The take home message of this gathering for reverence was that perhaps we should stop trying.
Teaching from many centuries ago says we could stop being afraid and stop trying to force reality. We could learn the mystery of surrender and trust. And we may find, then, that what needs to be done will be done to us, through us, with us, in us and very often, in spite of us. That through learning to be still, to trust in surrender and to surrender in trust, we feed the good side of our nature and collaborate with the emergence of good in the world. This sounds like a message from the oriental religions: Buddhism (especially Zen Buddhism), and Taoism. But, as it’s a universal message, we can find it also in the Bible (book of Exodus Chp14 v14).
We may now be in a dark spell for politics and behaviours both for society, and for the survival of humankind itself in terms of the climate and eco-system catastrophes, and it may be very difficult to remain still and quiet in the face of it all. Nonetheless, there are positive things we can do, to bring about change that we long for.
We can feed the right side of ourselves.
We can read the right literature.
We can tell each other the right stories about each other.
The gathering itself was characterised by a series of contrasts drawn between various pairs of opposites. We heard from Franciscan author Richard Rohr that the form and effects of dominative (aka political) power can be contrasted with the subversive anti-establishment message of the Bible. Then there was a contrast between the role and power of anger to make change, and the role and power of joy to make change.
In terms that tipped a hat to Unitarian Universalist theologian James Luther Adams, our will to power as against our will to mutuality was illustrated by an ancient folk tale about the two sides to human nature — the two wolves within. It is often but inaccurately said that all Unitarians hold to the idea of ‘original goodness’ of each human being, rather than the traditional Christian idea of ‘original sin’; but Adams very helpfully bins both of these as simplistic. Rather, Adams stands with classical Greek thinking, and places the twinned tragic-comic nature of human at the base of our being. This surely more faithfully represents our lived experience.
The service was held in the week following the coronation of King Charles III, and lightly it played on the word 'kingdom'. The candle in the chalice was lit to words attributed to Jesus in the third verse of the Gospel of Thomas, about the kingdom being within us and outside us. It goes on, “When you know yourselves, then shall you be known, and you shall know that you are the children of the living Mother Father. But if you do not know yourselves, then you are in poverty, and you are poverty.”
There was a reading from the book of Mark (Ch 10 vv 42-45) in which a picture was drawn of those who wish to exercise power, contrasting that with the demand that we each serve the other — which, though it is not written in these terms in the Bible, is actually a requirement for the survival of our species. Following that, one of the prayers offered was adapted from the prayer offered by King Charles during the Coronation service.
There was also a contrast made between personal transformation within, and activity towards progressive change in society. It was suggested, in line with the thoughts of Richard Rohr, that if we allow ourselves internal transformation, then the external transformation we so long for will generally follow. More slowly, but more lastingly, than if we try to lunge directly for justice via ungrounded activism.
Notably, there was also a reference to a book titled Humankind: a hopeful history, by Rutger Bregman. This is a contemporary, close scrutiny of evidence often sidelined by a cynical society and ignorant mainstream media. It is a study of humanity, that shows we do, in real terms, have a tendency towards goodwill. Despite depressing urban myths, as a species, we tend to be kind to each other more often than we are unkind to each other.
But the gathering was more than an ideas shop. As a community seeking paradise, we invite participants to see reverence as primarily about direct experience, as opposed to a chance for intellectual stimulation. There were plenty of experiential interludes, from formal hymn-singing to wordless, incidental music. There were a couple of chants, one written by a UK Unitarian, and another by an American musician, inspired by a contemporary Hindu teacher. There were silences, guided self-reflections, and sharing of joys and concerns; and for those for whom it holds meaning, there were spoken prayers and periods for silent prayer.
