The Most Radical Thing We Can Do…….

Cathy Cordes, UUPCC Executive Director

Reading

“We are the people,’ writes Rev. David Bumbaugh, “whose religion is based on the practice of reason, freedom and tolerance.  Whether we are talking about Unitarians in Transylvania, India, the Philippines,  England, or New England; whether we are talking about Unitarians in the sixteenth century or the eighteenth century or at the end of the twentieth century, that is our distinguishing mark – …the style of our religious life: a fierce and abiding commitment to reason and to freedom and to tolerance.  And that religious style which is our hallmark, was created and crafted in Transylvania over four centuries ago, and is still cherished there by people who have suffered for their faith more than we can imagine.  Someone needs to witness their struggle and care about its outcome.  If not we, who have inherited their religious method, then who?  And if not now, then when?”[1]

Second Reading

Rev. Rob Eller-Isaacs UU minister of Unity Church in St Paul, MN writes: “ It was the result of a series of debates convened in 1568 by John Sigismond, Prince of Transylvania, for the purpose of forging a lasting peace among warring Christian factions.  Catholics, Calvinists, Lutherans. Sigismond’s champion in the debates was Francis David, who along with the prince’s physician, George Biandratta and their mutual friend Faustus Socinus would found a new faith.” Sprung from traditional faith, the new faith challenged the tradition that - those who were subordinate - would follow the religion of the ruler. “It would be a faith sprung from the tap root of the Christian tradition but it would be different. In place of fractious doctrinal disputes, would be a stern defense of the freedom to think for oneself.  In place of fear and superstition, would be a gracious, open-hearted pledge to the use of reason in human affairs. In place of bloody wars, would be a generous toleration of the many ways to pray.” [2]

The edict, written in 1568, states in part:

 “No one shall compel them for their souls would not be satisfied,  - they shall be permitted to keep a preacher whose teaching they approve. Therefore none of the superintendents or others shall abuse the preachers, no one shall be reviled for his religion by anyone,… and it is not permitted that anyone should threaten anyone else by imprisonment or by removal from his post for his teaching. ---- For faith is the gift of God---- and this comes from hearing, which hearing is by the word of God.”  

The Most Radical Thing We Can Do

In my home church – Bedford, MA we have a saying that we like so much we made it a bumper sticker --- “The most radical thing we can do is to introduce people to one another.” That’s what I do.  I introduce people to one another.  

As Executive Director of the Unitarian Universalist Partner Church Council I oversee an organization that was formed in 1993.  Our mission is to foster and support partner church relationships between North American congregations and congregations in all other countries where partnering is sought and welcomed.” The most critical aspect of these partnerships is that people are introduced to one another.  When that happens, there is no way to predict the outcome – there are as many stories as there are partners. 

I will tell you some of these stories but first --it may come as a surprise to you to know that there are Unitarians and Universalists in Australia, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, India, New Zealand, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Republic of South Africa, Transylvania-Romania, Russia, Spain, Sri Lanka, the United Kingdom, and of course, the United States.

In the spirit of  introducing you to another – let me tell you about a few of these countries where UUPCC supports partnerships. The first partnerships were formed in the early 1990’s with churches in the Transylvanian region of Romania.  With the fall of Communism in Dec. 1989 it became possible for us to connect with the Unitarians of Transylvania. The roots of our Unitarian faith of today can be found in the freedom, reason and tolerance that was the foundation of that religion born in Transylvania over 400 years ago.  Today there are about 80,000 Unitarians in about 120 churches in Transylvania. About 100 of them are in partnership with North American UU churches.

Four of the 32 churches in India are in partnership with North American UU churches. The Unitarians of India live mostly in the northeast corner of India near the Himalayas. This area became part of India under British rule. Along with colonial rule came the missionaries. Spencer Levan, in his book on the Unitarians of India,[3] tells us that for the Khasis, that meant Welch Presbyterians, who came in the early nineteenth century. They introduced a school system, a written form of the Khasi language (using our English alphabet), and the Christian religion. Welch Christianity argued that God was male, three-part, and harshly judgmental. One person who went through the new Welch school system rebelled against this view. His name was Hajom Kissor Singh, and he proposed a new religion that reclaimed the traditional tribal beliefs of monotheism in a progressive new form.

He established several congregations based upon these beliefs. English missionaries told him he sounded like a Unitarian and he was put in touch with British and American Unitarians. He recognized the common beliefs. He received support for the churches he was establishing. His churches became known as Unitarian, as they are still. Their number has grown steadily in recent decades and now there are about 8000 in 32 congregations and 5 fellowships.

Three of the 18 Universalist churches on the island of Negros in the Philippines are partnered with North American UU churches. Their roots come from independence from colonial rule also; a blending of old and new beliefs.  Fred Muir, in his book on the Universalists of the Philippines[4] writes that their primary leader - Toribio Quimada - lost his “license” as a minister in the Iglesia Universal de Cristo church and was eventually excommunicated when he started preaching that “a loving God is not capable of preparing a place called hell where people would be tormented forever with fire.  How could a loving God damn humanity? he asked. He preached that the contradictions found in the Bible are proof that the Holy Bible is not the word of God but an inspired book written by inspired people.  He preached that Jesus Christ is not the Son of God, rather a gifted son of Joseph and Mary, who is divinely commissioned to be the messenger of God’s message of justice, equality and compassion. He connected with the Universalist Service Committee in 1953 by writing to the Gloucester, MA Universalist Church.  He had found the address in a U.S. newspaper used as packing material. (Before the days of internet!) There are now 18 churches and fellowships on Negros with about 500 members

Okay so there are UUs in other parts of the world. So what?  Why should I care? We have enough to keep us busy here at home. Threats to our civil liberties - to our democratic principles of governance – problems of hunger and homelessness – there’s much to keep a caring community busy with making a difference and helping to change lives here in the U.S. We don’t need to go beyond our own borders.

But everyday the American government goes beyond our borders and represents us to the rest of the world.  And everyday American businesses go beyond our borders and represent us to the rest of the world.  And everyday the Mormon Church, the Baptist Church, Jehovah’s Witnesses and others send missionaries to other countries and represent us to the rest of the world.  “Not me” you say.  ‘They do not represent my views, they do not represent my values.” But when people see Americans in their country they don’t stop to think about whether or not these Americans represent all Americans. To badly paraphrase Pogo “They have seen the Americans, and the Americans is us.”

 Even in the very poor rural villages of Transylvania they watch MTV and CNN and  reruns of Dallas and other old sitcoms.

 Here is what one young minister Kinga-Reka Zsigmond from Transylvania said about this:[5]

“These days, after a long period of being separated by the iron curtain, our doors are open to the West. Like servants who peek through the door lock into the landlord’s fancy room, we, from Eastern Europe peek into your Western, advanced “Hollywood life”. Of course sometimes we feel a little bit of bitterness looking at you, - you who don’t have to think about what are you going to eat the next day, nor about how to purchase a TV set,  the status symbol of the advanced, enlightened life.

“We see you as a model for the fulfilled, happy life, and we try to imitate your lifestyle, your way of speaking, your way of making art, your way of dressing up, your way of living a fulfilled life.

“We Eastern Europeans,” Kinga says, “believe that you, North Americans are our saviors.  In Transylvania today, many missionaries come from Evangelical and fundamentalist churches of the United States.  They are so successful in Romania, no matter what denomination they belong to, because what matters is, that they are from the dream-world of America.

“We also have to struggle with these new problems, she continues.  It is what we call the flow of the Western and North American culture over us. The problem is, that the light things come first, the cheap and disgusting movies and music, and the sentimental, and anti-liberal,  religious beliefs. They are attractive representations of the American culture.

“I know that the guest who asks for something starting at the very first moment is an uncomfortable one, however I do have a request for you,” Kinga states. “Please, let us know the other side of America. Please let us know the democratic, tolerant, realistic ways of living and believing. Instead of action movies, instead of malls, instead of ongoing consumption, let us know the liberal, compassionate American human.”

People in foreign countries need to experience the real, flesh and blood Americans –-  Americans who know there is more to America than military might, oil pursuits and proselytizing missionaries. We can no longer avoid the reality of the picture of Americans overseas.

Almost 200 North American UU churches, 19 in your own district, have answered Kinga’s call for partnership. UUA President William Sinkford speaks of the need for Unitarian Universalists to bring advocacy and witness to the international arena.  Standing in partnership with Unitarians and Universalists around the world, sharing our lives together, sets the stage for innumerable opportunities for advocacy and witness. And when we stand together in partnership we are all a little taller, a little stronger and a little more powerful.

These partnerships have changed the lives of North Americans and their partners.

Here - in the words of one of Kinga’s colleagues Lajos Lorenczi[6] - are a few ways that these partnerships have changed the lives of congregations in Transylvania.

“The most spectacular impact is the substantial one. [Stripped of the ownership of any income producing land or buildings] the church became more and more poor. Since 1990, with substantial monetary help from our partners we have renovated, repaired our buildings, which are for us not only places for worship or properties of the church, but are symbols as well.

“With your help we have built new churches. We have established centers, for the care of our old people, Youth Centers and high school dormitories, which give us places to live our faith.

Lajos goes on to say, “The most important way to keep in touch is to visit each other, which makes the partnership real. When we prepare for visitors from the partner church many congregants join in the preparing, there is more life in the church, bring us closer to each other. Visits and worshiping together have good impact in congregational life. This influence can be observed on ministers. The connection with UU ministers changes our belief in some questions. Makes us to think more open. Then ministers can change the congregants’ beliefs.

When they visit North America Lajos says, “We can have a look into life of UU churches and can use at home what we find helpful. We learned how wide can be the diversity in a UU congregation and how can it be accepted. We, who have been speaking about tolerance since the 16th century, can learn from you how to live it, how to accept others.

“We started to think about how we can keep our traditions and still be open, for example, to other language speakers in Transylvania and accept them in our church. We pay more attention to the concrete social and global questions (for example: peace, justice, gays and lesbians).We learned to appreciate our heritage, to value our 435-year old history. Being in contact with you we pay more attention to ourselves, too.

And finally he says, “The third kind of impact is the ethical. We feel we are not alone in this world, we have partners, friends, brothers and sisters in the most powerful country in the world. It means a lot for us. Who live as a minority, both as Hungarians and Unitarians. The impact of the partnership on the Romanian Government through the American Embassy is also very important. The status of the Unitarian Church has been increased and we have new respect in the eyes of the Government.”

Partnership changes lives. It’s pretty easy for us to understand how it might change the lives of those in Eastern Europe or India or the Philippines.  But let me share with you some stories and introduce you to some Americans whose lives have also been changed.

When we see through others eyes we see the familiar in a different way.

When I looked at the materialist American culture through the eyes of my Transylvanian friend, Edit, I saw it in a new way. I stood with her as tears ran down her face in an American grocery store.  I held her hand as she strangled mine as we walked through a mall.  She only lasted 15 minutes and would not let me buy anything. It is not just the abundance in American stores that is overwhelming, it is also the almost obscene volume of material goods.  I think more about what I buy and why I am buying it now.  My life has changed.

For the past 4 summers my husband and I have organized and chaperoned the UUPCC pilgrimage to Transylvania for North American teenagers. I have been humbled and awed by the difference it has made in their lives. I use their own words here:

Erin Baldner,[7] from the Seattle church, writes “I was a Unitarian, but I didn’t really know what that meant. Now I know, we do have a past and roots.  We have ties to people all over the world.  There are many people who have fought to keep our ideas, principles and faith alive.  Knowing this has made my own faith stronger.” 

Erika Nagel,[8] from  Houston, Texas writes, “Americans give a lot but have a lot to give. My trip has excited my interest in international development. I believe I could make a difference. I think it is vital that, in helping countries like Romania, we not try to supplant their ideals with our own. There are many things we can learn from them like how to maintain a strong sense of community and how to remain hopeful when things look hopeless and how to take pride in openness and hospitality. We have so much in the way of material things. They have so much in the way of spiritual and cultural things. I think it’s time to start an exchange.”

Erin and Erika were both 16 years old when they wrote these words when they returned from their pilgrimage.

International partnership changes lives.

I believe the work we do is critical in today’s society.  I believe that personal connections across international boundaries are the best way to build a global society.  Helping individuals in congregations form meaningful, mutual relationships changes lives - and just might help the world be a better place to live.

As Americans, we can no longer avert our eyes and live in isolation.  Our Unitarian Universalist voices need to be heard, loud and strong in international affairs. Our values are values that the world needs right now. The principles that we share with UU’s around the world – principles of reason, freedom and tolerance need to be informing public policy in global and local debates.

Partnership is hard work; sustaining partnership across great distances it is even harder. The power of what we do lies in the miracle of the personal involvement of so many individuals.  UUPCC is committed to increasing the number of individuals involved in international partnerships. It is the most radical thing we can do.