December 2022

"How We Live Out Our Humanism, part II" Edition of Religious Humanism Journal Available to Members Today!

We are pleased to announce the publication of our latest edition of the UUHA's official publication, the Journal of Religious Humanism. Paid UUHA members should receive a digital copy of the journal via email today.

Our latest issue of the journal is "How We Live Out Our Humanism, Part II"

“I was in philosophy class … when the professor asked how many of us believed we could have a moral world without Christianity. I alone raised my hand,” writes Beth Lefever, “and then said that I didn’t believe Jesus would be a Christian were he here today. I was not very popular in my (conservative) northern Indiana university,” she adds, beginning a heart-felt account of her journey to UU Humanism and to parish ministry.
“The number one question for me, as a Secular Humanist, has been what should my role be in an organization that, while seeking to help the Mosou (one of the last remaining matriarchal societies, in a remote region of China) will inevitably change them, also.” -- John Lombard explains how the humanist value of choice allows him to grant agency without telling the Mosou what to do or how to do it.
“Being a Humanist minister in the south is a juggling game,” says Lynne Garner, who has pastored UU congregations in Georgia and Florida, while serving as an officer of local NAACP chapters. Using the examples of organizational requests to offer prayer, and invitations from colleagues to engage in theological debate, she shows how to keep all those balls in the air.

In the three articles described above, and five others, our contributors articulate their personal and/or group-oriented non-theism. This issue combines with Volume 49 #2 of the journal (released in May 2022) to offer a total of sixteen diverse and thoughtful responses to the question of “How We Live Out Our Humanism.”

Looking for more to read? Or maybe you can't become a member right now? Check out our journal archives, where we have nearly two decades' worth of essays and musings from some of the smartest voices in UU Humanism. (You need to log in to view.)

Please contact our editor, Roger Brewin, at rabrewin@aol.com, to:

  • Verify your membership status or report an issue in the delivery of your e-journal. (if you're not a member, become one this week!)
  • Offer commentary (critical, complimentary or curious) about this issue
  • Suggest topics for future issues
  • Submit specific material for consideration

In Community,

Roger Brewin, UUHA Journal of Religious Humanism Editor Read more about "How We Live Out Our Humanism, part II" Edition of Religious Humanism Journal Available to Members Today! »

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Please Support the UUHA in the New Year

Dear UUHA Members,

We hope 2022 has held plenty of moments of joy for you and your family; perhaps getting to gather again for the holidays as we emerge from the long pandemic and the isolation it brought to many of us, perhaps enjoying new traditions and making new memories together. We hold lightly, in community, any pain that has touched your life. 

This year, the UUHA will have published two volumes of our long-running journal, Religious Humanism, a two-part exploration of “How We Live our Humanism.” (The latest issue is finalized and will be emailed to members very shortly!) The essays contained in these editions (the second of which is being released as we write) are thoughtful and moving ruminations about how UU and Humanist values guide the lives of our contributors — and also what they can do in the wider world. We hope they bring inspiration and ideas to you and your communities.

The UUHA sponsored the 2022 HumanLight event on December 17th and hosted a breakout room at the end of the event to discuss the science and importance of Dark Sky efforts across the country and world. We had a great turnout and the attendees were eager to lobby on behalf of Dark Sky efforts. The UUHA will be sponsoring this effort in 2023, and we hope you’ll join us!

This upcoming year is shaping up to be a busy year for UUHA! We are working on an exciting series of programming featuring some leading voices in Humanism both within and adjacent to Unitarian Universalism. We have proposals in development for General Assembly (to which we hope to return in person) and the Secular Student Alliance conference. We’re also going to be holding elections to fill our open board seats and sponsoring Humanist book projects.

We want you to be involved in all of the exciting efforts underway. Especially in the face of challenges to human rights in the name of “religious freedom,” Humanism offers a bright path for the future. The UUHA continues to uphold the rich and vital tradition of Humanist thought in Unitarian Universalism, and also to be a bridge to the wider humanist and secular world of organizations who share our values and aspirations. As we end 2022, will you consider an increased commitment to inclusive, expansive, Humanist work?

If you haven’t yet renewed your membership, you can do that today. If you have, would you invest in the future of Humanism with an additional donation to support UUHA in the coming year? 

We wish you and yours a peaceful rest of the year and a warm start to 2023.

Leika Lewis-Cornwell and James Witker,

On behalf of the Board of the Unitarian Universalist Humanist Association Read more about Please Support the UUHA in the New Year »

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“How We Live Out Our Humanism, Part II” Vol 50 #1 of the journal Religious Humanism, will be available to UUHA members, mid-December, 2022.

“How We Live Out Our Humanism, Part II” Vol 50 #1 of the journal Religious Humanism, will be available to UUHA members, mid-December, 2022.

“I was in philosophy class … when the professor asked how many of us believed we could have a moral world without Christianity. I alone raised my hand,” writes Beth Lefever, “and then said that I didn’t believe Jesus would be a Christian were he here today. I was not very popular in my (conservative) northern Indiana university,” she adds, beginning a heart-felt account of her journey to UU Humanism and to parish ministry.

“The number one question for me, as a Secular Humanist, has been what should my role be in an organization that, while seeking to help the Mosou (one of the last remaining matriarchal societies, in a remote region of China) will inevitably change them, also.” John Lombard explains how the humanist value of choice allows him to grant agency without telling the Mosou what to do or how to do it.

“Being a Humanist minister in the south is a juggling game,” says Lynne Garner, who has pastored UU congregations in Georgia and Florida, while serving as an officer of local NAACP chapters. Using the examples of organizational requests to offer prayer, and invitations from colleagues to engage in theological debate, she shows how to keep all those balls in the air.

In the three articles described above, and five others, our contributors articulate their personal and/or group-oriented non-theism. This issue combines with Volume 49 #2 of the journal (released in May 2022) to offer a total of sixteen diverse and thoughtful responses to the question of

“How We Live Out Our Humanism.” Volume 50 #1 is currently in production, and will be released digitally to UUHA members in Mid-December. Read more about “How We Live Out Our Humanism, Part II” Vol 50 #1 of the journal Religious Humanism, will be available to UUHA members, mid-December, 2022. »

Categories: 
news