The Rev. Dr. James Luther Adams
James Luther Adams was the most influential Unitarian Universalist theologian of the 20th Century. In his classic 1976 book On Being Human Religiously, Adams articulated what he believed to be “The Five Smooth Stones of Religious Liberalism”
THE FIVE SMOOTH STONES OF RELIGIOUS LIBERALISM
- LEARN (Revelation is Unsealed): Revelation is continuous…meaning has not been finally captured…nothing is complete…nothing is exempt from criticism.
- RESPECT (We Must Be in Right Relationship With One Another): Relations between persons ought ideally to rest on mutual, free consent and not on coercion.
- GIVE (We Are Morally Obligated to Seek Justice): Religious liberalism affirms the moral obligation to direct one’s efforts toward the establishment of a just and loving community.
- Work (It Is People Who Make Good Things Happen): We deny the “immaculate conception” of virtue and affirm the necessity of “social incarnation.”
- HOPE (We Must Strive for an Attitude of Ultimate Optimism): We hold that the resources (divine and human) that are available for the achievement of meaningful change in the world justify an attitude of ultimate optimism.
Over 5 Sundays during the 2024-2025 congregational year, I will explore each of these “Smooth Stones” of our liberal faith in turn: Please join us for all five sermons in person on Sunday, or join us by zoom, or read the complete sermon text in The Northliner the week after Rev. Alexander preaches each installment.
Unitarian Church North
Email: info@ucnorth.org
Website: www.ucnorth.org
Location: 13800 North Port Washington Road, Mequon, WI, USA
Phone: 262-375-3890
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UnitarianChurchNorth/