Though in general my faith tradition, Unitarian Universalism, lacks a formal creed, our congregations center their beliefs around a set of Seven Principles and Six Sources. As I sat in service at Marsh Chapel this week, which honored the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., I was reminded of our second source:
“Words and deeds of prophetic women and men which challenge us to confront powers and structures of evil with justice, compassion, and the transforming power of love.”
To me this source means that, a substantial part of my religious ideology and more important the actions I take in service of this ideology are directly influenced by the life and testimony of the ministers, activists, and other prophetic figures who came before me.
As I continued to think about this second source, I read Martin Luther King Jr.’s Ware lecture that he delivered to the 1966 UUA General Assembly. His lecture entitled Don’t Sleep Through the Revolution, commanded and encouraged UUs to be active passionate members of the fight for Civil Rights. He voiced loudly that the struggle for racial justice was ongoing and that semblances of progress were no excuse to lessen the fight. As was his inspiring way, Dr. King encouraged non-violent action as the only way to truly destroy the systems of oppression that were so prominent and continue to be relevant in society. His wisdom and visionary influence are a source that I draw on as I attempt to understand my faith and my ministry.
In the beginning of his speech he stated, “that all life is inter-related, and somehow we are all tied together. For some strange reason I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be, and you can never be what you ought to be until I am what I ought to be. This is the inter-related structure of all reality.” This idea struck me as the ultimate motivation for justice work. By hearkening to the 7th UU Principle, “Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part,” Dr. King reminds us that we are not completely independent beings, and that I cannot be truly whole without working so that others can achieve wholeness. In some ways the idea is so simple, yet in practice this idea is world changing. As I continue to try to be mindful of the injustices and hardships that others face, I am reminded of the lyrics to one of my favorite hymns which states:
“When we trust the wisdom in each of us, Every color every creed and kind, And we see our faces in each other’s eyes, Then our heart is in a holy place.”