JUUF Principles

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The Seven Principles of Unitarian Universalists

We, the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association, covenant to affirm and promote

The inherent worth and dignity of every person;
Justice, equity and compassion in human relations;
Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations;
A free and responsible search for truth and meaning;
The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large;
The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all;
Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.

The living tradition that we share draws from many sources:

Direct experience of that transcending mystery and wonder, affirmed in all cultures, which moves us to a renewal of the spirit and an openness to the forces which create and uphold life;
Words and deeds of prophetic women and men which challenge us to confront powers and structures of evil with justice, compassion, and the transforming power of love;
Wisdom from the world's religions which inspires us in our ethical and spiritual life;
Jewish and Christian teachings which call us to respond to God's love by loving our neighbors as ourselves;
Humanist teachings which counsel us to heed the guidance of reason and the results of science, and warn us against idolatries of the mind and spirit.
Spiritual teachings of earth-centered traditions which celebrate the sacred circle of life and instruct us to live in harmony with the rhythms of nature.

Grateful for the religious pluralism which enriches and ennobles our faith, we are inspired to deepen our understanding and expand our vision. As free congregations we enter into this covenant, promising to one another our mutual trust and support.

Some basic beliefs of liberal religions

Our consulting minister, Rev. Kenneth MacLean, taught a 6 part class in October and November 2007. In that class, we focused on the work of James Luther Adams. Adams, who many believe was the most important Unitarian Universalist theologian of the 20th century, set out what he called "The Five Smooth Stones" of liberal religion. He believed that these five basic principles were common to the belief system of all liberal religions, including Unitarian Universalists. They are:

Revelation is continuous; learning does not stop with one book or one prophet.
Relations between persons ought ideally to rest on mutual, free consent and not on coercion.
Religious liberalism affirms the moral obligation to direct one's efforts toward the establishment of a just and loving community.
We deny the immaculate conception of virtue and affirm the necessity of social incarnation; it is only through the organization of power into community that achieve our ideals. Under this tenet, injustice in community is an an abuse of power; justice is an exercise in just and lawful power.
Finally, liberalism holds that the resources that are available for the achievement of meaningful change justify an attitude of ultimate optimism. However, having hope does not obviate the need for a personal and institutional life of continuing humility and renewal, for there are ever-present forces in us working for perversion and destruction.

Confused about today's "culture wars?"

Read this excellent article in the Winter 2007 issue of the UUA World, which discusses the 30-year culture war engaged in by our founding fathers that defined the separation of church and state.

What we do is more important than what we believe.

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