RESOLVING THE RELIGIOUS AND THE POLITICAL:
JEFFREY CAMPBELL’S MINISTRY:
UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST SOCIETY AT AMHERST, 1967-1974
Steve Peraza
Dr. Elizabeth Regosin, Faculty Mentor
St. Lawrence University McNair Scholars Program
Jeffrey Campbell challenged his congregation at the Unitarian Universalist Society at Amherst, Massachusetts (1967-1974), to practice the beliefs it preached. His ministry weaved spirituality and political activism into one religious plan of action – an act directly in line with Unitarian Universalist values. However, research suggests that Campbell’s skillful integration of Unitarian Universalist religious beliefs with its social vision unnerved many in his congregation, which, despite its progressivism, feared radical social change. This socio-historical analysis, therefore, explores both the Society’s and Campbell’s struggles to resolve the tensions between their faith and their social gospel.