Monnique Johnson’s Interview with Darrell Berger
Marina Guarino’s Interview with John Adrian
Monnique Johnson’s Interview with Darrel Berger
Faith without Formality
“The first year that I was there there was a symposium, and it had three speakers one right after another, Strom Thurmond, Allen Ginsburg, and, Martin Luther king and to have those three people right next to each other, really blew my mind” (Berger). This was the start of Reverend Darrell Berger’s journey to the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA). For years the ministers of the UUA have officiated civil service unions and have rallied for marriage equality The nationwide legalization of gay marriage in 2015 was not only a momentous occasion in the gay community but also for the UUA congregation. Other than marriage equality the UUA and its congregation support the causes civil rights of people. A minister of the The Unitarian Universalists of Staten Island (UUSI), Darrell Berger, makes efforts to support civil rights. Same sex marriage is only a part of his work, along with performing marriages he also supports the black lives matter campaign, and has provided gay sexual education and officiated funerals for AIDS victims. Rev. Berger’s continued service illuminates his deep commitment to social justice. By doing this he follows the first principle of the UUA to honor the worth and dignity for all human beings.
The Unitarian Universalists are known for their support of the gay rights. The Unitarian Universalists of Staten Island (UUSI) are one church within the expansive UUA. Their principles of love, equality, and justice seem far-fetched and idealistic to critics, but their political activism and religious unity significantly impacts the LGBTQ community’s campaign for legal recognition. The UUA became active in the civil rights movement; their ministers marched with Martin Luther King Jr. and now the denomination continues to fight for social and cultural equality in feminist, racial, and gay rights movements. Their social activism throughout history directly reflects their doctrine of love, acceptance, and diversity. They have seven basic principles that they use as guidelines for their faith which include acceptance, love, respect and equality for all people. Their principles appear hopeful, but unattainable in a world plagued by racism, sexism, homophobia, and other social cruelties.
Darrell Berger is the current half time minister of the Unitarian Universalists of Staten Island. He has only been a minister at the UUSI for 3 years however, he has been a minister in the UUA for many years and has served in many states. Although he cannot be as involved in his community as he likes, because he now resides in New Jersey, he continues to lead his congregation successfully. He grew up in Ohio and went to college at Vanderbilt University in Nashville Tennessee where he was a philosophy major. Rev. Berger became concerned with Unitarian Universalists in 1966 when he visited the south and attended an event with powerful speakers of the time. In addition, seeing the racial tension and negative attitude towards Blacks in the south encouraged him to become a minister. One of his role models was Dr. Martin Luther King. Being a Unitarian Universalists was the best way, in Rev Berger’s opinion to be spiritual and attack the civil issues plaguing the America. Currently, each Sunday, Reverend Berger draws from relevant sources and incorporates them in his sermons at the church. The sermons are typically composed of injustices in current events, examination of their seven principles, and religious history.
The recent killings of black males by the authorities has been a hot topic nationwide. Rev. Berger was at the forefront of the fight here on Staten Island by helping to support the black lives matter campaign. This makes sense because his inspiration for joining the church was based on his exposure to the civil rights movement. He and the UUSI had voted to but up a black lives matter poster and, “It passed and typically Unitarian Universalists form, it wasn’t hard for us to decide that we supported black lives matter what was hard to decide was the size of the banner and where we’re going to put it” (Berger). The fight over where to put the banner can be seen as resistance to the banner but they do not want to contradict their guiding principles. Delaying help is almost as bad as not helping at all. There may even be divided views on the banner within the congregation seeing as the vote was only passed through a few key members.
As a minister Rev. Berger knows his congregation and because of this he continues to push his flock in the right direction “I think we will be the first church on Staten Island to put one up and so it ought to be up shortly” (Berger). This sets an example for the other churches on Staten Island given one of the killings occurred on Staten Island. With this banner the UUSI continues to fight for civil justice in the community. Rev. Berger is to blame for this because “there must be about 70 or 80 churches which is a lot within the denomination until you stop and think that there’s about 1,000 congregations” (Berger). This means that even though the UUA at large believes in the cause of black lives matter not all the churches take the initiative in their communities.
It was surprising to learn that when Rev. Berger only performed a handful of same sex marriages. He explained that New York especially, “is one of the few places where there were a number of clergy who would do those…throughout the country, Unitarianism really was at the forefront because in most places the Unitarian minister was, if not the only one, one of the few who would do a service” (Berger). People think of being gay as a new trend but, it had been around for many years. The change however, came when the gay community realized civil unions weren’t enough. Rev. Berger’s first civil union was in the late 1980’s. More prominent for him than marriages were the memorial services for AIDS victims “And once aids became a factor in the early 80’s uh, Unitarian churches were one of the few places where people could do their funerals and their memorial services. So when I arrived in New York in ’89, I did a lot more funerals for victims with AIDS” (Berger). This was the most interesting discovery because when the world thinks of AIDS, they do not generally think in terms of what happens to memory of the dead.
New traditions were formed at these funerals and “though all the AIDS victims were not gay, all the ones I did were. And frankly I was doing gay aids funerals in Manhattan–they were very theatrical, very theatrical…it was really a way of dealing sometimes humorously with very difficult material…” (Berger). The experience was different for the people who went to these funerals. Often they themselves were either gay, diagnosed with AIDS, or had been to so many victim’s funerals already. Clearly, culture had changed even the social norms of a funeral “during the open microphone a young man came up dressed in a ballerina costume, a tutu and you know this is at the funeral and I said ‘okay’ and this was a–not the significant other of the deceased but a very good friend and that costume that he wore was what he wore with the deceased together when they went to the first gay pride” (Berger). This taught Rev. Berger the significance of listening to others because many actions have meanings behind them that people tend to overlook.
Education is an important part of breaking down the discrimination and hatred in the world. Through sex education Rev. Berger was able to educate youth, “there was also a good curriculum on sex education the UU’s could use for their kids, usually in middle school like 6th, 7th graders, and there became a chapter on gay and lesbian sexuality there, you know which was developed out of that office” (Berger). Before this people learned about sex through experience and with the growing AIDS crisis, it was important to understand the how people contracted the disease. It was also important to understand gay people on a whole. Ignorance leads to hate and so by educating the children Berger created a platform that would start a new level of appreciation for the gay community. When he ministered in Scituate Massachusetts he had “the first program on aids awareness…even in relatively straight communities, middle class communities the Unitarian church will perform, that kind of service in terms of education and breaking down barriers and prejudice” (Berger). Before New York, Rev. Berger had always been active in service to his community wherever he resided.
There are many ways to achieve social justice and an example to follow is the UUSI. Their leader Rev Darrell Berger has continuously fought for change within his community by supporting gay marriage, black lives matter, officiating AID victim’s funerals, and promoting sex education. Through his ministry lives have been change since the 1970’s. He continues to pastor the UUSI and supports the oppressed people who do not have their voices heard.
About Monnique
Monnique Johnson is a Macaulay Honors Freshman at CSI on a pre-med track. She is pursuing a major in Medical Technology and a minor in Chemistry.
Marina Guarino’s Interview with John Adrian
Faith Without Formality
When John Adrian sat down to discuss his experience with the Unitarian Universalists of Staten Island (UCSI), he revealed how he found an identity within the church in unexpected ways. Practicing religion is typically attributed to regularly participating in rituals and professing a set of beliefs within a religious institution. This does not account for those who practice their religion by living it throughout their daily activities, such as work, volunteering, and social interaction. The Unitarian Universalists are a church whose loose principles, informal sermons, and diverse members already resist the conventional idea of religion, and its members further demonstrate how practicing religion cannot be strictly defined. John Adrian, once a Latter Day Saint among other religions, was expected to discard his homosexual identity to purify his religious spirit. Now one of many openly gay members of UCSI, he lives and practices his faith through works of humble service for both the church and Staten Island’s LGBTQ community.
Unitarian Universalism formed when Unitarianism, the belief in the oneness of God as opposed to the Trinity, and Universalism, the belief in universal salvation, combined as one faith. They shared similar interests in religious freedom and social activism and merged to strengthen their religious liberal influence (UUA). Unitarian beliefs in rational thinking, individual, direct relationships with God, and Jesus’ humanity incorporated with Universalist principles of love and acceptance set the foundation for the Unitarian Universalist Association’s seven basic principles. The UUA does not profess a formal doctrine, but these principles serve as guidelines for embodying love, acceptance, diversity, and justice. The UUA reaches out to people of all faiths, ethnicities, genders, and sexualities and actively participates in social justice movements, most notably with the LGBTQ community. While some religions consider homosexuality to be a sin, Unitarian Universalists regard these diverse sexualities and genders as a gift from God because they value each other’s differences. They recognized marriage equality and conducted services of union for same-sex couples long before the 2015 Supreme Court ruling legalized it. The UUA and its churches serve as an important resource for gay members seeking support and acceptance. Their spirit of hope and love creates a safe atmosphere where all people are accepted and able to escape discrimination.
John Adrian struggled between his religious identity and homosexuality throughout his life before settling down at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Staten Island. Before he was even aware of his sexuality, he was conflicted with religious identity. He was raised in a congregation of the United Lutheran Church of America in Buffalo, New York, but never truly comprehended the concept of the Trinity (Adrian). He later joined the Latter Day Saints, a Mormon group, became active in spiritualism through his family, and also sang in an Episcopalian choir. He recalls, “So I sang at an Episcopal church Sunday morning and then Sunday afternoons I was a healer and a medium and a member of the Board of Trustees at a spiritualist church in Buffalo” (Adrian). Adrian was very open to religious diversity and conversions throughout his life in search of a church he felt confident in and comfortable with. After moving to New York City, he started attending services at an Episcopalian Church, but eventually found his way back to the Latter Day Saints in Staten Island. Adrian praises his experience with the Latter Day Saints for ending his drinking problem, but that is the only good thing he had to say about it (Adrian). It was at this point his open homosexuality conflicted with his devoutness. “The cure for homosexuality according to the Latter Day Saints was marrying a good Mormon woman” (Adrian). Adrian was pressured into marrying a Mormon woman because of what his faith told him and he confesses it “didn’t cure a damn thing” because he remained sexually active with men during his marriage (Adrian). Eventually both he and his wife resigned their memberships from the LDS church and, ultimately, their marriage ended.
Adrian was introduced to UCSI at Staten Island’s first pride parade in summer of 2005. He and his partner chose to begin attending UCSI services out of convenience as the church was only five minutes away from their home (Adrian). This choice was a simple one, but it marked the end to John Adrian’s religious pursuit. Adrian was immediately welcomed to participate in the congregation. At the first Sunday service he attended, he was asked to teach in the church’s Religious Education program (Adrian). This invitation was significant for Adrian who previously faced rejection from the Latter Day Saints for his homosexuality. “Raphael and I were welcomed as a couple and that was the big thing. It didn’t matter that we were two men. We could’ve been two women or we could’ve been two Martians or a Martian and a Venutian. It just made no difference, we were welcome” (Adrian). The Latter Day Saints wanted to cure him, but the Unitarian Universalists accepted and encouraged him. Adrian was granted the confidence to become even more active with the congregation.
Adrian’s early activism as church representative led to a major religious revelation. He volunteered to join a search committee to find a settled minister for the congregation after the previous minister resigned, hoping to discover more about Unitarian Universalism through church politics (Adrian). A settled minister was finally chosen with only one committee member opposed to the decision, but Adrian reveals the congregation experienced difficult times during her five year ministry. The individual who voted against the settled minister was an atheist; she believed in reason and intellect rather than doctrine, and she was the only one who sensed a problem with the chosen minister (Adrian). This experience on the committee made Adrian realize that he too prefers intellectual inquiry over blind devoutness, which is a significant aspect of Unitarian Universalism. “Through it all I learned a lot about Unitarian Universalism. And Unitarian Universalism requires that I develop my own theology. I don’t have to confess any creed“ (Adrian). Without a formal doctrine or religious book, Unitarian Universalism encourages its followers to develop their own beliefs on the path of love, acceptance, and justice. Adrian was able to come to this realization as a representative on the search committee rather than during a sermon or prayer, demonstrating how one can live and practice their faith outside of a formally religious setting.
Adrian further exhibits his faithfulness through his work as an engineer to enhance and maintain the church building. He describes the time he reported five trees on church grounds which needed to be taken down. Two of them were old, rotten, and beginning to uproot. Adrian was met with opposition from a social justice activist who wanted to preserve the trees, but was unable to provide an alternate solution. Adrian organized their removal before they fell onto the building and destroyed multiple rooms (Adrian). He is currently working on replacing the building’s heating system, which is about forty-five years old and at risk of leaking. According to Adrian, leaking can lead to legal issues with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and thousands of dollars in legal fees to deal with. He plans to replace the old heating system with more modern technology over the summer to prevent this. His role as a building engineer may seem trivial, but it demonstrates John Adrian’s dedication to his church. He organizes and performs menial, tedious tasks to protect the building from destruction and the congregation from financial burden. Adrian dedicates hours of difficult work to the church building so he and the other Unitarian Universalists of Staten Island can continue to gather in it for weekly sermons. By maintaining the building where the faith is practiced, he is practicing the faith.
John Adrian practices Unitarian Universalist principles as librarian for the Pride Center of Staten Island, partner of UCSI. When Adrian’s old professor at the College of Staten Island decided to retire, Adrian questioned the fate of hundred of books piled in his office. The professor could not take them home because his apartment was also stacked with books. Altogether, there were three hundred Gay and Lesbian Studies books and two hundred Judaic and Holocaustic Studies books (Adrian). Adrian suggested he donate the LGBT books to the Pride Center as the beginning of a library there, and the Judaic and Holocaustic books were worked into the existing library at UCSI. The Pride Center, with Adrian’s help, reached out to the LGBT community for donations to the budding library. “Well it has grown from 300 books that Ernie gave us to over 4,500 books, articles, and videos” (Adrian). Adrian kindly assisted his professor with relocating hundreds of books and in doing so, single-handedly began the library at the Pride Center of Staten Island while also enhancing the library at his own congregation. He displays his commitment to improving the Unitarian Universalist church and practices Unitarian Universalist principles by supporting the LGBT community on Staten Island. As librarian, Adrian is able to live out both his homosexual pride and religious beliefs, a right previously denied to him.
John Adrian grew up in a diversely religious household, participating in Lutheran, spiritual, Episcopal, and LDS churches, but never truly grasped the notion of God put forth to him. The Latter Day Saints saw his homosexuality as a curable disease, which put his devoutness at odds with his sexuality. It was not until he was introduced to Unitarian Universalism when he was able to live completely as a gay, religious man. Adrian demonstrates how practicing religion is not confined to following a strict doctrine, attending sermons, or praying a certain amount of times a day. Religion is lived out daily during ordinary routines. For John Adrian, this includes representing the congregation in church politics, protecting and maintaining the church building, and working as a librarian at the Pride Center of Staten Island. He dedicates his time to improving UCSI for church members to continue to gather in worship, celebrate holidays and events, and exercise their love and acceptance of one another.
About Maria
Maria Guarino is a Freshman at the Macaulay Honors college of Staten Island. She is currently pursuing a career in pharmacology and has a strong desire for helping people.
