A Unitarian Universalist Approach to Youth Ministry
by Jan E. Taddeo
Wesley Theological Seminary
June 9, 2006
Scenario
The adults completed their time inside the Fishbowl, and now the youth are in the center to answer the questions the adults had prepared for them. The first question: "What does Universalism mean to you?"
In the center of the circle are twenty-four high-school age youth; all grew up as Unitarian Universalists (UUs). Only a handful attempt to answer the question. The responses are varied: "I think it means everyone is treated the same." "It means that decisions are made that think about everyone, really caring for each other." "It’s about having a universal perspective on life."
They weren’t asked to define Universalism, or Unitarianism, but they know that is what the question is getting at. Their responses are thoughtful, and express honorable ideals, but not one response describes the historical essence of what Universalism means in the UU faith tradition. Universalism is rooted in the belief that every person is worthy of God’s love; every person is saved. A loving God would not condemn any person to hell.
They turn to the adults, breaking the Fishbowl "cone of silence" and ask the adults give the definitions of Unitarian and Universalist. Many of the adults say, "Next question?"
Definition of a Unitarian Universalist Approach to Youth Ministry
A Unitarian Universalist approach to youth ministry is rooted in the principles as stated in the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) Bylaws:
We, the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association, covenant to affirm and promote:
- The inherent worth and dignity of every person;
- Justice, equity, and compassion in human relations;
- Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations;
- A free and responsible search for truth and meaning;
- The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large;
- The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all;
- Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.
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;
- Words and deed 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 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.
Grateful for the religious pluralism which enriches and ennobles our faith, we are inspired to deepen our understanding and expand our vision. As free congregations we enter into this covenant, promising to one another our mutual trust and support.
The Challenges of a Unitarian Universalist Approach to Youth Ministry
Unitarian Universalism is a complex faith that embraces a broad range of religious perspectives. A very high percentage of adult members are "come-outers," people who have rejected the religion of their youth, remained "unchurched" for some period of time, and then found a Unitarian Universalist church. They join because it is a welcoming place to explore issues of faith openly, or because they like how focused UUs are on social justice. Often they do not have an understanding of UU history and are challenged to articulate what Unitarian Universalism is to those outside the circle.
The Unitarians and the Universalists officially merged in 1961. The principles as stated above were adopted in 1984. The first generation of children brought up in UU congregations did not have this tool in understanding their faith tradition. Many parents in the 1960s and 1970s did not discuss their own beliefs with their children, believing that it was important for them to develop their religious beliefs through their own experiences.
The children who grew up in the UU church since 1984 had a little more guidance in faith development after the adoption of the UU principles. In the 1990’s more curriculum was available to assist parents in talking with their children about issues of faith. Religious education programs within the church became more structured and professional religious educators gained prominence in congregations. However, it is often the same adults who have not learned how to articulate Unitarian Universalism that are the teachers in the classrooms. Consequently, by the time children reach adolescence they have likely received inconsistent and inaccurate information about Unitarian Universalism.
Unitarian Universalism is a living faith, ever evolving in the light of new experiences, new evidence and new information. It is an experiential faith that draws on such a broad range of sources it is impossible to define it as concrete or unchanging. This makes articulating Unitarian Universalism very challenging as each person’s experience and understanding of life and the divine is unique.
The Good News of a Unitarian Universalist Approach to Youth Ministry
Unitarian Universalism is a living faith. It is about deeds, not creeds. The youth in the scenario above could not define Universalism, but upon further discussion it was clear that they lived and experienced Universalism. They experience Unitarian Universalism in youth group activities, social justice protests and rallies, service projects and worship. They may not be able to tell their friends what it is, but they know it when they experience it.
Changes That Need to Be Made to Create a Unitarian Universalist Approach to Youth Ministry
Inclusivity
The inclusive approach to youth ministry described by Malan Nel in "Four Views of Youth Ministry and the Church," reflects some of the changes I would suggest for UU congregations. An inclusive view suggests that it is the role of the entire congregation to minister to, with and through young people in the practices of the faith tradition. Nel suggests that this is best accomplished when young people are fully integrated in the life of the congregation. He describes eight modes of ministry in the church and "asserts that youth ministry is not a separate or additional mode of God’s coming to the youths…Youth ministry is not about finding an extra place for yet another ministry, but about fining a place for youths within every ministry…"
In UU youth leadership training and adult advisor training there are six components of programming lifted up as an ideal for a healthy youth ministry: worship, learning, social action, community building, leadership and youth-adult relations. When these components are in balance a youth ministry program is considered to be healthy. It is my experience that these same components are equally important in a congregation as a whole. However, if these components are in balance in a youth program that exists in an isolated environment within the congregation, then the congregation may not be in balance. In order for the congregation to be healthy, there must be strong youth-adult relationships within each of the other five components.
Including youth in all components of church life gives them a stronger UU identity and a sense of congregational ownership. They are more likely to grow in their leadership capacity and to continue to remain active Unitarian Universalists as adults.
Emphasis on Lifespan Faith Development
The principles of the Unitarian Universalist Association of congregations affirm and promote a responsible search for truth and meaning. This search is a responsibility for every member of a congregation, young and old alike. The current worship and religious education structure of many UU congregations does not facilitate structured opportunities for adults to engage in religious exploration on Sunday mornings. Typically religious education for children takes place during the worship service for the adults. At best the two may come together for the first five or ten minutes of worship, and perhaps share an all-church service on major holidays. A congregation that makes lifespan faith development an equal and balanced component with worship might offer age-appropriate religious education courses for everyone on Sunday morning, followed by a worship service inclusive of all ages. This would have the potential to increase the depth of knowledge and spiritual development for everyone.
Relational Ministry
The living faith of Unitarian Universalism is most present when people are in relationship with one another. Youth in UU congregations experience Unitarian Universalism when they feel accepted, respected, welcome and loved. They can have purple hair, piercings and tattoos and be warmly welcomed. More importantly, they can be gay, lesbian, bisexual or questioning and be respected and valued in the community. Most importantly, they can declare themselves as Atheist-, Christian-, Pagan- or Buddhist-UUs and be in their spiritual home. Creating a pluralistic, diverse community requires great intentionality. Strong, loving, respectful relationships between youth-youth, youth-adults, and adults-adults are essential in this model. A core element of the ministry of the church is to provide ways for these relationships to develop, mechanisms for monitoring the health of these relationships and processes for healing when these relationships fail.
Summary
I assert that the principles of the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) provide a foundation for effective ministry to, with and through youth. However, many adults who are in the position of modeling Unitarian Universalism are not educated in UU history and may not be comfortable articulating the concepts of the UU faith tradition. The pluralistic quality of Unitarian Universalism makes it a very complex religion to teach. Unitarian Universalism is an experiential, living tradition that calls people to their own responsible search for truth and meaning. Assigning an equal priority to lifespan faith development and worship will provide more people with the tools to build their own theology and more clearly articulate their faith.
Unitarian Universalism calls people to action in creating a more loving and just society. Developing and nurturing relationships between people of all ages is a key function of the ministry of the church. Using the principles as a foundation to promote strong youth-adult relations and integrate youth in all aspects of congregational life will create more balanced and healthy congregations. Then we can move toward a world community of peace, liberty and justice for all.
Resources
- "Our Roots," by Harry Scholefield and Paul Sawyer.
- The Unitarian Universalist Pocket Guide. Edited by William F. Schulz. Boston: UUA, 1993.
- UUA Bylaws, Article II, Section C-2.1
- "Examples: Religious Education at Home: A Handbook for Parents Church of the Larger Fellowship," Boston, 1998.
- "Parents as Spiritual Guides," by Roberta and Christopher Nelson. UUA, Boston, 2001.
- "The Inclusive Congregational Approach to Youth Ministry," Four Views of Youth Ministry and the Church, by Malan Nel. Edited by Mark H. Senter III. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 2001.
- "Adolescent Leadership Development in the Unitarian Universalist Faith Tradition," by Jan Taddeo. Research project, Wesley Theological Seminary, 2006.
Last updated on Monday, May 12, 2008.
