What Do A Billion Muslims Have To Teach Us About Unitarian Universalism?
What Do A Billion Muslims Have To Teach Us About Unitarian Universalism?
Islam, the second largest religion in the world, could be thought of as a Unitarian heresy. Like American Unitarians 1200 years later, Muhammad and his followers regarded Jesus as a prophet, but not a God. They believed that the kingdom of God belonged to all people, not just a chosen few. In many ways Islam and Unitarianism share a certain kinship, particularly in relation to the Judeo-Christian tradition. At the same time, there are vast differences. Islam arose in the 7th century on the Arabian Peninsula among Bedouins. American Unitarianism arose in the 19th century among the "Boston Brahmins". Islam asserted itself in the language of poetry. Unitarianism asserted itself in the language of reason. Today, Unitarians are among the most vocal allies of Muslims in the United States and Rumi is one of our favorite poets. And yet, we know so little about the textual tradition of Islam. Let's explore a bit of that tradition and see what it can tell us about our own faith.
Alessandro Gagliard, Guest Preacher
Susan Anthony, Worship Associate
Reiko Oda Lane, piano
Radim Zenkl, mandolin, mandola, ukulele, didgeridoo
Asher Davison, song leader
Gayle Reynolds, Welcome
Jonathan Silk, OOS,Sound and Podcasting
Islam, the second largest religion in the world, could be thought of as a Unitarian heresy. Like American Unitarians 1200 years later, Muhammad and his followers regarded Jesus as a prophet, but not a God. They believed that the kingdom of God belonged to all people, not just a chosen few. In many ways Islam and Unitarianism share a certain kinship, particularly in relation to the Judeo-Christian tradition. At the same time, there are vast differences. Islam arose in the 7th century on the Arabian Peninsula among Bedouins. American Unitarianism arose in the 19th century among the "Boston Brahmins". Islam asserted itself in the language of poetry. Unitarianism asserted itself in the language of reason. Today, Unitarians are among the most vocal allies of Muslims in the United States and Rumi is one of our favorite poets. And yet, we know so little about the textual tradition of Islam. Let's explore a bit of that tradition and see what it can tell us about our own faith.
Alessandro Gagliard, Guest Preacher
Susan Anthony, Worship Associate
Reiko Oda Lane, piano
Radim Zenkl, mandolin, mandola, ukulele, didgeridoo
Asher Davison, song leader
Gayle Reynolds, Welcome
Jonathan Silk, OOS,Sound and Podcasting
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