Sacred Words

This quotation from Stephen Lingwood's The Unitarian Life summarises neatly the Unitarian attitude to sacred texts:

"We can pay attention to a cloud of witnesses from many different countries around the world and many different times in history. We can delve deep into the traditions of our spiritual ancestors and listen to their voices. In doing so, we can create a 'living scripture': a loose, dynamic collection of texts which bring together essential insights from the past and present of our movement."

In our worship and our devotions, we are not limited to readings from a particular sacred text - we are free to create our own 'living scripture' of readings that will speak to our condition and that of our congregations. 

Der lesende Klosterschuler - the reading monk

Every Unitarian will have different books which inspire them, which speak to their condition and influence their lives. The Bible used to be our primary source of inspiration and revelation, and for some Unitarians, it still is. But times have also moved on. At a recent conference of the Ministerial Old Students' Association at Harris Manchester College, Oxford, Sister Benedicta Ward, Supernumerary Fellow & Dean of Degrees at the College and a member of the Anglican religious community of the Sisters of the Love of God, led a session on Devotional Literature, which she described as "written words that help us give ourselves over to the Divine."

She had asked those present to bring a book with them, which had helped in their own spiritual journeys. The choices (from current, retired and aspiring Unitarian ministers) were fascinating:

• The Benedictine Rule
• The works of UU minister Forest Church
• A Year of Grace, compiled by Victor Gollancz
• Love Poems From God: Twelve Sacred Voices from East and West
• The Great Companions
• Writings by Julian of Norwich
• The prayers of James Martineau and Harry Lismer Short
• Guide to Walking Meditation by Thich Nhat Hanh
• In the Holy Quiet of This Hour by Richard S. Gilbert
• Poetry by R.S. Thomas
• The Psalms
• The Sacred Space -scriptural readings & reflections on them by Irish Jesuits
• Quaker Advices and Queries
• The works of Henri Nouwen
• The Shaking of the Foundations by Paul Tillich
• New Seeds of Contemplation by Thomas Merton
• On Praying the Psalms by Dietrich Bonhoeffer
• The Language of the Heart by A. Powell Davies

Quite a mixed selection. Many of the titles put forward "rang bells" with other folk. Sr. Benedicta explained that devotional reading was a very different exercise from reading to analyse and dissect a text. The important thing is to be still and to learn to listen to what the Divine is telling you through the medium of the text. This approach may be too mystical for many Unitarians, but most of the ministers present seemed to resonate with it.