Rev. Vanessa Titang

Tag: Goddess

  • SPIRIT is LOVE: Visiting My Process Theology

    SPIRIT is LOVE: Visiting My Process Theology

    February 6th, 2023

    My theology is of

    Panentheism
    ” (“all in God”, from the Greek πᾶν, pân, ‘all’, ἐν, en, ‘in’ and Θεός, Theós, ‘God’)[1] is the belief that the divine intersects every part of the universe and also extends beyond space and time. ” (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panentheism)

    *SPIRIT/God[ess]/Olorun/Allah/YHWH… (different names/ “languages”, but all the same ultimate source in reference, perceived from different angles of the same divine prism).
    –Here I will refer to as “SPIRIT”

    SPIRIT…
    *… is love
    *…is a force/energy and entity
    *…is creativity/creation
    *…is change
    *…is in all, and all the universe is inside, and yet there is still more SPIRIT outside of this, in infinite capacity
    *… loves ALL creation
    *…is omnibenevolent
    *… is omnipresent (in all and around all), but NOT omnipotent in the way most assume:
    As a good parent, SPIRIT cares for but also gives free will and room for their children to be independent and find the residual and unending presence of SPIRIT within themselves. This is imperfect in action on the part of the child, but that is perfect and was meant to be. All that comes to pass is a learning moment, not for when SPIRIT is gone, but for when WE lose our way to SPIRIT. That separation is where what we know as “evil” may take seed, and unlearned from and unrecognized can take over. That too is a lesson, once we can WAKE to it and seek again the TRUTH of an unconditional, selfless, universal LOVE.)

    *SPIRIT LOVES.

    *THE MEANING, PURPOSE, AND FUEL OF EXISTENCE IS LOVE.

    1 John 4:16
    “So we have known and believe the love that God has for us.

    God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them.”

  • My UU Elevator Speech

    My UU Elevator Speech

    I am attending a family gathering.  A memorial/ independence day gathering of my maternal side. Of all the things running through my mind,  one that has  popped up a number of times is how to describe my UU faith and ministry to my largely Lutheran family.

    I need an elevator speech of sorts. I’ve been saying that I’ll get to coming up with one for some time now,  but never get around to doing it.

    I’ve been in the car for hours and hours on the road trip from Maine to Ohio and now to western Pennsylvania. I’m a passenger,  and I see no time but now to do it!

    I think first about all the things that I believe…..

    I believe in a universal, neutral force that one might call God,  or my preferred  “Spirit”.

    I believe in panentheism,  this Spirit is, is in, and is greater than all.

    I believe in God’s love for all.

    I believe in the inherent worth and dignity of all.

    I believe in the interconnection of all things.

    I believe in an interwoven web of life.

    I believe God’s intervening force in our lives,  but not that all is preordained.

    I believe in the continuation of spirit after death,  in a cycle as part of the Divine Spirit.

    I believe…

    I believe a lot things that are a lot to explain.  I believe things that not all Unitarian Universalists believe. But my faith has belief that we can hold these views and seek out truth and meaning.

    I struggle with how to describe this all succinctly.

    Then I saw a description someone else did,  that was a one liner. I can’t even recall what it was, but it made sense. And suddenly I came up with it:

    “I believe in 1 God that connects and fills all, and in which all are saved.”

    From this description, Unitarian and Universalists views are both expressed. Unitarian: all in one God. Universalist: Never mind the name given,  the language or faith praised with,  all for this one whole God.

     

    There is much more that could be expressed about my faith,  and own spirituality. But this short statement captures the crux of the faith.  I can then expand, and talk about the non-creedal nature,  the 7 (8) Principles that help to guide and explain our beliefs.

    I’m sure I will tweak my elevator statement over time and with use.  But for now I’m satisfied with this.  I think being able to come up with such a statement is a Testament to how much I’ve grown in my faith and ministry.

    I also think I’m ready for the family….