Unitarian Universalism

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This article is about the religious ideology called Unitarian Universalism. For information on the main denomination of UUs in North America, see Unitarian Universalist Association. For information about the beliefs from which UUism emerged, see Unitarianism and Universalism.

Image:FlamingChalice.png Unitarian Universalism (UU or UUism) is a theologically liberal, inclusive belief system. The name resulted from the consolidation of the Unitarian and Universalist denominations in 1961. Unitarian Universalists claim a theological orientation that aspires to creativity, freedom, and compassion with respect for diversity and interconnectedness as well as encouraging spiritual growth and justice-making through worship, fellowship, personal experience, social action, and education. The free and responsible search for truth and meaning serves as a touchstone for Unitarian Universalists. The term "Unitarian Universalism" overlaps with Unitarianism and Universalism, though properly speaking the latter two terms refer historically to separate movements.

The Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA), founded in 1961 as a consolidation of the American Unitarian Association and the Universalist Church in America, is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, and serves churches in North America. It is the largest public expression of the religion in the world. The UUA represents more than 1,000 member congregations that collectively include more than 217,000 members. Unitarian Universalists follow a congregational model of church governance, in which power to call ministers and make other decisions involving worship, theology and day-to-day church management take place at the local level. The denominational headquarters in Boston in turn provides services for congregations that can more effectively be handled through joint efforts. Founded in 1995, the International Council of Unitarians and Universalists (ICUU) serves congregations throughout the world.

Both Unitarianism and Universalism trace their roots to Christian Protestantism. Many UUs appreciate and value aspects of Christian and Jewish spirituality, but the extent to which the elements of any particular faith tradition are incorporated into one's personal spiritual practices is a matter of personal choice in keeping with UU's creedless, non-dogmatic approach to spirituality and faith development. Even before the Unitarian and Universalist movements combined their efforts at the continental level, the theological significance of Unitarianism and Universalism expanded beyond the traditional understanding of these terms.

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Profile

Unitarian Universalism is a faith with no creedal requirements imposed on its members. It values religious pluralism and respects diverse traditions within the movement and often within the same congregration. Many see it as a syncretic religion, as personal beliefs and religious services sometimes draw from more than one faith tradition. This emphasis on tolerance and acceptance is a primary difference between Unitarian Universalism and other major religions. Even when one faith tradition is primary within a particular setting, Unitarian Universalists are unlikely to assert that theirs is the "only" or even the "best" way possible to discern meaning or theological truths.

Unitarian Universalist churches welcome gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered people, as well as those with various disabilities. The church does not discriminate on the basis of color, national origin or ethnicity. Many members consider themselves humanists, while others hold to Christian, Buddhist, Jewish, natural theist, atheist, agnostic, pantheist, or other beliefs. Some even choose to attach no particular theological label to their own idiosyncratic combination of beliefs. This diversity of views is usually considered a strength by those in the Unitarian Universalist movement, since the emphasis is on the common search for meaning among its members rather than adherence to any particular doctrine. Many UU congregations have study groups that examine the traditions and spiritual practices of Neopaganism, Christianity, Buddhism, Judaism, Islam and other faiths. At least one UU minister, the Reverend James Ishmael Ford, has been acknowledged as a Zen master. There are Buddhist meditation teachers, Sufi teachers, as well as gnostic and episcopi vagantes clerics. Some view their Jewish heritage as primary, and others see the concept of God as unhelpful in their personal spiritual journeys.

In a survey[1], not sponsored by the UUA, Unitarian Universalists in the United States were asked which provided term or set of terms best describe their belief. Many respondents chose more than one term to describe their beliefs. The top choices were:

There is great variety among Unitarian Universalist congregations, with some favoring particular religious beliefs or forms of worship over others, with many more home to an ecclectic mix of beliefs. Regardless of their orientation, most congregations are fairly open to differing beliefs, though not always with various faith traditions represented to the same degree.

There is also a wide variety in how congregations conceive of themselves which is reflected in their names. Congregations call themselves "churches," "societies," "fellowships," "congregations," or eschew the use of any particular descriptor (e.g. "Sierra Foothills Unitarian Universalists"). Many use the name "Unitarian Universalist," (and a few "Universalist Unitarian"), having gradually adopted this formulation since consolidation in 1961. Others use names that reflect their historic roots by keeping simply the designation "Unitarian" or "Universalist." A few congregations use neither (e.g. "Community Church of White Plains"). For some congregations, the name can be a clue to their theological orientation. For others, avoidance of the word "church" may indicate a desire to distance itself from traditional Christian theology. Sometimes the use of another term may simply indicate a congregation's lay-led or relatively new status. However, some UU congregations have grown to appreciate alternate terms such as fellowship and retained them even though they have grown much larger or lost features sometimes associated with their use.[2]

A current trend within Unitarian Universalism is to re-embrace forms of theism, both in worship and as a focus of intellectual inquiry. This has led to a shift away from (secular) humanism, agnosticism and atheism, and towards natural theism, liberal Christianity and other forms of engaged spirituality. The trend is particularly visible in the overall demographics, with nontheists better represented in the over-50 age group. Nontheism is also overrepresented in the under-18 group, but does not generally translate into greater numbers of nontheists among adults as these youth are more likely than their peers to leave UU congregations upon reaching adulthood. This is related to the gap between the under-18 and the over-30 groups, reflecting a lack of childless adults among those of child-bearing age. Also of note is that there are many more people who identify as UU on surveys than those who attend UU churches (by a factor of four in a recent survey [3]), reflecting lapsed members who nonetheless consider themselves part of the UU movement.

Although some Unitarian Universalists were raised in the UU faith, many members have come from other religious backgrounds, with a number of reasons for joining. Unitarian Universalism often draws on adult "refugees" from other faiths. Often parents choose to bring up their children in a UU environment as a compromise when parents come from different religious backgrounds. Parents who do not wish to impart a particular dogma but who want to give their children some kind of religious background are also drawn to UU congregations. Children who are brought up in the UU faith often, though not necessarily, attend Sunday religious education (RE) classes, which are run on a model akin to Sunday School in Protestant churches. RE classes may deal with moral values and the problems of growing up, as well as exploring the teachings and traditions of other religions. Many children raised in the UU church may in later years join more traditional churches as part of their spiritual journeys or choose not to attend any church at all. More recently, there has been a concerted, if not entirely successful, effort to keep them within the UU movement during their late teen and early adult years.

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Beliefs

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Principles and Purposes

Although lacking an official creed or dogma, Unitarian Universalist congregations typically respect the Principles and Purposes of the UUA. Like most actions taken within Unitarian Universalism, these were arrived at democratically by a vote of member congregations, proportional to their membership, taken at an annual General Assembly (a meeting of delegates from member congregations). They are as follows.

  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.

Unitarian Universalism is often referred to by its members as a living tradition, and the principles and purposes have been modified over time to reflect changes in spiritual beliefs among the membership. Most recently, the last principle, adopted in 1985 and generally known as the Seventh Principle, "Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part", and a sixth source (adopted in 1995), "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" were added to explicitly include members with Neopagan, Native American, and other natural theist spiritualities.

The lack of formal creed has been a cause for criticism among some who argue that Unitarian Universalism is thus without religious content. In May 2004, Texas Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn ruled that Unitarian Universalism was not a "religion" because it "does not have one system of belief," and stripped the Red River Unitarian Universalist Church in Denison, Texas of its tax-exempt status. However, within weeks, Strayhorn reversed her decision.

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Approach to Sacred Writings

A Unitarian Universalist approach to the Christian Bible and other sacred works is given in "Our Unitarian Universalist Faith: Frequently Asked Questions," published by the UUA:

We do not, however, hold the Bible - or any other account of human experience - to be either an infallible guide or the exclusive source of truth. Much biblical material is mythical or legendary. Not that it should be discarded for that reason! Rather, it should be treasured for what it is. We believe that we should read the Bible as we read other books (or newspaper) - with imagination and a critical eye. We also respect the sacred literature of other religions. Contemporary works of science, art, and social commentary are valued as well. We hold, in the words of an old liberal formulation, that "revelation is not sealed." Unitarian Universalists aspire to truth as wide as the world-we look to find truth anywhere, universally.
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Elevator speeches

Recently, UU World magazine asked for contributions of "elevator speeches" explaining UUism. These are short speeches that could be made in the course of an elevator ride to those who knew nothing of the religion. Here are three examples of the speeches submitted:

In Unitarian Universalist congregations, we gather in community to support our individual spiritual journeys. We trust that openness to one another's experiences will enhance our understanding of our own links with the divine, with our history, and with one another. — Rev. Jonalu Johnstone, Oklahoma City, OK
We believe that your spiritual life is personal -- a relationship between the individual and deity, however you define it. Rather than choose your path for you, we provide a safe place for you to discover and pursue your own path. — Lyn Worthen, Salt Lake City, UT
Unitarian Universalists believe that all life is sacred, all existence is interconnected, and that justice and compassion must be the foundation of our thoughts and deeds. — Ann Creech, Roswell, GA
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History

See the Unitarianism article for a more detailed history of that movement

Traditionally, Unitarianism is a form, albeit heretical, of Christianity. The term may refer to any belief about the nature of Jesus that affirms God as a singular entity and rejects the doctrine of the Trinity. Unitarianism was rebuffed by orthodox Christianity at the First Council of Nicaea in 325, but it resurfaced subsequently in Church history. Unitarian churches were formally established in Transylvania and Poland (by the Socinians) in the 16th Century. Michael Servetus, a Spanish proto-Unitarian, was burned at the stake in Geneva, in 1553, on the orders of John Calvin. Universalism started as a separate Christian "heresy," with its own long history. It also can be traced deep into Christian past, beginning with the earliest Church scholars. Both Origen and St. Gregory of Nyssa preached its essentials. Universalism denies the doctrine of eternal damnation; instead, it proclaims a loving God who will redeem all souls. In 1793, Universalism emerged as a particular denomination in the United States, eventually called the Universalist Church of America.

In the United States, the Unitarian movement began primarily in the Congregational parish churches of New England. These churches, which may still be seen today in nearly every New England town square, trace their roots to the division of the Puritan colonies into parishes for the administration of their religious needs. Beginning in the late 18th century, a Unitarian movement began within some of these churches. As conflict grew between Unitarian and Trinitarian factions, Unitarians gained a key faculty position at Harvard in 1805. The dispute culminated in the foundation of the American Unitarian Association as a separate denomination in 1825.

After the schism, some of those churches remained within the Congregational fold, while others voted to become Unitarian. In the aftermath of their various historical circumstances, some of these churches became member congregations of the Congregational organization (later the United Church of Christ), others became Unitarian and eventually became part of the UUA. Universalist churches in contrast followed a different path, having begun as independent congregations beyond the bounds of the established Puritan churches entirely. Today, the UUA and the United Church of Christ cooperate jointly on quite a number of projects and social justice initiatives. In the 19th century, under the influence of Ralph Waldo Emerson (who had been a Unitarian minister) and other Transcendentalists, Unitarianism began its long journey from liberal Protestantism to its present more pluralist form.

Unitarians and Universalists often have had a great deal of common interests and communication between them; they have often been associated in the public's mind. That said, one observation made years ago about Unitarianism and Universalism to distinguish them, long before their consolidation, was that "Universalists believe that God is too good to condemn man, while Unitarians believe that man is too good to be condemned by God." Both Unitarianism and Universalism evolved over time into inclusive, tolerant religions. In 1961, the American Unitarian Association (AUA) was consolidated with the Universalist Church of America (UCA), thus forming the Unitarian Universalist Association. In the same year, the Canadian Unitarian Council (CUC) formed and became an arm of the UUA to service the needs and interest of Canadian Unitarian Universalists. In 2002, the CUC split off from the UUA, although the two denominations maintain a close working relationship.

Recently, the "borrowing" of religious rituals from other faith traditions by Unitarian Univeralists has come under closer scrutiny. [4] Many UUs have asked whether the indiscriminate taking of the words and rites from the religions of others, and their incorporation into pluralist UU religious services, would be seen as a form of unwelcomed cultural appropriation by those from whom such borrowing is undertaken. In many congregations, the question has not yet been directly posed such that a coherent answer can be provided. In other congregations, the questions have prompted inquiry into what it might be about "Western" religious traditions that encourages taking from other faith traditions about which there may only be a superficial understanding. Although these questions go to the heart of the UU tradition, facing these difficult questions has helped many UUs and many UU congregations strengthen their faith and their faith practices.

In 1995 the UUA helped establish the International Council of Unitarians and Universalists (ICUU) to connect unitarian and universalist faith traditions around the world.

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Worship and ritual

As in theology, Unitarian Universalist worship and ritual are often a combination of elements derived from other faith traditions alongside original practices and symbols. In form, church services might be difficult to distinguish from a liberal Protestant church. In content, given the broad constituency of some UU congregations, those of more traditional faiths may be hard-pressed to find more than superficial commonalities with Unitarian Universalists.

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Symbols

The most common symbol of Unitarian Universalism is the flaming chalice, often framed by two overlapping rings that many interpret as representing Unitarianism and Universalism (the symbol has no official interpretation). The chalice itself has long been a symbol of liberal religion, and indeed liberal Christianity (the Disciples of Christ also use a chalice as their denomination symbol), harkening back to the days when Czech martyr Jan Hus insisted on providing communion consisting of both bread and wine to the laity, despite fears that they might spill what was reckoned to be the "blood of Christ." [5] Other symbols include a slightly off center cross within a circle (a Universalist symbol associated with the Humiliati movement in the 1950's, a group of reformist, liturgically minded clergy seeking to revive Universalism). Other symbols include a pair of open hands releasing a dove.

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Worship services

Religious services are usually held on Sundays and most closely resemble the form and format of Protestant worship in the Reformed tradition. The vast majority of congregations have a lightly structured service centered on a sermon by a minister or lay leader of the congregation. [6] Sermons may be on a wide range of topics. The service also includes hymn-singing. The most recent hymnal published by the denomination contains some original songs, as well as songs taken from Christian and other traditions, often with lyrics altered for gender neutrality and to match common Unitarian Universalist beliefs. [7] Instrumental music is also a common feature of the typical worship service.

Many UU congregations no longer observe the Christian ordinances of baptism, communion, or confirmation, at least in their traditional forms or under their traditional names. Congregations that continue these practices under their more traditional names are often federated churches or members of the Council of Christian Churches within the Unitarian Universalist Association, or may have active chapters associated with the Unitarian Universalist Christian Fellowship or similar covenant groups. [8] "Child dedications" often replace more traditional infant baptisms (though it should be noted that such "dedications" are sometimes practiced even in "orthodox" Christian communities that do not baptise infants for theological reasons). Annual celebrations of Water Communion and Flower Communion may replace or supplement Christian-style communion (though many pluralist and Christian-oriented congregations may celebrate or otherwise make provisions for communion on Christian holy days). pdf [9] Confirmation may be replaced by a "Coming of Age" program, in which teenagers explore their individual religious identity.

During the presidency of the Rev. William Sinkford, debate within the UU movement has roiled over his call to return to or create an authentic UU "language of reverence." [10] Sinkford has suggested that UUs have abandoned traditional religious language, thereby abandoning words with potential power to others who will then dictate their meanings in the public square. He has suggested that Unitarian Universalist regain their proper seat at the interfaith table by making this language their own. Others have reacted to this call by believing it to be part of an effort to return UU congregations to more orthodox Christian worship patterns. Sinkford has denied this, citing the words of UU humanists as examples of what he means by the "language of reverence." The debate seems part and parcel of an attendant effort at increasing biblical literacy amongst Unitarian Univeralists, including the publication of a book by the UUA's Beacon Press written by former UUA President John Buehrens. [11] The book in question provides interpretative strategies for religious liberals and skeptics, so that UUs might be able to engage in public debate about what the Bible says from a liberal religious perspective, rather than relinquishing to religious conservatives all control over the book's contents and significance in matters of public and civic import.

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Politics

Image:Civil marriage is a civil right.JPG Historically, Unitarian Universalists have often been active in political causes, notably the civil rights movement, the gay rights movement, the social justice movement, and the feminist movement. In the 19th century, Unitarians and Universalists were active in abolitionism, the women's movement, and other liberal social reform movements.

Susan B. Anthony, a Unitarian and Quaker, was extremely influential in the women's suffrage movement. Unitarian Universalists and Quakers still share many principles, notably that they are creedless religions with a long-standing commitment to social justice. It is therefore common to see Unitarian Universalists and Quakers working together.

UUs were and are still very involved in the fight to end racism in the U.S.. John Haynes Holmes, a minister and social activist at The Community Church of New York - Unitarian Universalist was among the founders of both the NAACP and ACLU, chairing the latter for a time. James J. Reeb, a minister at All Souls' Church, Unitarian, in Washington, D.C. and a member of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, was clubbed in Selma, Alabama on March 8, 1965, and died two days later of massive head trauma. Two weeks after his death, Viola Fauver Gregg Liuzzo, a Unitarian Universalist civil rights activist, was murdered by white supremacists after her participation in the protest march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama. Reeb and approximately 20% of UU ministers marched with Martin Luther King in the three marches from Selma, Alabama, to Montgomery. The Selma to Montgomery marches for voting rights are best known as Bloody Sunday, although technically that refers only to March 7, the most violent day of the three.

The current head of the Unitarian Universalist Association, Rev. William Sinkford, is African-American, making Unitarian Universalism one of the first traditionally white denominations to be headed by a member of a racial minority.

Individual Unitarian Universalists are involved in opposing the death penalty, supporting environmental protection, peace, feminism, gun control, free speech, safe and legal abortion, and animal welfare. Others work to end homelessness, racism, domestic violence, homophobia, sexual assault, and HIV/AIDS. This is not to say that the politics of UUs are not uniform in some key issues. Unitarian Universalists aspire to diversity, and officially welcome congregants regardless of their political views. Politically conservative Unitarian Universalists point out that neither religious liberalism nor the Principles and Purposes of the UUA require liberal politics. Like the beliefs of Unitarian Universalists, their politics are decided by individuals. That said, political liberals make up a clear majority of Unitarian Universalists.

Many congregations have undertaken a series of organizational and practical steps to be acknowledged as a "Welcoming Congregation", a congregation which has taken specific steps to welcome and integrate gay and lesbian members. UU ministers have been performing same-sex unions since at least the late 1960's, and now same-sex marriages where legal (and sometimes when not as a form of civil protest). Unitarian Universalists have been in the forefront of the civil rights work to make same-sex marriages legal in their local states and provinces, as well as on the national level. Gay men and lesbians are also regularly ordained as ministers.

Many congregations are heavily involved in projects and efforts aimed at supporting environmental causes and sustainability. These are often termed "seventh principle" activities because of the seventh principle quoted above.

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Unitarian Universalist Organizations

  • YRUU (Young Religious Unitarian Universalists) is the youth organization that exists inside the Unitarian Universalist Association. It was created in 1981 and 1982, at two conferences, Common Ground 1 & 2. Common Ground was called after the collapse of LRY (Liberal Religious Youth), the youth organization that preceded YRUU. LRY had drifted away from the Unitarian Universalist Association, and had severe internal problems that led to its collapse.
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Notable Unitarian Universalists

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Notable congregations

Certain Unitarian, Universalist, or Unitarian Universalist congregations (churches, societies, fellowships, etc.) have particular historic or other significance.

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See also

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External links

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