By Rev. Barbara Prose

Unitarian Universalists see something sacred in historical movements for freedom. Our theology of freedom first emerged from interpreting the story in Exodus, when the ancient Israelites escape slavery in Egypt, then make their way to freedom. The story offers a powerful metaphor affirming that liberation from oppression is a holy goal and that freedom itself is sacred. 

Unitarian Universalists also see something sacred in the struggle of first century Christians to freely practice their religion despite Roman persecution. We see a holy movement for freedom in the work of scientists like Copernicus and Galileo to practice and teach science despite the opposition of the Catholic church hierarchy. We see the sacred in many freedom movements, including those for the abolition of slavery in the United States, for women’s rights, the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa, and the Land Back movement today.

Historical movements for freedom have also included struggles for religious freedom. One of the world’s first, formal, political decrees in support of religious freedom was supported and defended by a founder of Unitarianism, David Francis, at the Diet of Torda in 1568. The new law defending religious freedoms was enacted by history’s one and only Unitarian monarch, John Sigismund of Transylvania. It is heartening and inspiring to remember that when Unitarians held power, they used their power to secure the rights of others to believe as their conscience dictated, rather than using their power to spread their own faith.

That said, it is easier to see the sacred, in movements of the past, rather than to see how we are called to protect fundamental freedoms today.  Especially in an age of rapid change, shifting political and social allegiances and artificial intelligence, we need each other to see current, sacred movements for freedom. And so we hope our Fellowship can be a place where we host rigorous, respectful and thoughtful debates, as we each do our part to witness and support present-day, holy, movements for freedom.