God is Love: Spirituality and Social Justice
by Rob KeithanFirst and foremost, we're Unitarian Universalists (UU). This, despite our many differences in experience and background, is the one distinct identity that we all share. For this reason, our UU identity needs to be Before we move forward, though, we need to look back. As the old at the forefront of our social justice work, because that is who we are. saying goes: "it's hard to know where you're going if you don't know where you've been." In particular, we need to understand a little of our theological history, especially as it relates to social justice. Consider the words of Frances David, court preacher to John Sigismund, the Transylvanian king whose 1568 Edict of Toleration made Unitarianism possible. Arguing that people should be allowed to choose among these faiths, he said, "We need not think alike to love alike." Even now, this is a profoundly radical statement with serious political ramifications.
The founders of modern Unitarianism in the early United States continued this tradition, emphasizing the oneness of creation, and of particular importance the need to interpret the Bible within its social and historical context. In doing so, these early 19th century Unitarians set themselves apart by emphasizing the value of using critical reason and human experience to evaluate religious teaching and tradition. Our social justice work stems directly from this: when you observe the world you see oppression, and your faith is manifest by working to end this oppression. It's the Protestant work ethic, theologically applied to activism.
From our Universalist side, we get a theological imperative that is more spiritual—the doctrine of universal love. The radical idea that God loves all people, and does not condemn people to Hell, forever changed American Protestantism. It's hard to overstate how radical and transformative their message was, especially for someone like John Murray, who was preaching in religiously conservative New England. At that time, most Christians were taught that Hell was a very real—and very likely—possibility, not only for them but for most of the world's population. Only the elect had any chance of getting into heaven. Rejecting this selective, fear-based theology, Murray said, "Give them not Hell, but Hope and Courage."
Let me tell you how this plays out for me. The centerpiece of my religious journey is figuring out exactly who I want to be and then living accordingly. While this may seem entirely individualistic, so much of who I am and how I live is connected to the world around me that I absolutely must look beyond myself for answers. For example, a major step in figuring out who I want to be is figuring out who I am now. In order to do this, I must look at the people and forces that have shaped me, from family and friends to institutions and systems. To see how the larger social forces operate, I must do this work in community. Otherwise, I have no way of knowing what's a larger trend, as opposed to something that just affects me. In addition to building relationships with others—which have a great value in their own right—this process necessarily results in seeing a great deal more oppression and suffering than you would otherwise.
What I've come to realize is that my personal journey—I daresay salvation—is tied deeply to both relationships and societal transformation. On the latter point, I've recognized that social forces and structures of oppression have a huge impact on how I live, so I must address them as part of my personal spirituality. Without relationships, this work would be impossible, unfulfilling, and frankly, boring.
I often find myself repeating the words of the Rev. Donna DiSciullo, former director of the Young Adult and Campus Ministry Office, during a Bridging Ceremony at General Assembly. "God is love," she said. "It's a simple theology, but not a simplistic one." The three words "God is Love" are, to me, perhaps the shortest and most profound expression of the connection between spirituality and social justice. These words express both a radical theological belief and set a high standard for ethical living. We may all define God differently, but the implication is still the same—we believe in the power of love, and how we treat each other matters. I seek to live my life accordingly, and I'm grateful that Unitarian Universalism gives me the space and support to do so.
Rob Keithan is the d irector of the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) Washington Office for Advocacy, and a former Young Religious Unitarian Universalist (YRUU) Programs Specialist (1995).
For more information contact youth @ uua.org.
Last updated on Friday, April 18, 2008.
