RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION
Our UU Principles have helped Unitarian Universalists know what we value for nearly 40 years (since 1984). Since we have a “living tradition” or faith, we expect these words to change over time. Right now, UU’s everywhere have been invited to share ideas about what values are at the center of our faith.
Our Principles and our Sources are determined by us and are not handed down to us by an almighty source. There have been many changes to our Principles and our Sources, already. There were only 5 sources at first. We voted on including “earth-centered spiritualities” in 1986 when the women of our faith recognized the importance of the natural cycles and seasons, and it ended up becoming our 6th source.
We’ve also changed the second source - Words and deeds of prophetic people - from the old language of prophetic men and women in the last few years. Our Seventh Principle, "...respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are all a part" was also added long after the original document was drafted.
River of Grass recently voted to add an 8th Principle - “...journeying toward spiritual wholeness by working to build a diverse multicultural Beloved Community by our actions that accountably dismantle racism and other oppressions in ourselves and our institutions.” And there is a movement to make this an official addition to the
Principles at the Association level - something that congregational representatives will be considering at the General Assembly in June of this year, in Pittsburgh.
But right now, there is a whole new Unitarian Universalist commission, called the Article II Commission, which has been asking everyone - adults, children and youth, what they value as Unitarian Universalists in order to create principles that reflect what we value, what is at the center of our faith in these times. Because we are a faith that values democratic processes, we value building our faith from the people who are in the Unitarian Universalist community. It can take years to make a change. It is challenging but worth our while.
Our Principles and our Sources are determined by us and are not handed down to us by an almighty source. There have been many changes to our Principles and our Sources, already. There were only 5 sources at first. We voted on including “earth-centered spiritualities” in 1986 when the women of our faith recognized the importance of the natural cycles and seasons, and it ended up becoming our 6th source.
We’ve also changed the second source - Words and deeds of prophetic people - from the old language of prophetic men and women in the last few years. Our Seventh Principle, "...respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are all a part" was also added long after the original document was drafted.
River of Grass recently voted to add an 8th Principle - “...journeying toward spiritual wholeness by working to build a diverse multicultural Beloved Community by our actions that accountably dismantle racism and other oppressions in ourselves and our institutions.” And there is a movement to make this an official addition to the
Principles at the Association level - something that congregational representatives will be considering at the General Assembly in June of this year, in Pittsburgh.
But right now, there is a whole new Unitarian Universalist commission, called the Article II Commission, which has been asking everyone - adults, children and youth, what they value as Unitarian Universalists in order to create principles that reflect what we value, what is at the center of our faith in these times. Because we are a faith that values democratic processes, we value building our faith from the people who are in the Unitarian Universalist community. It can take years to make a change. It is challenging but worth our while.