“What?! They want to change our 7 Principles? Why? What’s that all about? What do they want to change them to?

Those of us who have been part of the Unitarian-Universalist faith community for a while are very familiar with our “Seven Principles.” Most of us have one or two “favorites” that we cite when we’re asked about our faith. We also cite the sources of our faith—things like direct experience, wisdom and spiritual teachings from the world’s religions, and the teachings of prophetic people. Those seven principles and the sources are embodied in the bylaws of the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (the UUA). Those bylaws also ask us to look at each of its sections periodically for revision and updates.

In 2021, a team was created from across the nation to look at Article II of our bylaws, which consists largely of those principles and sources, as well as the stated purpose of the UUA. This team has spoken with congregations across the country; they have hosted numerous nationwide sessions on zoom; and have spoken with last year’s delegates at General Assembly (GA) in Portland.  They have taken everyone’s input into account and have created a report for us to consider as we go into this year’s GA in Pittsburgh this June.  If it passes in GA this summer, it will come for a final vote at the 2024 GA.

So what is being proposed? The team realized several things. For one thing our principles are reflections of our values. They also saw that principles without action are meaningless. The new principles they are proposing include not just a value, but a covenant to act in ways that give true meaning to that principle. At the center of these principles is Love. In the words of the proposed revision: “Love is the power that holds us together and is at the center of our shared values. We are accountable to one another for doing the work of living our shared values through the spiritual discipline of Love.”

As envisioned in the new Article II, Love is at the center of a circle of our core values. Each core value is defined and followed by a covenantal statement of action. Here are the proposed principles/values and the covenants that accompany each:

Interdependence. We honor the interdependent web of all existence. We covenant to cherish Earth and all beings by creating and nurturing relationships of care and respect. With humility and reverence, we acknowledge our place in the great web of life, and we work to repair harm and damaged relationships.

Pluralism. We celebrate that we are all sacred beings diverse in culture, experience, and theology. We covenant to learn from one another in our free and responsible search for truth and meaning. We embrace our differences and commonalities with Love, curiosity, and respect.

Justice. We work to be diverse multicultural Beloved Communities where all thrive. We covenant to dismantle racism and all forms of systemic oppression. We support the use of inclusive democratic processes to make decisions.

Transformation. We adapt to the changing world. We covenant to collectively transform and grow spiritually and ethically. Openness to change is fundamental to our Unitarian and Universalist heritages, never complete and never perfect.

Generosity. We cultivate a spirit of gratitude and hope. We covenant to freely and compassionately share our faith, presence, and resources. Our generosity connects us to one another in relationships of interdependence and mutuality.

Equity. We declare that every person has the right to flourish with inherent dignity and worthiness. We covenant to use our time, wisdom, attention, and money to build and sustain fully accessible and inclusive communities.

As you read these, you can see that the 8^th Principle, which FUUN and about 160 other congregations have adopted (but not the UUA), runs through them. Paula Cole Jones, who spoke with us last August as we launched Widening the Circle of Concern, was also a member of the team that is proposing the new principles. 

You can find the complete report here.

As individual members and a congregation as a whole, we have a job to do to inform ourselves and to talk with our delegates. Please reach out to our entire group going to GA, whether they are a delegate or not!

Rev. Diane (Ministerial Delegate)

Marguerite Mills (LREDA Delegate)

*Gail Sphar

*Dariel Meyer

*Susie Wilcox

*Carleen Dowell

*River Plummer

*Jennifer Hackett & *Jason Plummer who are taking Youth! 

Scott Weaver

Bill Latimer

*Congregational Delegates

Save the Date! Article II Processing Session
Saturday, May 6 at 9:00 AM Central Time/10:00 AM Eastern Time

Join leaders from around the region to discuss the proposed changes to Article II. This event will be facilitated by Congregational Life staff in the Southern Region. Registration information will be available soon!

Additional information in preparation for this event: There will be a preliminary vote during General Assembly 2023 on a revised Article II of the UUA’s bylaws. The Article II Study Commission has completed its two-year study and they submitted their Article II Study Report (PDF 26 pages) to the UUA Board of Trustees at their meeting held on January 20, 2023. The report includes the Study Commission’s recommended revisions to Article II.

The final version of Article II, as amended by the Board of Trustees and/or the 2023 General Assembly, must receive a simple majority vote to move forward for a final vote at the 2024 General Assembly. It will take a 2/3rd majority vote at the 2024 General Assembly to be adopted as the new Article II of the UUA bylaws. If either vote fails, a similar proposal cannot be considered for two years.