Over
100 Unitarian-Universalists attended this year's standing-room-only presentation
of the Jenkin Lloyd Jones Lecture, which annually honors the memory of
this UU minister and reformer. This year's speaker at one of the UUA's
more prestigious lectures was Dave Jones, the Minority Leader of the Utah
House of Representatives and a candidate for the office of Mayor of Salt
Lake City.
The Urban Church Coalition sponsored this year's lecture. The Reverend Ken Brown of the Coalition introduced Mr. Jones, with a brief description of his career in marketing and consulting and his history of public service during the past ten years in the Utah House of Representatives.
Dave Jones, a member of the First UU Church of Salt Lake City, spoke on "Unitarians and Politics: What's the Attraction?" His interest in this topic stems from his interest in what attracts Unitarians to politics and conversely what attracts politicians to Unitarianism. UUs have a long tradition of public service ranging from our founding fathers like U.S. President John Adams to other figures such as Elliot Richardson and Adlai Stevenson.
Jones tied this to the aspects of his faith that intersect with his passion for politics. He spoke movingly of his childhood experiences with intolerance and the benefits he has seen as an adult from diversity.
Jones identified what he believes to be a transcendent motivation behind
the acts of many politicians, when they are able to put the public good
ahead of personal political advantage. He identified the influence in our
faith of the Fifth Principle "The right of conscience and the use of the
democratic process within our congregations and in society at large" as
part of what may draw UUs to public service.
He closed his prepared remarks with his hopes for Salt Lake City and urban centers, and then took questions from those attending the lecture.
Reported by Lynn Calvin, formatted for the web by Mark Gibbons
