Tuesday, 13 November 2018

Unitarian leaders 50 years ago resembled Emerging Church leaders of recent years

A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. James 1:8

With an emphasis on experience over doctrine, and conversation rather than "thus saith the Lord," the Unitarian minister profiled in the following article would be at home in the Emerging Church, and the methods he used remind this blogger of those used by the Church Growth Movement. As reported by the Calgary Albertan, October 26, 1968 (bold in original):

For the first time in a year, Calgary's 200 Unitarians have a minister to guide them.

He is Rev. Jerome Howell, 38, of Berkeley, Calif., who describes himself as "a liberal right down the line.

His church is the former Crescent Heights United on 17 Ave. N.W., leased on a monthly basis from the United Church presbytery.

Mr. Howell not only is new to Calgary and to Canada, but a newcomer to the ministry as well. He recently completed a three-year postgraduate course in divinity at Starr-King School in Berkeley.

NO DOGMA

Perhaps it's his liberal tendencies that make him a member of the Unitarian Church, which is non-dogmatic and has no creedal requirements for membership.

Members often become Unitarians in dismay with the more traditional churches, he said in an interview. They continue to feel the need for religious community in "something like a church," and thus become Unitarians voluntarily. A Unitarian may be Christian, agnostic or atheist.

Rev. Howell is no radical of the sort that sports beard and sideburns. He's a pretty conventional type of individual, with a trace of conservatism in his manner.

"I didn't come here to reform Calgary, but to learn about this city and its people," he observed.

The Detroit-born father of five frankly admits he's here to respond to his own feelings of bewilderment about the U.S., where he grew up as a social liberal with no church experience. He served with the air force in the Korean war, then obtained a degree in anthropology and spent some years in personnel work. At the Naval Ordnance Test Station at China Lake, Calif., while he was involved in weapons development, he began to realize the cost in human lives of war. After considerable soul-searching, he decided to undertake divinity work.

TWO CAMPS

After just two weeks in Calgary, he has already become interested in the problems of the community. He views his own role as one in which he hopes to have "a foot in both camps" on the issues concerning his congregation.

Cognizant of the current concern over drugs, he said he's talked to kids who use drugs, to get their point of view, but on the other hand, he's ever mindful of four growing boys of his own.

"I'm certainly not one who advocates the use of drugs, but I have to understand those who do in order to translate their thoughts to others."

While he was a student at Berkeley, Rev. Howell said he took a couple of courses from the radical Anglican Bishop James Pike. He described him as "a very bright man...a good example of a man of our time who thinks and talks for the world, but seems rather sad himself."

"I was with him in issues until he became interested in spiritualism."

Worship in the Unitarian Church is less traditional than many churches, and Rev. Howell's ministry will follow the pattern.

POETRY, RECORDS

At his initial service, he discussed a recent controversial book, The New Romans, on Canadian-U.S. relations, and the factors which led him to leave the U.S. Then he went on to play records and read poetry, followed with a coffee break and informal group discussion, in which the congregation shared feelings.

This Sunday, Rev. Howell will discuss "Our Boston Heritage," relating back to the time when the Unitarian Church began and existed very much as the traditional church. He noted that King's Chapel still stands in Boston, and continues to use the Anglican Book of Common Prayer. Sunday, Rev. Howell will depart from his customary pulpit dress of suit and tie, and wear a robe, to fit the theme. He will also follow the liturgical order of service "to come to grips with what our historical antecedents were," he said.

Contending the church is not a place where the minister knows the truth and has a pipeline to the better life, rather, a place where the minister has leadership quality, but so do the lay members. Rev. Howell said he will strive to make the church as relevant as possible to society.

LAY MEMBERS

With this in mind, he will follow a pattern of preaching perhaps three Sundays out of five, and the balance will be left up to the lay members, while he becomes just another member of the congregation.

He believes the institution of the church is not the powerful force it once was, because society has become secular. Thus, it is up to the church, if it cares, to be known in all its facets, he contends.

To do so, means increased community involvement and less salvation. And to illustrate and relate to his new community, Rev. Howell has cancelled services for Sunday, Nov. 3, holding instead a Saturday night service for the marchers in the Miles for Millions Walk.

SING AND PLAY

"We'll sing and play our young people on their way," he said.

Fresh from a unique seminar in Boston for new ministers of the Unitarian faith and their wives, Rev. Howell said it served as an indoctrination for both he and his Canadian born wife into the ministry. The wives received an awareness of how a marriage comes under stress, and had the opportunity to engage in discussion and share experiences.

One of the programs he hopes to initiate in Calgary is encounter groups for lay people. In groups of about 30, they will act out the things which break down their hostilities, with openness and honesty the ultimate goal.

"It's a personal concern of our members to have a community action awareness. After that they are most interested in their existentialist selves," he said.
Neither Mr. Howell's marriage nor his career as a Unitarian minister lasted many years past the publication of this article. His website indicates that he led an interesting life until his death in 2017 at the age of 87. If I'd met him, I probably would have liked him--although I certainly wouldn't have wanted his advice on any spiritual matters.

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