Friday, March 14, 2008

Confessions of a Christian Humanist...

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:

Terri said...

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.

Lilylou said...

Thanks for letting me know, Terri. I will do my best to give you something worthwhile.

Comrade Kevin said...

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.

Earthbound Spirit said...

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!