Unitarian Universalist Church of Palo Alto

Reflection: Not a Christian?

Phyllis Cassel
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Palo Alto, CA

The first parish Church (Unitarian) of Chelmsford, MA had a very simple sanctuary, fixed pews, white paint, an elevated pulpit and a choir loft with an organ at the back. A huge bible sat on the podium and we read from it every Sunday. Funerals, wedding and memorials services happened here. Everything else happened in the basement, Sunday School, The men’s “bean and frank” suppers, Congregational meetings, wedding receptions, everything. It too was a simple space. There was, however, one small sign in a frame on the wall. It read: I believe in the Fatherhood of God, the Leadership of Jesus, the Brotherhood of Man, Salvation by Character, onward and upward forever. We didn’t have a creed, but in the fifth grade Mrs. Fisk made sure that we had memorized those words. We also memorized the Beatitudes, the Ten Commandments and the Lords Prayer.

By the time I graduated from high school I had read the Bible more than once, including all the begets and begots. I could hold my own with my Christian friends in the usual discussions about who said what and what was God. God for me represented creation. Jesus taught us how to live. The person-hood of Jesus made it possible to attempt to follow his teachings. There was no heaven, hell, or Holy Spirit. I felt that I was Christian because I was trying to follow the teachings of Jesus. I was not Jewish and I knew very little about the other world religions.

During my undergraduate studies I attended a few Unitarian Youth groups but everyone was busy arguing about why they should or shouldn’t give up the faith of their youth. I had had discussions about if there was a God, or not. I wanted to experience a different flavor of religion. My Aunt Louise, a staunch Unitarian, recommended the Congregational Youth Group where she had met her husband. She thought this group would be a good place for me to meet some nice young men.

The men in the Congregational youth group were indeed interesting and I had more than a few dates, but these men would have none of my calling myself a Christian. I was truly confused. The most important parts of the Bible are those portions that help us live ethical lives, are they not? But I did not believe that Jesus was God, nor did I believe in a Trinity, so I could not be Christian! At first I was angry, I tried to argue. I remained confused for a while. It was a grieving process. Finally as with the problem I explained last spring, when toast made in my kitchen, required that there be crumbs on two counters, I gave up.

As I developed this reflection this past week I was surprised to discover that my faith has not changed much since high school. For me what was and still is important is that I try to live an ethical life. I do not concern myself with the existence of God. If there is a God, it’s concerned only with how I live my life not what I believe and If there is no God? Then there is no God. What is different is that my ideas of what is ethical, comes from a wider selection of sources than I had available in high school. And I have a much better understanding of the complexities of trying to live that ethical life. Culturally I am still Christian.

Sermon: Getting All the Evidence: The “Gnostic Gospels” by Reverend John Beverly Butcher