There tend to be two large cohorts among UUs – these are not the only cohorts, of course, but they are the largest: people who came to UUism after fleeing a Christian tradition, or people who have not been a part of a formal religion previously. The former are often dealing with religious trauma or hold a level of discomfort with elements of their prior tradition. The latter are often quite open to what can be discovered through a genuinely progressive exploration of Christianity or the teachings of Jesus.

Easter presents a more…interesting theological thicket for ministers than Christmas. Though both are inheritances of each of our prior Christian traditions (Unitarianism and Universalism), the broad embrace of Christmas as a secular cultural season in the U.S. seems to take some of the pressure points off a Christmas Eve service for a majority of UUs. Also, talking about the birth of a baby is not a huge lift.

But talking about the betrayal of, state murder of, and the claims of the resurrection of the prophet or divine Jesus is a whole other spiritual climb. Who are we UUs at Easter? It’s a real question, posed year after year.

One of the most powerful and transformative truths about this beloved faith is that we are deeply and intentionally pluralistic. On purpose. With commitment. We covenant to learn from the great religious traditions – and that includes Christianity.

In times that try our souls, the story of a prophet who flipped tables in the temple, who loved the men who gathered around him, who was betrayed and turned over to hostile state actors, who was killed by Empire… this is a story to learn from, generation after generation, alas. And the painful journey from Good Friday to the empty tomb, to a mystery that transforms us through hope… I think there’s something there for us, by metaphor or faith.

At Easter, we UUs mostly find our resurrections in the springtime buds, in the enduring cycles of nature. We have always found miracles hard to trust, on the whole. That’s ok. Whatever we may call it, we are investing our deepest hopes that life comes again, literally and spiritually. Come join us this Easter. We’ll wrestle with it all, together.

See you in church –

Rev. Audette