Issue 8066

THE

INQUIRER £1 | Issue 8066 | 2 September 2023

Inside this issue…

Climate café in York Ministers gather at Oxford The case of the missing coronets

www.inquirer.org.uk

The voice of British and Irish Unitarians and Free Christians

God’s gender Kate McKenna asks, does it matter what we call the divine?

THE

INQUIRER The Unitarian and Free Christian Paper Established in 1842, The Inquirer is the oldest nonconformist religious newspaper.

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It is not too late.

It is early and about to grow.

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Kate McKenna finds it matters what we call the Divine

He, she, him, her, it?

You may have heard that a group of Anglican clergy approached the synod – the group which makes decisions for the Church of England – a few months ago, and asked to be allowed to use new language in their services. They want to be allowed to use new language when they’re referring to God. They want to be allowed to refer to God without always saying ‘he’, or ‘him’, or ‘father’, or ‘Lord’.

They’re not suggesting, as some And that language, that liturgy, in press reports have implied, that the Church of England, only ever Anglicans are no longer allowed speaks of God as male. Lord. Father. to call God those things, just that He. Him. His. An Anglican priest “Most of us can only they also be allowed to use other could give a sermon on the female conceive of this huge words: ‘she’ and ‘her’ and ‘mother’ aspect of God, but the prayers and and ‘spirit’, or to not use that sort the creed would still refer to God as and indescribable and of word at all, and to talk about entirely male. unnameable entity in God as ‘God’. I am in favour of this, We don’t have that. No one tells although as it will only affect the us what we must say and what fairly human terms. ” Church of England it isn’t really my language we use. So they’re starting business. from a place we might find hard to Now this whole thing might seem imagine ourselves being in. a little unfamiliar to us. One of the Some people say that if you want things which is really important to to know where Unitarians stand on Unitarians is something called ‘freedom of the pulpit’: various issues, a good way to find out is to look through there are no rules about what a worship leader or minister our hymn books. We don’t have a written-down list of can say when they’re preaching. It’s a magnificent luxury what we believe, because we couldn’t possibly, because and a terrible responsibility. We’re not a church where we certainly don’t all believe the same thing. So you can’t you’re expected to agree with whoever’s preaching, or go to our national website and find out what Unitarians with the language they use. It wouldn’t cross our minds think, or what a Unitarian theology would look like. In to ask permission to say or not say something, and in any some – most – faith groups and denominations, you can case there’s no one to ask permission from. absolutely find out what people believe, because that’s And unlike our Anglican friends, we don’t use the same what brings people to those groups. set of words in worship every week. It’s not just in our So looking at our hymn books isn’t a bad idea. We have sermons that we choose what to say and what language three very different hymn books. Their names are the to use. The Church of England, like many churches, has a red book, the green book, and the purple book. They do set liturgy: a lot of the service is the same every week, and have other names, but they’re pretty much only ever uses the same language: there is a massive strength in that known by their colours. You can kind-of get an idea (only and sometimes I think we’re missing out a bit. kind-of, but definitely a bit) of where a congregation sits Continued on page 4 > www.inquirer.org.uk | Page 3

“We’re told that God made man in God’s own image. And I really don’t think that’s the case. It’s the opposite. We made God in our own image. ”

Shown left: Sistine Chapel ceiling, painted by Michelangelo. Photo by trukdotcom via Wikimedia Commons Continued from page 3 >

theologically by which hymn books they have. Bury – the congregation I serve – has all three, though we don’t use them equally.

And if you flip through the books, you’ll see that God is referred to in lots of different ways: we sing about God as ‘he’ and ‘she’ and ‘spirit’ and ‘divine energy’ and all sorts of things. And it’s part of what’s rich and exciting about us.

In a recent service about God, we went through a bit of a hymnbook journey. We started with ‘Dear Lord and Father’, with its very masculine language. It’s a great hymn, and I always know one or two in the congregation will wince a little. Then we sang ‘Universal Spirit’, which refers to God as mother and father. Then we sang ‘Lady of the Seasons’ Laughter’ – which speaks of God as entirely female. And we finished with ‘Come Strong God’, which doesn’t refer to a gender at all.

But the question is, of course, does it matter? Does it matter what name we give to God and whether we use a gender and if so which?

Absolutely not. And also absolutely yes.

God couldn’t care less (An interjection here: there is absolutely no discussion to be had, in my mind, about the gender or the pronouns we use to refer to other people. We use the gender and pronouns that the person concerned wants us to use.)

Firstly, does it matter to God? No. I am absolutely firmly of the belief that God (and I’ll make my usual caveat here, that you will use other words and concepts for this and that’s fine) that God, frankly, couldn’t care less what words we use when we’re talking about God. Because words are just an attempt to name something, to describe something, which simply can’t be named or described. Any attempts we make are going to fall short, and that’s just how it is. God is neither male nor female, or human-formed nor, in fact, describable in any way.

Were God to come to earth at some point – and some people believe that Jesus will return – I am absolutely firmly sure that we wouldn’t have to worry about whether we’ve been using the right language. We wouldn’t even have to worry about whether we prayed the right prayers or sang the right hymn, let alone whether we’d loved the right people or gone to the right place of worship.

What we’d have to worry about is whether we did enough to feed the hungry, help the poor, and steward the planet well.

But it matters to humans So in terms of God? No, I don’t think it matters what language we use or what pronouns we use. We’re attempting to grasp the impossible and it won’t matter to God that we can’t do it.

But does it matter to us, as humans? As very definitely not-God? It won’t surprise you to know that I think it does. Quite a lot.

In Genesis – that fabulous, brilliant, creation story – we’re told that God made man in God’s own image. And I really don’t think that’s the case. It’s the opposite. We made God in our own image. Most of us can only conceive of this huge and indescribable and unnameable entity in fairly human terms. So it’s easy to think of God as the old man in the clouds. Like us, but further away and just much, much, more. But we’re not all men. And those of us who aren’t men are – whether we notice it or not – excluded in that imagery: and when I refer to those of us who aren’t men I refer, of course, to cis women as well as to our trans and non-binary siblings and cousins.

I don’t wince when God is referred to as ‘he’. But I do get tired when God is only ever referred to as ‘he’. When we start talking as if God is entirely male. When we act as if the divine spirit is only and entirely a bloke. When we talk as if God really does look like the being pictured in so Continued on page 5 >

Page 4 | Issue 8066 – 2 September 2023

New podcast: ‘People So Bold’ Launching this weekend: ‘People So Bold’, a new weekly podcast from Ann Howell, Unitarian General Assembly Social Action Officer. It will feature Unitarians, friends, and allies who are building ‘beloved community’ in all sorts of ways. Each week promises bite-sized content of 15-20 minutes designed to inspire and motivate us to make meaningful connections, live out our values, and create the change we want to see.

September’s guests will include:

New episodes will become available on Fridays.

the Rev Stephanie Bisby, minister at York and Bradford Unitarians; Tony Cann, founder of the Bowland Trust; Tam Fowles of ‘Mad Woman Talking’; and the Rev Julio Torres, minister at Lewisham Unity and advocate for Citizens UK. New episodes will become available on Fridays. The podcast will be available on Spotify: https:// tinyurl.com/SoBold Ann Howell

Call God what you will Continued from page 4 >

many renaissance paintings.

Neither do I wince when God is referred to as ‘she’. But again, I’d get tired if we acted as if God was entirely feminine.

And I certainly don’t wince when God is referred to without a gender at all. When God is referred to as God. There is also nothing wrong whatsoever with referring to God as ‘they’ or even ‘it’. But I will confess I’m not comfortable with those. They are not wrong or inappropriate. They just don’t sit well with me.

I’ll sing and talk about God as male more-or-less happily when it’s other people’s words. But when it’s my own writing, my own choice is not to use pronouns for God. I don’t call God ‘he’, and I don’t call God ‘she’. I just call God, ‘God’. And it’s not even that hard.

This is what God wants So where are we? We’re in that fantastic Unitarian position of not having an answer. What we call God absolutely matters and absolutely doesn’t matter.

So if you’ve decided you’re always going to call God ‘he’, then that’s what God wants you to call him. If you’ve decided you’re always going to call God ‘she’, then that’s

what God wants you to call her. If you’ve decided you’re always going to call God ‘they’, then that’s what God wants you to call them. If you’ve decided you’re going to call God ‘God’, then that’s what God wants you to call God. And if you’ve decided you don’t know what name or what pronoun to give God, and that you’re going to switch and change according to how you’re feeling then that is what God wants you to do.

Our own name for God is our own name for God. If the words we use bring us closer to that which is divine, then they’re the right words.

Kate McKenna The Rev Kate McKenna is minister with Bury Unitarians.

www.inquirer.org.uk | Page 5

Laura Autumn Cox writes of a new way to help with climate action

Climate café is open for discussion In the wake of global climate-induced weather events and geo-political struggles, it’s not easy to be an environmentalist. In the Unitarian movement, we’re nature-lovers by default. With so much of the climate conversation focused on action, it’s important to take time to engage with nuanced feelings relating to the climate crisis. In July, York St Saviourgate hosted its first ‘climate café’; a space in which to do exactly that.

My home congregation of York regular Sunday service. knows what they’re getting It was important to be clear that the whenever I take a service. They service would be a little different, “Each person who know I’m going to urge them to join and to help people settle into the the climate movement and come to space. One great way to do this is opened up did so a meeting hosted by climate action through tea, coffee, and cake. If knowing that nobody group Extinction Rebellion (XR). it’s vegan, even better. As well as For the most part, the response is putting on a yummy spread, we was going to jump in positive. Unitarians want to protect abandoned our pews and huddled and impart their wisdom the planet, and care deeply about round coffee tables with mugs and the climate emergency. When a plates of tasty snacks. or offer advice.” group of Unitarians decided to When it reached the hallowed hour join Extinction Rebellion’s mass of 11 o’clock, we began with our protests in April, it led to the birth chalice lighting and, for our XR of a national group – Unitarians for visitors’ benefit, a brief introduction Climate Justice (U4CJ). On 16 September, U4CJ will to our faith. Our opening words were borrowed from meet again in London to join the ‘Fight to end fossil fuels’ Henry David Thoreau, author of the wonderful and protest and put principles into practice. surprisingly amusing Walden, in which he rejects polite But that’s the thing – being part of the climate movement society and ventures into the American wilderness. The is a fight. It’s a good fight, but a fight nonetheless. It’s words were: ‘All good things are wild and free.’ difficult, it’s complex, and it’s tiring. One of XR’s core principles is to embed a ‘regenerative culture’. This means A neutral space for engagement that we actively listen to and care for one another. We We then sang a true Unitarian favourite – ‘Here We Have try to break down toxic systems and mindsets to help our Gathered’ – and a Quaker friend and climate café expert, movement thrive and protect ourselves from burnout.

John Gray, explained what a climate café is and what it seeks to do. In essence, the aim is to create a neutral Café replaced Sunday service space for emotional engagement with climate issues, Climate cafés are the embodiment of regenerative supported and accepted by others around you. culture, inviting people to speak (or not speak) about how We split up into groups, chatting with the other people at they feel about climate crises. This approach perfectly our tables about a special natural object each had brought complements our reflective and contemplative faith, and which meant something to them. It’s advisable to gather so, we went ahead with our climate café in place of our some ‘spares’ for people who forget to bring an item – Page 6 | Issue 8066 – 2 September 2023

“Providing muchneeded spaces for environmental discourse and climate conversations is one incredibly helpful way that we as Unitarians can support climate action.”

Shown left: York Unitarians gather for a climate café service. Photo provided by Laura Autumn Cox

and, as an added benefit, they make the tables look pretty too. People brought shells, stones, flowers, leaves, and even silver jewellery in the shape of an ammonite. Each person was given a few minutes to introduce their item and say why it was important to them. It’s also helpful to show the wider group how they might approach the sharing space, which John kindly offered to do.

After the small group discussions, we listened to some peaceful music before coming together as a whole congregation to share the thoughts or feelings that surfaced for us. There was no element of debate or analysis.

No one jumped in Each person who opened up did so knowing that nobody was going to jump in and impart their wisdom or offer advice. Nobody was going to tell them what they ‘should’ do, or ‘could’ do. It’s certainly not an easy thing to do, especially as we’re taught to speak more than we are to listen. Active listening is fundamental to regenerative culture and a great technique to practice.

To conclude the sharing space, we sang ‘Spirit of Earth, Root, Stone and Tree’, and listened to an excerpt from Nick Morrice’s Cycling with Margot read by the writer himself. In true climate activist spirit, I took the small liberty of inviting the congregation to sing an XR march song: We are tomorrow’s ancestors, the future of yesterday.

And all we do in the here and now is reaching out always is reaching out always.

We closed with one final hymn – the York congregation is especially fond of singing – and words from the writer Aldous Huxley: ‘My father considered a walk among the mountains as the equivalent of churchgoing.’ Now we might not all have mountains, but even in our cities

we have lovely rivers, trees, and some very nice parks.

Encouraging people to get out there and connect is an effortless side-effect of climate cafés – indeed, they are often held outdoors. If your chapel has access to a green space, why not relocate? The beauty of our services is their flexibility and fluidity.

Supporting climate action After the climate café ended, I got the sense that people weren’t quite ready to leave. The conversations continued, and the energy was a paradoxical mix of calming and catalysing. It would be amazing to see climate cafés pop up across Unitarian chapels – they’re so easy to set up and run, and yet so enriching.

Providing much-needed spaces for environmental discourse and climate conversations is one incredibly helpful way that we as Unitarians can support climate action and encourage people to develop a personal relationship with our world.

If you’d like to chat about how to run a climate café at your chapel, or find out more about U4CJ, see this Facebook page: https://tinyurl.com/Unitarians4CJ or email me on lac170395@gmail.com.

You can also find more about climate cafés online via the Climate Psychology Alliance.

Laura Autumn Cox Laura Autumn Cox is a member at York St Saviourgate Unitarian Chapel and a Unitarian lay preacher.

www.inquirer.org.uk | Page 7

The National Unitarian Fellowship One-Day Conference Programme

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10.30 - 11.00.

11.00 - 11.30.

11.30 - 12.30.

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15.15 - 15.30.

15.30

Registration and coffee Welcome to Cross St Chapel and opening devotion Introduction to the NUF Workshop ‘Sharing how we Unitarians inspire and share our values’ Helen Mason, Director, Unitarian College Lunch Teaching ethics, religion and morals in a post-church age.’

Linda Woodhead, MBE. FBA F.D. Maurice Professor - Head of Department Theology and Religious Studies Kings College, London Closing session Epilogue

Cross Street Chapel Manchester, M2 1NL Saturday 7th October 2023 Cost £10

includes buffet lunch and refreshments pay online or at the door

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Kate McKenna writes of a ministers’ meeting at Oxford

Gathering to learn Being in ministry, even in the happiest of ministries, can be isolating, and gathering together with colleagues can make all the difference emotionally and spiritually.

Over the summer solstice, some 25 Unitarian ministers, of all sorts and conditions, gathered at Harris Manchester College, Oxford, for the annual gathering of MOSA: the Ministerial Old Students Association. It was, as always, nourishing and precious to be amongst colleagues, and a treat to be back at the college where many (although not all) of us trained.

The theme was ‘past lessons, professor of Law and Society, and present considerations, and future member of the governing body potential’, and the programme was of Harris Manchester College.

“We talked about the rich and varied. The range of our We talked about the shift from discussions and seminars was wide. ministers wanting to be seen as shift from ministers The Revs Kate Dean and Peter a learned people to us needing to wanting to be seen Hewis encouraged us to ponder be a learning people. Congregations the changes in both ministry who want to nurture their as a learned people training and ministry itself, and it ministers already know the value of to us needing to be was fascinating to consider what’s continued learning and ministerial better, what’s perhaps not so good, development, I’m sure! a learning people. ” and what’s pretty much the same.

And we worshipped together. It’s There was a feeling of excitement always special to be in the college about current (and still new) ways chapel (the one place in which of training and development. We almost all ministers on the roll had a fascinating talk from the Rev Claire MacDonald on have led worship, it being the location for interviews ministry dress (specifically women’s ministry dress) and for ministry training). Our worship sessions were led, in why it matters to us. Sadly, I missed our guest speaker’s programme order, by the Revs Robin Hanford, Claire lecture on the theological response to transhumanism, but MacDonald and Kate Dean. They were all nourishing colleagues tell me I missed something excellent. and refreshing occasions. One thing I think all ministers The Rev Cody Coyne led us in thinking about faith and crave is excellent worship led by other people, and we technology and how they do (and could) intertwine. There certainly got that. There is a different texture and feeling was much discussion on the technology we use (from to worshipping amongst ministers, and it’s something I’ve ballpoint pens to Canva) and on the blessing it is to have thought about a fair amount. It’s not that we’re better technology which enables us to remain in contact with at worshiping than other people (we’re not). It’s not that those who, for any of many reasons, are unable to attend we know all the words (we don’t). And it’s not that we all worship in person: the ways in which technology increases have the voices of angels (some of us do). I think it’s that our inclusivity are incredible. We also looked at some of hunger to be nourished by other people’s leading, and so the potential risks: if we’re making our own posters and for that reason my own personal thanks go to those who flyers, what impact might that have on people who’ve offer to lead those services. been making their living doing that for us?

And we discussed the future: in a conversation between The Rev Kate McKenna is minister at Bury. the Rev Claire MacDonald and Matthew Weait, www.inquirer.org.uk | Page 9

Letter to the Editor Sentience is not all-or-nothing

Bob Park Hastings Unitarian Church

The prayer and interesting article (Inquirer, 8 July) Fight against factory farming by the Rev Fergus O’Connor made many important points and was well received. He was right to mention compassion. For example, I feel particularly offended by the practice in some places of keeping pigs so warm that they do not want to move; in this way there is said to be maximum conversion of their food into meat.

There is a tendency though for us to be simplistic in some regards. What is unnatural? Human beings prefer not to live in harmony with the natural world – we like to live in houses with piped water in and piped sewage out, and preferably without bats, rats, mice, woodworm and mould.

Just as we as individuals can most easily change ourselves rather than

others, so as a species we should consider our own behaviour. The major problem is of our own making; we are reproducing worldwide above the replacement level because of improved life expectancy and lack of universal acceptance of birth control attitudes and facilities. Certain religious beliefs and economic attitudes are to blame. Irma Kurtz said years ago that most children were ‘caught like a disease’.

Sentience is not an all or nothing word. All life displays sentience.

Motile bacteria control their flagella so that they move towards things they ‘like’ and away from things they don’t. Some algae have gas vacuoles they can fill to get lighter and so float nearer the surface of water to maximise photosynthesis, and collapse them so they sink lower if

the sunlight becomes excessive. We have to consider the term sentience relatively. What about misplaced care – for example the keeping of pets in restrained environments and depriving them of free contact with others of their kind?

All of nature works on the basis of food chains and food webs with the top predators controlling numbers of their prey which in turn controls their own numbers. Nature is not all sweetness and concern. If human beings want to be compassionate, we must control our numbers, find sensitive ways consistent with ‘efficiency’ to produce food if we are not going to starve, and take a more nuanced approach to so-called factory farming.

The National Unitarian Fellowship Dorothy Archer Memorial Prizes - 2023 The NUF would like to honour the life and work of our late president, Dorothy Archer. The following information and details regarding annual competitions have been donated from the estate of a well celebrated and generous woman.

The Prize fund has been increased for 2023 Prize £500: Digital innovation on the theme of ‘Technical religion’.

For example, technology supports or substitutes in religious practice, from the rosary bead to the hymn words projected on screens to Zoom and YouTube worship. This prize is offered to an individual or group who can best show how Unitarians can enjoy worship and information whether as individuals in the home or as a community through technology.

Prize £250 A poem, prayer or hymn which best demonstrates Unitarian values in worship.

Entry is free. Entries should be accompanied by an application form which can be downloaded from the website <nufonline.org.uk/DorothyArcher>

Closing date for entries: 30 November 2023 Note: The National Unitarian Fellowship may use the entries in its publication News & Views and on the NUF website.

For more information email: nuf@nufonline.org.uk Page 10 | Issue 8066 – 2 September 2023

Showing their love for Hucklow A creative and colourful testimonial created by underprivileged children from a group who recently spent time at

the Nightingale Unitarian Conference Centre at Great Hucklow, thanks to the generosity of supporters of the Send a Child to Hucklow Fund.

It’s a heartfelt reminder of how much children and young people benefit from their holidays at the Nightingale Centre and why it is so important that we continue to support SACH, our Unitarian Charity. For more information about SACH, see: www.sendachildtohucklow.org.uk Photo by Ann Stafford

Honours shouldn’t be about coronets Continued from page 12 >

sight of so many coroneted heads would arouse derision and contempt rather than awe.

King Charles wanted his coronation to be – above all – as inclusive as possible. It was to symbolise his commitment to serve the well-being of what has become a multi-racial and multi-faith nation. This was shown by the presence of the representatives of several different religions. At previous coronations the Church of England has always asserted its dominance as the Established Church. This time there were representatives of the Roman Catholic Church, the Church of Scotland, Jews, Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs. As prince, Charles had famously said he would prefer to be seen as ‘defender of faith’. Critics have questioned whether there can be such a thing as undenominational ‘faith’. Perhaps, since ‘faith’ means ‘trust’, it is possible simply to have trust in Life. It may be that he felt it was vital to engage all varieties of religious people, despite their different theological and philosophical views, in a common concern

for the health of our natural environment, on which all humanity and all living creatures depend.

There are alternative ways of honouring a distinguished person apart from giving them a place in an unelected body. Honours should encourage the wisest and most experienced to devote their expertise to the common good of their country and of humankind and the planet on which we all depend.

Frank Walker The Rev Frank Walker is minister emeritus at Cambridge Memorial Unitarian Church.

www.inquirer.org.uk | Page 11

Frank Walker found something missing at King Charles’ coronation

No coronets?

Shown above: Peers raised their coronets at the coronation of Edward VII, in 1902. Painting by Edwin Austin Abbey, Public Domain

As a child I became fascinated by the pictures I found in the article on heraldry in the Children’s Encyclopaedia in our local Public Library. I loved the colours and the strange, intriguing symbolism. Useless information that I picked up concerned the coronets of the peers. I even came to know the difference between the coronets of an English marquess and a French marquis.

Coronets are proudly displayed power of the monarchy but also of in coats of arms, but only worn in the power of the aristocracy and reality at coronations. If you become of the Church, which in return “The coronation is an a new life-peer it would hardly for the King’s support, promises assertion of power, not seem worth it to buy one. (Peers him the blessings of God. The of ancient lineage can probably ‘aristocrats’ (the best people) are only the power of the find one in a forgotten cupboard in the richest and most powerful in monarchy but also of the attic of their castle or country the country, without whose backing house). True, robes that denote no king can feel secure. In ancient the power of the one’s rank in the peerage are worn times riches were measured by aristocracy.” at the State Opening of Parliament, land ownership: the greater the but they can always be hired for amount, the greater a man’s the day. These days coronets are prestige and power, and the higher only worn during the performance his rank in the peerage. of Gilbert and Sullivan’s comic opera Iolanthe. They are In modern times people become wealthy not only through something of a joke. land but through trade and industry. The newly rich have The only newly nobled person I know who actually bought always been quickly absorbed into the peerage, though himself a coronet was the late Norman St John Stevas, today what matters most is how much money you have. lawyer, journalist, Conservative politician and sometime In the coronations of 1938 and 1953 there was a specially Master of Emmanuel College Cambridge, raised to the colourful and dramatic moment. Immediately after the peerage as Lord St John of Fawsley. Perhaps Norman crowning there was a flash and flurry of gold, silver and imagined that a coronation might happen during his red velvet as over a thousand lords and their wives put on lifetime, so he splashed out on a baron›s coronet. Norman their coronets, as if to say, ‘We are crowning ourselves was one of nature›s comedians and a great show-off, to show we are the rulers too, you know.’ In theory the but I doubt that even he would have had the courage monarchy is hereditary; in practice kings can be deposed to appear in public wearing it. I imagine him secretly and replaced and often have been. preening himself, duly coroneted, before the mirrors in In 2023 not a single coronet was placed on an aristocrat’s the Master›s Lodge. Norman›s coronet was recently sold head. This is surely significant. It was felt that this would for £3,000. seem too divisive; to single out so blatantly one group of The coronation is an assertion of power, not only the people as specially important would not go down well. The Continued on page 11 > www.inquirer.org.uk | Page 12