From Lee

February, 2006

Last week, I received an email from one of the hundreds of UU students who attend non-UU seminaries. She had recently traveled from another city to Meadville Lombard to take a preaching course during our Winter Intensives. She said she was "blown away" by the difference between learning this crucial ministerial practice in a UU environment versus in an environment where ministry is addressed only through the lens of another faith.

I can't say I am surprised by her exclamation. After all, in the past months Meadville Lombard has had an unprecedented number of Unitarian Universalists who have joined our Partners in Ministry Society. They have made their generous commitment because they already know what that student has just discovered: Learning in a seminary that is immersed in Unitarian Universalist ideas, tradition and practice makes an important difference in the formation of that minister.

When you read Meadville Lombard's mission statement (published on our website's home page), you will notice that the term "Unitarian Universalist" is used three times in just two sentences. That emphasis is absolutely deliberate. We are training ministers to serve our congregations, our faith tradition, our world.

Last month, as our Modified Residency Program (ML's special distance learning program) students were wrapping up their month-long residency on campus, our students received a special visit from Unitarian Universalist Association president, Rev. Dr. Bill Sinkford, DD '03. He was here to learn what issues are on the minds of the students and to offer the wider perspective of the Association. In his presentation, President Sinkford told our students that, under his administration, the importance of UU theological education is being raised to the greater UU community because there is a growing understanding of the need to root Unitarian Universalist leadership within the culture of Unitarian Universalism.

It only makes sense. In other theological schools, there is not an insistent need to discuss how to bring diverse theological perspectives and practices to the same table. That is one of our special callings. In other seminaries, the issue of rekindling a language of reverence is not likely to be raised. That is a topic that has captured the attention of our faith tradition.

Make no mistake about it; there is a difference, an important difference. In this time, when world events demand that bridges of understanding be built between religions, who is best equipped to provide leadership to that effort? Clearly, it is Unitarian Universalism. But we will only be able to make progress to that end if our leaders carry in their bones who we are and how we got to this place. And they will only be able to inspire other Unitarian Universalists to action if they can communicate to them out of our common values and understandings.

Our students understand why it is important to be trained for ministry in the traditions of their chosen faith. That's why they chose Meadville Lombard. And our donors understand, as well. That is why their numbers are growing so rapidly.

There is a difference. Meadville Lombard knows it, too.