In the Middle of a Journey
Readings in Unitarian Universalist Faith Development
by
Book Cover & Preview Text
We are part of the living tradition,
Creatures of a glory not of our making,
Recipients of a blessing not of our deserving,
Benefactors of a mystery beyond our comprehension.
We are part of the living tradition,
Inheritors of the work of generations gone before,
Children of that great cloud of witnesses
Who have blessed us by their work in days gone by,
Students of those who taught by what they did and said
Long before we appeared upon the earth.
We are part of the living tradition,
Taking up our lives where they left off,
Accepting the adversity of our time as they did in theirs,
Celebrating the blessings in our age as they did in theirs.
Here we gather to rededicate ourselves to the unfinished task before us.
Formats
Book Details
About the Book
The role of religious education/faith development among Unitarian Universalists marks the uniqueness of this religious movement. Without dependence on dogma or creed, it is essential that a religious community be free to develop its own distinctive identity. The centrality of religious education was evident in the very beginnings of this liberal denomination. Rev. Richard Gilbert collects many of the most influential statements of religious education philosophy in the anthology In the Middle of a Journey.
From William Ellery Channing’s eloquent “Sunday School Address” to the writings of stalwarts Sophia Lyon Fahs and Angus H. MacLean, these carefully selected essays trace the evolution of faith development from a Christian catechism to a broadly based faith-based quest for values, meanings and convictions.
In an age that tends to belittle the past, it is refreshing to realize that if we are to chart where we are going, it is wise to know where we have been. The Unitarian Universalist movement has been in some interesting places, and eagerly seeks an adventurous future.
About the Author
Richard S. Gilbert is the author of books of meditations, social justice and religious education. A retired minister, he holds degrees from St. Lawrence University, Meadville/Lombard Theological School, Starr King School for the Ministry and Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School. He lives with his wife Joyce in Rochester, NY, where they enjoy time with their three grandchildren.