Faith CoLab: Tapestry of Faith: The Wi$dom Path: An Adult Program on Money, Spirit, and Life

Activity 4: Prophetic, Parallel, and Institutional

Part of The Wi$dom Path

Activity time: 25 minutes

Materials for Activity

Preparation for Activity

  • Review Handout 4 and Story 1 and make copies.

Description of Activity

Distribute and read aloud Story 1, Unitarian Universalism Approves Fossil Fuel Divestment. Say, “The debate leading to this action was robust, and the action the General Assembly approved was, in fact, a compromise.” What arguments would you make for or against divestment in fossil fuel companies? What ethical complexities does to add to note that most of us use fossil fuels for heating and/or cooling and for transportation? Allow ten minutes for the story and the conversation.

Then, distribute Handout 4, saying that this was originally published as a handout in Resistance and Transformation: Unitarian Universalist Social Justice History. Ask participants to imagine that a quarter century from now they will be writing a chapter on Unitarian Universalist social justice history when it comes to money and investments. Suggest that the series of workshops in The Wi$dom Path has already pointed to a number of different approaches that might be part of our social justice history when it comes to money. Ask participants to divide into three groups, and ask each group to focus on one of the three social justice approaches, prophetic, parallel, or institutional. Ask each group to make a list on newsprint of the ways in which Unitarian Universalists might take principled actions around money and finance using this approach. Allow ten minutes for groups to work, and then ask each group to post their list and report back to the larger group. Invite questions, observations, and comments.

Then invite participants to consider how some or all of the three approaches—prophetic, parallel, and institutional—are represented in their personal financial behavior. How is their money activity helping to build a better world? Invite participants to respond each in turn, as they are comfortable sharing. You may wish to use the talking object.