Contemporary Approaches to Unitarian Universalism
Our religous movement is characterized by a commitment to diversity in community, respect for the individual's path to religous truth, and by a dedication to social justice as a means of living out our religous values.
Spirituality is a free flowing element of our congregations' identity. Each of us is patching together our own evolving spirituality, individually tailored based on our unique experiences. We believe in the free and responsible search for truth and meaning and we draw no authority from special persons or texts. We glean bits of truth from a myriad of the world's wisdoms to discover and adopt that which just "feels right" for each of us. Because Unitarian-Universalism is a creed-free religious movement, without any doctrinal test for membership, all points of view are welcome.
We gather in a sense of wonder before the mystery of life. In our search we have the voices and visions of every period and place in the record of human experience from which to draw. We have the accumulated wisdom of mankind - reason, intuition, the arts and sciences, and our own life experiences.
We covenant to affirm and promote Seven Principles and Six Sources.
Seven Principles |
Six Sources |
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1. The inherent worth and dignity of every person. 2. Justice, equity and compassion in human relations. 3. Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations. 4. A free and responsible search for truth and meaning. 5. The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large. 6. The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all. 7. Respect for the interdependent web of all existence, of which we are a part. |
1. 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. 2. 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. 3. Wisdom from the world's religions which inspires us in our ethical and spiritual life. 4. Jewish and Christian teachings which call us to respond to God's love by loving our neighbors as ourselves. 5. 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. 6. 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. |
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