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What Do Unitarian Universalists Believe?

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Unitarian Universalists affirm and promote 7 Principles

  • ​The inherent worth and dignity of every person;

  • Justice, equity, and compassion in human relations;

  • Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations;

  • A free and responsible search for truth and meaning;

  • The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large;

  • The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all;

  • Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.

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Learn about the 8th Principle.

As a member congregation of the Unitarian Universalist Association, UUSM is in covenant with other member congregations of the UUA. UUSM members thus affirm the following covenant and values, included in the UUA Bylaws.

Bylaws of the Unitarian Universalist Association
Article II Purposes and Covenant

13 Section C-2.2. Values and Covenant.
As Unitarian Universalists, we covenant, congregation-to-congregation and through our Association, to support and assist one another in our ministries. We draw from our heritages of freedom, reason, hope, and courage, building on the foundation of love. 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:

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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 is inherently worthy and has the right to flourish with dignity, love, and compassion. We covenant to use our time, wisdom, attention, and money to build and sustain fully accessible and inclusive communities

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Section C-2.3. Inspirations.
Direct experiences of transcending mystery and wonder are primary sources of Unitarian Universalist inspiration. These experiences open our hearts, renew our spirits, and transform our lives. We draw upon, and are inspired by, sacred, secular, and scientific understandings that help us make meaning and live into our values. These sources ground us and sustain us in ordinary, difficult, and joyous times. We respect the histories, contexts, and cultures in which these sources were created and are currently practiced. Grateful for the experiences that move us, aware of the religious ancestries we inherit, and enlivened by the diversity which enriches our faith, we are called to ever deepen and expand our wisdom.

 

Section C-2.4. Inclusion.
Systems of power, privilege, and oppression have traditionally created barriers for persons and groups with particular identities, ages, abilities, and histories. We pledge to replace such barriers with ever-widening circles of solidarity and mutual respect. We strive to be an Association of congregations that truly welcome all persons who share our values. We commit to being an Association of congregations that empowers and enhances everyone’s participation, especially those with historically marginalized identities.

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Section C-2.5. Freedom of belief.
Congregational freedom and the individual’s right of conscience are central to our Unitarian Universalist heritage. Congregations may establish statements of purpose, covenants, and bonds of union so long as they do not require that members adhere to a particular creed.
 

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A common covenant used by many Unitarian Universalists:

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Love is the doctrine of this church,

the quest of truth is its sacrament, and service is its prayer.

To dwell together in peace, to seek knowledge in freedom, to serve human need, to the end that all souls shall grow into harmony with the Divine.

Thus do we covenant with each other and with God.

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— L. Griswold Williams, in UU Tapestry of Faith

Contemporary Unitarian Universalism embraces numerous faith traditions within its communities, including Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, Humanism, Earth-based Spirituality, and more. Everyone is welcome to practice faith traditions from their background or culture and to hold personal beliefs of what is their truth. Each person may hold their own Spirit of Life, God, or Great Unknown. All beliefs held in the responsible search for personal truth are accepted within our community. However, that doesn't mean UUs are encouraged to believe "anything they want." For instance, UUs agree that one's personal beliefs must not cause harm to others and that love and respect are important, as are equity and inclusion.

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Some newcomers to Unitarian Universalism inquire along the lines of, "If you don't have to believe in God, how is it a religion?" Yet several core UU tenets, regardless of personally-held beliefs, can be reshaped into the language of shared theology. This is often helpful as a comparison for those learning about our faith community.

James Luther Adams, a well-known 20th-century Unitarian theologian, published an article in 1976 on the 'Five Smooth Stones of Liberal Religion,' alluding to the Biblical story of David and Goliath. Adams' work became the basis of the Theology Statements below, written by UU Revs. Nancy Bowen and Mike Morran. For a good introduction, see "The Five Jagged Rocks of Unitarian Universalism" by UU young adult, Kari Gottfried. 

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UU Beliefs rephrased as "Theology Statements"​

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  • There is a unity that makes us one.

  • All souls are sacred and worthy.

  • Courageous love transforms the world.

  • The truth continues to be revealed.

  • Salvation is in this lifetime. 

Unitarian Universalism is a Living Tradition which draws from many Sources of Wisdom.

  • 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;

  • 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;

  • Wisdom from the world’s religions which inspires us in our ethical and spiritual life;

  • Jewish and Christian teachings which call us to respond to God’s love by loving our neighbors as ourselves;

  • 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.

  • 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.

Image by Joshua Earle
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