I suspect that the idea of blessing may be one that some UUs struggle with theologically. As Unitarian Universalists, we have in some ways moved very far away from our Christian heritage and in some others we have not. For instance, our model of religious education, our polity, and our order of service are little different from the Universalism or Unitarianism from which we inherited them.

Yet in other ways we have significantly redefined some of our inheritance. For example, while we inherited the concept of worship from Christianity, we have redirected it and changed its connotation, bringing it closer to its original meaning. The word worship comes from the Old English word weorþscipe (or worth-ship), meaning worthiness, or the honor shown to an object. At its most basic, then, worship simply means giving worth to something. In Christianity that object is obviously god. That association is what causes some UUs to struggle with use of the word. However, in Unitarian Universalism we have collectively redirected that which has worthiness to humanity, our community, and our congregations. We believe in the inherent worth and dignity of every person, as our First Principle articulates. Individual UUs may wish to honor additional things or beings that suit their own theology. But together we have returned worship more to its original meaning to honor something, without necessarily any supernatural connotations. Similarly, we have redefined theology, church, hymn, covenant, and our approach to religious writings to better fit Unitarian Universalism and our plural theology.

The same is true for the concept of blessing. In Christianity, blessings are presumed to ultimately derive from god. Priests, or others, can become conduits for that blessing, but are not the source of it. So what does a non-Christian or nontheist UU do with the idea of blessing being a divine domain? Just because the term has strong Christian connotations in our culture does not mean we need to jettison the word or idea and “throw the baby out with the bathwater.” As with other aspects of our Christian inheritance, including worship, we can redefine blessing to reflect Unitarian Universalist plurality and personal nontheist theologies.

I think of blessing as praising, extolling, or wishing someone or something well. Such a notion of blessing retains the idea that a blessing is something one person orally bestows upon other people or things. A secular blessing can be applied to a person, a group, a community, an event, a meal, an endeavor, a place…most anything really. What is redefined in this notion of blessing is the source of the blessing. The source for this kind of blessing is ourselves. A blessing does not need to derive from something supernatural to be real and meaningful. We have the power to apply positive intentions and good wishes to people or things that have a real impact on outcomes. Offering a secular blessing does not mean we believe we have actual mystical powers to pass along. But much like wishing someone luck, a secular blessing conveys positivity from one-to-another, shares our good intentions, and communicates our caring to people, institutions, and communities. So please, bless away!

Joel Tishken