Unitarian Universalism is a liberal religion, with its roots in Christian and Jewish traditions. By liberal, we mean a religion that keeps an open mind to questions about purpose and meaning in our lives—questions people have grappled with for thousands of years. We seek answers to these questions in personal experience, conscience, and reason. These, we believe, should be the final authorities for truth, rather than a particular person, book, or institution.
We do share common ground with other Unitarian Universalist congregations. Together, we affirm and promote seven principles that guide our exploration of life’s great questions:
Principle 1 – The inherent worth and dignity of every person
Principle 2 – Justice, equity and compassion in human relations
Principle 3 – Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations
Principle 4 – A free and responsible search for truth and meaning
Principle 5 – The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large
Principle 6 – The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all
Principle 7 – Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part
In our search for truth and meaning in our lives, we draw from many sources of faith and wisdom, including:
* 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 women and men that challenge us to confront powers and structures of evil with justice, compassion, and the transforming power of love;
* Wisdom from the world’s religions that inspires us in our ethical and spiritual life;
* Jewish and Christian teachings that call us to respond to God’s love by loving our neighbors as ourselves;
* Humanist teachings that 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 that celebrate the sacred circle of life and instruct us to live in harmony with the rhythms of nature. These principles and sources of faith are the backbone of our religious community. We are deeply grateful for the religious pluralism that enriches our faith, and inspires us to deepen and expand our liberal faith.
Unitarian Universalism is a living tradition, so how do changes get made? For example, with our Purposes and Principles? Find out here!
Learn more about Unitarian Universalism by viewing these short videos:
Interviews with Unitarian Universalists at the 2010 General Assembly
Produced by “Krista Tippett on Being”
What Is a Unitarian Universalist? from On Being on Vimeo.
You can find more videos about Unitarian Universalism at: https://www.youtube.com/user/UUAElectronicComm.
Our Mission
Explore. Love. Act.
We gather as an inclusive religious community to search for meaning, build deep connections, and inspire action toward a better world for all.
