Dynamic Keynote Speaker Announced for NAUA Summit

Sep 28, 2024 | News

NAUA is very pleased to announce that John Wood Jr. will be joining us as the keynote speaker for the historic first NAUA Summit in Spokane Oct 17-20th.

John Wood Jr. is a leading figure in the American depolarization movement. He is national ambassador for Braver Angels, the United States largest grassroots, bipartisan organization dedicated to political depolarization.

A nationally recognized public speaker on the subjects of political and racial reconciliation, Wood has spoken across America to a wide range of the nation’s most respected think tanks, universities, corporations, philanthropic organizations and political associations including the Aspen Institute, the Manhattan Institute, CPAC 2019, Global Philanthropy Forum, the Philanthropy Roundtable, Upswell, Target, General Mills, LucasFilm, Oregon League of Cities, Institute for Local Government, and campus audiences including Pepperdine, Duke University, USC, Purdue, UC Berkeley and many others.

Mr. Wood’s written work has appeared in a wide range of publications, including The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, The Washington Examiner, Quillette Magazine, Areo Magazine, Reflections (A Journal of the Yale School of Divinity), Real Clear Politics, Persuasion Magazine, The American Interest and many others. Wood is a cohost of the Braver Angels Podcast and host of The John Wood Jr. Show.

Prior to his work with Braver Angels, Wood was the state of California’s youngest active nominee for congress in the 2014 election cycle, challenging Maxine Waters in California’s 43rd district. His unifying campaign was covered by outlets including The National Review and The Larry Elder Show. After the election Wood was elected as 2nd Vice-Chairman of the Republican Party of Los Angeles, the largest Republican county party in America.

In addition to his work with Braver Angels, Wood serves as an advisor to The American Project (an initiative of the Pepperdine School of Public Policy dedicated to restoring the communitarian roots of conservatism), the Foundation Against Intolerance and Racism, the 1776 Unites Project, is a member of the Progress Network (an initiative of the New America Foundation) and is a field-builder with the New Pluralists Collaborative (a coalitional group focused on connecting and supporting organization committed to depolarization and social justice). Wood has worked in support of educational opportunities for at risk youth in inner-city Los Angeles in the areas of tutoring and private education. He sits on the board of directors for Strive Arts and Academics, a celebrated private educational facility in South Los Angeles.

Wood was raised in a musical family. His father is noted Jazz Pianist John Wood, his mother a popular Los Angeles based R&B singer Deonda Theus. Wood’s grandfather was record industry pioneer Randy Wood, of Dot Records and Randy’s Record Shop fame. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and three children.

There is still opportunity to register to attend the SUMMIT online or in-person in Spokane Wa.

Click to view the Summit schedule or Summit registration.

Blog relaunched by Helen Pluckrose

Sep 23, 2024 | News

Many of us experienced mind expanding learning when we fead British Academic, Helen Pluckrose and James Lindsay’s best selling book Cynical Theories: How Activist Scholarship Made Everything about Race, Gender, and Identity―and Why This Harms Everybody. This book traced the common ideological thread from postmodern thought and practice as it evolved through Feminism, Gay and Lesbian, Queer, Trans, Fat and X social movements.  Pluckrose has continued her work and writing on liberalism and its foes and now relaunches her blog “The Overflowing of the Liberal Mind“

In the first post of the re-launch Pluckrose writes an extended essay titled “Has Liberalism failed? Or are we, as a society, failing to be liberal?  In this post she reviews the fundamental characteristics of liberalism namely:

  • A commitment to individual liberty – freedom of belief, speech, association (individualism)
  • Tolerance of difference and a will to live and let live as well as a recognition of the value of viewpoint diversity to advancing knowledge and resolving conflict in a democratic society (pluralism)
  • Recognition of our shared humanity and the common rights, freedoms and responsibilities this bestows upon us all (universalism),
  • A drive for reform over revolution or reactionism as a model for resolving societal problems.
  • A commitment to actively protecting others’ right to believe, speak and live as they see fit, provided they do no material harm to anyone else nor deny them the same freedoms.
  • The belief that all people come into the world with the same right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness and this can only justifiably be removed from any individual due to their own demonstrable harmful actions.
  • An understanding that threats to freedom come not only from the state but from authoritarian ideologies, individuals and groups, so liberal principles need to be protected not only in law but widely understood and valued in society.
  • A belief that it is in the interests of the overwhelming majority to conserve liberalism and the liberal democracies within which it flourishes.

She then describes the challenges from illiberal forces that threaten these foundational beliefs.  She argues that illiberal thinking, abhorrence of rational discussion, censorship and intolerance are not exclusive to the political right but found at the extreme edge of both political worldviews.  Further, she claims that the opposite of liberal is not conservatism, but rather authoritarianism.

Pluckrose, then provides an interesting analogy about the supposed failure of liberalism in modern society as evidenced by growing forces of authoritarianism in both social and political spheres. She argues that if a treatment of antibiotics does not prove effective at reducing infection, there are at least two probable reasons. Either the medicine doesn’t work or the patient isn’t taking the medicine. By analogy, the evidence that  liberalism is distrusted by activists on both the right and the left doesn’t mean liberalism is a failed medicine for human society but rather that we may be consciously or unconsciously rejecting or not practicing its fundamental characteristics.  Obviously, she favours the later explanation and argues that we need to redouble our efforts “to persuade and demonstrate to them the benefits” of liberal attitudes and practice.

The blog is free to read, but she encourages both unpaid and paid subscriptions that distribute her regular posts via email.

The Evolution of Humanism

Sep 19, 2024 | News

 

In this recording of Sept 16 2024 NAUA Academy meeting, Dr. Mark Reimers presents an overview of three stages of Humanism.

This recording, as well as all previous NAUA Academy session are available on the NAUA website
 

The roots of humanism lie in ancient wisdom literature, which reflected on justice, fate and the life well-lived. The Renaissance Humanists rediscovered that literature and advocated for the values of human life, especially clear thought, eloquence, and civic engagement. In the early twentieth century a group of Unitarian ministers advocated a liberal Christianity without a deity as the natural next stage of human evolution, and they claimed the name ‘humanism’ for their movement; but a century of wars and ongoing crises have undermined their confident dream of Progress. In the twenty-first century a new humanism integrates biology and behavioral science into a more pragmatic appraisal of the possibilities and hopes of human life.

 

How have these various humanisms addressed the perennial concerns of human life: love, meaning, morality, work, and death? What is humanism now? How will humanism evolve to address the challenges of our stone-age minds in a technological age?

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Sept. 16, 2024 – The Evolution of Humanism by Dr Mark Reimers

Sep 18, 2024 | NAUA Academy

Sept 16, 2024 Dr. Mark Riemers The Evolution of Humanism

The roots of humanism lie in ancient wisdom literature, which reflected on justice, fate and the life well-lived. The Renaissance Humanists rediscovered that literature and advocated for the values of human life, especially clear thought, eloquence, and civic engagement. In the early twentieth century a group of Unitarian ministers advocated a liberal Christianity without a deity as the natural next stage of human evolution, and they claimed the name ‘humanism’ for their movement; but a century of wars and ongoing crises have undermined their confident dream of Progress. In the twenty-first century a new humanism integrates biology and behavioral science into a more pragmatic appraisal of the possibilities and hopes of human life. How have these various humanisms addressed the perennial concerns of human life: love, meaning, morality, work, and death? What is humanism now? How will humanism evolve to address the challenges of our stone-age minds in a technological age?

  North American Unitarian Association (NAUA)

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September News and Events Reminder

Sep 15, 2024 | News

Announcements:

First Annual Yearly NAUA Summit – Register Now!

We have over 110 members registered (about half online) for our first Yearly Summit. The summit will be on the weekend of October 17 to 20, 2024 in Spokane, WA. and all sessions will be shared on Zoom. We hope the Summit will serve all our needs for connection, learning and fun.

Unfortunately and mysteriously, our keynote speaker Stephan Hassan – author of The Cult of Trump, has suddenly refused to present to our conference. We are confident an engaging key note speaker will soon be announced for our historic first Summit.

Find the tentative Summit Schedule, registration and  accommodation details on the NAUnitarians .org web site or directly at https://naunitarians.org/summit/.

NAUA CIRCLES News

Another new CIRCLE forming!

*** This new MEET & GREET CIRCLE will gather on Wednesday at 4PM (Pacific) for 4 consecutive weeks. This CIRCLE will allow members the opportunity to get to know other members and their respective life stories.  At the conclusion, members will decide whether they would like to continue, and if so, the theme and frequency of future meetings. For this CIRCLE we would like to limit it to members who have not participated in earlier CIRCLES. A launch date has not been set yet.

If you would like to participate, kindly send an email to circles@naunitarians.org with WEDNESDAY CIRCLE in the subject line of the email and we will respond promptly.

Re-launching Mark Reimers’ FORUM CIRCLE on September 22nd

*** We have a limited number of spots open.

We are preparing to re-launch Forum Circle, focusing on different topics each week of wide concern and some controversy. Mark will start with “Can Brain Science Help Us Finf A Spiritual Path” and “What Can We Learn From Native Americans Societies About Saving Our Democracy”   This CIRCLE will be led again by Dr. Mark Reimers, who is a quantitative neuroscientist. His research aims to uncover how dynamic brain activity gives rise to thoughts and feelings.  Dr. Reimers was the leader of the Richmond Humanists in Virginia for five years, and now leads the UU Forum in Lansing, MI, and speaks frequently at humanist and science outreach events in Michigan.

FORUM CIRCLE will meet every Sunday at 4 pm Eastern (1 pm Pacific) Readings on the topic selected will be sent to all the people in the CIRCLE a few days in advance.

If you would like to participate, kindly send an email to circles@naunitarians.org with FORUM CIRCLE in the subject line of the email and we will acknowledge receipt.

Other CIRCLE News

The Spiritual CIRCLE, led by David Markham, is at capacity and has begun meeting every other Thursday.

The original Tuesday and Saturday Conversational CIRCLES have elected to continue meeting twice a month and may take additional members from time to time.

A  SEVEN PRINCIPLES CIRCLE is in the planning stages. Contact circles@naunitarians.org with 7thPCIRCLE in the subject line if you have an interest in leading or participating in this CIRCLE.

September’s NAUA events include:

September NAUA Academy Session  – Monday Sept.16 2024 at 4:30 PDT (7:30 EDT)

The Evolution of Humanism

Featuring Dr. Mark Riemers

The roots of humanism lie in ancient wisdom literature, which reflected on justice, fate and the life well-lived. The Renaissance Humanists rediscovered that literature and advocated for the values of human life, especially clear thought, eloquence, and civic engagement. In the early twentieth century a group of Unitarian ministers advocated a liberal Christianity without a deity as the natural next stage of human evolution, and they claimed the name ‘humanism’ for their movement; but a century of wars and ongoing crises have undermined their confident dream of Progress.

In the twenty-first century a new humanism integrates biology and behavioral science into a more pragmatic appraisal of the possibilities and hopes of human life.

How have these various humanisms addressed the perennial concerns of human life: love, meaning, morality, work, and death? What is humanism now? How will humanism evolve to address the challenges of our stone-age minds in a technological age?

Please note that you Must Register for the session to have the Zoom URL emailed to you.

When Monday Sept.16 2024 at 4:30 PDT (7:30 EDT).

The presentation features a guest speaker, a question and answer and then a smart breakout group.

All Are welcomed!

Register Now

 Download iCalendar entry for this event.  Add event to Google Calendar

Monthly NAUA Community Worship Service – 

This monthly service includes Chalice Lighting, Hymns, guest music and an very interesting guest speaker – Julian Adorney.

Julian Adorney is the founder of Heal the West, a Substack movement dedicated to preserving and repairing our liberal social contract. https://healthewest.substack.com/ . He is also a contributor to Reality’s Last Stand. On his vision, he writes, “The North Star of my life is to heal the West. I perceive 3 existential threats: left-wing illiberalism, right-wing illiberalism, and toxic polarization.” He will be the speaker at our September NAUA service.
When: Sept. 20th, 2024 10:00 AM

Service starts at 10:00 PDT (1:00 PM EDT)

Zoom link: https://tinyurl.com/NAUAService

A suggestion is to cut and paste this Zoom link (that will be used for this and other recurring 3rd Sat. services) into your calendar to avoid scrambling to find the address on Saturday morning!

NAUA Book Club Invitation  

You are invited to join the NAUA book club which reads books chosen by members and meets by Zoom on the 4th Thursday of each month. This month on Wed. Sept 26  at 5:00 PM PDT (8:00 PM EDT)

This month features a discussion of The End of Race Politics: Arguments for a color blind America   Coleman Hughes

The club is open to all so please invite a friend.

When September 26th, 2024 from  5:00 PM to  6:30 PM

For more details and to join the Book Club mailing list contact Ed Hudak at bookclub@naunitarians.org

Monthly Ministers’ Support Group
On the fourth Thursday of each month, NAUA ministers and ministerial friends attend a regular meeting meant to foster support, collegiality, and learning. Periodically, there are also longer ministerial gatherings that include unique programs and professional development. It is important that members of this group maintain confidentiality and anonymity. If you are a Minister and would like to explore or join this group, please email info@naunitarians.org
Thursday, Sept 26, 2024 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM Pacific Time, (1:00-2:00 PM Eastern Time).

Follow NAUA on Social Media 
In addition to all latest NAUA news, program information in Liberal Beacon, and our online video archive of past events (available at www.naunitarians.org), we are now posting “news” items to a variety of sources, including X (formally Twitter) at https://twitter.com/NAUnitarians
And on Meta (Facebook) at: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553146776020   If you have news items you think might be of interest to other Unitarians, please share it (along with a photo, if possible) to web@naunitarians.org

We  hope to “SEE YOU” at these events.

Please let us know if you have any questions, suggestions or wish to contribute to NAUA programs by sending an e-mail to: info@naunitarians.org