Rev. Dr. Sheri Prud’homme reflects on the interplay of Unitarian Universalism’s theological heritage and the shared values from the proposed revision of Article II and offers some pieces, like those of a patchwork quilt, that don’t aim to be an end unto themselves but a beginning. May these reflections inspire engagement with our theological heritage and our contemporary expressions of Unitarian Universalism.

Introduction

In a patchwork quilt, each piece of fabric contains a story in itself – where, when, and how it was made; what other garment or fabric it was once part of; who created and touched the fabric. Sewn together, the quilt collectively tells other stories and goes on to be part of yet more stories in the lives of the many beings who interact with it.

In piecing together our theological heritage as Unitarian Universalists, we draw from many sources. There are text-based sources passed down through the years – the written works of sermons, essays, and books. For some, it is easy to get pulled into an exclusive relationship with the written word and forget the myriad other sources for theological reflection, as Dr. Takiyah Amin has noted. We can also draw from the lived experiences of Unitarian Universalists, the architecture of our churches, the music and hymns we invoke in worship, the patterns and habits of our lives, our organizations, and our histories.

Some of us grapple with the very notion of theology. Dr. Anthony Pinn, a contemporary humanist theologian influential in Unitarian Universalism, can be helpful here. In his book, The End of God Talk: An African American Humanist Theology, he writes, “Theology is a method for critically engaging, articulating, and discussing the deep existential and ontological issues endemic to human life.” In naming the subject of theology as the deepest questions of existence and of being, both inextricably woven into human life, Pinn helps us break free from the false but often touted idea that theology is solely the study of God, as the Greek roots of the word might lead us to conclude.

Theology is about what it means to be human in the cosmos, how we are related to all that is, including that which we hold to be most sacred.

Rev. Dr. Prud’homme offers the following theological reflections from the perspective of her layered identities as a white, American, cisgender, lesbian, upper middle class, woman, mother, daughter, Unitarian Universalist minister, theologian, and educator who currently does not have a disability. May these pieces be only the beginnings of many quilts of theological reflection and discussion.