is the title of my Easter sermon and I've decided to spend some time during the upcoming Christian Holy Week blogging about my perceptions of this holy time.
I am both a Christian (non-traditional) and a Humanist (though more of a small h variety) and I have a history with Easter that involves both of these religious philosophies. I don't shun Easter as many Humanists do; that is, I don't ridicule it or avoid the topic.
If all of Christendom is celebrating this moment in time, I am interested in exploring its meaning for me, a non-traditional humanistic Christian.
I'll be meeting with my lectionary colleagues in a little while at the local Catholic church and we'll be talking about the Friday night vigil and the Sunday service and its scriptural passages.
I am not participating the vigil on Friday, though I was invited to do so. I am a bit uncomfortable representing my congregation there, as I don't want to imply that all UUs feel as I do about the meaning of the Easter season. And I'm not a bit sure that the listeners who would hear my message (I'd be preaching on a New Testament text for 5 minutes) would hear me accurately. Maybe I am over-analyzing this, but that's my thinking this year. Maybe next year I'll take part.
In any case, I have been gathering my thoughts about what Easter and the story of Jesus' mission, message, and violent death mean to me. I don't find the Easter story to be historical truth, but I do find deep moral truth in it. And that's the theme of my Easter sermon this year.
I hope to take each scripture reading for Holy Week and offer some observations on it through my Christian Humanist lens. I hope you'll stay tuned.
4 comments:
I will be very interested in your posts on this. This is the time of year that I really miss Christianity. Even though I don't define as Christian, there is still so much meaning for me in the story. My husband and I are thinking of attending Christian Holy Week and Easter services this year instead of our UU one, which felt pretty empty last year.
Thanks for letting me know, Terri. I will do my best to give you something worthwhile.
I have started a new tradition of reading the Easter story about this time of year, starting at the Last Supper all the way to the Resurrection.
I think it is most appropriate you are choosing to give this sermon on Palm Sunday.
I'll be interested in your insights, too, Ms. Kitty. Attending a Christian seminary there are plenty of opportunities to reflect on what something means to me - or whether something has meaning for me - as a UU. Nearing the end of the academic phase, I feel like I'm finally pulling some of those threads together! Have a blessed week!
Post a Comment