I am grateful for and indebted to my Unitarian Universalist religious education, as well as the opportunity to teach RE to children as they grew from kindergartners to middle schoolers. Through religious education, both as student and teacher, I acquired the strong sense of justice that underlies my call to ministry and the way I choose to live in the world. It instilled a sense of self-worth and compassion, and gave me countless opportunities to grow, express myself and cultivate leadership skills. It taught me about sexual identity and health at a time when I was trying to figure out my own sexuality. And I really appreciate being exposed to a wide variety of faith traditions and belief systems.

With that said, in retrospect, learning about other religions sometimes felt as if we were window-shopping—it was often lacking depth. Like many others I know who grew up UU and entered the ministry, going to seminary felt like the first time I really dug into other religious traditions and began to actively build my own theology. This pattern persists because our congregations often lack meaningful opportunities for youth to engage in spiritual growth as they transition to adulthood.

The flip side of having so many sources to draw on is that it is easy it is to go broad rather than deep. Our congregations should provide opportunities for deep spiritual exploration and growth, and ministers have the knowledge and skills to provide support and guidance with that deeper exploration.

I really enjoy offering Adult RE classes, and offer a variety of programs to meet different needs. Those who were not raised UU need opportunities to learn about UU history and deepen their identity as a UU. Those who have been wounded by past experiences with religion need opportunities to heal from those wounds and develop a belief system that isn’t defined primarily in opposition to another faith tradition. We also need opportunities for engaging in anti-oppression work, for the sake of the congregation and the wider society. These are approaches for us to begin freeing ourselves from the ways oppression harms the souls of the oppressor and the oppressed. I ensure that my offerings, even if not explicitly anti-oppressive, have an anti-oppression lens.

While I value religious education for children, youth and adults, I don’t think we are served if it’s always presented within silos defined by age. The whole congregation benefits from multi-generational experiences, whether it is multigenerational worship, secret buddies, coming of age programs, or  service projects. Younger people gain access to variety of teachers, nurturers, mentors, and cheerleaders. Older people gain fresh perspectives, are reminded of the sense of wonder in youth, and inspired by the energy and passion of first engaging in justice work. And, ultimately, it strengthens the bonds of community.