photo forthcoming

The flaming chalice is a symbol of Unitarian Universalism. It is drawn from the history of the Christian Reformation in Czechoslovakia where Jan Hus asserted that all members of the congregation, and not only the priests, should be allowed to drink from the chalice at holy communion. Hus was burned at the stake for his efforts, but his followers persisted in building a church that believes in the "priesthood of all believers."

photo forthcoming

The two intersecting circles represent the Unitarian and Universalist traditions which were merged to form one denomination in 1961. Unitarianism is an affirmation that God is one (rather than three, a belief known as Trinitarianism). Universalism affirms that there is no hell, whatever awaits us after death, we are all going there together.

The six-pointed Star of David is a symbol of Judaism. It is known as the Magen David or "Shield of David". King David, although he had his faults, was the builder of Jerusalem, and his reign is often looked to as a golden era of Judaic culture.

The lotus flower represents Buddhism. It grows in a muddy pond, but remains pure and undefiled by its environment. Indeed, it draws nurture from and still transforms that environment. The Buddha is often represented as meditating while seated on a lotus blossom.

Om (written here in Sanskrit) is the most important mantra (sacred word) in Hinduism. It expresses the complete nature of God and is said to be the sound created by the stars and heavenly spheres as they transverse our universe.

The star and the crescent moon represent Islam. The moon is waxing and represents a growth toward fullness. The Islamic calendar is based on the moon (as opposed to the Gregorian calendar which is based on the sun). The word Islam can be translated from Arabic as meaning "submission to God". Much of Islam is based upon the teachings of the prophet Mohammed.

The cross is a symbol of Christianity. It was used as a weapon of crucifixion in ancient Roman times. Paul Tillich interpreted it as also representing an intersection between the horizontal (the ongoing ordinary moments of history) and the vertical (the sacred eternal).

Humanism

Taoism

Earth-Based Religions