Assignment 1: Theological Snapshot

Below is the first assignment: in 400-500 words,  write a short statement of  your basic beliefs as of today. This is not a test to see if you know what Unity's basic beliefs are; it is an opportunity to look deliberatively at your embedded theology. Think brevity and clarity.

Well, ok, then. I have to say I am not pleased with the finished paper. Having just completed the interview process to be accepted to ministerial school, in which I was heavily tested and interviewed on Unity's beliefs- the task of stating my beliefs without the Unity jargon was daunting. And exactly what I needed. I was overwhelmed by knowing where to begin- without stating the 'five basic principles' or some poetic quote by Charles Fillmore, Eric Butterworth, James Dillet Freeman- and once I began, I was overwhelmed by the limit of 500 words. This brief statement was no small task. It is, however, complete.

The foundation of my faith is the unshakeable knowing that there is one Divine presence in the universe: God, the Absolute Good. God, or Spirit, exists everywhere at all times and is the eternal source of all that is. The best metaphor I have heard to describe my understanding of God is that Divine presence is the ocean and people are individual waves- never separate from the ocean, yet can be observed and described as individual aspects of the ocean. It is also a beautiful image that describes the flow of the soul experience, again, not separate from the ocean, but existing in time and space for a period of time and returning to source.

I believe that people are created in the image and likeness of God and to me this means that because God is the source of all that is, life is an experience of God expressing as individuals.  I also believe that because the human experience is an individual experience, we often live in paradox. Specifically, we tend to separate our own Divine nature from Divine source. If the waves of the ocean had eyes, a wave might look out and see the ocean as one vast expanse, and it might see itself and other waves as individual beings pulled away from the ocean. In this same way, though I believe I am connected in Oneness with all beings, at times I have an experience of separation from others and even from God. I grew up with the idea of God as a being in heaven. Through much prayer, spiritual guidance, discussion, Bible study, and meditation I have replaced this view of an external, judgmental, and punishing God with an understanding that matches my experience of life and my experience of the Divine. It is my belief that through intentional spiritual practice, such as prayer and meditation, each person can fully experience God and thereby gain the ability to express wisdom and other attributes of God more fully.

I identify myself as a Christian mystic in that through my spiritual practice, I seek to be transformed by the presence of God. The act of pushing away my own ego is often experienced as a transformation of thought or understanding away from the human experience toward the Divine. When the ego is leashed, Spirit flows more freely through me and it is this flow that transforms my being. I follow the example and teachings of Jesus and believe that he fully expressed his Divine nature. Finally, it is this sense of being a Christian mystic that makes Unity teachings so compelling in expressing my faith in action. Unity teachings are tools for transformation and I am responsible for and able to utilize to experience Divine transformation in my life.