In the children's story, Sharon allayed some of the fears the adults might have had about God, assuring all, "You don't have to believe what I believe." She shared some books that might start a talk about theism started between you and your young person. Here's a reading list:
- What is God's Name? by Sasso
- What Does God Look Like? by Kushner
- Where is God? by Kushner
- God Lives in Glass by Landy
- Ayat Jamila: Beautiful Signs by Conover and Crane
- Humanism? What's That? by Bennet
- The Everything Seed by Martignacco
Sharon told the story of Rev. Bill Sinkford's journey from atheist to believer. It involves an exodus and return to First Unitarian. There was a long night waiting at his son's hospital bed. He described how his prayers evolved in the course of the night from begging to save his son to a comfort in knowing that whatever happened, Bill and Billy would be held in the hands of God.
Later, Sinkford's journey led him to become President of the UUA. His call for developing a "language of reverence" to "name the holy" caused an uproar for a while in Unitarian circles. Sharon reminded us that the conservative and fundamentalist elements of our society often hold the language that is related to God. What we hear about God is not liberal perhaps because liberals do not speak of God much at all.
The definition of God has evolved. Sharon said, "If we're free to grow and learn, we're going to change our minds." God had to change because the authoritarian God of our parents was more about power than justice and love. "In order to survive the twentieth century, God had to change."
This statement just blew me away. "God had to change." I have never thought of God as being very willing to change. But Sharon reminded me that this is true. My own process has led me from fundamentalism to atheism to agnosticism to theism. (And since Sharon introduced me to panentheism this morning, I think that might me the next step on my journey. Or maybe I'm a pantheist.) I thought I was changing. Sharon spoke of I & Thou by Martin Buber. Buber is saying you need God and God needs you. This forms the basis of Hartshorne's Process Theology. So I'm left wondering what it is God needs us to do?
Feminist theology has added to Sharon's understanding of God. Many early religions have male and female aspects of deities. Women are generally gentler. So when God is seen as feminine, God can be more caring. And thus, women can be seen as powerful.
Black Liberation Theology has also influenced Sharon's definition of God. James Cone's work has emphasized that if a God exists, God will be with the oppressed. If he is not, God is racist. Sharon says, "The day I read 'God is Black', I knew I could trust God again."
Theodicy is the justification of God in the face of suffering. If God is all powerful, how do we explain holocausts, genocide, hunger, violence? For many, there is no way to explain these horrible things if God is all powerful. So maybe God isn't all powerful. And maybe God doesn't need to be. Perhaps, the thing we call God is just the guarantee that you will not be alone in your suffering. There are people at this church who will keep that guarantee. Bill Sinkford was assured of that when his mother died. He had been away from First for some time. But someone from this congregation brought him a covered dish when his mother died and that started him on a different course in his life. Maybe we find God in the covered dish.
The minister doesn't have all the answers to this. And neither does the blogger. I'm interested to hear your opinions and thoughts on this question for the ages.
Go out into the world in peace,
G.
