Principles or Values? Which Sources or Inspirations?

From June 22 through June 25, six volunteer delegates from UUC will join UUs from around the country at the Unitarian Universalist Association's (UUA's) General Assembly to vote on a major restatement of our Seven Principles and Sources. The proposal is sparking lively conversation and controversy. Discussion sessions were held at UUC beginning last fall and into this year and some of you have already shared your views on the proposed changes.


But we know that many UUC members and friends still know only a little about this proposal. We encourage you to learn more using links in this post that describe the proposal, responses to it, and many proposed amendments. The delegates would welcome hearing from you to share your views with us or to learn what we know about the proposal. Please seek us out before or after services in the next weeks, or via email through UUC Connect.


Our delegates are:


Lay Volunteers:

     Patricia Grasser

     Mike Kasprzak

     Debbie Maranville

     Meta Thayer

     Jonathan Tweet

     Betty Williams


Religious Professional:

     Aria Curtis, UUC Director of Family Ministry


Background: The UUA, The 7 Principles and Sources, and the Article II Commission

Our denomination, Unitarian Universalism, is organized as the Unitarian Universalist Association, an association of individual self-governing congregations. The UUA hosts an annual General Assembly, now both in person and virtually.


The Seven Principles (now eight, for us) that currently define our UU spiritual values, and the Sources that describe our spiritual roots, are found in the UUA's Articles of Incorporation, in Article II specifically. Because we view ourselves as a Living Tradition, always open to new knowledge and understandings, the UUA bylaws mandate a regular revision process of Article II every fifteen years. The last proposed revision was in 2009. The UUA began a new review in 2020 by appointing the Article II Commission and providing a broad charge for its work. 


The Commission released a provisional report last fall and invited comment, and in January submitted its final version incorporating many comments. See this set of Frequently Asked Questions for a perspective supporting the proposal. Congregants who approve the proposal often appreciate that it centers love, covenant and the understanding that we UU's need to live into our values. Congregants who are concerned or opposed to the proposal often say that it insufficiently focuses on the liberal values of reason and science and lacks detail on sources, and that we should retain the current Seven Principles and Sources.


Timeline for 2023 and 2024

UU responses to the Commission's proposal come in multiple steps. The UUA board created a process for individuals and congregations to share concerns, propose alternatives and, ideally, work together to coalesce around agreed upon language to address concerns. Three discussion workshops were held in May followed by a Monday, June 5 deadline for formal proposal of amendments. In June the UUA hosts three Mini-Assemblies where delegates can discuss proposed amendments. The UUA Board will identify representative amendments to be voted upon at the end of the month, along with Commission's proposal. 


If the Commission's proposal, or a revised version of it, passes at the upcoming GA with a simple majority, it will be voted on again at the next General Assembly and will be adopted only if it receives a 2/3 majority vote in 2024. In the intervening year, you and other UU's around the country will have the chance to see exactly how the final amended proposal reads.


Some of us feel that this proposal is the most important topic to be voted on at GA since 2009, and so we UUC delegates hope that many of you will learn about it and participate in the democratic process by letting your opinion be known.


In addition to the UUA website, you may find helpful the following links created by UU's studying the proposal:


 

 

 

Posted/updated on:

June 15, 2023
Share by: