Workshop 6: Shall We Gather at the River? Religious Tolerance

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

We need not think alike to love alike. — Francis David Religious tolerance is one of the greatest values of our movement. Perhaps our faith embraces it passionately because our religious forebears were so often subjected to intolerance. Throughout Western history, religious tolerance has been a…
Workshop-at-a-Glance
From Faith Like a River

Activity Minutes Welcoming and Entering 0 Opening 5 Activity 1: Queen Isabella 25 Activity 2: What Is Tolerance? 25 Activity 3: How Broad the Umbrella? 25 Activity 4: Embracing the Religions of the World 25 Faith in Action: Reckless Borrowing or Appropriate Cultural Sharing? Closing 5 Alternate…
Spiritual Preparation
From Faith Like a River

Consider these words from adult participants in a focus group conducted by the Commission on Appraisal, as reported in Engaging Our Theological Diversity (2005): (UU Christians) understand exactly what (the humanists) feel, because their sense that “I am in the process of being thrown out of the…
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. Description of Activity Light the chalice and share…
Activity 1: Queen Isabella
From Faith Like a River

Activity time: 25 minutes Materials for Activity A copy of the story “Their Souls Would Not Be Satisfied” A crown or tiara Preparation for Activity Read the story….
Activity 2: What Is Tolerance?
From Faith Like a River

Activity time: 25 minutes Materials for Activity Newsprint, markers, and tape Leader Resource 1, Religious Tolerance Optional: Computer and digital projector Preparation for Activity Print out Leader Resource 1, Religious Tolerance and familiarize yourself with the material….
Activity 3: How Broad the Umbrella?
From Faith Like a River

Activity time: 25 minutes Materials for Activity Newsprint, markers, and tape Leader Resource 2, Freedom of Belief Optional: Computer and digital projector Preparation for Activity Print out Leader Resource 2, Freedom of Belief and familiarize yourself with its contents. Write on newsprint Henry…
Activity 4: Embracing the Religions of the World
From Faith Like a River

Activity time: 25 minutes Materials for Activity Newsprint, markers, and tape Leader Resource 3, Embracing the Religions of the World Leader Resource 4, Photo of Beltane at Charles Street Meeting House Handout 1, A Universal Religion Optional: “Reckless Borrowing or Appropriate Cultural Sharing?”…
Closing
From Faith Like a River

Activity time: 5 minutes Materials for Activity Chalice, candle, and lighter or LED battery-operated candle Handout 2, Who Is Welcome in Our Congregations?…
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: Reckless Borrowing or Appropriate Cultural Sharing?
From Faith Like a River

Materials for Activity Optional: The UUA’s Social Justice section on Multiculturalism to view the resource…
Alternate Activity 1: Toribio S. Quimada
From Faith Like a River

Activity time: 25 minutes Materials for Activity A copy of the story “Toribio S….
Taking It Home: Shall We Gather at the River? Religious Tolerance
From Faith Like a River

We need not think alike to love alike. — Francis David The Unitarian Universalist faith is sometimes captured in three words: freedom, reason, and tolerance—that is, freedom to search for truth and meaning; use of reason in all matters, including religion; and tolerance of the inevitable…
Their Souls Would Not Be Satisfied
From Faith Like a River

By the Rev. Dr. Kendyl Gibbons; used with permission. Narrator: We have a very important guest with us today. She has come all the way from Transylvania of the mid-sixteenth century to tell us of a new innovation in her day known as Unitarianism. Please make her welcome, Princess Isabella of Poland.
Toribio S. Quimada
From Faith Like a River

Toribio S. Quimada was a man who knew the meaning and effects of intolerance. Born in 1917 on the island of Cebu in the Philippines, Toribio was one of thirteen children. As a child, Toribio often heard his parents discuss religion and criticize the lax principles of the Protestant church….
Handout 1: A Universal Religion
From Faith Like a River

The Community Church is an institution of religion dedicated to the service of humanity… It substitutes for a private group of persons held together by common theological beliefs or viewpoints, the public group of citizens held together by common social interests……
Handout 2: Who Is Welcome in Our Congregations
From Faith Like a River

From Weaving the Fabric of Diversity, by Jacqui James and Judith A. Frediani (Boston: UUA, 1996). Complete this survey twice—once for the “Me” column and once for the “My Congregation” column. You will not be asked to share your responses. 1. Starting with the “Me” column, write the letter (T, M,…
Leader Resource 1: Religious Tolerance
From Faith Like a River

This workshop explores different faces of religious tolerance. Religious tolerance includes the notion that the practice of different religions should be permitted and that different religious beliefs should be accepted and understood to be valid….
Leader Resource 2: Freedom of Belief
From Faith Like a River

Full religious tolerance requires acceptance of faiths different from yours as well as acceptance of diverse beliefs among people in your own faith community. The mid-19th century was a time when Unitarianism was called to evaluate the strength of its own notion of tolerance, and to question the…
Leader Resource 3: Embracing the Religions of the World
From Faith Like a River

In the Unitarian and Universalist traditions, there have always been individuals who express not only tolerance toward other’s religions, but also acceptance of, curiosity about, and even embrace of faiths other than their own….
Leader Resource 4: Photo of Beltane at Charles Street Meeting House
From Faith Like a River

From the Unitarian Universalist Association archives.
Leader Resource 5: Maglipay Universalist
From Faith Like a River

The title means “be joyful, Universalist.” You can see a video of a congregation singing this hymn. Be joyful, Universalist, come celebrate our convention. Officials, members, all unite, rejoicing in debate that’s free, To teach the Universal Light….
Find Out More
From Faith Like a River

Eck, Diana L. A New Religious America (NY: HarperSanFrancisco, 2001) Muir, Frederic John. Maglipay Universalist: A History of the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Philippines. (2001)…