Waun Unitarian Universalism
Unitarian Universalism
By The Rev. Renee Waun, Unitarian Universalist Church
POSTED: July 7, 2007
When you ask the average religious person how she or he makes choices about what to say, how to behave and why they should engage in certain activities they often refer to the tenets and creeds of their faith as a guide. Most major world religions have sacred texts, traditions, rituals and a common theology to help direct and shape their choices. Certainly this is true among the Abrahamic religions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, and you will find similar common threads that run through all groups that want to present their moral guidelines to the broader community.
Because Unitarian Universalists are descendants of liberal Christianity, there was a time in our church history when we were guided more so by the Bible and the rituals inherent in Christianity than we are today. But over time, UUs have become more and more inclusive of other traditions, beliefs and practices, so that now we cannot point to any one source of authority that helps us define “good” or “moral behavior.”
So what do we use as our moral compass, anyway? And what can we all agree upon as the foundation of our faith tradition? And why are UUs more apt to say what they don’t believe rather than what we do?
These questions that people often ask UUs these days were keenly debated back in the ’60s when the Unitarians and the Universalists united into one association of churches under the name the Unitarian Universalist Association (www.uua.org). What this new denomination came up with was a national consensus around something called our Seven Principles. If you look at the Seven Principles you will see that there is still great latitude for personal beliefs because these are indeed “principles,” not mandates for a particular doctrine or creed. Here they are:
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
These Seven Principles are not written in order of importance but all have equal value. You will notice that overall, they offer a basic rationale for the deep sense of social justice that UUs have. You will see at the forefront of many of the current issues such as global warming, immigration rights, freedom of choice, gay and lesbian equality, integrity in government, world peace and nonviolence. Our sanctuaries are open to many diverse groups, and we offer a safe place for people to explore their own spiritual journeys. Given our openness and progressive spirit, it is not unusual to find that UUs are always questioning, evaluation, critiquing, assessing and looking for new approaches for problem solving and dialoguing with others of differing beliefs or opinions.
If you are one who may feel boxed in by beliefs, curbed by credo or tangled in tenets, you might find that the Seven Principles of Unitarian Universalism give you enough latitude to search for truth and meaning in your own way as you define your values for living and tend to your spiritual journey. We welcome you.