The late Unitarian Universalist minister Forrest Church suggested a thought experiment:

Imagine waking one morning from a deep sleep to find yourself in the nave of a vast, ancient “Cathedral of the World.”  At one end is the first altar ever built; at the other end is a shrine to the world’s newest faith; in-between is a long series of apses devoted to myriad deities, prophets, and teachings.

Builders are still at work here, having toiled from time immemorial, tearing down and raising up niches in this cathedral.  Their work will never be finished.

The Cathedral of the World has innumerable stained-glass windows where light shines in, each unique and beautiful in its own way..  Some windows are long forgotten, covered with dust; others are revered by millions, considered the most sacred of openings.  Each tells a story about the creation of the world, the purpose of life, the nature of humankind, the mystery of death.

Fundamentalists claim that the light shines only through one group’s window, their own. They believe in a Deity who only they can see.  Some even throw rocks through other peoples’ windows.

Skeptics, seeing the bewildering variety of windows and worshipers, conclude that the light contains no Truth .  They won’t believe in a Divinity they cannot perceive directly.

Unitarians see the cathedral differently.  They know how vast it is, and that our lives are too short to contemplate all of it.  Yet they also sense that each part contributes to the whole, so they find value wherever they visit, learn, and participate.

UUs acknowledge our limited understanding; respect differing insights; defend others’ right to their own beliefs; and credit each path with a portion of truth..

September 20, 2024