In the Middle of a Journey

Book excerpt: The role of religious education/faith development among Unitarian Universalists marks the uniqueness of this religious movement. Without dependence on dogma or creed, it is essential that a religious community be free to develop its own distinctive identity. The centrality of religious education was evident in the very beginnings of this liberal denomination. Rev. Richard Gilbert collects many of the most influential statements of religious education philosophy in the anthology In the Middle of a Journey. From William Ellery Channings eloquent Sunday School Address to the writings of stalwarts Sophia Lyon Fahs and Angus H. MacLean, these carefully selected essays trace the evolution of faith development from a Christian catechism to a broadly based faith-based quest for values, meanings and convictions. In an age that tends to belittle the past, it is refreshing to realize that if we are to chart where we are going, it is wise to know where we have been. The Unitarian Universalist movement has been in some interesting places, and eagerly seeks an adventurous future.