What Can We Rely On?

 The 16th century philosopher, Michel Eyquem de Montaigne, once wrote, "That which we can least rely on, is ourselves."

And my first reaction was, "that's a bit depressing." Because in this frenetic century, many people believe that the *only* thing they can rely on is themselves. Which is sad.

Then I thought again. Many thoughtful people have commented that this yearning for independence, this belief that the individual has to be front and centre, is the ego speaking, not the soul. I would rather say that because all of us are deeply interconnected, not only with each other, but also with all other living things, we must rely on those connections to live fruitful and fulfilling lives. 

Two of the Unitarian Universalist Association's Seven Principles find a balance between these two points of view. The First Principle reads: "We affirm the inherent worth and dignity of every person."

While the Seventh Principle reads: "We affirm and promote the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part."

So yes, every person has inherent worth and dignity, and each has "that of God" in them. At the same time, no-one can only rely on themselves, so it is necessary to be aware of and to interact with the "interdependent web of all existence" so that we are in relationship, in community with the wider world. 

We can rely on ourselves, but we also need to rely on others...

Nurturing the Roots

"The wise person nurtures the root, because if it thrives well, virtue will grow from it." This week's quotation by Lao Tse could be interpreted in so many ways, on so many levels...

First of all, literally, in terms of nurturing trees. Every tree that grows takes in carbon dioxide, thus removing it from the atmosphere, which helps to combat climate change. The environmentalist pressure group, Friends of the Earth, currently has a campaign to double the amount of tree cover in the United Kingdom, currently languishing at 13%, in comparison to a European Union average of 35%. They say on their website that "we believe one of the best solutions to protect our environment and achieve net zero emissions (removing as many emissions as we produce) is to double UK forest."

But of course the idea of nurturing roots can also be applied to individual human beings, and to groups of human beings who come together to form communities.

Individuals need solid roots (a safe and happy home, a loving family and a solid moral and ethical grounding) if they are to grow into wise, virtuous human beings. If one or more of these elements is missing, it will be that much harder for the person to grow up grounded and able to nurture others in their turn. Of course, it is far from impossible, many people overcome all kinds of deprivation and thrive in spite of them, but those growing up with solid roots will, perhaps paradoxically, find it easier to step out on their own as grounded adults.

image: flickr

When an individual joins a Unitarian congregation, they are becoming a member of a wider beloved community, that of the Unitarian movement. At their best, Unitarian congregations provide a safe haven for individuals wanting to explore what gives their lives purpose and meaning.

I know that my next statement will be controversial: I believe that if Unitarian congregations wish to provide such a safe haven, they need to work out some basic statement of how they intend to "be in community" - a covenant statement, perhaps. , like that of the Unitarian Universalist Association. One of the pages of their Tapestry of Faith learning scheme says: 

"The free church tradition of which we are a part does not offer up a creed, a certain set of beliefs, that everyone must accept in order to belong to the community. Instead, the boundaries of our community are determined by commitment and participation. Our central question is not 'What do we believe?' but rather 'What values will we uphold and how will we do this together?' Our covenant, the promises we make to each other in regarding how we will be a community of faith, is at the heart of what it means to be Unitarian Universalist."

Maybe British Unitarians should do the same, so that our members and prospective members have some place to root their belonging, and thrive....