About Unitarian Universalism

Unitarian Universalism is the church of the open mind, the loving heart, and the helping hands.

Our open-minded, open-hearted spiritual communities help people lead lives of love, learning, and justice. As Unitarian Universalists, we don’t have to check our personal background and beliefs at the door. Instead, we come together on a journey that honors everywhere we’ve been. We are diverse in faith, ethnicity, history and spirituality but aligned in our desire to make a difference for the good.

As Unitarian Universalists, we care deeply about our beliefs. So deeply that we don’t want to say the words “I believe” unless we truly believe! We are humbled by life’s great mysteries. What does it mean to be human? Do we have a purpose? What happens when we die? We accept that some mysteries could be beyond our human ability to experience, comprehend, or express in a way that satisfies everyone.

Accordingly, we don’t impose a set of beliefs on our members. Instead we encourage spiritual growth in our theologically diverse community. Our members decide how to describe what they believe. Each of us needs to understand in our own way.

Shared Unitarian Universalist Values

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.

Inseparable from one another, these shared values are:

See PDF description.

Interdependence | We honor the interdependent web of all existence. With reverence for the great web of life and with humility, we acknowledge our place in it. We covenant to protect Earth and all beings from exploitation. We will create and nurture sustainable relationships of care and respect, mutuality and justice. We will 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 within our congregations, our Association, and society at large.

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.

UU Principles

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

  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

These seven principles are the backbone of our faith community. They are expressed more simply as our Kids’ Principles.

UU Sources

The 4th principle, “a free and responsible search for truth and meaning,” has led us to an inclusive spirituality drawn from many sources:

  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 people 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.

Get to Know UUs

Questions about Unitarian Universalism? Get in touch! We love to meet new people and discuss ideas. In the meantime, our Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) has some great resources to understand the basics.