Editing Unitarian Universalism (section)

====Language of reverence====
During the presidency of William Sinkford, debate roiled the Unitarian Universalist (U.U.) movement over his call to return to, or to re-create, an authentic Unitarian Universalist "language of reverence."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.uuworld.org/articles/need-language-reverence|title=Human reverence: The language of reverence is the language of humanity|date=2006-07-31|first1=Kendyl L.R.|last1=Gibbons|publisher=UU World: Liberal religion and life|access-date=2017-12-26}}</ref> Sinkford suggested that as Unitarian Universalists abandoned traditional religious language they would relinquish, to others, religion's words of power. These other religionists would proceed to dictate their meanings of religious words and language, including scripture, in the public sphere. He advocated that Unitarian Universalists should regain their proper seat at the interfaith table by making this language their own. In response, others saw his idea as an effort to return Unitarian Universalist congregations to more orthodox Christian worship patterns. Indeed, some were concerned that it might be a call to oppose the growing influence among UUs of humanism and atheism, the adherents of which would  be made unwelcome within the community. Sinkford denied such motives, citing the words of Unitarian Universalist humanists as examples of what he meant by "language of reverence".<ref>{{cite news| title= Religion Journal; A Heated Debate Flares in Unitarian Universalism | url= https://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/17/nyregion/religion-journal-a-heated-debate-flares-in-unitarian-universalism.html?pagewanted=all | first= Richard |last= Higgins| date= May 17, 2003| work= The New York Times | access-date=2012-04-08}}</ref>

The growth of humanism among Unitarian Universalists stemmed in part from the congregational commitment to reach a universal audience while educating U.U. folk in biblical literacy, many of whom were born into families that eschewed or minimized religious or moral catechisms. (In addition to humanists, these people comprehend atheists and theists, agnostics, skeptics and seekers, non-member affiliates, the religion-alienated and others among the larger UU congregation.)
The debate saw the publication of a book by the UUA [[Beacon Press]], written by former UUA President [[John Buehrens]]<ref>{{cite web |last1=Buehrens |first1=John A. |url=http://www.beliefnet.com/story/132/story_13272_1.html |title=Past Unitarian Universalist Association President John A. Buehrens on why even humanists should read the Bible |publisher=Beliefnet.com |access-date=2011-02-27}}</ref> and titled ''Understanding the Bible: An Introduction for skeptics, seekers, and religious liberals''.<ref>{{Cite book |isbn = 0-8070-1053-7 |title = Understanding the Bible: An introduction for skeptics, seekers, and religious liberals |last1 = Buehrens |first1 = John A. |year=2004|publisher = Beacon Press }}</ref> Meant to serve as a kind of handbook to be read alongside the Bible, it provides interpretative strategies from a liberal religious perspective for the reader to engage in conversation about the Bible—what it says and what it means today. Positive engagement is intended rather than to relinquish all public conversation to others over interpretation of the Bible. Another important work by Buehrens, with [[Forrest Church]], is ''A Chosen Faith: An Introduction to Unitarian Universalism'',<ref>{{Cite book |isbn = 0-8070-1617-9 |title = A Chosen Faith: An Introduction to Unitarian Universalism |last1 = Buehrens |first1 = John A. |last2 = Forrester Church |first2 = F. |year = 1998 |publisher = Beacon Press |url = https://archive.org/details/chosenfaithintro00bueh_0}}</ref> in which the authors present the many sources of the Unitarian Universalist faith.