of respect and dignity. We are together inside God’s grace.
They are separated and are outside of God’s grace.
You know about this system. It’s all around us.
It bans books. It decides who can marry and who cannot. It writes laws
that favor we and harms they. It casts aside those whom God casts
aside. It also decides whether God brings a person in or casts a person
out. And if God casts a person out – well, then that’s that and we bear no
responsibility for them. Although this system admits of collateral damage
to millions of people, it is not required to correct or reverse that damage
because the followers are following God’s rules and judgements.
But, enough about that system.
Universalism and the gospel of Love cannot behave this way. Regardless
of how frustrating, painful and exhausting other people can be – there is
no THEY. There is only US. There is no dividing humanity into the goats
going to hell and the sheep heading to the great pasture in the sky.
There is no distinction between the saved and the damned – we’re all
saved – not because we deserve it, but because God is Love and Love
does not damn to eternal torment. Love not only affirms the worth and
dignity of all, Love works for justice so that all can share in the beauty and
awe of this life and this world. We can take no comfort in supposing that
the damage we cause others by the choices we make are somehow
justified by our relatively advantaged position with God. We have no
advantaged position. We are responsible for advancing the gospel of
Love.
So, let me ask you again. Which faith is easier in the living? All is Love or
Love chooses those who deserve it.
We choose to follow the more demanding way, and it makes all the
difference.
Love your enemies. Yes.
Work to protect the vulnerable. Yes.
Build systems that uphold life and affirm creation. Yes.
Understand the unity of humanity and not that which divides us. Yes.
We are the Love people. But this is not easy. Love is powerful. Love is
demanding. Love never rests. Love will not let us go.
UU minister and Buddhist priest, James Ford, says in a sermon about
love:
“It is, I suggest, the most powerful thing we experience. It is also dangerous. It
tears down as well as builds up. It changes things. It is a god. And it is a way of life.
Embraced love brings miraculous transformations, allows us to become
something better than we would ever otherwise have been. Love brings hope.”
(THE HEART OF THE MATTER, John Murray and the Gospel of Love James Ishmael Ford 4 March 2012. First Unitarian Church, Providence, Rhode Island)
We are the Love people. Sometimes in our yellow shirts marching for
justice, equity and compassion. Sometimes sitting with the pain of one
who has committed horrible deeds and needs to know that Love reaches
out even to him or her or them.
How do we do this when the world seems to be heading in a direction of
divisiveness and scorn for those with whom we disagree?
We let our faith lead us into love. When we cannot manage it quite as
well as we ought to, we let love lead us into faith.
Rev. James Ford also wrote a book called If You’re Lucky, Your Heart Will
Break: Field Notes from a Zen Life. If you and I are lucky, our faith, our
reliance upon the truth of universalism and the goodness of Love, will
bring us to both humility and awe. These are the characteristics of
practiced universalism – humility and awe. When we are in the combined
grip of humility in the presence of our own vulnerability and inadequacy
and awe at very beauty of this life we share with every other being, our
heart may very be awakened to the vastness of all. An awakened heart is
a broken heart.
Our hearts break open and the love we hold inside spills out all over
everyone and everything. We are the love people. We don’t get it right
all the time, but we keep coming back and we begin again – and again.
James Ford – “Love shows us the connections. Love brings hope. And
finding this love calls us to action… we proclaim the universal wisdom:
God is love. …Open your heart and you will find it. Open your heart and
you will know what to do. This is our way.”
May our prayer, our meditation, our holy work awaken and break open
our hearts.
May we embrace the blessings of universalism even as we respond to
universalism’s call to action. To know that there is a love holding us that
will never let us go is to know that our response must be gratitude and
reciprocity.
This is our way. We know what to do.
Blessed Be. I Love You. Amen.