I am so grateful to have seen this video in my YouTube queue today.

Rev. Bishop Carlton Pearson is an affiliate minister of All Souls Tulsa UU. I’ve shared his work many times. He is an evangelical minister ordained in other traditions and brings with him a metaphysical approach to Unitarian Universalism similar to the one I bring. At this moment, given recent collegial happenings, this message resonates profoundly with me. He speaks of what covenant is, with ourselves and with each other. He talks about the importance of agreement and the even greater importance of disagreement. He reminds us that we are committed to diversities, and that, “We have to agree to disagree in order to be in covenant. You cannot be in covenant unless you make a decision to disagree on certain points.”

Rev. Pearson emphasizes this with a quote Alfred P. Sloan, American business executive and CEO who built sustained business through agreement, “If we are all in agreement on the decision, then I propose we postpone further discussion of this matter until our next meeting to give ourselves time to develop disagreement and perhaps gain some understanding of what the decision is all about.” 

And, with emotion, he reminds us how important it is to honor our covenants and our bonds with each other. That we need each other. That we are divine.