What do Jesus, Schrödinger’s Cat, and the CUA have in common?
Duality: The early Church spent a couple of hundred years trying to understand Jesus. Not just His teachings, but questions like: What substance is He made of, the same divine stuff as God, or is Jesus made of different stuff? If He’s divine, how human can he actually be? And, if he’s both divine and human, how much of each? Since we’re not in the middle of a Church History course, let’s fast-forward to the conclusion; most of the church decided that Jesus is wholly divine, and wholly man. Not either-or, nor half-and-half; but both always wholly divine, and always wholly human. Two seemingly-incompatible things, simultaneously.
Schrödinger’s Cat refers to a famous Physics lesson used to teach students about how things work differently in the subatomic world. You see, at the subatomic level, two completely opposite things can both be true, at the same time—so long as no one looks to see the result. As soon as someone looks to see the result, the duality is over. To teach this, Dr. Schrödinger told his students to imagine a cat, and something toxic enough to kill the cat, are placed, together, into a box. In our world the cat would either live or die; but in the subatomic world, the cat is both dead and alive, at the same time—so long as no one opens the box to see! Two seemingly-incompatible things, simultaneously.
The CUA has a duality too: When the CUA was founded, in 2007, it was just a discussion group for theologians, and repository for information about ultimate reconciliation. We did not call ourselves a denomination, and still don’t; but our founders learned, quickly, that the CUA was called to provide denominational services:
- Official recognition for congregations and ministries
- Ministerial Education by correspondence (as an alternative to seminary)
- Ordination as Clergy, for both chaplains and congregational ministers
- Official Endorsement for chaplains
- Search assistance for hiring a pastor or chaplain
- Conventions, conferences, regional gatherings, and online conversations
When a family is gathered at the hospital, do you want them talking to the typical eternal-conscious-torture chaplain, or do you want them talking to a reassuring, CU chaplain? Well, that’s something that can only happen when the CUA is doing denominational stuff. Chaplains have to be both ordained, and endorsed by their faith body—in other words, their denomination. That can only happen when the CUA is doing denominational stuff. The same goes for chaplains in prisons or the military, and community chaplains who assist first-responders with grieving relatives. Likewise, hospices and nursing homes all make chaplains available. Again, people will only hear from an eternal-conscious-torture chaplain; unless you support the CUA doing denominational stuff—like endorsing chaplains.
“Wow, look how much more we can do together!”
Working pastors who come to an Ultimate Reconciliation understanding will get defrocked by most denominations. They come to us to maintain their ministry credentials—from a wide range of denominational backgrounds.
We also hear from Christian Universalist congregations when they need to hire a new Pastor. The CUA trains new CU ministers, verifies ministerial training, usually seminary-level education, checks their background and experience, and coordinate with all kinds of employers who hire clergy. Again, this can only happen when the CU body of congregations and believers, like you, support the CUA doing denominational stuff.
Unlike many denominations, we don’t have any hierarchical, ecclesiastical structure. That means we don’t look like a lot of denominations, but we do provide actual denominational-style ministry assistance every single day. So when you look at the CUA, don’t ask yourself “Do I need anything they offer?” Look at the CUA and say “Wow, look how much more we can do together!” As an individual, you can join the CUA on our website today—please do so! Congregations and other ministries can officially affiliate with the CUA; there’s a written questionnaire to fill-out to request formal affiliation & endorsement. Come join the CUA and be a part of the larger Ultimate Reconciliation movement, worldwide. Great things are happening at the CUA, and we want you to be part of it!