I often hear it said that our Seven Principles and Six Sources are not a creed, but a covenant. I guess I'm having a hard time understanding the difference. The Seven Principles and Six Sources are a statement of what Unitarian Universalists accept to be true or, in the case of the Sources, what they accept to be valid ways of knowing, correct? Can someone please explain to me how the Seven Principles and Six Sources aren't a creed?

The meta-principle of Unitarian-Universalism is simply:

#1: we cordially agree to disagree

Any official set of principles should have that as the first principle in the list.

Hello everyone! I was raised catholic, attended Sunday school and did the whole confirmation into the church. But I’ve never agreed with the religion and have had many issues with there treatment. For a long time I’ve turned my back to God or any type of spiritual practice. I believe that’s partly due to how the Catholic Church made me feel about myself. Within the last few years I’ve lost my mom and my Dad all before turning 26 and having a son of my own. I’ve struggled a lot and been diagnosed with depression, anxiety and ptsd from the deaths. Recently it became very bad and I had no desire to live. I felt I was a terrible person and didn’t deserve to be a father or have happiness. I opened up and I started medication and things have been so much better. But I’m realizing their is a hole in my heart I’ve tried to fill with many different things and none have worked. After the new medication had kicked in and my depressive and anxious fog started to lift I begin to crave spiritual experience again. I found a UU congregation near me and I would love to attend but I’m very nervous due to how catholic mass also made me feel judged and that I was not a good person. I also came out gay as well recently. I feel I’m starting to grow and head in a positive direction but I’m really missing that faith piece.

20 odd years ago I participated in some amazing teen events and am now looking for similar for my teenage son. I did a Washington trip, went to GA, and participated in several lock-ins at churches in the south and Midwest. Is there stuff like that going on? There is not a strong youth group for teens at the local fellowship and I can't find anything online. Any ideas?

I was raised a UU. I stopped going to church in my teens. Was always an atheist or agnostic.

Recently have been learning more about Jesus, but not really willing to call myself a Christian. I think one of the best things about being raised UU is having the awareness that all people from all around the world are equal, I don't need to believe "my way" is correct, and the billions of people who follow any other religion are wrong. But ya I haven't gone to a service in a long time but still think I mostly identify as a UU just believing no one way is correct and all people have the right to believe in whatever they choose.

Every time I argue with a fundamentalist Christian type they insist that they have proof of Old Testament stories occurring. Here is a Pastor with such proof. You will see it isn't proof but just speculation and it is bad speculation at that. Really, the Christian god can't be verified with all of these inaccuracies of what the bible says versus what we know happened.

Did Abraham Exist As Proof Of Veracity Of Christianity

Dear friends,

Happy New Year! I am sending you care as we begin another year. This, 2023, is an important year for Unitarian Universalism.

We are currently in a multi-year process to consider changes to our UUA Principles and Purpose. This process formally began in 2020 when the UUA Board appointed an Article II Study Commission. This is a dry name for such important work. The reason is our Principles, Purpose, covenant and Sources are contained in Article II of the UUA Bylaws.

Our seven Principles and six Sources – which we know and love – were adopted in 1985. They offered a substantial (even radical) change from what preceded them. The changes came through years of effort by UU women, particularly the UU Women’s Federation, to push for gender equality in UUism, support for women in the ministry and to eliminate sexist language from our bylaws, hymns, and yes, from the version of Article II passed in 1961 (at the time of merger).

But the changes didn’t just address gender, they made significant language changes that reflected the times. It removed language of God, man, and brotherhood, but also added the language of interdependence and added sources reflecting the growing theological diversity shaping our tradition.

As a lifelong UU, coming of age after these changes, I am grateful. They changed our movement in ways that were important for the success of women leaders, ministers, and for me, as our first elected woman president. These changes, at the time, brought fierce dissent. But more, they inspired excitement and possibility.

Why Review Our UU Principles and Purpose?

In the mid-2010’s, the ground began to shift again – much as it did in response to the women’s movement. The emergence of the Black Lives Matter movement, the election of Donald Trump with his racist and misogynist campaign, and the urgent calls to confront white supremacy culture in our own movement – all of these compelled UUs to ask questions about whether our Principles reflected fully who we are and who we need to be.

By the 2017 General Assembly, there were multiple grassroots efforts to change our Principles. The first was overwhelmingly adopted – to change “prophetic women and men” to “prophetic people” to move beyond gender binary. There was also a proposal to change the first principle from “the inherent worth and dignity of all people” to the “inherent worth and dignity of all beings.” This proposal was ultimately tabled as delegates grappled with the reality that we still had a lot of work on living the first Principle for people. Discussions of the Eighth Principle were also taking place and by 2020, hundreds of UU congregations had adopted it! The Eighth Principle recognized the need to go beyond aspirational Principles to articulate commitments to dismantle systems of oppression – calling us from aspiration to action.

It was within this context that your UUA Board appointed an Article II Study Commission to integrate these conversations and lead a discernment process for our whole Association about our core values, covenant, and purpose. The Board gave the Commission a broad charge to review, change, or reimagine Article II to “enable our UUA, our member congregations, and our covenanted communities to be a relevant and powerful force for spiritual and moral growth, healing, and justice.”

After two and a half years of study and conversations with thousands of Unitarian Universalists, the Article II Study Commission submitted their final report and proposal to the UUA Board for its January 20th meeting. Read the report and proposal (PDF 26 pages). https://www.uua.org/files/2023-01/a2sc_rpt_01172023.pdf

This spring, congregational delegates and the Board can propose amendments to the proposal. Amendments will be considered at the 2023 GA and require a majority vote to be accepted. If any of the delegate amendments are accepted, and if the proposal receives majority approval, then the Article II Study Commission will make any necessary changes to create a final draft for consideration at the 2024 General Assembly. The final proposal will require a two thirds majority vote at GA 2024 to be adopted.

Seven years ago, when I was beginning my campaign for UUA President, I approached the process with an intention to be open to the process while letting go of outcomes. My hope for us as Unitarian Universalists is that we approach this discernment about Article II with similar openness. May we enter our conversations with a spirit of curiosity, holding off attachment to outcomes, and listen with our whole hearts and to the fullness and diversity of voices in our community. May the process itself deepen our understanding of and commitment to our faith.

Yours,
Susan
https://www.uua.org/pressroom/press-releases/why-change-principles