Total Points: 48.5/50
Comments: multiple uses of the book, the use of the concept of representational symbols is excellent
Celeste Jackson 2/25/22
Rel 100 Observation Project Video Link: https://youtu.be/Bi9waJedXWg
For my observation project I chose to observe a Unitarian Universalist service. The service I viewed via Youtube was held at the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Richmond located in Richmond, Virginia. The service was led by Rev. Jeanne Pupke and members of the church’s Buddhist study group. The Unitarian Universalist church was formed in 1961 when two Christian denominations, the Universalist Church of America and the American Unitarian Association consolidated into one (History of Unitarian Universalism). Since then the church has described itself as a liberal religion and is a founded religion. Unlike other founded religions there was not one leader that started the church, insted it was two Christian denominations that came together and formed Unitary Universalism (UU). The religions came together as “powerful reformers, building on the foundation of an existing religion” (Livingston 131) and sparked a “new religious movement” (Livingston 131). The title of the service was “When You See a Buddah, Zoom Them”. The theme of the service was to highlight the Buddhist study group. The service made use of various rituals, Buddhist sacred scripture, and communal singing.
The setup of the church was similar to churches I have seen before. The reverend and various speakers spoke behind one of two podiums on the stage with a chalice between them. The piano and pianist were on the lower lever to the left of the stage with singers seated to the left of the stage above the piano. The service consisted of various speakers including the reverend and various church members. The service was made up of a welcome, brief history of the churches beliefs and values, various readings, songs played on the piano and sung as a group, an offering, and a benediction at the end of the service. There was also a lighting and extinguishing of the chalice.
A recurring theme that I observed was the picture and use of a flame and chalice. The front of one podium was covered with a small quilt with a flame at the center. The reverend wore a black robe with a blue stole embroidered with the picture of a chalice and flame. According to the Unitarian Universalist Association “a flame within a chalice (a cup with a stem and foot), represents the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) and is a symbol of the Unitarian Universalist faith” (Chalice Lightings). The religious symbol of a flame and chalice can have various meanings among UU members. Some meanings include “the light of reason, the warmth of community, and the flame of hope” (Flaming Chalice). The flame and chalice is an example of a representational symbol that is defined as “tying together things that are distinct even when there may not be any symptomatic connection between the symbol and the thing it symbolizes” (Livingston 55). For members of the UU religion the flame does not represent a literal fire, instead it serves as a reminder of various UU themes for its members. Before the church's reverend gave her benediction, she extinguished the chalice flame.
The lighting and extinguishing of the chalice flame can be categorized as a sacrament. James C Livingston states that a sacrament “makes use of the temporal things - words, gestures, objects - for a spiritual purpose...” (Livingston 92). He also states the sacraments “have profound and psychological effects” (Livingston 93). This service used the chalice and flame as a sacrament by using two physical things and using them for the spiritual purpose and psychological effect of having the viewers think on their spiritual understandings of the flame.
Having various interpretations of the flame is representative of the UU religion which allows its members to follow their own religious or spiritual path. This was evident in the focus of the service of the Buddhist study group. The UU religion is not a Buddhist religion but has members that practice Buddhism and the church hosts a Buddhist study group. Buddhism “is the world's oldest missionary religion”(Livingston 113) and can be characterized as a voluntary religious community along with Unitarian Universalism. Voluntary religious communities are “no longer sustained merely by procreation but, rather, by evangelization, proselytization, and conversion” (Livingston 131). Both religions gain members through conversion.
For the service, members of the church’s Buddhist study group spoke about their experience with the group and shared teachings and readings of Buddhism that were meaningful to them. Unitarian Universalists do not have a specific sacred scripture. Instead they look to sacred books of various other religions. This service contained various teachings of Buddhism and readings from Buddhist teachers.
One speaker spoke about the Four Noble Truths of Buddhism and the Eightfold Path. These are the teachings of Buddha which are called sutras and are sacred texts of Buddhism. Sutras are considered sacred scriptures because they are the teachings of Buddha who is the founder of Buddhism. During the service another presenter led the church in the Tibetan Buddhist practice of Tonglen meditation. The speaker described this practice as visualizing yourself going toward suffering and voluntarily taking on the suffering of someone else. You then breathe in the suffering, sit with it, change it to relief, and breathe it out. The last Buddhist speaker spoke about perspective and reframing Buddhist practices. The readings of Buddhist teachers, Buddhists sutras, and the Tonglen in this service were examples of using sacred scripture “for instruction and educational purposes” (Livingston 108).
After the Tonglen reading and meditation there was what they called a “choral response”. The song was called “Meditation on Breathing”. The song consisted of multiple parts sung at the same time. When the rounds of the song were sung together it gave the feeling of someone repeating a mantra. Throughout the service various songs were sung in between readings and at the end of the service. Communal singing is often done during religious services of many religious communities.
The final part of the service were the closing words and benediction given by the reverend. She spoke about the history of Buddhism in the West and its relationship with Unitarian Universalism. She also spoke about a UU minister who used the phrase “if you meet a Buddha on the road, kill him”, which is what she based the title of her message on. She encourages the congregation to see the humanity and love of others you may not agree with and to remember there is always more to learn, and to breathe in peace and breathe out love. After the benediction a recording of a song titled “There is a Mountain” was played.
This Unitarian Universalist service served as a good representation of the beliefs of the church that allow its members to follow their personal spiritual path. The service had imagery of the distinct UU sacred symbol of the chalice and flame. The service also showcased a sacramental ritual of lighting and extinguishing the flame in the church's chalice. The congregation participated in group singing that helps to bring together a community. Lastly, this service highlighted their members that practice Buddhism and allowed them to share their sacred texts of Buddhism and rituals with the congregation.
Works Cited
“Chalice Lightings: Words for Worship.” Unitarian Universalist Association, www.uua.org/worship/words/chalice-lighting. Accessed 25 February 2022.
“Flaming Chalice: Symbol of Unitarian Universalism.” Unitarian Universalist Association, www.uua.org/beliefs/who-we-are/chalice. Accessed 25 February 2022.
“History of Unitarian Universalism.” Unitarian Universalist Association, www.uua.org/beliefs/who-we-are/history. Accessed 25 February 2022.
Livingston, James C. Anatomy of the Sacred: An Introduction to Religion. 6th ed., Prentice Hall, 2009.
Comments
Post a Comment