Eric Stetson – Entrepreneur and Visionary

Solving the Socioeconomic Problems of the Early 21st Century: A Vision and Plan

Posted on September 15, 2011 by Eric Stetson

Note: This essay is particularly relevant to an American audience, because the author is more familiar with American culture, institutions, and problems. However, because American ways have spread and are continuing to spread around the world as a dominant cultural paradigm of our time, much of this commentary applies to the world as a whole, not only America.

Many people today perceive the arc of history beginning to bend downward, on the wrong track, and feel a deepening sense of powerlessness, frustration, and cynicism. Although there are many specific reasons for this – the worst economy in a generation, a corrupt financial system, and political dysfunction being high on the list – the malaise of the early 21st century mostly boils down to one root cause: the observation that the society in which we live is moving away from the ideal of a broad middle class of economically secure, well-educated and well-informed people with a significant share of influence in how their civilization is organized and led. Instead, we see money and power flowing inexorably upward toward a smaller and more distant ruling class, who use the government, business, media, and other institutions they control for their own self-interest rather than to promote improvement and empowerment for the largest number of people.

Meanwhile, probably in large part as a reaction to unresolved anger and a feeling of hopelessness among the general public, extreme religious movements based on apocalypticism, escapism, and supernaturalism are on the rise and science and reason are increasingly mocked or ignored. An ever larger share of the populace, having given up on this world becoming a better place for their children and grandchildren, look to “the Rapture” or other otherworldly solutions to the existential problems they see all around them, no longer having faith in the ability or will of human beings to order their own affairs on Earth with wisdom and justice.

The awareness of this situation is unsettling to people of conscience who refuse to give up on humanity. Yet it is hard not to be deeply troubled by the realization that leaders of existing major institutions are either incapable or unwilling to do anything to rectify the vicious cycle of problems that are dragging the most advanced civilization the world has ever seen down into what could become a new dark age.

At this point, things have gone so far in the wrong direction that “working within the system” (e.g. running candidates for national political office or other traditional ways of seeking to effect change) is unlikely to bear significant fruit, because the system itself has become systematically corrupted by anti-human values and mechanisms that automatically perpetuate and reinforce the wrong ideas, belief systems, boundaries of discourse and possible outcomes. I don’t mean to suggest, however, that we should seek to tear things down – the revolutionary impulse is best directed at constructing something new rather than to destructive ends.

Neither the big-money lobbyist-driven government nor the predatory corporatist economic system will be toppled through popular protest; we are now living in an era when a determined regime can easily sustain its power even if the majority of people oppose it with disgust, because the people are so fragmented into different subcultures and ideological tribes. The most profound change comes by building a self-evidently better system, making people aware of it, and allowing the competition for human hearts and minds to bear its natural fruit. The old order will wither away from lack of perceived legitimacy; no frontal assault is needed, and such an attempt could actually be counterproductive.

The Solution in Brief

So how do we “build a better system” to supplant the thoroughly corrupted socioeconomic order and societal leadership that now exists? I believe there is a clear path to victory in this regard, and here I will briefly outline it for all who are genuinely interested in finding and implementing real solutions to the monumental problems our civilization currently faces.

A leadership vacuum is the underlying cause of our civilizational rot and popular frustration:

“Whereas human beings are ever in need of informed and inspired leadership, that they may rise to their full potential; and whereas the light of civilization tends to be diminished or even extinguished, replaced by the darkness of cynicism leading to barbarism, when bereft of adequate guidance and inspiration impelling people to reach toward a higher vision of the good, the beautiful, and the possible; and whereas increasing numbers of people in this day are turning away from traditional sources of leadership, finding them provincial, common, corrupt, spent of their spirit and purpose, or unsuited to the modern world, and seeking a worthy replacement to set their hearts aflame, unite them, and inspire them to a sacrificial and heroic life; …” (The Charter of the Center for Human Conscience: Laying the Foundation for a New World Civilization, Preamble)

In practical terms, this is what has happened and what needs to happen:

“Whereas ownership of the means of material sustenance and production and of the formation of consciousness of the masses of society has, in large part, fallen into the hands of amoral entities concerned primarily with their own immediate profit; and whereas this condition is undesirable, potentially unjust, and likely hazardous to humanity’s future; it is vitally necessary that an institution representing the best intentions of the people of the world, centered in a conscientious and beneficent vision, imbued with high values and universal principles and regarding their advancement and implementation as its very reason for existence, should gain economic power and the ability to exert influence through the channels of education, public information and discourse.” (The Charter of the Center for Human Conscience, Article 2)

The bottom line is that we need a new source of leadership that is capable of inspiring people today to come together and create a positive future for all, and that new leadership institution needs to gain influence and power in the areas of education, media, and control of key economic resources. Now for some details:

1. Education

The quality of education – the specifics of what is actually taught, and the overall purpose toward which children are educated (e.g. to be obedient workers for The Man, or to be good citizens participating in a shared evolution of society) – is one of the most important factors that determines what the world will be like in the future. Along with the parenting children receive at home, it is probably the single most crucial determining factor.

“Whereas an educated and informed citizenry is essential to a well-functioning democracy; and whereas familiarity with the greatest achievements in every field and the best contributions of every culture to humanity is an antidote to prejudice and short-sightedness and the foundation of broad-mindedness, holistic thinking, mutual understanding and peace; and in order that the people of the world may come to feel a closer kinship through the common reference points they might share, not through the effects of cultural imperialism but by the organic emergence of a global consciousness deriving from the discoveries and creations acclaimed freely by people everywhere, that the Earth might be perceived as but one home for all, undivided; let there be a Common Canon of what all well-informed people should know, including facts, theories, belief systems, creative works, and historical figures.” (The Charter of the Center for Human Conscience, Article 4)

There cannot be a well-functioning society with good values and good outcomes for its people unless most children in that society receive an education that inspires such an outcome and provides the average citizen with the mental tools and the confidence in their own self-worth and responsibility to contribute to its realization. Moreover, a truly high-quality education in this era must be global in scope and instill a consciousness of the oneness of humanity, our interdependence and dependence on the health of the planet we all share. Yet it goes without saying that education in America today falls far short of this goal. Social studies in particular has been cut from the curriculum in many schools, yet this is arguably the most essential subject for children to be taught, so that they will learn the lessons of history and see the big picture of how human civilization has developed and where it is headed.

Therefore, little is likely to change in our society (in a good way) until a new generation of people are raised with a superior educational curriculum that provides them with a deeper consciousness of human history, culture, and the profound progress that has been made and how it was made and what we must do to keep it going rather than choosing civilizational failure.

“That a greater share of influence of hearts and minds may be exercised by people of conscience in collective wisdom, let the Center for Human Conscience acquire holdings, either directly or through a subsidiary, including but not limited to private educational institutions, such as child care facilities, primary and secondary schools, colleges and universities…” (The Charter of the Center for Human Conscience, Article 2)

The public school system is not going to make the necessary changes, because most people currently don’t understand the problem and are unlikely to be persuaded to recognize and solve it – precisely because they did not receive the type of education necessary for them to do so! Therefore, people who see the big picture need to work outside the system by creating and/or supporting a network of nonprofit private schools and homeschooling programs that will offer a curriculum based on a progressive, global, historically and culturally aware perspective. These educational institutions need to offer scholarships to any child whose parents want them to leave the rotten public school system in favor of a superior alternative. The funding for this needs to be found – surely there are wealthy people who believe in our values and have the means to make it happen. Funds spent in this way would certainly bear more fruit than throwing it away on some phony politician, who will always get more money from sources with the wrong values and thus be primarily influenced in the wrong direction if elected.

2. Media

After people grow up to adulthood, their education in some sense continues through their everyday exposure to the news media. Today, most of the media is controlled by a few large corporations with two main motivations: making as much money as possible, even if deceiving people or focusing on the trivial rather than the truly important will produce higher profits; and shifting public opinion toward ideas and policies that favor the interests of unregulated predatory corporate enterprise rather than the public good. Therefore, most people in our society are continually being wrongly educated, misinformed, and thus becoming ill-informed about important facts and issues simply by watching or reading the news.

“That a greater share of influence of hearts and minds may be exercised by people of conscience in collective wisdom, let the Center for Human Conscience acquire holdings, either directly or through a subsidiary, including but not limited to … media companies, such as websites, periodicals, radio and television stations and networks; publishing and filmmaking companies that create and disseminate products for education, entertainment, and social commentary; and companies that own infrastructure through which media and communications are transmitted.” (The Charter of the Center for Human Conscience, Article 2)

In the same way that poor education of children makes it impossible for an advanced civilization to sustain itself in future generations, a biased media that is corrupted by the profit motive makes it impossible for the multitude of people to understand the problems society faces and make good decisions – whether personal, economic, or political – to help solve the problems. The result is stagnation and decline in all areas of our collective life.

We cannot expect for-profit media to change what stories they cover and how they report the news; that is the natural result of the mindset of short-term corporate gain rather than long-term public responsibility. Nor should we look to government-funded media as an answer, because such media would inevitably reflect the biases of the ruling elite, which are not necessarily consistent with the interests of higher civilization, a well-educated and well-informed populace, and the people themselves.

The solution is an extensive network of media sources owned by a nonprofit organization that exists to uphold the kind of values that produce maximum benefit for society and its people. Such a network would include all forms of media, and would also seek to gain a significant share of control over the infrastructure of transmission and dissemination of news and information, so that the public could have access to it – something which is never guaranteed when institutions that do not share the public interest or the same values are in full control over the electromagnetic spectrum, communications satellites, and internet service providers. As with the creation of a superior nonprofit educational system, funding must be provided by wealthy people who support the goal of an improved media that is liberated from the damaging for-profit model and the risks of governmental control.

3. Nonprofit Ownership of Essential Resources

Nobody believes that the air we breathe should be owned by private corporations. Yet it is seen as entirely normal and justifiable that the soil on which the food is grown that feeds the world should be primarily owned by for-profit companies. This is a dangerous assumption that needs to change. For-profit corporate ownership of the fertile agricultural lands of the world should not be the norm as it is today, because such corporate entities exist only for their own self-interest and not for the public good. If it ever became more profitable to leave vast tracts of potentially productive land uncultivated – perhaps so that the price of food would rise and this might increase the profit margin enough to be a better way to make money than producing more food at a lower price – for-profit agribusiness could choose to let poor people around the world suffer and even die, because moral concern over their fate is not typically a motivating factor in business decisions.

Starvation may increasingly become a problem as world population grows and global climate change renders unproductive much of the land that is currently suitable for agriculture, turning it to desert. Lands of the far north, where there might be moderate temperatures and sufficient rainfall in a warmer world, have very poor soil for agriculture and would be expensive to cultivate. The likely result is dramatically higher food prices that will primarily be a problem for the world’s poorest people – but which will be welcomed by the companies that own farmland.

Furthermore, history shows that landless people typically are reduced to serfdom, peonage or outright slavery. The only exception to this rule has been in the industrial era, when most people began to sell their labor to a corporation for a paycheck. As we proceed into the era of information technology, fewer and fewer jobs will be needed to keep the engines of the economy humming, because artificial intelligence and robots will be able to replace most human work. Families sold their small farms to large corporations and are now landless, seeking better opportunities by selling their labor to capitalist industry, but in the low-employment economy of the future they will not have enough wealth individually to regain a share of productive soil which they could use to survive without outside employment.

“That a greater share of wealth and stewardship of the necessities of life, heritage of the past and birthright of future generations may be secured by people of conscience in common trust, let the Center for Human Conscience acquire holdings, either directly or through a subsidiary, including but not limited to land, especially that which is or may become productive for ecologically responsible agriculture, forestry, extraction of natural resources, or generation and storage of energy, and that which should be preserved as wilderness; real estate, especially properties that may be developed or renewed for socially responsible and beneficial uses, and sites of historical and cultural significance; commodities, especially those most needed to sustain and advance civilization; and financial institutions, such as banks and thrifts.” (The Charter of the Center for Human Conscience, Article 2)

The problem is not only about who owns the farmland; it is also about all other resources that are necessary for humans to survive and thrive, both natural resources as well as financial resources that make it possible for economic growth to occur and which play a large part in determining what types of businesses will arise and grow. Regarding financial resources, it is a very troubling situation to have most of the world’s wealth concentrated in the hands of a few major banks which are for-profit entities chartered with no responsibility for the public good. This situation has emerged in recent decades and cannot be allowed to continue, or else the future development of civilization will be primarily in the hands of institutions that exist in purely for their own self-interest and without any higher vision or moral concerns.

The solution is a network of land trusts and credit unions, collectively owned by great masses of people who would share in the profits, operating on principles of long-term stewardship and sustainability under a nonprofit umbrella. Government ownership of land and other resources is not the answer to the problems caused by for-profit companies controlling the world’s resources; communism has already been tried and failed. People with wealth who understand these problems and the inadequacy of failed theories of the past need to endow a nonprofit, nongovernmental organization that exists for the benefit of humanity as a whole with large amounts of funds and properties so that it can begin building a vast portfolio of resources, and thus, over time, drive the future evolution of human civilization in the right direction – a direction that takes into consideration the ideal of an egalitarian society with a large middle class, opportunity and social mobility, and the moral duty to end poverty by ensuring that at the very least every human being will have enough to eat.

4. Global Nongovernmental Democracy

One of the main criticisms of for-profit corporations is that they are typically controlled by a very small group of large shareholders whose personal interest drives the decisions of the company. Very few businesses are controlled by their own employees. None give any significant power to the customer other than the choice of whether or not to purchase their products or services. The goal of a business is to make as much money as possible as quickly as possible, which is then primarily used to reward its executives and shareholders. No moral considerations are involved; some of the most successful enterprises in history have been based entirely on evil, such as the slave trading industry. Some modern businesses engage in grossly irresponsible activities such as clear-cutting rainforests, which harms the environment for everyone in the world. Therefore, it would be a mistake for society to vest too much power in business, both because too few people are involved in decision-making and because the process of how businesses decide what to do and how to do it does not take into account any higher principles, only a short-term profit motive.

As for government, even in what is generally considered the best form of government (representative democracy), politicians’ decisions tend to be just as short-sighted as that of businessmen, and often nearly as profit-driven, because of their desire to be reelected. Political campaigns cost tremendous amounts of money, and thus large donors and lobbyists have an inordinate amount of influence on the positions that politicians take and what they do in office. Publicly financed campaigns might reduce the problem somewhat, but would introduce a different problem: a tendency of status quo parties and policies to be sustained regardless of quality because of their advocates receiving government funds to run for office, while advocates of major change would not be considered part of the mainstream and thus would receive no public funding and would be prohibited from raising private funds. Banning lobbying, meanwhile, would only drive the bribery of government officials underground, not actually solving the problem. Non-democratic governments suffer from even worse corruption and sometimes downright evil acts by the rulers, because military coup or revolution is the only way to remove them, and both of those are uncommon and rarely seriously feared by a strong and oppressive ruler.

Is there any other option for a type of institution that could exercise some type of power or influence over the future direction of civilization? In the past, religion played a major role alongside government and business, but religious institutions that once controlled vast properties and armies – such as the Roman Catholic Church and the Caliphate – have either lost most of their power or have completely disappeared. This is probably for the best, because despite religion’s inspirational qualities, it also tends to be a divisive force. When given too much power, it is capable of some of the worst atrocities imaginable, as history shows.

When we talk about a nonprofit organization working for better education, better media, and accumulation of natural and economic resources for the benefit of the world and its people, the vision is not for something like a private business, nor a new type of government, nor a new religious institution. Perhaps the best analogues among the type of institutions that currently exist are economic cooperatives (co-ops) and nongovernmental or semi-governmental democratic parliamentary-type bodies such as professional associations, umbrella organizations for various causes, and the United Nations. Essentially, the idea is to create a major new power-base in society that emerges from the people themselves, without being a government with armies, but with a vast array of holdings such as lands, properties, and subsidiary companies and institutions.

“Whereas visionaries have dreamed of the day when a multitude of the world’s people will meet for ongoing dialogue in global parliament assembled; and whereas today, with the advent of the internet, it is practical for the first time in human history to make this enlightened vision a reality; let there be a vast, all-embracing assembly, The People’s Assembly of the World, comprised of ten thousand men and women from all nations and places on Earth, representing the great diversity of humankind in common knowledge, spirit and purpose: that the members of this Assembly may take counsel together and strive to reach consensus on matters of public importance; that it may inspire people to live better lives by eloquently expressing the guidance of humanity’s shared wisdom and collective conscience; and that it may address itself to powers and authorities with the boldness that its inherent legitimacy affords, that they may hear and heed the mighty and united voice of the informed citizens of the world, knowing that the wisdom and conscience of the people are a higher authority with greater power than them who might use wealth or weapons to attempt to enforce unwise and unjust decisions.” (The Charter of the Center for Human Conscience, Article 7)

Living as we are in the age of globalization, this new nonprofit nongovernmental institution would by necessity be global in scope and emerge from democratic voting by the people of the world. However, membership in the organization itself – the Center for Human Conscience – and the right to vote in elections for its leadership body would only be granted to people who have demonstrated that they are well enough educated in the basics of geography, science, world history and culture, etc., to participate responsibly, and who affirm the broad-minded, progressive, humanitarian principles on which the organization is based.

“Whereas the Center for Human Conscience is to be a global democratic institution representing the people of the world, let membership in the Center be granted to any person having attained twenty-one years of age who affirms, on one’s sacred honor, the First Principles declared in this Charter, and who demonstrates sufficient knowledge of the Common Canon as assessed by criteria equally applied to every individual. Let everyone who wishes to become a member be given the opportunity to learn the knowledge required.” (The Charter of the Center for Human Conscience, Article 6)

In conclusion, until a large enough group of people come together and give generously of their personal resources to create such a radical new institution and endow it with the means to implement its goals, the problems the world today is facing will continue to exist and likely get worse. Major existing institutions do not have the answers and have been shown to be very difficult – perhaps impossible – to reform enough to make a significant enough difference. New solutions that emerge from outside the established system need to be tried. For-profit business, government, and religion must face competition from a new base of organized influence and ultimately tangible power arising with a credible plan to protect the environment, preserve the advances of civilization, and further improve the world and people’s lives. The plan involves a transformation of education and media, acquisition and sound management of natural and financial resources, and democratic decision-making through a nongovernmental parliamentary body – a global nonprofit institution led by the people of the world themselves, having raised our minds and hearts to a level suitable for responsible leadership, sacrificing for a common cause, doing our best to help raise up the rest of humanity, holding in check and ultimately diminishing and defeating the anti-human forces that currently hold sway.

Posted in Society and Culture | Tagged agriculture, banks, business, Center for Human Conscience, civic participation, civilization, democracy, economics, education, globalization, government, institutions, leadership, media, middle class, nongovernmental organizations, nonprofit organizations, politics, private schools, public good, religion, serfdom, starvation, unemployment, world parliament | Leave a comment

Unitarian Universalists Need to “Get Religion”

Posted on July 17, 2011 by Eric Stetson

The Unitarian Universalist Association recently celebrated its 50th anniversary. Predictably, this event triggered a flurry of discussion by religion reporters about the perennial questions UUs face, such as “Is Unitarian Universalism a real religion? Do UUs believe in anything? Can a church with vague beliefs survive and grow?”

As an article in the Washington Post put it:

For 50 years, the UUA has conducted a virtually unprecedented experiment: advancing a religion without doctrine and hoping that welcoming communities and shared political causes, not creeds, will draw people to its pews.

Leaders say its no-religious-questions-asked style positions the UUA to capitalize on liberalizing trends in American religion. But as the UUA turns 50 this year, some members say a “midlife” identity crisis — trying to be all things to everyone — is hampering outreach and hindering growth.

Nearly 4,000 Unitarian Universalists gathered in Charlotte on June 22-26 for the association’s annual assembly, during which they celebrated their golden anniversary. But membership in the UUA dipped in 2011 for the third consecutive year, to 162,800, a loss of about 1,400 members. The number of congregations fell by two, to 1,046.

There are many problems with Unitarian Universalism today — lack of growth, lack of racial and socioeconomic diversity, and overidentification with political issues rather than timeless and sacred truths. The missed opportunity is particularly galling, considering that millions of people are moving away from traditional religion and are searching for a more modern and open-minded spiritual path. Most people who are looking for a community of faith want something deeper, more soul-stirring, and perhaps more gritty and “real” than what the UU church currently provides.

Judging by the fact that I am a believer in God and a liberal Christian, you might expect me to say that “too much atheism” or “too little Christianity” is the main problem with the UUA. Not so. Actually, it’s not the acceptance of atheist UUs or the embrace of interfaith pluralism that bothers me about the UU church. I’m quite comfortable with pluralism — in fact, I fully agree that all the great religious traditions have much wisdom to offer and should be celebrated. And although I prefer a theistic focus, I’m cool with atheists in UU pews and even pulpits as long as they don’t try to censor the theists in their church from talking or preaching about their belief in God.

The main problem in the UU church today, as I see it, is that it has become the religion of bourgeois politeness — which is no religion at all. What I mean is the following:

The culture of Unitarian Universalism today encourages political correctness, or non-judgment, as the highest virtue. In a typical UU church, the number one goal of the members and leaders is to avoid offending anyone. Being polite and tolerant of everyone and everything — not showing passionate preference for any particular beliefs and ideas — has become the UU ethos.

Sure, most UUs hate political conservatives and homophobes, though in most cases they keep their hatred veiled under a veneer of politeness that typifies left-of-center upper-middle-class people. I’m not saying that UUs should put their hatred on display and become the radical liberal counterpoint to Fred Phelps or fundamentalist megachurches. In fact, in some cases I think the average UU tends to stereotype their political and religious opponents in unfair ways.

What I am saying is that UUs need to become more passionate about what they believe is good and true. Passion comes in two forms: open hatred and scorn for what one opposes, and zealously expressed love for what one embraces. UUs need to love their own teachings enough that they can rise above the bland emotional neutrality and hesitancy to make straightforward truth claims that so often characterize UU discourse.

People can sense that neutrality and hesitancy when UUs speak about their faith (or their beliefs, values, or principles — whatever they want to call it). The average person interprets this affect as evidence of lack of conviction and weakness — and for most people, that is unattractive.

As William Butler Yeats wrote in a famous poem, “The best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity.” Unitarian Universalists of our time are the epitome of the first part of that statement, just as right-wing fundamentalists reflect the second part.

Part of the problem is that UUs have become uncomfortable with the concepts of Good and Evil. Here I capitalize these words to emphasize that I mean them not in a vague, euphemistic sense, but as an actual, literal reality. There are beliefs and ideas that, if broadly accepted, would produce good in the world; and there are other beliefs and ideas that are unjust or dangerous and produce suffering and destruction. UUs need to cultivate a consciousness that their own principles are good and opposing principles are evil. And they need to speak about them as such and act accordingly.

This would quickly overcome the now nearly universally accepted stereotype that “UUs don’t believe anything. It’s more like a social club than a real religion.” People who believe in evil principles such as a subordinate status for women, oppression of homosexuals, celebration of the dominance of wealthy people and institutions over the working class and the poor, and a “Rapture” off planet earth for people who believe in the correct theological doctrines while everyone else is “left behind” to burn in hell — such people and their leaders do not hesitate to speak forcefully and with utmost conviction in favor of their teachings. If UUs do not offer a better vision of human life and destiny with equal vigor and passion, speaking in the voice of moral and spiritual authority, then the side of evil will continue to gain influence and power in the world due to lack of effective opposition.

Here’s an illustration of the problem. Let’s say that somebody asks a UU “What is Unitarian Universalism?” Today, a typical UU would probably answer something like this:

“The Unitarian Universalist church is a welcoming community with no creed. Anyone can join our church no matter what they believe, as long as they are tolerant of people with different beliefs.”

If the inquirer then asked, “But what does the UU church believe? What is your faith?” the UU might say:

“We prefer not to think in terms of ‘faith’ or ‘beliefs.’ We work for social justice, equal rights, and environmental protection.”

The inquirer would leave the dialogue with the impression that Unitarian Universalism is basically a club for liberals who want to call themselves a church. No one’s soul would have been touched by the interaction; no one would have been challenged by a truth claim and a call to action spoken in the voice of religious inspiration.

Now let’s do the dialogue differently. What would happen if the average UU responded to the question “What is Unitarian Universalism?” more like this:

“Unitarian Universalism is the belief that all the great religions have truth and wisdom to offer. Each individual has a responsibility to learn from them, add to the ongoing discovery of universal truth that transcends sectarian differences, and contribute to the progress of humanity by working for what is right and standing up against what is wrong.”

The inquirer’s interest would be piqued, and the follow-up question would come: “What do UUs believe is right and wrong?” The UU could then reply:

“We believe in the inherent worth and dignity of every person. We believe it is right for people all over the world to live together in peace, with justice for all, regardless of our differences of race, nationality, religion, gender or sexual orientation. We believe the earth is a sacred trust that must be cherished and protected, because it is the only home for human beings. We believe that discrimination, inequality, and environmental destruction are wrong, and we are fighting for a society in which greed and exploitation are held in check by an enlightened social consciousness in people’s hearts and society’s institutions. We believe that this fight is a sacred calling and the moral duty of all.”

The inquirer would walk away thinking, “Wow, those Unitarian Universalists really know what they believe and they take it seriously!” It would be a totally different reaction than how most people think of UUs today. Although some might disagree with the UU faith presented this way, I strongly suspect that many people would find it a breath of fresh air — inspiring and even compelling.

Frankly, the UU church today is the butt of jokes for many people. It’s seen as the church you join when you’re an upper-middle-class liberal from the suburbs or a gentrified urban enclave who doesn’t have any strong religious beliefs but wants to hang out on Sunday mornings with other people like yourself. It’s the church for people who like to belong to a church but don’t like all that religious stuff — gods and commandments and sacred duties to believe and do certain things — and it’s especially appealing if you’re white, well educated, high income, very politically liberal, and like sermons that are more like college lectures rather than invocations to a higher reality or rallies for a cause.

What do you want, fellow UUs? Do you want a real religion that can change the world, or a social community for people who are uncomfortable with religion and its inherently zealous nature? If you want something real, get some spiritual fire. Become comfortable with truth claims and moral judgments. Don’t be shy about “proclaiming” your “beliefs.” Have beliefs, and make proclamations about them. Your beliefs don’t have to be theological in nature — you don’t have to agree on whether there is a god and an afterlife and what those things are like — but you do have to believe in something beyond simply the virtue of being tolerant, i.e. polite, toward everyone.

Bourgeois politeness is not a religion and never will be — even if Unitarian Universalists have tried to make it one. If the UU church wants to grow, become more diverse, and have a more influential and meaningful role in the 21st century, it’s time for UUs to “get religion.”

Posted in Spirituality and Religion | Tagged atheism, beliefs, church, conservatives, conviction, good and evil, interfaith, liberals, pluralism, politeness, political correctness, politics, religious passion, tolerance, truth, Unitarian Universalism, Unitarian Universalist Association, William Butler Yeats, zeal | 14 Comments

Globalization, Universalism, and the Future of Religion

Posted on May 23, 2011 by Eric Stetson

The following is a sermon I preached at Universalist National Memorial Church in Washington D.C., on May 22, 2011.

Throughout history, there has been an ongoing clash of vision and struggle of will between, on the one hand, those who have called people to look beyond the boundaries of tribe, nation, race, religion, and other divisions within humanity, seeking to unite human beings in ever larger and more diverse societies, political and spiritual, through the recognition of the essential oneness of human nature and potential to overcome the challenges presented by our differences; and on the other hand, those who have pointed to these very differences as evidence that the division of humankind is a fixed and insurmountable feature of the natural order of life in this world — perhaps even ordained by a Higher Power who wishes to separate the chosen from the common, or the saved from the condemned.

Broadly speaking, one of these views may be called Universalism, for it is concerned with the goal of unity in human universals; and the other — which has gone by various names in various contexts, such as tribalism, nationalism, ethnocentrism, segregationism, creedalism or theocracy — may be fairly called Separatism, because it seeks to separate people into groups of different perceived value, either in competition against each other for supremacy or locked into some sort of caste system, or to enforce or reinforce already existing separations and stratifications.

For most of human history, Universalism has been a visionary impulse, and one that was impossible to realize fully. It was the dream of the most advanced and enlightened thinkers in all civilizations — and mocked by many as a utopian fantasy, never to be manifested in reality. Nevertheless, Universalism has made a steady march toward victory in both the spiritual and political realms. From the first preachers of monotheism who subsumed the pantheon of local and national deities into the triumphant idea of only one divine Creator and Ruler of all, whose synagogues, churches, and mosques have spread to nearly every corner of the earth; to the ambitious kings, presidents, diplomats, and philanthropists who created ever larger empires of territory and resources, culminating in the establishment of global institutions such as the United Nations, the World Bank, and others too numerous to mention; — our gods have gotten bigger and the horizons of our organized life have expanded, ultimately to embrace the whole world.

The World’s Parliament of Religions met for the first time in 1893 and still meets today, encouraging interfaith dialogue, the recognition of common values and principles among all faiths and their application on issues of global concern. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Earth Charter, and the Earth Constitution are documents written in recent decades which seek to provide philosophical underpinnings and practical frameworks for benevolent and just relationships between individuals, communities, governments, and the planet itself in an all-embracing world civilization.

Seeking to make a fresh contribution to the advancing Universalist ethos of our time, several colleagues and I founded the Center for Human Conscience earlier this year. The first project sponsored by this new organization will be to create a Common Canon of the most significant knowledge, cultural creations, and historical figures of all the world. As the Charter of the Center for Human Conscience observes, “familiarity with the greatest achievements in every field and the best contributions of every culture to humanity is an antidote to prejudice and short-sightedness and the foundation of broad-mindedness, holistic thinking, mutual understanding and peace.” The Common Canon will be edited by a carefully selected group of several dozen scholars and leaders of thought from a wide variety of backgrounds and fields. It will be made available as a wiki on the internet, subject to periodic revision, and will be used to create interdisciplinary social studies curricula for all ages, which can be used in educational institutions throughout the world — fostering a universal high culture without nationalistic, ethnocentric, materialistic, creedalistic, sectarian, or other types of biases, and accessible to all.

The last century’s revolutionary advances in transportation (such as the airplane and space travel) and communication (the telegraph, telephone, radio, television, and especially the internet) have made it possible, for the first time in human history, for people to have a truly global consciousness and way of life. The whole world and its people are interconnected as never before — and increasingly aware of it.

Although there was a great deal of global connectedness even when transportation and communications moved more slowly, it was much less noticeable, and all social units — the village, the city, the nation, religious communities, and so forth — were, in various ways, more isolated from one another. It was easier to preserve the fiction of inherent division, because the horizons of the earth were too vast for us to envision, with a fair degree of realism, the whole planet as the single interdependent ecosystem that it is and the entire human species as our kin.

At its root, Universalism is the recognition of “the inherent worth and dignity of every person,” as expressed so clearly and succinctly today in the Unitarian Universalist Association’s statement of principles. Through the centuries, this basic idea has been expressed in different ways, its implications explored and expounded by numerous thinkers. Some Universalist visionaries have emphasized the redeeming love of God for all individuals, while others have seen the broader implications of a God of love, justice, and mercy, for the ideal order of human society.

In poetry that has echoed down the ages, the ancient Jewish prophet Isaiah dreamed of a world where peace will reign:

“They will beat their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will not take up sword against nation,
nor will they train for war anymore.” (Is. 2:4)

From the dawn of Christianity, the Christian Universalists have believed that no soul is forever lost, no matter their beliefs, mistakes, or affiliations, but all are redeemed according to the plan of a benevolent Deity — a God who, like a loving Father, may correct us but will never disown any of His children. In the third century, before Universalism was banned by the Church as a heresy, Saint Clement of Alexandria wrote that “all things are ordered both universally and in particular by the Lord of the universe with a view to the salvation of the universe. But needful corrections, by the goodness of the great, overseeing judge… compel even those who have become more callous to repent.”

Nearly two thousand years ago, Saint Paul envisioned an inclusive faith uniting the world and breaking down the barriers and inequalities between different types of people, writing in his Epistle to the Galatians that “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Gal. 3:28). A century and a half ago, the Baha’i faith arose as a progressive offshoot of Islam and expressed the Universalist belief that God is one, Man is one, and all the religions are one. “Let your vision be world embracing,” wrote Baha’u’llah, the Baha’i prophet, summarizing the spirit of this age. “Glory not in love for your country, but in love for all mankind. … Consort with the followers of all religions in a spirit of friendliness and fellowship.”

Universalism is the spiritual underpinning of a global mindset, lifestyle, and social order. It is the humane face of globalization — and without it, globalization tends to produce many injustices and much needless suffering as old divisions crumble away. In a rapidly globalizing world — a world in which secular materialism is on the rise, as people reject the limitations imposed by old religions and value systems — the tempering influence of a universal, humanistic spiritual and social vision is essential, lest otherwise human beings may be treated as mere commodities to be exploited or consumed in a brutally efficient world economy. It is therefore providential, and indeed natural and to be expected, that Universalism should become a major spiritual movement of the 21st century — and with the growing ranks of the “spiritual but not religious,” the “new age,” and the decline of belief in hell and rise of ecumenical and interfaith dialogue and religious pluralism, it is evident that Universalism’s rapid ascent or revival is already occurring.

The triumph of Universalism, however, presents a major challenge for religion, which has traditionally been based on the Separatist mindset of dividing humanity into the chosen and the common, the saved and the damned, or the enlightened and those who abide in darkness. This has been the bread-and-butter of so many religious creeds, churches and institutions for so long — literally for millennia. Old habits are hard to change — and what new message would religion replace it with?

Universalism as an organized religion has had a difficult time attracting large numbers of adherents, perhaps because its all-embracing philosophy does not appeal to the baser side of human nature — which most religious leaders and institutions traditionally have exploited. Another reason might be because people simply don’t see the need to participate actively in a religion that teaches that no formal affiliation or ritual actions are necessary to appease a Higher Power and win or keep one’s salvation — not even a creedal profession of belief, enrollment in a church, and evangelizing the world, let alone confessing to a priest or other activities that require the existence of clergy.

If religion is no longer about getting people to accept creeds, perform rituals, and obey clergy in order to avoid being condemned by God, what is its purpose?

Inspiring individuals to live a better life. Inspiring society to order its affairs according to a higher vision. And providing face-to-face communities in which people may help each other help themselves and their world. Religious congregations such as churches should focus on these purposes in order to remain relevant and gain the participation of a new generation, in this nascent era of globalization.

People always need inspiration and leadership. Political leaders rarely inspire, and when they do, it is usually because they themselves have been inspired by a higher message that descends into the realm of political rhetoric and government policy from a spiritual source. A society bereft of the kind of grand, beautiful, otherworldly and imminently challenging visions that religion is best suited to provide, is a society destined for stagnation, decline, and destruction.

As for the lives of individuals, how many throughout history have been touched by the teachings of the prophets, the sages, the wise ones in all eras who have sought to communicate what they believed to be the inspiration or revelation of a Spiritual Source from beyond the mundane world? Truly the influence of these leaders of faith is unfathomable. Without them and their teachings as a constant reminder and motivation to eschew the evil and manifest the good, the life of the average human being would shrivel into a dry, hardened lump of petty self-interest.

Religious communities can be places where people come together to listen to each other, inspire each other, and challenge each other to look deeper within ourselves and then to turn outward with altruistic benevolence toward a world in which we are each called to play a part with courage and conviction to make it a better place. For most of us, these actions do not come naturally. It is only when we consciously covenant with one another in communities of faith that such a mindset and lifestyle has a hope and prayer of becoming the norm.

The fact that all the great religious traditions have truth and wisdom to offer us, and that God’s plan is not to eternally separate humanity but to reunite us with each other and with our Creator, does not nullify or even weaken the necessary role of religion in our lives and our world. What it does destroy is the walls that needlessly divide us; what it does diminish is the prejudice, hatred, and dogmatic conflict that bring us suffering, from which our ancestors have suffered in every generation, and which sadly, remain sources of suffering to this day.

Universalism is the religion that offers all the people of the world the cooling waters of reconciliation to put out the fires that so often consume our hearts with anger and distrust toward our fellow man. It is the faith that mocks no one’s God, rather enlarges Him. It is the spiritual vision of unity in diversity, and the movement that ever seeks to draw a larger and more inclusive circle of fellowship, that the contributions and potential of no man or woman be wasted or scorned. As Edwin Markham so eloquently put it in a poem called “Outwitted”:

“He drew a circle that shut me out –
Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout.
But Love and I had the wit to win:
We drew a circle that took him in!”

Love wins, and Universalism in the end shall outwit all the forces of Separatism. The great arc of history bends ever onward toward a world united, and within every soul returning to that great Forge of Love in which we were all once formed, brightly shining like gold.

Posted in Society and Culture, Spirituality and Religion | Tagged Baha'u'llah, Bahai faith, Center for Human Conscience, Christian Universalism, civilization, clergy, Common Canon, communication, creedalism, culture, damnation, Earth Charter, Earth Constitution, ecumenism, education, Edwin Markham, ethnocentrism, globalism, globalization, God, inspiration, interfaith, Isaiah, leadership, love of God, materialism, monotheism, nationalism, peace, pluralism, politics, reconciliation, religion, religious community, ritual, Saint Clement of Alexandria, Saint Paul, sectarianism, segregationism, separatism, sermons, theocracy, transportation, tribalism, Unitarian Universalist Association, United Nations, Universal Declaration of Human Rights, universal salvation, universalism, Universalist National Memorial Church, World Bank, world economy, World's Parliament of Religions | 3 Comments

Since Everyone Was “Left Behind”…

Posted on May 22, 2011 by Eric Stetson

O God, we come to you with longing. We live in a world where we can see your traces all around us, yet at times we feel so far away from you — so alone. The fires of lamentation burn within our breast when we perceive our separation; we thirst for the sweet waters of reunion that flow from the everlasting fountain. Replace, O Spring, our stagnant pool with a fresh infusion of the joy of nearness to your Source! Filter the murkiness of our lives and bring us clarity and purity — a vision into the deep places unshrouded by the mundane silt that beclouds the soul’s perception. Then lift us up to the high places in rapturous adoration of the beauty of your creation and your purpose for ourselves and for all things.

It is only natural that some among the human family should seek to leave this world immediately and join you, O God, in a more heavenly place. The tempting doctrine of “the Rapture” rises within the hearts of millions, warping minds and destroying lives. Just yesterday, according to Harold Camping and his hundreds of thousands of followers, the world as we know it was supposed to end and the righteous transported to paradise. Many millions of dollars were spent on advertising across America and around the world to proclaim the date of May 21, 2011 as Judgment Day, and some people gave up their jobs and most of their money to support this “end-times” ministry.

God, forgive Mr. Camping and his followers for their delusions, for they — like all of us — are only human. At one time or another, most of us have believed something we later realized was false and regretted. God, forgive us all for our mistakes, and for the ever-present temptations that come in so many forms, to which we often succumb, seeking to escape from the real world around us into fruitless fantasies.

But most importantly, let the disappointment people feel when their hopes are dashed, their dreams shattered, their cherished beliefs revealed as folly, not harden into bitterness and cynicism. Whether it be a matter of religion, of career, of personal relationships, or anything else that is important to us, let our disappointments and setbacks be transmuted into newfound wisdom and maturity. Let the recognition of our mistakes be the inspiration for increased flexibility and willingness to move in new and better directions.

Let us perceive the rapture that eludes us in one form, in another form that is available to us. For rapture may come when we stare into the face of another human being and allow ourselves to see the face of God. Rapture may come when we open our wallet to a person in need and feel our own generous spirit reflected back to us with joyful gratitude. Rapture may come when we give our time as a volunteer to a worthy cause, or when we change our habits and lifestyle to improve our circumstances, the lives of our loved ones, or the condition of our world, in some small but significant way.

God, help all the people of the world understand that we don’t have to wait for some miraculous event from above, for there are miracles happening all around us every day. As Jesus said, “The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is within you.” (Luke 17:20-21).

O God, if anyone believed they were worthy of being raptured into heaven yesterday, let them start acting like it today — in this world. And for those who believe they are not worthy, let them believe it now! We all have the power to make our lives and the world around us a little bit more like heaven. God grant us the insight and the courage to use that power with joy.

Amen.

Posted in Spirituality and Religion | Tagged disappointment, end of the world, End Times, escapism, false prophets, God, Harold Camping, heaven, Jesus Christ, joy, Judgment Day, Kingdom of God, miracles, mistakes, prayer, prophecy, spiritual longing, The Rapture | 1 Comment

The Unsung Heroes of Christian Universalism

Posted on March 14, 2011 by Eric Stetson

Lost in the hullabaloo surrounding the publication of megachurch pastor Rob Bell’s new book, Love Wins: A Book About Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived, is the fact that various ministers and evangelists have long been preaching the message of God’s all-inclusive love and the hope that all souls will be saved in the end – writing books, going on speaking tours, and starting websites and organizations to spread this uplifting interpretation of the Christian Gospel. This is nothing new and it has been going on not only for years, but for centuries. However, every time a celebrity minister comes out in favor of the wider hope of universal salvation, or even hints that they might believe it, it seems to set off a surge of excitement and new discovery of universalism among Christians.

I would like to give a shout-out to a few people I know personally, who are not celebrities and have not received significant media attention, but whose tireless work for the cause of Christian Universalism has prepared the ground in recent years for celebrities such as Bishop Carlton Pearson and perhaps now Rob Bell to join the cause for a more inclusive Christianity that doesn’t condemn people to eternal hell. I hope that the important role these unsung heroes have played in the decline of belief in eternal damnation and the advance of universalism will someday be more widely recognized.

First, I would like to recognize Rev. Kalen Fristad. He is the author of Destined For Salvation: God’s Promise to Save Everyone. This is one of the more readable, thoughtful, and Biblically sound books about Christian Universalism written in recent times. Kalen has served as a pastor in the United Methodist Church for over 30 years. Now semi-retired, he travels across America in a trailer, going from church to church to speak about the Gospel of universal salvation. He has already done this for several years and has spoken at hundreds of churches, not only Methodist but also various other denominations.

An admirer of Kalen Fristad’s work, I contacted him in early 2007 and asked him to serve as the chair of the board of directors of a new organization I was forming at the time, the Christian Universalist Association. He accepted the positon, helped me recruit highly qualified board members, and has done an excellent job leading the CUA board for the past few years, ever since the organization was founded. The Christian Universalist Association is now the premier ecumenical organization representing all types of Christians who believe in a universalist interpretation of the Gospel, with more than 1,000 members across America and worldwide.

Secondly, I would like to recognize Rick Spencer. Rick is a former Baptist minister, and he’s not someone you’re likely to hear much about, because he was never interested in self-promotion and he has mostly retired from public ministry. But for several years in the mid to late 2000s, he was one of the most important evangelists and organizers whose work brought hundreds of people into the Christian Universalist movement — many of whom have gone on to start their own ministries, write books, and themselves bring numerous souls into the cause.

Rick Spencer organized four annual “Inclusion” conferences from 2005 through 2008, some of which had over 200 people in attendance from all over the United States and Canada. At these conferences the speakers included some of the greatest modern-day evangelists who had been writing and speaking about the salvation of all through Jesus Christ, in some cases for decades, in house churches and small nondenominational churches and through newsletters and websites — people like Dr. Harold Lovelace, a Bible scholar and author who had been preaching Christian Universalism for over 50 years; Willie Cripps, a former United Pentecostal Church pastor; John Gavazzoni, a brilliant writer and engaging preacher; Charles Slagle, an author, former pastor, and musician; Robert Rutherford, a prophetic psalmist and hip pastor of a cutting-edge nondenominational church; and many others. Rick Spencer’s conferences were the primary place where Christians — especially those coming from an Evangelical or Charismatic background — could hear speakers they would be able to resonate with who were talking about the Gospel of universal salvation, and where they could meet and mingle with each other, make connections and get encouraged to start their own ministry projects to spread this wonderful message.

I attended Rick Spencer’s Inclusion conferences three years in a row, and I can honestly say that had it not been for those powerful formative experiences of the early 21st century Christian Universalist movement, I probably never would have founded the Christian Universalist Association or written my book, Christian Universalism: God’s Good News For All People. Rick Spencer may not be remembered outside the movement, but I can guarantee you that he is very much remembered and admired by many people who have played key roles in the movement over the past decade.

Finally, I would like to recognize the man without whose internet evangelism Christian Universalism might never have been rediscovered and become a prominent and rapidly growing movement in recent years: Gary Amirault. Gary’s website, Tentmaker Ministries, was one of the first and most substantive resources for Christians considering a universalist view of salvation. Even though Gary himself is mostly interested in Bible study, not organized religion, his work played a major part in getting the ball rolling for later developments such the Inclusion conferences and the CUA. It seems that most people I’ve ever talked to who have become Christian Universalists have, at one time or another, encountered Tentmaker and benefitted from reading some the articles on that site.

There are numerous other people, ministries, books and resources I could mention which have made significant contributions to the spread of Christian Universalism in recent times. But this article is not intended to provide an exhaustive list. My point is, people who are talking about Rob Bell’s recent (possible) embrace of the idea of universal salvation should realize that he is actually just the tip of the iceberg. Below the surface, under the radar screen of the media, there are and have been plenty of people without whose courageous, foundation-building work there probably never would have been a book like Love Wins by Rob Bell.

Christian Universalism is not about a few celebrity ministers who are suddenly inventing a new heretical type of Christianity. Hardly. It is a movement and belief system with a rich history and many heroes and workers in the vineyard, both in the modern era and the ancient church. As we praise Pastor Rob Bell for his courage in writing his book and facing a great deal of public criticism because of his celebrity status, let us put his work in context and give props to those who have been saying the same things for years.

Posted in Spirituality and Religion | Tagged Carlton Pearson, celebrities, Charismatic Christian, Charles Slagle, Christian Universalism, Christian Universalist Association, Destined For Salvation, Evangelical Christian, Gary Amirault, Harold Lovelace, hell, Inclusion conferences, John Gavazzoni, Kalen Fristad, Love Wins, media, Rick Spencer, Rob Bell, Robert Rutherford, Tentmaker Ministries, United Methodist Church, universal salvation, Willie Cripps | 9 Comments

The True Meaning of the Kingdom of God on Earth

Posted on March 13, 2011 by Eric Stetson

One of the most beautiful and enduring themes of religion is the idea that someday, this imperfect world will be made more perfect, transformed into a world in conformity with higher ideals — in Christian parlance, the “Kingdom of God on earth.”

I believe the vision of the Divine Kingdom should be all-embracing, not limited to one particular religion or religious tradition. If there is only one God, who is the God of all people, then that God cannot be limited by the perceptions or conceptions of one particular group of people. And if we want to talk about the “Kingdom” (or “Reign”) of God in our world, we therefore must realize that this reign transcends the boundaries human beings create in setting up their own little kingdoms, whether political or religious or whatever else.

Some Charismatic Christians call themselves “Kingdom” in their spirituality, yet seem to think the Kingdom of God is primarily found within the walls of the church — their own particular type of church. I don’t see how this is meaningfully different than the age-old claim that the Roman Catholic Church is the Kingdom of God on earth.

You could speak in tongues 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, like a computer voice synthesizer running continuously, producing an endless stream of random syllables, and you wouldn’t be one millimeter closer to the Kingdom of God. You could eat the eucharistic bread and drink the wine every day, filling your stomach religiously with what is said to be the body and blood of Christ, and you wouldn’t be one millimeter closer to the Kingdom of God.

Building God’s Kingdom on earth is not about churches and religious traditions. It is about working to create a world of peace, love, kindness, compassion, understanding and reconciliation, and true happiness, meaning, purpose, and dignity for all people. Religion may either help or hinder that goal. But the goal is what matters, not the religion that might endorse it.

We should always ask ourselves: What am I doing to further this great and noble goal? How am I working to build the Kingdom of God through my actions in the world at large, not just the world of the church?

Posted in Spirituality and Religion | Tagged Charismatic Christian, Christianity, church, eucharist, glossolalia, God, Kingdom of God, pluralism, reconciliation, universalism | 2 Comments

Ensoulment Syndrome: The Beautiful Madness of Giving a Damn

Posted on November 30, 2010 by Eric Stetson

A patient walks into a therapist’s office for a consultation.

THERAPIST: So, what’s troubling you? How can I help you?

PATIENT: Well, I seem to have a mental illness that’s causing a lot of suffering in my life. I’m not interested in buying the latest fashionable clothes or electronic gadgets — I mean, for one thing, I’m just not interested, but to make matters worse, they’re made by oppressed and impoverished workers in a third-world country. Instead, I’m interested in trying to promote positive change in the world by supporting progressive causes. I expect the politicians who lead the government to keep their promises and govern based on a desire to do what’s right for the people, not for wealthy corporate lobbyists. I get frustrated when I see that no matter who gets elected, all they do is start wars, cut taxes for the rich, and cut social programs, scientific investment, education, funding for the arts and culture, and everything else that’s actually good. I feel that life has become too detached from nature and that the culture of our society has lost its spiritual and moral foundations. The meat we eat comes from gigantic animal factories, where the poor creatures live lives of misery ending in a brutal and highly mechanized slaughter. People seem to be too individualistic, too selfish, and treat each other like commodities to be consumed. Everything is commercialized, phony, and based on the desire of huge multinational corporations to stoke people’s desires for more things than we need so that they can make more money than they need. Being ignorant, cynical, and apathetic is celebrated, and being well-informed, idealistic, and actively working for major change is laughed at and regarded as quaint. All of this — all that I’m telling you — is impossible for me to accept. It pains me so much to think that this is really what the world is like, and that most people around me think it’s okay and go on with their lives as if this is somehow normal. I feel that I must do something to change the world, and I would give up what comforts I enjoy, maybe even my life, if there was something I could do to make a real difference. What’s wrong with me, doctor? Can you cure me of my sickness and make me like everyone else so that I won’t feel like this anymore?

THERAPIST: I’m sorry, but I can’t help you. You see, you have a condition that used to be called “having a soul.” In fact, this condition was once regarded as the normal or ideal state of a human being — not a disordered state at all. There was a time when people like you were regarded as admirable and honorable, and when all people were urged by institutions of the highest moral authority in society to be more like you are. Songs and poems were written to celebrate the memory of people who were afflicted to an extreme degree and spread the affliction of soul to others.

PATIENT: But there must be something you can do to help me! Some pill, some medical procedure?

THERAPIST: I cannot amputate your soul. If the world as it exists around us hasn’t succeeded in doing that already, then nothing ever could. It appears that you’re just going to have to live with your condition. Since there is no cure for having a soul, I suggest you be bold in your madness rather than trying to hide it. Let everyone see what it is like to be a human being afflicted with a soul. Raise awareness of ensoulment syndrome. Start or join a support group for people like you who give a damn, and do something together to live beautifully crazy, soul-filled lives. And maybe, if enough people catch this noble disease, eventually it will become normal again. Good luck and God speed!

Posted in Humor, Society and Culture, Spirituality and Religion | Tagged consumerism, idealism, mental illness, progressivism, soul | Leave a comment

The Meaning of Ministry

Posted on October 27, 2010 by Eric Stetson

The following is a sermon I preached at the Christian Universalist Celebration 2010, October 24, at Cincinnati Friends Meeting in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was part of a service in which two new ministers were ordained by the Christian Universalist Association.

Picture a minister in your mind. More likely than not, you thought of somebody called “Reverend So-and-So” wearing a clerical collar or stole, standing in the pulpit of a church preaching a sermon about religion. This is one manifestation of ministry commonly observed in our society, but such a stereotypical image captures only a small fraction of the possibilities associated with the ministerial calling.

As Christians, we are called to be like Christ. Christ is our supreme example to emulate – whether in our own lives or in ministering to others. Let us consider what is the meaning of ministry by comparing the life of Christ to some features and functions often associated with people identified as Christian ministers.

Does ministry mean being called by a special title that indicates spiritual authority and worthiness of respect? Not necessarily. The prophet Isaiah says about the Messiah, “he was despised, and we esteemed him not.” Jesus didn’t get addressed respectfully as “Reverend”; he was mocked, spat upon, scourged, and nailed to a cross.

Does ministry mean holding an educational degree from a theological school? Not necessarily. Despite having no formal religious education, Jesus impressed teachers in the Jerusalem temple with his intuitive wisdom and understanding, even at the age of 12. As far as we know, the greatest spiritual master of history never studied for any significant length of time in any seminary or institution for training religious leaders.

Does ministry mean being the leader of a church? Not necessarily. Jesus never led a synagogue or held any priestly or clerical office. His ministry took other forms.

Does ministry mean telling people what they should believe about theological issues? Not necessarily. Jesus rarely talked about religious doctrine and left many theological questions unaddressed, apparently considering them relatively unimportant.

So what kind of a minister WAS Jesus? What DID he do in his ministry, and how can we emulate him if we feel called to serve in a ministerial capacity? At the root, what does this really mean?

The ministry of Jesus was characterized by the fact that he brought hope and healing into the lives of all he encountered. He could have done that in a sanctified building or sitting in the gutter – the place was not relevant. He could have done it by giving eloquent speeches or through casual one-on-one conversations. In fact, he did all of these things and more. Jesus was versatile. Wherever he went, his ministry went with him.

The world is a place of terrible suffering – always has been and still is today. Jesus was born into a country that was subject to a brutal occupation by a foreign empire. He dared to hope for a better future; and what’s more, he gave voice to a soul-stirring vision of the world set right, the reign of a grace-filled justice overcoming merciless tyranny and oppression in every corner of creation. When all hope seemed lost, he proclaimed a greater hope than anything previously imaginable.

But not only did Jesus inspire hope in people’s hearts; he also brought healing to their lives. And he did this in tangible ways – feeding the poor, curing the sick, liberating the mentally ill from their demons, forgiving sinners and social outcasts and teaching them to love themselves again. Jesus did not tell people what to believe; he literally showed them the way.

As ministry has become identified with leadership of religious institutions, there has been a tendency to reduce ministry to merely a matter of upholding and spreading “the faith” – whatever that is. We must be ever mindful of the wise words of James, the flesh-and-blood brother of Jesus: “What good is it, my brothers, if a person claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, ‘Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. … Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.” (Jas. 2:14-17,18)

In this statement, James reveals himself as the true brother of Jesus not only in the flesh but also in the spirit. He knew his brother well, and knew how much he valued concrete action to help people as the essential hallmark of authentic and meaningful ministry.

Helping people need not necessarily be about providing for their physical needs. It could be about their emotional needs – showing love, care, and compassion – or their spiritual needs, by guiding people in developing a life of prayer, meditation, and personal relationship with God.

Above all, having the inner strength and courage to hope in the face of all obstacles and disappointments, and the ability to inspire others to a similar hope, is the mark of a minister. Because hope leads to healing. And healing changes the world.

Saint Paul said that “God… reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.” (2 Cor. 5:18-20)

This is a profound message of hope. It is a great calling. Imagine a world in which ever greater numbers of people of every nation, race, and religion gain the hope of a world fully and universally reconciled – a world where we don’t remember old grudges, where we don’t punish each other for our mistakes but show mercy and grace; a world where we don’t fight with each other over our differences but seek peace, understanding, and harmonious coexistence in the knowledge that all are loved by a God whose love knows no boundaries nor end.

Can you find a way to touch each person in your life with this magnificent hope? Can you heal the souls in your midst, loosening the chains of physical suffering and negative thought patterns that may bind them to a cynical view of reality? This is what Jesus did. This is the meaning of ministry.

Being a minister means making a sacred commitment to spread hope and healing, and thereby to bring relief to a hurting world – to make this earth a little bit more like heaven. Every time we minister to another person, we are fulfilling Jesus’s message that “the kingdom of God is among you.”

Today, there are countless opportunities and modalities for meaningful and effective ministry – service in a church, charity work, hospital chaplaincy, counseling or life coaching, music, writing or the arts… even using new technologies like websites, blogs, Facebook and Twitter, to reach out across geographical boundaries with positive messages and building supportive relationships and networks.

Whatever type of ministry one chooses to do, let us always keep in mind that it is not about raising oneself up above others, but about lifting others up through humble service. Anyone can be a minister, but only those who understand that fact WILL be.

God grant that we may all become gracious, joyful, and effective servants according to our respective abilities and capacities, hearing Your call and following it with sincerity, integrity, and courage. Amen.

Posted in Spirituality and Religion | Tagged Christian Universalist Association, faith, good deeds, healing, hope, Jesus Christ, ministry, reconciliation, Saint James, Saint Paul, sermons | 2 Comments

Leaving Nashville (metaphorically)

Posted on September 21, 2010 by Eric Stetson

My last post on my old blog was called Why I Left Nashville. It was about my decision earlier this year to end my experiment of planting a liberal Christian church in Nashville, Tennessee, and move back to the Washington D.C. area. To recap, the church started very well but soon began to struggle, in large part because one of the other ministers I was working with resigned in a hostile manner and left the church in a difficult financial situation.

What I didn’t share in that blog post was that the church might still have had a chance to succeed, had I chosen to continue pursuing the project. Shortly before I shut it down, I was interviewed and quoted in an article in a Nashville newspaper, and as a result of that, I was offered an appearance on one of the local TV stations. Despite the church’s struggles and my growing feeling that it might be best to move on to other things, I seriously considered doing the TV program, which would have given me and my new church a great deal of free publicity and a new lease on life.

It was a very difficult decision, and I thought long and hard about it, but in the end I decided to turn down this opportunity. I don’t know what would have happened had I taken it, but in my soul I felt that I was moving on from church leadership — especially the role of a “Christian” minister in the U.S. South. The expectations associated with that role just didn’t resonate with me. I wanted to be free to say anything I wanted – very liberal things, post-Christian and interfaith things – without worrying about people thinking I was inappropriately “stepping out of character,” so to speak. I also had a powerful visionary experience and the sudden arrival of an extremely annoying housemate in my place of residence that confirmed in my mind and heart that it was time for me to stop doing the church and leave Nashville.

I believe that decision was one of the most important ones I will make in my life. For it was a decision not only about a particular job or place to live, but a decision about who I am and who I would become as I continue to grow and develop as a human being. Leaving Nashville for me is a metaphor in my life, as I see it, for the fact that I have steadily been leaving the world of the Christian church, and more fully embracing the side of myself that is the explorer, the unconstrained, the spiritual but not religious, the visionary who is always going to keep moving just a little bit ahead of the curve rather than ever settling into a place where I profess that my journey is ended and truth and meaning most perfectly discovered.

Since leaving Nashville, I have attended a Unitarian Universalist national convention and come to realize that I support, rather than oppose, the extremely open-minded and non-creedal approach to spirituality exemplified by the UU tradition; reexamined my attitude toward the Bahai faith, a religion I formerly belonged to, and realized that there are still many things I love about it, despite its many flaws; and decided that 2010 will be my last year to serve in the position of Executive Director of the Christian Universalist Association, an organization I founded and whose mission I strongly support, but which I realize needs to remain a solidly Christian organization rather than moving with me into realms of post-Christian Jesus-following and the interfaith movement.

Christian rock and the twang of Gawd and countreh, plus an ample supply of prominently displayed Republican bumper stickers, just ain’t where I am right now in my journey. At one time or another, all of those things have been interesting parts of my past — parts I don’t regret — but past is past and the future unfolds before me. I’m excited to be moving on to other things.

I find that Christianity is becoming so strongly identified with the extreme political right wing these days, and that the vitriolic hatreds and prejudices espoused by so many of the supporters of the Christian Right are so prominently on display in our national discourse, that this American no longer feels comfortable saying the simple words “I’m a Christian” without qualification or a great deal of clarification. The oft-assumed connotations that label carries with it today are so foul as to be revolting. Perhaps the Christian brand is so tarnished that it’s best avoided by progressive people of conscience who believe in the reconciliation of all, unless one sees one’s calling as to fight the battle for a new reformation within Christianity.

Personally, I no longer see that as my primary calling. I wrote a book about Christian Universalism and started an organization to promote it. I think I’ve made my contribution to that cause, and I’m ready to move beyond a close identification with Christianity.

To be sure, I love Jesus and his teachings and I don’t expect that will ever change. But to be frank, I think Jesus himself, were he to return and walk among us, would passionately repudiate the religion that bears his name and many of its most prominent leaders. So I feel that I’m in good company in my present largely post-Christian, free-thinking and universal spiritual identity.

This past summer, I was seriously considering working with a lay leader in the church I attend in Washington D.C. to plant a new Unitarian Universalist church in eastern Prince William County, Virginia, a large and rapidly growing suburban area without a UU church nearby. I was very tempted to embark on that project, but ultimately decided against it. For one thing, the person I would have been working with wanted the church to have a mostly Christian emphasis, and I felt that I had “been there, done that” in Nashville.

For another thing, I just feel that being a church leader is not something I want to do right now. I’m sick of church — at least that’s how I feel at this time. Hiking up a beautiful mountain or standing on the shore of the sea is more of a transcendent experience for me now than listening to sermons, Bible readings, and the latest Christian rock song about praising the Lord. I recently got a new job working for Jambo Africa Child Hope, a charitable nonprofit, which needs to be my main focus; and in my spare time I will be writing a book called After Religion: Finding Inspiration Beyond Past Belief, which my publisher told me he is excited to put into print.

Yeah, I guess I’ve really left Nashville — not only literally but metaphorically as well. Just don’t burn me at the stake, please. I still love God, Her prophets and teachers, His firstborn son, and all Their children and heirs who find inspiration within the walls of the church. All I ask is that you keep loving a brother who has come to find those walls to be barriers holding him back from where he needs to go next.

Posted in Personal Reflections, Spirituality and Religion | Tagged Bahai faith, Christian Right, Christian Universalist Association, Christianity, church, interfaith, Jambo Africa Child Hope, Jesus Christ, ministry, Nashville, post-Christian, Unitarian Universalism | 12 Comments

Eric’s new blog

Posted on September 21, 2010 by Eric Stetson

This new blog is the continuation of my old blog, Stetsonius Redivivus. I will keep the old blog up as an archive, but all new entries will be posted here at EricStetson.com.

This website will be, from now on, the central place to learn about me and keep track of my writing and speaking and everything else I’m doing in my career. Although there are several other Eric Stetsons out there, only one owns the domain EricStetson.com — and fortunately for me, I’m the one! After keeping it parked for several years, I finally decided to begin using it.

I encourage you to read the pages of this website if you’re interested to become more familiar with me and my work.

Posted in Websites | Tagged blogging, Stetsonius Redivivus | 2 Comments

Eric Stetson – Entrepreneur and Visionary

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Unitarian Universalists Need to “Get Religion”

Globalization, Universalism, and the Future of Religion

Since Everyone Was “Left Behind”…

The Unsung Heroes of Christian Universalism

The True Meaning of the Kingdom of God on Earth

Ensoulment Syndrome: The Beautiful Madness of Giving a Damn

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Leaving Nashville (metaphorically)

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