Section 1: Your Spiritual Autobiography or Belief Statement

Read “Three Stories,” p. 9 – 19 of The Unitarian Universalist Pocket Guide. Each of those stories is part of the spiritual autobiography of a Unitarian Universalist of today. Give some thought to what story you would tell if your story were to be added to the book.

Choose and complete one of the following:

Spiritual Autobiography

Use the guidelines below, adapted from those developed by the Reverend Richard Gilbert, to write your spiritual autobiography. These are simply a guide to get you thinking; you do not need to answer all the questions or do all the exercises. You do not need to share the autobiography with your advisor unless you choose to do so. You must, however, demonstrate that you have completed it.

Your religious story is your own. Only you can decide how to tell it. Here are some ideas to get you started:

a. Life has a beginning, an end, and we are somewhere between

Draw a horizontal line in a drawing program on an electronic device or on a piece of paper. At the left margin, make a dot and write the date of your birth. At the right margin make another dot and write the date you expect to die (a reasonable estimate.) At the appropriate place along the line, write the current date. How do you feel about this?

b. Life events happen

Where have significant things happened to you?

c. All life is meeting others

Who are the three or four people who have had the greatest impact on your life? Why?

d. Experiences shape religious faith

What are two or three experiences in your life that have shaped you and why are they important to you?

e. We live in community

Which communities, religious or not, have had a lasting influence on your development?

f. We are choosing creatures

Think of the important decisions in your life and discuss what they meant to you, how they were made, and the result.

g. Some of our experiences we call religious

Think of two or three experiences that were turning points for you.

h. Life is made of joy and sorrow

List a few of the happiest and saddest experiences of your life.

i. Values

Reflect on your life and figure out what values have guided you.

Belief Statement

Read the pamphlet, Finding What We Believe (pdf). Write your own belief statement. Although they are shorter than yours likely will be, you can find samples in the pamphlet To the Point (pdf). For both pamphlets, look for “To read this pamphlet, click here” on the pamphlet’s page.

There are several ways to approach writing your belief statement. You may already have a clear understanding of your beliefs and be able to simply write them out. Alternatively, you might use the model of the Ten Commandments found in the Hebrew scriptures. What are your personal Ten Commandments? Write them out.

Share your belief statement with your advisor. Consider whether any of your beliefs have changed as a result of the Religion in Life program. Answer any questions and talk with them about how you felt doing this exercise.

Section 2: Interview

Now that you have an idea of what a spiritual autobiography or belief statement involves, arrange an interview with an adult Unitarian Universalist who is a member of your congregation. Before the interview, create a list of questions that will help the person tell you about their spiritual history. You can jot down notes during the interview, or treat the interview like a radio, television, or online interview and record it. If you have been a Unitarian Universalist since you were a young child, you may want to choose someone who came from another religion and chooses to be a Unitarian Universalist. If you came from another religion or no religion, try to interview a lifelong Unitarian Universalist.

Share what you discover with the person you interview and with your advisor.

Section 3: Values in Real Life

There is a great deal of harmony between Scouts BSA values and Unitarian Universalist values. Do one of the following:

• Read My Two Moms: Love, Strength, and What Makes a Family, by Zach Wahls (Gotham, 2013) and ask your parent/caregiver to read it as well. Talk with your family about how Zach Wahls is guided by both Boy Scout values and Unitarian Universalist values, and how you might do the same in your own family life.
• Discuss with your advisor which BSA and Unitarian Universalist values are most important in your life. How do the two sets of values harmonize?

As you end your program, find a way to thank your advisor for engaging in the program with you, such as a hand-written thank you letter, a creative or artistic work, or a handmade gift. Respond to these questions in your notebook, journal, or electronic device:

• How does being a Unitarian Universalist help you to meet the challenges of your life?
• How does it help you make the world a better place?
• What do you imagine it will be like to be a Unitarian Universalist as an older teen or young adult?

In your final meeting, share your answers and your gratitude with your advisor.