Compare UU and Reform Synagogue Post-Election Words

The UU church has become partisan

I am Sephardic Jewish and attend both a Unitarian Universalist (UU) congregation and a reform synagogue. Reform Judaism is a liberal denomination, the largest Jewish denomination in the world, and is comparable in religious liberal philosophy to traditional Unitarian Universalism.

I was struck at the difference in the sermons at the first services following the U.S. Presidential election. One, the UU minister’s sermon, was politically partisan and overtly anti-Trump. On the other hand, the rabbi’s words were nonpolitical and warmly welcomed Jews whatever their political beliefs or votes.

Although Unitarian Universalism is theoretically non-creedal and open to a diversity of viewpoints, it has become increasingly politically narrow, with the national organization, the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA), becoming politically radical and doctrinal. Many UUs, even those who are politically left and active in social justice work, have voiced concerns that they joined a church—not a political party—and feel that the national organization now resembles a political action committee more than a spiritual organization.

As I wrote in the below linked post, this trend toward political partisanship and ideological narrowness is harmful to the UU church. It closes minds and regularly transforms UU spaces into tribalistic “us versus them” echo chambers— the opposite of what a spiritual community and liberal religion should be about.

Read: What Unitarian Universalism loses as it becomes politically narrow 

After the UU minister’s partisan, anti-Trump post-election sermon, one congregant wondered aloud if such sermons could endanger the congregation’s nonprofit status.

In contrast, below were the opening words from the rabbi at the synagogue:

"Shabbat shalom. We started with those iconic words from the prophet Isaiah: “For my house shall be called a house of prayer for all people.” It's one of the opening songs we do all the time, but I think it's especially resonant and important tonight. It reminds us of something that we feel very keenly and importantly here, which is this conviction that there must be spaces where people of good conscience and character can come together after being political opponents. That we can continue to live and work and pray together.

For those of you who are disappointed or devastated at the outcome of this election, remember we are Jews. Our people have marched through millennia. We've seen leaders come and go, all the while holding on to one mandate of ‘Be a light unto others.’ So if the world feels darker to you after this election, you and your light are needed more than ever.

For those of you who are joyful and celebrating the outcome of this election, remember we are Jews. Our people have marched through millennia. We have seen leaders come and we have seen leaders go, all the while holding one mandate of ‘Be a light unto others.’ So if the world feels brighter to you after this election, you will need to continue to illuminate the world around us. And perhaps one way to start is to find a neighbor who feels themselves sitting in darkness and to try to brighten up their world in the weeks ahead.

But no matter how you feel about the election results, we're Jews and we have one task, it's been our task for thousands of years and we're going to keep on doing it."