NUF Weekend Report by Hilda Handoll published in "The Unitarian" November 2004
How political were Unitarians in the PAST?
How political should Unitarians be TODAY?
Ann Peart led off with the historical bit. She said that Unitarians were forced
into a political position because of the political Acts passed against them.
For example, until the early nineteenth century it was illegal to attest to any
theology other than Trinitarian Christianity, so that even claiming to be
Unitarian was an act of civil disobedience. During the times of the French and
American Revolutions any Unitarians showing sympathy with folk aspiring to
liberty and tolerance were treated (sometimes physically and with arson) as
traitors.
Even after 1832 when restrictions against Unitarians (amongst others) in public
life were lifted, that still left women out of the political equation. Their
political involvement (with a small 'p') was in Sunday Schools, Reading Groups,
Friendly Societies, Libraries and in health and prison work.
Once they were into politics and you look at what it was that Unitarians
supported they were mostly (though not all) against income tax, anti-slavery,
for the Chartists and suffragettes, and for Free Trade and the Factory Acts.
They campaigned as individuals and only in retrospect do we discover and lay
claim to those who were Unitarian.
Next morning Sir Peter Soulsby continued with Unitarians in Politics Today.
When, in the 1830s, Unitarians were allowed to take office, it was found that
in many cities the leaders that emerged were Unitarian. In Leicester of nine
Mayors, seven were Unitarians and their chapel was nicknamed 'The Mayors'
Nest'. Even today, in the chapel there are five members who are councillors,
but Unitarianism is not part of their hustings spiel. They are councillors
because their Unitarian history has led them to care and to do something about
the caring.
Following that there was an interesting exercise in role-play to see if it was
possible to get Unitarians to act politically as a group. The subject it was
sought to support was 'Euthanasia' and the outcome was 'NO' you can't get
Unitarians to act politically together!
And then on Sunday morning we were privileged to have input into the service of
Great Hucklow Unitarian Chapel. Chris Goacher was the minister leading the
service. Chris had not been at the earlier talks and discussions so didn't know
where we were at (and a few people thought we had run around in circles getting
nowhere!) but his choice of hymns and his sermon pulled the whole weekend
together.
Briefly his message was - if you can do something that will improve the lot of
strangers DO IT, in gratitude for the benefits we enjoy today because of the
actions of strangers in the past.
Normally N.U.F. weekends are held every-other year but next year is special.
2005 is the sixtieth anniversary of the start of the N.U.F. so an extra weekend
is being arranged, a more light-hearted one, in joyous celebration. So be ready
to have fun!