Tapestry of Faith: What We Choose: An Adult Program on Ethics for Unitarian Universalists

Activity 4: Anthony Pinn and Black Humanism

Part of What We Choose

Activity time: 15 minutes

Materials for Activity

Preparation for Activity

  • Copy the story for all participants.

Description of Activity

Distribute the story and invite participants to read it silently to themselves. Hold silence for a couple of minutes, then lead a conversation with these questions:

  • What are you thinking as you reflect on Pinn's story?
  • What do you understand better or more clearly as a result of this story? What is less clear to you than it was before?
  • What questions does the story raise for you? Does anything you read puzzle you?
  • How is Pinn's ethical framework similar to the frameworks presented by Cannon and De La Torre? How is it different?
  • Does Pinn challenge any assumptions you may have held about our Unitarian Universalist faith? About race? About the moral/ethical challenges facing Unitarian Universalists today?
  • Do you agree with Jones, and with Pinn, that Unitarian Universalism has failed to develop an understanding of power as it relates to our social ethics?
  • Does Pinn change your thinking about the opening scenario for this workshop, concerning the proposed donation of Halloween costumes? If so, how?

Assure participants that this conversation can only begin to touch on some of the issues raised and challenge them to take time in the days and weeks ahead to reread the resources and find out more about the ethical frameworks presented in this workshop. Limit the large group conversation to allow enough time for Activity 5.

Including All Participants

Create a large-print handout that includes the story as well as the discussion questions, to assist those who are visually impaired.