Workshop 10: Rise in the Sea: Universalism

Beautiful orange sunset over a deep blue ocean. — Tapestry is Sunsetting

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Part of Faith like a River: Themes from Unitarian Universalist History

In This Section

Introduction
From Faith Like a River

Universalists are often asked to tell where they stand. The only true answer to give to this question is that we do not stand at all, we move. — L. B. Fisher, A Brief History of the Universalist Church for Young People (1904) This workshop examines the character and contributions of Universalism,…
Workshop-at-a-Glance
From Faith Like a River

Activity Minutes Welcoming and Entering 0 Opening 5 Activity 1: John Murray and the Deacon 20 Activity 2: Universal Salvation to Universalism 15 Activity 3: We Are Universalists 35 Activity 4: Life-Changing Beliefs 30 Faith in Action: Exploring Your Congregation’s History — Long-Term Project…
Spiritual Preparation
From Faith Like a River

Set aside time to consider the meaning of “salvation” to you. History has seen many ideas of salvation. One dictionary definition of salvation is “God’s activities in bringing humans into a right relationship with God and with one another.” Consider these questions: How would you define salvation?
Welcoming and Entering
From Faith Like a River

Materials for Activity Newsprint, markers, and tape Sign-in sheet and pen/pencil Name tags and markers Workshop 1, Leader Resource 1, Schedule Template Workshop 1, Handout 2, Time Line of UU History Preparation for Activity Create and post a workshop agenda on newsprint. The Workshop-at-a-Glance…
Opening
From Faith Like a River

Activity time: 5 minutes Materials for Activity Chalice, candle, and lighter or LED battery-operated candle Optional: Decorative cloth Preparation for Activity Set up a worship or centering table with the chalice and (optional) decorative cloth. Optional: Invite a participant in advance to act as…
Activity 1: John Murray and the Deacon
From Faith Like a River

Activity time: 20 minutes Materials for Activity Story, “John Murray and the Deacon” Leader Resource 1, John Murray, Portrait Optional: Computer and digital projector Optional: Hand-held or wireless microphones Preparation for Activity Copy the story “John Murray and the Deacon” for all…
Activity 2: Universal Salvation to Universalism
From Faith Like a River

Activity time: 15 minutes Materials for Activity Newsprint, markers, and tape Leader Resource 2, Universal Salvation to Universalism Preparation for Activity Print out Leader Resource 2, Universal Salvation to Universalism and become familiar with its contents….
Activity 3: We Are Universalists
From Faith Like a River

Activity time: 35 minutes Materials for Activity Leader Resource 3, We Are Universalists Leader Resource 4, Photos of Early 1900s Universalists in North Carolina Bowl or basket Workshop 1, Handout 2, Time Line of UU History Optional: Computer and digital projector Preparation for Activity Print o…
Activity 4: Life-Changing Beliefs
From Faith Like a River

Activity time: 30 minutes Materials for Activity Newsprint, markers, and tape Leader Resource 5, Life-Changing Beliefs Preparation for Activity Print out Leader Resource 5, Life-Changing Beliefs and prepare to present its contents. Write these questions on separate sheets of newsprint, and set…
Closing
From Faith Like a River

Activity time: 5 minutes Materials for Activity Chalice, candle, and lighter or LED battery-operated candle A copy of Singing the Living Tradition, the Unitarian Universalist hymnbook Taking It Home Optional: Faith in Action from this workshop and/or Spiritual Preparation from Workshop 11…
Leader Reflection and Planning
From Faith Like a River

After the workshop, co-leaders should talk together to evaluate this workshop and plan future workshops. Use these questions to guide your shared reflection and planning: What parts of the workshop worked well and which did not? Why? How was the success, or lack of success, related to the topics?
Faith In Action: Exploring Your Congregation's History - Long-term Project
From Faith Like a River

Description of Activity If the group has not yet begun this activity, read Workshop 9, Faith in Action and plan to introduce it to the group.
Alternate Activity 1: Paradise Is Ours
From Faith Like a River

Activity time: 30 minutes Materials for Activity Leader Resource 6, Paradise Is Ours Handout 1, Paradise in the Psalms Preparation for Activity Print out Leader Resource 6, Paradise Is Ours and prepare to present its contents. Copy Handout 1, Paradise in the Psalms….
Alternate Activity 2: Origen
From Faith Like a River

Activity time: 20 minutes Materials for Activity Leader Resource 7, Origen of Alexandria Handout 2, Excerpt from De Principiis Preparation for Activity Become familiar with the contents of Leader Resource 7, Origen of Alexandria. Make copies of Handout 2, Excerpt from De Principiis….
Alternate Activity 3: A Generous Heaven
From Faith Like a River

Activity time: 10 minutes Materials for Activity A recording of Susan Werner’s song, “(why is your) heaven so small” from her CD The Gospel Truth (2007, Sleeve Dog Records), and a music player Preparation for Activity Download or obtain the MP3 file or CD, and test the music player….
Taking It Home: Rise in the Sea: Universalism
From Faith Like a River

Universalists are often asked to tell where they stand. The only true answer to give to this question is that we do not stand at all, we move. — L. B. Fisher, A Brief History of the Universalist Church for Young People (1904) The doctrine of universal salvation rests on a theology of a supreme…
John Murray and the Deacon
From Faith Like a River

From John Murray, Letters and Sketches of Sermons, (Boston, 1812), as quoted in David B. Parke’s book, The Epic of Unitarianism.John Murray, a Methodist preacher from England, is often credited with being the founding father of Universalism in America….
Handout 1: Paradise in the Psalms
From Faith Like a River

Psalm 65: A Psalm of David. A Song. (1)Praise is due to you, O God, in Zion; and to you shall vows be performed, (2)O you who answer prayer! To you all flesh shall come. (3)When deeds of iniquity overwhelm us, you forgive our transgressions….
Handout 2: Excerpt from De Principiis
From Faith Like a River

English translation of Origen’s De Principiis, Book I, Chapter 6.3, “On the End of Consummation” from Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson, eds., The Ante-Nicean Fathers Translations of the Fathers Down to A.D. 325, Vol, 4 (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1994)….
Leader Resource 1: John Murray, Portrait
From Faith Like a River

From the Unitarian Universalist Association archives.
Leader Resource 2: Universal Salvation to Universalism
From Faith Like a River

Universal salvation, or universalism, is the theological belief that, through the goodness, mercy and love of God, all people will be saved; that is, all people will be forgiven their sins and granted eternal life. The idea that all people would be saved is a very old one….
Leader Resource 3: We are Universalists
From Faith Like a River

Phineas Taylor Barnum (1810-1891) — “The noblest art is that of making others happy, honesty, sobriety, industry, economy, education, good habits, perseverance, cheerfulness, love to God and good will toward men.” This was the philosophy of P. T. Barnum, the greatest American showman of the 19th…
Leader Resource 4: Photos of Early 1900s Universalists in North Carolina
From Faith Like a River

From the Unitarian Universalist Association archives.
Leader Resource 5: Life-Changing Beliefs
From Faith Like a River

Even as a young girl, Mary Ashton Rice Livermore was tortured by the idea that only some were destined for salvation. She would awaken her parents in the middle of the night begging them to pray for her sisters lest their souls be eternally lost….
Leader Resource 6: Paradise Is Ours
From Faith Like a River

In modern, Western, Christian conception, salvation occurs only after death. In their book Saving Paradise (Beacon Press, 2008), Rita Nakashima Brock and Rebecca Ann Parker write, “Theologians speak of sacred and profane time, of salvation history and of hope. They interpret the expulsion of Adam…
Leader Resource 7: Origen of Alexandria
From Faith Like a River

Origen of Alexandria (c. 185-250 CE) was an early Christian theologian who articulated ideas of universal salvation in ways that led his critics to charge him with heresy centuries after his death. From all accounts, Origen was a brilliant, gifted, and prolific scholar who studied science,…
Find Out More
From Faith Like a River

More Universalist Stories in this Program Adin Ballou (1803-1890) — Universalist minister and founder of the Hopedale utopian community, Workshop 13 Quillen Shinn (1845-1907) — Universalist evangelist, Workshop 16 Winchester Profession (1803) — A Collection of Covenants and Statements of…