World Pantheism promotes a completely naturalistic but
celebratory and reverent approach to life, Nature and the wider
Universe.

Unitarian Universalism and World Pantheism are complementary
and enrich each other. World Pantheism supports the UU principles and
harmoniously melds three of UUs component traditions: Humanism,
Pantheism, and Paganism of the symbolic kind. Unitarian Universalism
provides the supportive context of a tolerant community, World Pantheism
a spiritual orientation and possibilities of exciting small group
formation within UU congregations.

This is a resource centre for members of Unitarian
Universalist congregations interested
in arranging services and forming groups related to pantheism/nature
reverence, as well as for
pantheist/nature-reverent individuals interested in joining Unitarian
Universalist congregations.

It explains (below on this page) the complementary relationship between Unitarian Universalism
and World Pantheism.

It provides sample sermons, and choices of hymns, readings, stories for
services.
And it gives guidance on how to go about forming and running a group

in your
local fellowship.

World Pantheism and
Unitarian Universalism

How they differ, how they mesh together (this page).
Get a PDF leaflet
version here

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UU pantheists
mailing list
and bulletin board
Discussion group for pantheists interested in Unitarian
Universalism and Unitarian Universalists
interested in pantheism/nature-reverence.

UU sermons and
services about pantheism given to UU
churches
Complete sermons, speakers, hymns, readings, stories,
posters, slide sources, children’s stories and activities, and some
Powerpoint and Audio files.

Forming a
pantheist/nature-reverence group in a UU
church
Step by step guide on how to create a group
in your own community

Contacts and links
 

 

World Pantheism and Unitarian Universalism

The core of World Pantheism is a profound reverence for Nature and
the wider Universe. The World Pantheist Movement is the only
membership organization working to promote this viewpoint and to
facilitate  meetings of like-minded people.

The name pantheism was
chosen for convenience, but this same viewpoint,  uniting reverence
with naturalism,  is known under several names: religious humanism,
religious naturalism, naturalistic paganism, and indeed many individuals
have their own
variant name for it.

All these viewpoints find a home in the World Pantheist
Movement and in any groups that we form or facilitate.

What’s the relationship between World Pantheism and Unitarian
Universalism?

The two organizations overlap and complement
each other.  Many
Unitarian Universalists, including ministers, are WPM members. WPM
members who belong to UU churches in some cases run courses, services or
regular groups on pantheism/nature-reverence/simple living.

What are the affinities?

World Pantheism endorses all of the UU’s seven
principles and expands on some of them. Most pantheists would draw some
elements from one or more of the world’s religious traditions. Among
these we would have a closer affinity for classical Stoicism and
philosophical Taoism, as well as for modern atheism, humanism and
environmentalism. We respect and learn from Zen Buddhism and related
schools (in their meditation and mindfulness practices more than their
metaphysics). We would find less of interest in the Western theist
traditions in their traditional forms – though we recognize that there
are valuable passages of real-life wisdom in both the Old and New
Testaments.

World Pantheism is committed to religious freedom, separation of
church and state, and religious tolerance. We filed a friend-of-court
brief in the recent US Supreme Court case opposing the "under God"
wording in the Pledge.

World Pantheism is socially and environmentally active. Human and
animal rights are important to us, based on the equality of all
conscious beings as centers of awareness. We have collected more
signatures for UNESCO’s Manifesto for Peace and Non-Violence than any
other US voluntary organization.

We endorse and expand on the UU seventh principle and we make
active care for the environment a central part of our approach. We are
by far the largest religious group saving rainforest at

EcologyFund
, and we will very soon  have saved the largest
amount of wildlife habitat (we started later and had some
catching up to do.)

What’s the difference between World Pantheism and Unitarian
Universalism?

Essentially, Unitarian Universalism has shared values
such as tolerance and justice, but does not take up any particular
religious or metaphysical viewpoint, for example on the truth of any
scripture, the existence of a creator, personal God, of souls separate
from bodies, or of a personal afterlife.

     World Pantheism does promote a few basic religious/metaphysical
beliefs, such as:
●  Nature and the Universe are the most appropriate focus for our
deepest spiritual feelings of belonging and  reverence.
●  Everything that exists is a part of Nature.

●  Mind and body are an inseparable unity.
●  Although sceptical about personal survival after death, we look
forward to a "natural" afterlife in terms of the actions and creations
we leave behind, our families, the memories people hold of us, and the
recycling of our elements in nature.

So why be both a UU and a World Pantheist?

Unitarian Universalism is a context where it is possible to meet
intelligent sociable tolerant people with differing religious
philosophies for shared spiritual exploration, social action and
interaction, and community support.

World Pantheism is a religious orientation in the same sense that
atheism, Christianity or Judaism are. It is a position about our place
in Nature and the Universe. Many people need both a social context AND a
belief context in order to feel comfortable with their place in society
and the universe. There are are pantheist Unitarian Universalists, just
as there are pagan, Humanist, Christian, or Jewish Unitarian
Universalists. World Pantheism also offers written materials, networking
and social/environmental action among pantheists.

A growing number of UU fellowships have pantheist, nature-reverence
or sustainable living groups where members can:
●  share
experiences, discoveries and life wisdom
●  make outings to natural
areas, exhibitions, recycling centers, "green" buildings and so on
●  discuss the ideas of
sustainability and nature-reverence.

What’s the difference between World Pantheism, atheism and humanism?

Atheism simply makes the statement that there is no
creator God, no personal God, no judging God. Beyond that atheists can
be nature-lovers or nature-haters, they can see life and the Universe as
joyful or absurd.

Most people look for more than just a negative from a religious
philosophy. Recognizing this, Humanism  has added statements of ethics
and principles.

World Pantheism goes one step further and recognizes that most
people feel a need for something that is greater than themselves and
greater than the human race. In our case that greater whole is nature on
this earth, and on a wider scale the entire universe or Multiverse of
all that exists. We also promote a joyful and positive approach to life.

World Pantheism has many members who would also describe
themselves as atheists and/or humanists, but to these positions they add
a profound and satisfying spiritual (emotional and aesthetic) dimension
in their connection with nature, the universe, and their fellow humans.

What’s the difference between World Pantheism and paganism?

World Pantheism itself celebrates the major
astronomical transitions of the year. It has no prescribed ceremonies:
people and groups choose their own style.  We have many members who
also consider themselves as pagans and who may observe pagan ceremonies
and seasons.

However, most World Pantheist pagans view pagan deities, spirits
and magic as symbolic expressions rather than literal truths, or they
may observe the main festivals in ceremonies of their own devising. As
one member put it "Nature is supernatural enough." We tend to focus more
intently on the wonder of nature and the night sky. Symbolic forms are
fine if we make sure they don’t obscure the direct view of these
realities.

Contacts and links

The WPM website: https://www.pantheism.net
The Natural Pantheism website:
https://www.pantheism.net/paul/
For posters displayed here: https://www.pantheism.net/posters/
Email: