Justice through Creativity...
Theology at Work
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Rev. Clovice Lewis received his Master of Divinity degree from the Unitarian Universalist Starr King School for the Ministry in May of 2021. It was in that school where Clovice was able to fully explore theological frameworks that have always intrigued him. He was ordained as a Unitarian Universalist Minister on March 26, 2022.
Theology is literally, "the science of God". Put simply, theology is the study of how human beings relate to the concept of divinity, the meaning of life, and what might happen after death. Clovice's belief is that science and religion can comfortably coexist if people recognize the strengths of both. He believes the role of science is to teach us about our place in the universe and that religion informs us how to be the best human beings possible. Clovice's ministry is best defined as an exploration of a luminal space between the two powerful poles of rationality and spirituality (which includes religion). Although he respects all expressions of human spirituality he believes it cannot adequately explain the nature of reality and consciousness in the ways that science can. |
Starr King Interview
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This video is an interview with Clovice Lewis done in 2019 when he was a student working toward his Master of Divinity degree at Starr King School for the Ministry. Clovice spoke about his experience at SKSM.
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Clovice's Theological Writings
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These two books are part of a collection of sermons Rev. Clovice A. Lewis, Jr. wrote between 2001 and 2021. He served his local Unitarian Universalist congregation as a lay leader during most of that time and was occasionally called upon to preach.
Lewis' sermons are divided between those that deal with justice and others about theology. "Theological Sightlines" is primarily composed of sermons about justice. "Yearning for Justice" is primarily composed of sermons about justice - especially social justice. The sermons are presented in descending order of their creation. Thus, they provide a contemporary glimpse into the political and social landscape of the times they were written. |
Click on the book cover to order ebook or paperback versions of "Theological Sightlines" from Amazon.
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Click on the book cover to order ebook or paperback versions of "Yearning for Justice" from Amazon.
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The Sermon That Launched a Social Movement
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Inspired by events like the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, Lewis' activism led to the formation of an equity and inclusion advisory committee that was the impetus for the County Board of Supervisors adoption of a proclamation “Promoting Tolerance, Respect, Equity and Inclusion in Lake County”. The impetus was a sermon Lewis wrote called “The Arc of Justice: Up Close and Personal”. The Proclamation was unanimously approved on February 23, 2021. As a result, the board initiated an ad hoc equity and inclusion advisory committee to inform actions and policies for county implementation. Coordinated by the committee and County personnel, a series of Community Visioning Forums “Honoring All Voices” ensued at locations throughout the county and on Zoom. The committee is in the process of compiling findings to bring to the Board of Supervisors.
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Church 2.0
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The Church 2.0 project is the culmination of research Rev. Lewis has done about how spiritual organizations must adapt to these times of crisis and uncertainty. The work was funded by the Unitarian Universalist Association and the project website can be found there. Clovice's admonition about the "madness of human self-extinction" resonates with the conclusions of the Church 2.0 project. He believes that human beings are incapable of grasping the danger we are in from climate disruption because of evolutionary limitations.
The sermon by Rev. Lewis entitled "Church 2.0 - Spiritual Challenges" discusses the spiritual challenges churches and other organizations face in this time of disruption and uncertainty. Four principles emerge:
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Other Sermons by Rev. Clovice Lewis
Presented below are a few sermons by Rev. Clovice Lewis.
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Thoughts About Integrity and Our National Character
In the sermon Rev. Clovice Lewis examines how integrity and truthfulness play a vital role in ensuring the democratic process. People on the Right correctly understand that the political power they seek to acquire and hold cannot be attained by being truthful. Their constituents are made to feel overwhelmed, and rendered powerless by such things as climate change, migration, demographic shifts, and international conflict. What matters is how to control behavior when it’s time to vote. The radical Right has learned that people can be sufficiently threatened into accepting destruction of the democratic process to ensure against change. How can we counter the weaponization of lying? |
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Martin and Malcolm Were Both Right
People often tend to compare Martin Luther King, Jr.'s approach towards the Civil Rights movement in the United States with Malcolm X's approach. Some feel our country "dodged a bullet" by taking King's non-violent path. Many of us are aware that both men expressed very nuanced opinions that contradicted the public perceptions of their positions. This sermon examines how those nuances speak powerfully to the historical confluences that shape our racial challenges to this day. Postmoderism - The Uninvited Referee
This is a video Clovice produced for a class in postmodernism he took at the Starr King School for the Ministry. In the paper, he discussed the role Jean Francois Lyotard's 1979 publication of "The Postmodern Condition: A Report on Knowledge" had in defining "postmodern science" and in providing religion with a metanarrative that competes with science. Click here for the paper. |
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The Sociology of Religion
This is a video Clovice produced for a sociology class he took at the Starr King School for the Ministry. |
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