Virtue can only flourish among equals. ~ Mary Wollstonecraft
E is for Equal:
where women and men
Can listen and speak,
and say “No!” or “Amen” …
EQUAL Within Unitarian Universalism women and men are completely equal – while many conventional religions reflect within themselves the inequalities of the culture around them – where women are often considered second-class in thinking, second-class in virtue, and second-class humans. The UU faith claims the highest percentage of pulpits served by women of any mainline denomination.
Males are generally dominant everywhere in our culture, in courts, politics, banking, medicine, education and religion; they earn more money for work identical to what women do, are consulted much more than are women, and run most of the government. What women have to say is not always valued. However among UU’s, women are presumed to hold the same level of gifts and abilities as do men, and many UU church leaders are – and have been since the beginning – women.
In UUism, a woman’s “no” is as powerful as a man’s, and her endorsement or “Amen” just as meaningful. Our denomination was the first in the U.S. to sanction a woman as minister, the Reverend Olympia Brown, in 1863. Unitarian Universalist women have been among the most famous in U.S. history, like Susan B. Anthony, Beatrix Potter, Amy Lowell, Julia Ward Howe, Clara Barton and Abigail Adams.
Ministry in the UU faith is similiar to ministry in Jewish or Protestant denominations. The UU communities own and operate their own churches, and are responsible for choosing a minister qualified for the task.
“Never doubt that a small group of
thoughtful, committed citizens can
change the world; indeed it’s the
only thing that ever has.”
~ Margaret Mead
#564 Singing the Living Tradition
Unitarian Universalism is a liberal religion born of the Jewish and Christian traditions. We believe that personal experience, conscience, and reason should be the final authorities in religion. Our church acts as a gathering place where people from many faith backgrounds are able to share what they have learned and continue their spiritual growth while working together to create a world based on justice and equality for all.
Our Sunday services are held at 11 a.m. and are followed by coffee and conversation in our community room. You are welcome here.