Interview with a Heretical Preacher

[RedEarth]

Interview with a Heretical Preacher
by Ameni Rozsa
The Sunday following the 2004 elections, Davidson Loehr stood in front of his congregation at the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Austin and delivered a sermon entitled “Living Under Fascism,” in which he made the case that many of the distinguishing characteristics of fascism—including conspicuous displays of nationalism, obsession with military and national security, the suppression of labor power, the protection of corporate interests, and the intertwining of religion and government—are clearly visible in America at the beginning of the 21st century. This sermon and others are collected in Loehr’s new book, America, Fascism and God: Sermons from a Heretical Preacher (Chelsea Green Publishing Company).

Eschewing religious jargon, Loehr addresses his message to believers and non-believers alike, suggesting that both liberals and conservatives have foregone their claims to the values they hold dear. His sermons draw not only from myths and religious parables from around the world, but also from historical and current events. At their heart is a call to awareness and to action.

“Gods are those central concerns that our behaviors show we take very seriously,” writes Loehr, suggesting that we are worshipping “false gods” by permitting social and political policies to be “dictated by the overriding concerns of capitalism.” Moreover, he points out, religious fundamentalism, which by its nature discourages any questioning of the status quo, has become an ally of corporate greed and political repression. This has resulted in disastrous wars undertaken on false pretenses, a social safety net that is under attack, and laws that increasingly encroach upon people’s right to speak and live in accordance with their own consciences. If Americans are to restore democracy, they must put their faith—whether in the god of profit or in the God of the Bible—to the test, demanding religion that is open, engaged, compassionate and humane. “The soul of honest religion,” he writes, “is the human soul seeking its own finest form.”

A Vietnam veteran who grew up “un-churched,” Loehr worked as a photographer, musician, and carpenter before enrolling at the University of Chicago to earn his Ph.D. in theology, the philosophy of religion, and the philosophy of science. Recently he met with the Observer to discuss God, the state of religion in this country, and the difficulties of being a self-identified “heretical preacher.” Following are excerpts from that conversation.

http://www.texasobserver.org/showForPrint.asp?IssueDate=11%2F18%2F2005&IssueFolder=ztr%5F051118&ArticleFileName=051118%5Fqanda%2Ehtml&Title=Interview+with+a+Heretical+Preacher

[LiberalEsto]

1. Many of America's founders were Unitarians

Thomas Jefferson, Ben Franklin, Ethan Allan, Paul Revere, Thomas Paine, John Adams, Abigail Adams, John Quincy Adams.

Their ideals are reflected in the Constitution and Bill of Rights.

More info:

http://www.famousuus.com/american.htm

[Imagine My Surprise]

2. Don't most texts indicate that Franklin was a deist?

[LiberalEsto]

3. Lots of deists attended Unitarian churches

I believe George Washington also attended Unitarian services frequently.