Posts by Roger Brewin

Submissions Sought: Humanist Elevator Speeches

Posted on April 16, 2020 by Roger Brewin

We humanists love to talk and explain (and then sum up, before adding footnotes!) …but brevity can sometimes be better. The Journal of Religious Humanism challenges you to be creatively brief. If you were asked, upon entering an elevator: “Hey, what is Humanism, anyway?” And you had to reply before exiting, what would you say?

In one floor? A dozen words or fewer? Example: “Wonder, imagination, fulfillment, creativity, meaning: available to everyone – religious or not.” Marilyn Westfall

In four floors? No more than 50 words? Example: “Humanism tells me human life is … worthy of respect and care. Environmentalism tells me: to be human is to be part of an interdependent circle of all life. Environmental Humanism compels me to … reduce human practices that threaten the survival of life on earth.” Carol Hepokoski

In twelve floors? 100 words, tops? Read more about Submissions Sought: Humanist Elevator Speeches »

Dedication of “Ribbons Not Walls” display at Brevard UU Church, April 2, 2017

Posted on April 3, 2017 by Roger Brewin

“Ribbons” consists of twenty four fabric art panels from over 40 artists around the country. Some are based on themes or cover art from books by Hispanic authors; others directly represent aspects of the immigrant experience. “Ribbons” was displayed at the UUA General Assemblies in Louisville, KY (2013), Providence, RI (2014), Portland, OR (2015) and Columbus, OH (2016). In between, panels have traveled to over 60 venues (UU congregations, Humanist meetings, art galleries, etc), and have been viewed by over 14,000 people. More than 200 individuals (mostly UUs and humanists) have been involved in the fabrication, curation, display and financial sponsorship of the exhibit.

Following four years on the road, and the wear and tear of being repeatedly set up and taken down, “Ribbons” is transitioning to permanent sites around the country. These four panels are now on display at the Brevard UU Church, 2185 Meadowlane Ave, West Melbourne, FL 32904:

Call for Papers on Naturalism

Posted on January 4, 2016 by Roger Brewin

Submissions on the subject of "Naturalism" are sought by UU Humanists for the Spring, 2016 issue of the Journal of Religious Humanism, to be mailed to UU Humanist Association members and subscribers in May, and distributed at the 2016 UUA General Assembly in Columbus, OH., in June. Opinion pieces or short essays should be in the 800-1500 word range; a 3,000 word limit and a request for footnotes apply to longer articles of a more scholarly nature. Those submitting sermons are asked to convert to a suitable form for print publication, including citations, and the removal of protected text, such as complete hymn lyrics. Writers may submit completed pieces for consideration, or receive a preliminary decision on publication by sending an abstract. Read more about Call for Papers on Naturalism »

The Fall 2015 Issue of the Journal: The Threading the Interfaith/Interpath Needle

Posted on January 3, 2016 by Roger Brewin

The Fall 2015 issue of the Journal of Religious Humanism has now been delivered to active members' mailboxes and/or Inboxes.

Humanism is so often described as being in opposition to, or at best in a creative tension with religion, that the path of interfaith cooperation can seem highly problematic, and perhaps more trouble than it is worth. Yet increasingly, individuals and Humanist groups join with their religious counterparts on specific social justice and service projects, and simply to further the goal of living side by side, even if in an uneasy peace. The fall 2015 issue of the Journal of Religious Humanism explores these efforts from several points of view - from the humanist organizations that have embraced particular events and coalitions, to individuals of many persuasions who have struggled with what it means to work and celebrate with those whose basic perspective on life is very different. Read more about The Fall 2015 Issue of the Journal: The Threading the Interfaith/Interpath Needle »

Humanist Oasis in the GA Exhibit Hall

Posted on May 7, 2014 by Roger Brewin

Booth 416

Drink deep from the latest books by our own Humanist Press authors and other Humanist writers; dive into a pool of nationwide social justice opportunities - immigration reform and opposition to censorship; quench your thirst for updates on cooperative projects on leadership training and humanist community.

All this and the latest info on local Humanist groups and programs in the UU universe; engagement with representatives of local and regional secular organizations; the latest copy of the Journal of Religious Humanism and a collection of freethought wit and wisdom on stickers, pins and magnets.

Plus the chance to meet and greet HUU Board members and booth volunteers - experts tell us they are the liveliest folks at the General Assembly!

Stop by - refresh yourself, ask a question, give your opinion, renew your membership, get a UU Humanist namebadge ribbon to show your Humanist pride, peruse the displays, purchase a pin-on, stick-on slogan or some more substantial reading, make a new commitment to humanist values, make a new friend, make your day at GA! Read more about Humanist Oasis in the GA Exhibit Hall »

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"Ribbons Not Walls" Social Justice Project Update

Posted on May 5, 2014 by Roger Brewin

The fabric arts/social justice project that began prior to last year's GA, and was featured at the HUUmanists booth in Louisville, began its second spring tour in April. Two dozen panels on various immigration themes have been shown in seven venues over the winter including three midwest UU fellowships, a minister's study group and and a Democratic party dinner. Recent and upcoming presentations in three humanist groups in Michigan and Kentucky, Regional and District UU Meetings in Bloomington and Vero Beach, and three UU congregations, including a month long show in the gallery of Thomas Jefferson UU Church in Louisville. Read more about "Ribbons Not Walls" Social Justice Project Update »

HUUmanists Continue the Fight Against Classroom Censorship

Posted on May 5, 2014 by Roger Brewin

Since shorthly after the State of Arizona outlawed Public School courses in "Ethnic Studies," and removed some 80 books, mostly by Hispanic authors, from Tucson classrooms, HUUmanists has been involved with opposing these acts of censorship and cultural oppression. Partnering with Puente (a community organizing group in Phoenix) and "Librotrafficante" Tony Diaz of Nuestra Palabra, we had well over 300 people each "smUUggle" one of these banned books into the UUA's 2012 General assembly in Phoenix.

Over the next year we helped establish community libraries based on banned books at Puente's new headquarters, and in Tucson, El Paso and Louisville. This year we are giving individuals the opportunity to "spread banned books around:" buying a low cost copy of one of the titles, and after reading it, passing it on to a friend, or dropping it in a public location. Labels on the cover and fly leaf of each book explain why it was "banned," and how the reader can participate. Read more about HUUmanists Continue the Fight Against Classroom Censorship »

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I prefer religious language - no snark! Well, almost none.

Posted on April 16, 2014 by Roger Brewin

[Editor's note: this is a response to David Breeden's Sneaking One Over on the Humanists post and the religious language poll.]

That's right I'm one of the ten percent of respondents in the poll who expressed a preference for religious language - not because I use it a lot, but because it is useful to me in a much wider universe, than is "non-theistic" language alone. I do use a lot of non-religious language too - in the meetings and on the advisory board of the large Midwestern Secular community (CFI Michigan) to which I belong. And much of the time, in the UU congregation (Berrien UU Fellowship - about half humanist in membership) in which I am active. And in the overwhelming majority of my dealings with HUUmanists. Read more about I prefer religious language - no snark! Well, almost none. »

Big, Bad Booth?

Posted on November 4, 2013 by Roger Brewin

I've been "running" the HUU booth at General Assembly, with an able assist from Jack Reich and each year, a rotating cast of enthusiastic others, since 2002. I take some pride in the fact that we are usually among the largest and most energetic displays in the exhibit hall. I take pride in the fact that we share our space with other humanist and social justice organizations - this year the Channing-Murray Campus Ministry, the Humanist Institute, Secular Student Alliance, and a Gun Control group called "Change the Conversation," were all on board.

Greg Epstein of Harvard Humanists and Kevin Watson of The Humanist Institute Read more about Big, Bad Booth? »

Ribbons on the Road

Posted on November 4, 2013 by Roger Brewin

A collection of two dozen fabric arts panels made by humanist and UU artists around the country, began its fall tour during the last weekend of September, with a showing at a Michigan community event and a UU Fellowship Sunday service. "Ribbons Not Walls" (a project of HUUmanists) invites people to create yard long representations of immigration related events and themes. The collection includes a starkly poetic rendering of a portion of the "wall" between the US and Mexico by 13 year old Illinois UU Alayna Vesto, two panels featuring the primitive quilting style of Linda Lee, lead artist of the well known Farmworkers Memorial quilt out of Florida, and the HUUmanists "Librotraficante" (Book SmUUggler) Iogo, stitched and be-ribboned by Michigan secular humanist Sherron Collins. Read more about Ribbons on the Road »

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