Workshop 13: Mirages and Oases: Idealism and Utopianism

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

Humanity must ever reach out towards a New Eden. Succeeding generations smile at the crude attempts, and forthwith make their own blunders, but each attempt, however seemingly unsuccessful, must of necessity contain a germ of spiritual beauty which will bear fruit. — Clara Endicott Sears, founder…
Workshop-at-a-Glance
From Faith Like a River

Activity Minutes Welcoming and Entering 0 Opening 5 Activity 1: An Idealistic Time 25 Activity 2: The Hopedale Community 25 Activity 3: Transcendentalism 20 Activity 4: Innocence and Action 30 Faith in Action: Values and Actions Closing 5 Alternate Activity 1: Brook Farm 15 Alternate Activity 2:…
Spiritual Preparation
From Faith Like a River

Take a few minutes to center yourself to meditate, pray, or contemplate what is ultimate in your life. Consider the meaning of living by your ideals and reflect on the benefits and challenges this offers. What are your deepest values? How do you put them into action in the world?…
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: An Idealistic Time
From Faith Like a River

Activity time: 25 minutes Materials for Activity Newsprint, markers, and tape Leader Resource 1, Unitarian Universalist Idealism Leader Resource 2, World Situation Time Line of UU History from Workshop 1 Preparation for Activity Copy Leader Resource 1, Unitarian Universalist Idealism and Leader…
Activity 2: The Hopedale Community
From Faith Like a River

Activity time: 25 minutes Materials for Activity Story, “The Hopedale Community” Optional: Computer and digital projector Preparation for Activity Read the story “The Hopedale Community” and prepare to present it….
Activity 3: The Transcendentalists
From Faith Like a River

Activity time: 20 minutes Materials for Activity Leader Resource 3, Transcendentalism Leader Resource 4, Words of the Transcendentalists Basket or bowl to pass among the group Preparation for Activity Print out Leader Resource 3, Transcendentalism, and familiarize yourself with its contents….
Activity 4: Innocence and Action
From Faith Like a River

Activity time: 30 minutes Materials for Activity Newsprint, markers, and tape Handout 1, Love and Power Handout 2, Of Madmen and Martyrs Optional: Computer and digital projector Preparation for Activity Copy Handout 1, Love and Power and Handout 2, Of Madmen and Martrys. Write on newsprint, and…
Closing
From Faith Like a River

Activity time: 5 minutes Materials for Activity Chalice, candle, and lighter or LED battery-operated candle Taking It Home Optional: Faith in Action from this workshop and/or Spiritual Preparation from Workshop 14 Preparation for Activity Download and customize Taking It Home as a handout….
Leader Reflection and Planning
From Faith Like a River

After the workshop, co-leaders should talk to evaluate this workshop and plan future ones. 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? How was it…
Faith In Action: Values and Actions
From Faith Like a River

Materials for Activity Two sheets of poster board Collage materials, including markers, photos, scissors, tape and glue sticks Preparation for Activity Research past and current social action stands taken by your congregation. Obtain documents that state your community’s shared values and ideals,…
Alternate Activity 1: Brook Farm
From Faith Like a River

Activity time: 15 minutes Materials for Activity A copy of the story “Brook Farm” Preparation for Activity Print out the story and prepare to read or tell it. Or, invite a participant to read or tell it, and provide them with the story in advance….
Alternate Activity 2: Fruitlands
From Faith Like a River

Activity time: 15 minutes Materials for Activity A copy of the story “Fruitlands” Leader Resource 5, Louisa May Alcott, Portrait Optional: Computer and digital projector Preparation for Activity Print out the story and prepare to read or tell it. Or, invite a participant to read or tell it, and…
Alternate Activity 3: Spiritualism
From Faith Like a River

Activity time: 15 minutes Materials for Activity Newsprint, markers, and tape Leader Resource 6, Spiritualism Preparation for Activity Print out Leader Resource 6, Spiritualism and familiarize yourself with its contents….
Taking It Home: Mirages and Oases: Idealism and Utopianism
From Faith Like a River

Humanity must ever reach out towards a New Eden. Succeeding generations smile at the crude attempts, and forthwith make their own blunders, but each attempt, however seemingly unsuccessful, must of necessity contain a germ of spiritual beauty which will bear fruit. — Clara Endicott Sears, founder…
Brook Farm
From Faith Like a River

The Brook Farm Institute of Agriculture and Education of West Roxbury, Massachusetts (1841-1847) was the idea and creation of Unitarian minister and Transcendentalist George Ripley….
Fruitlands
From Faith Like a River

The Con-Sociate Family of Harvard, Massachusetts (June 1843-January 1844) was popularly known as Fruitlands because its founders planned to live off the fruits of the land. Members expected a daily schedule of farm work mixed with literary pursuits and philosophical discussion. Early rising, cold…
The Hopedale Community
From Faith Like a River

In 1839, Adin Ballou, a radical minister who served both Universalist and Unitarian churches, was one of those who published the “Standard of Practical Christianity.” The Standard read, in part: We are Christians. Our creed is the New Testament. Our religion is love. Our only law is the will of God.
Handout 1: Love and Power
From Faith Like a River

Excerpted from “Love and Power: The Universalist Dilemma” by the Rev. Rosemary Bray McNatt, first presented as the John Murray Distinguished Lecture at the UUA General Assembly in Boston, June 2003. Used with permission….
Handout 2: Of Madmen and Martyrs
From Faith Like a River

Excerpted from “Of Madmen and Martyrs: A Unitarian Take on Knoxville,” a blog post by Sara Robinson published July 28, 2008 on the Orcinus website. Used with permission. We are an odd group, we Unitarians. Conventional wisdom says that we’re soft in all the places our society values toughness….
Leader Resource 1: Unitarian Universalist Idealism
From Faith Like a River

Unitarian Universalism has historically embraced both an exalted view of human nature and a confidence in the grace of God. Our Universalist forebears embraced the doctrine that all are saved….
Leader Resource 2: World Situation
From Faith Like a River

One of the most remarkable periods of idealism for both Unitarianism and Universalism arose during the 1800s. Spurred by the mechanical and industrial revolutions, the 19th-century was a time of great fermentation of new ideas. On the scientific front, the century saw the development of general…
Leader Resource 3: Transcendentalism
From Faith Like a River

In the climate of 19th-century Romanticism, a philosophy of religion arose that incorporated the new ideal of personal emotional experience. Transcendentalism was never an organized religion in its own right; many who espoused a Transcendentalist philosophy remained part of the Unitarian church….
Leader Resource 4: Words of the Transcendentalists
From Faith Like a River

The Religion that is afraid of science dishonours God and commits suicide. It acknowledges that it is not equal to the whole of truth, that it legislates, tyrannizes over a village of God’s empires but is not the immutable universal law….
Leader Resource 5: Louisa May Alcott, Portrait
From Faith Like a River

From the Unitarian Universalist Association archives.
Leader Resource 6: Spiritualism
From Faith Like a River

The spiritualist movement that emerged in Europe and the United States in the 19th century held that humans could communicate with the spirits of those who had departed the earthly realm….
Find Out More
From Faith Like a River

Ballou, Adin. http://books.google.com/books?id=sXdDAAAAIAAJ&dq=ballou+history+hop… of the Hopedale Community (Lowell, MA: Thompson and Hill — The Vox Populi Press, 1897) Buescher, John B. The Other Side of Salvation: Spiritualism and the Nineteenth-Century Religious Experience (Boston: Skinner…