Which God are we talking about?
Though we may not view the New Testament and Hebrew Scriptures as divinely inspired, the Qur’an as dictated by God, or the Vedas as apaurusheyatva, we can appreciate the texts as gifts to humanity. We understand that, through the ages, these works have shaped whole societies and civilizations. We can honor and appreciate them as sources of wisdom that speak to us across generations and cultures. This attitude toward scripture places Unitarian Universalism in a position distinct from other faiths; rather than venerate one text over others, we feel free to read each in the light of all the others.
Johnstone, Jonalu. Scripture Unbound: A Unitarian Universalist Approach (pp. xiv-xv). Skinner House Books. Kindle Edition.
Some people call it the “perennial wisdom,” the “perennial philosophy,” the “perennial theology,” but no matter what it is called there is a recognition that the world’s religions and scriptures have certain ideas and concepts in common. Rather than compete with each other in terms of which scripture is right and which is wrong, it is much more enriching and profitable to see how each provides a different perspective on the same phenomenon.
The word “God” has been used in many different traditions, in different cultures, in different texts and yet no matter what the concept is labeled, it always refers to a Transcendent power.
One time a student asked their professor, “Do you believe in God?” The professor replied, “It depends on which God you are asking about.”
Have you read different scriptures? If so, which have you found most illuminating at what point in your spiritual journey?
Editor notes:
Join our online Spiritual Book Discussion Group. Please invite others as well.
No comments:
Post a Comment