Don’t miss Matthew Gatheringwater’s comment following up on his excellent post about the seminarians’ retreat with Thandeka. This is only an excerpt:
During most of my first year at Meadville Lombard, whenever I had a theological question, people would say, with an almost Messianic fervor, “Thandeka is writing a book about that.” Well, I can’t wait to read the book, because I have yet to hear Thandeka recognize the danger inherent in the physiological effects of religion or describe a system of ethics by which this power can be used responsibly.
All this having been said, however, I must point out that one year of theological school doesn’t make me a theologian. Thandeka is an obviously brilliant professor with much to teach. After I read her book, I may find that I have been mistaken but for now, if she means to replay the fight between Ballou and Channing, I’m rooting for Channing.
Meanwhile, for enterprising Unitarian Universalist seminarians wanting to get a handle on just what is liberal theology, do pick up Gary J. Dorrien’s two books, The Making of American Liberal Theology: Imagining Progressive Religion, 1805–1900 and The Making of American Liberal Theology: Idealism, Realism, and Modernity, 1900–1950.