Report on UU University - Theology track

Here are some notes from the UU University track I attended Thursday afternoon, on "Theology for a Secular Age." This was presented by the Rev. Galen Guengerich, who is the Senior Minister of All Souls UU Church in New York (he was Associate Minister with his predecessor as Senior Minister, the Rev. Dr. Forrest Church). For the past 3 years, UU University has been presented as an "add-on" prior to GA, requiring separate registration and fees. It was developed to support lay leaders, particularly congregational presidents and elected leaders, as well as lay leaders of various church programs and functions. This year, GA is the core programming of the first two full days at GA, running 1-6 on Thursday and 8-noon on Friday. There are 6 tracks and you stay in your selected track the entire time.

Seven key questions are being explored in the Theology track:
1. How do we know what we most truly know?
2. What is the nature of existence and how do we fit into the picture?
3. What in the world is divine - if anything?
4. What is the uniquely human challenge?
5. What is the purpose of faith and the role of religion?
6. What does it mean to be a religious community?
7. How shall we live in order to transform ourselves and the world?

In the 4th century, St. Augustine posited, "I believe, therefore I understand." The presenter, in his program handout, notes that "Children of the Enlightenment move in the opposite direction: not from belief to understanding, but from understanding to belief. We take everything we know into account as we decide what to believe. Enlightened faith never asks us to set aside what we know." Here are some other bits that caught my eye or ear:

• "The main function of religious faith is not to affirm that certain facts are true. Rather, it is to develop a life of meaning and purpose in light of what we know."
• We live in a relational universe. "The first principle of the universe is not independence (each thing that exists is a thing unto itself), but rather the opposite: utter dependence."
• The idea of God is necessary. "In my view...God exists the way beauty exists, but not in the way a person or an apple exists."
• "I believe some religions are better than others. I believe there are some religions we should not tolerate."
• Q: Is "evil" a necessary theological concept? A: "Yes…it's the devil inside." (referenced an INXS song with this phrase)
• Q: Many have been hurt by the word "God." Shouldn't we find our own words for the concept you're talking about? A: Maybe so - I haven't come up with anything sufficient, though. (From Janine: what comes up for me is that no one has been hurt by God or the word "God." The hurt has been done by people who are misapplying that word. How do we intend to pursue healing, other than insisting on avoidance?)
• What do UUs (collectively) believe? How do we answer that question sometimes posed to us by visitors to our churches? This workshop is essentially the presenter's answer to that question. He invited questions to theology@allsoulsnyc.org

Loved that he showed the video of Green Day's "Boulevard of Broken Dreams." This was an illustration of the feeling of "outsider" that so many feel. Rev. Guengerich says, "Where does the boulevard of broken dreams end? In my church. In your church."

The day's presentation closed in a worship service with live jazz music - how cool is that? Beautiful service, achingly sweet and upbeat all at the same time. Jazz, opening words, jazz, responsive reading, jazz, poetry, jazz, more poetry, more jazz, prayer and silent meditation, jazz, poem, jazz, closing words, benediction, postlude. Mmmm….