REV. LELAND P. STEWART grew up in Detroit, Michigan, and attended the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, where he obtained two Bachelor of Science degrees – one in mathematics and the other in me...view moreREV. LELAND P. STEWART grew up in Detroit, Michigan, and attended the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, where he obtained two Bachelor of Science degrees – one in mathematics and the other in mechanical engineering. While working as a test engineer for the General Electric Company and planning to study further at the Harvard Business School in preparation for administrative work in industry, he suddenly came to the realization that his life was to be headed in another direction. Leland Stewart then applied and was accepted at the Harvard Divinity School, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Theology degree in 1953. He was ordained by the Universalist Church of America at Little Falls, New York, in 1954.
During his time in industry he wrote a book now entitled From Technological Power to Lasting Peace, which outlined his thinking along general and philosophical lines. During the time he spent at Harvard Divinity School, he worked on a 400-page compilation of the scriptures of the world’s living religions and modern inspirational writings called World Scriptures. This book was published in 2003. Volume Two is an extension of this work as a separate volume focused on guiding principles for living in the emerging global civilization.
Since his entry into the life of world spiritual and community leadership, Rev. Stewart has served, and continues to serve, as Founder and Central Coordinator of the Unity-and-Diversity World Council (UDC), bringing high energy to the practice of universal cooperative co-existence. The Council began during 1965, when the General Assembly of the United Nations declared International Cooperation Year. The Council has its headquarters in Los Angeles.
Rev. Stewart is also the Founding Minister and Director of Ministry Training of the Unity-and-Diversity World Fellowship, a specialized affiliate of Unity-and-Diversity World Council, Inc. The Fellowship is responsible for the ministry training and the holding of Unity-and-Diversity Celebrations. More recently a committee has published Science and Spirituality, a book of sacred readings, articles, music, three major documents including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and a civilization timeline.
Leland has been teaching with the Los Angeles Unified School District for fifty years. He and his wife Elizabeth live on Los Angeles’ Westside, where they continue working together on various aspects of the UDC endeavor. The Stewart’s have two daughters, Deanna and Lynn, both of whom are married and living in California. They also have a son, Dana, who has spent his working life in the business world, having graduated in business from the University of Southern California. Elizabeth is also a Unity-and-Diversity Minister and a co-founder of the Council.view less