Freedom and Reason are two of the
keystones of British Unitarian thought; the third is Tolerance. Outsiders may
find it difficult to understand how the Unitarian movement holds together,
placing, as it does, so much importance on the freedom of individual belief
based on reason and conscience. But tolerance, this openness to new thoughts
and ideas, is a key concept in Unitarianism; indeed it is what has kept it green
and growing down the centuries.
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Our movement has been underpinned by a
process of continuous and continuing revelation. At different times and in
different countries, different ideas have been considered to be most important.
But tolerance also means a tigerish determination to fight for the right of
others to enjoy the same freedom to worship in whatever way they choose, so long as it doesn’t harm anyone else.
Our “fellowship in diversity” (happy phrase) aims to be tolerant towards
others. As Joyce Grenfell beautifully puts it, we believe in “loving in spite
of human imperfection.”
Unitarian tolerance is the value which
people outside our movement perhaps find hardest to understand – is it just another
way of saying “anything goes”? Well, no, it certainly is not. It has both the
spiritual and practical aspects, a distinction which it is important to stress.
On the spiritual side, we meet together
for Sunday worship, and in discussion groups and engagement groups at other
times. And it is understood that each person in the congregation or group will
have his or her own beliefs, doubts and questions. The spiritual aspect of
Unitarian tolerance is the provision of a safe and supportive space in which
these beliefs, doubts and questions may be expressed, and will be listened to
respectfully, and without judgement. As Sarah Tinker writes: "we affirm
the right of individuals to express themselves fully and to be heard and
accepted for who they are, unique human beings.”
The pragmatic side of Unitarian
tolerance concerns how we define it, here in the 21st century. What does
tolerance actually mean, in practical terms? I have said earlier that it means
wholeheartedly accepting and respecting the right of others to believe what
they wish, according to their reason and conscience, so long as it does
not harm anyone else.
We should extend this tolerance not
only to our fellow Unitarians and spiritual seekers, but also to the members of
other religions. It is not tolerant to rubbish the religious beliefs of others,
or to speak disrespectfully about other faith systems. That is spiritual
arrogance. True religious tolerance is about recognising that other people's
beliefs are different from ours, and being happy that their beliefs give their
life meaning and validation.
We also need to recognise that there
are limits to tolerance. We should not tolerate beliefs that advocate or
condone the oppression of particular members of society on the grounds of their
sex, sexual orientation, race, or religious beliefs. And where such intolerant
beliefs are held, we need to make our voices heard, standing up for true,
inclusive tolerance.
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