Unitarian Universalism
© Copyright 2016 Ellen Rocket and Unitarian Universalist Association
Unitarian Universalism was formed from the consolidation of two liberal religions: Unitarianism and Universalism. In America, the Universalist Church of America was founded in 1793 and the American Unitarian Association in 1825. After consolidating in 1961, these faiths became the new religion of Unitarian Universalism.
Unitarian Universalism is a liberal religion characterized by a free and responsible search for truth and meaning. United by covenant, Unitarian Universalists are brought together, not by creed, but by our shared commitments to each other, our respective spiritual growth, and the world at large. In this way, we find ourselves called to live by a set of shared values that “promote liberation, radical inclusion, and communal care within our church, and across society” (Unitarian Universalist Association President, Sofia Betancourt).
Unitarian Universalists are people of many beliefs and backgrounds: people with a religious background, people with none, people who believe in a God, people who don’t, and people who let the mystery be. We are Unitarian Universalist and Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Humanist, Jewish, Muslim, Pagan, atheist and agnostic, believers in God, and more.
Unitarian Universalism is a liberal religion characterized by a free and responsible search for truth and meaning. United by covenant, Unitarian Universalists are brought together, not by creed, but by our shared commitments to each other, our respective spiritual growth, and the world at large. In this way, we find ourselves called to live by a set of shared values that “promote liberation, radical inclusion, and communal care within our church, and across society” (Unitarian Universalist Association President, Sofia Betancourt).
Unitarian Universalists are people of many beliefs and backgrounds: people with a religious background, people with none, people who believe in a God, people who don’t, and people who let the mystery be. We are Unitarian Universalist and Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Humanist, Jewish, Muslim, Pagan, atheist and agnostic, believers in God, and more.
Unitarian Universalist Association Bylaws
Article II
Adopted June 2024
Article II
Adopted June 2024
The Unitarian Universalist Association will actively engage its members in the transformation of the world through liberating Love.
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:
Shared Unitarian Universalist Values
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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:
Shared Unitarian Universalist Values
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
© Copyright 2025 Tanya Webster and Unitarian Universalist Association
My Theology
Having spent 3 years as a hospital chaplain and over 7 years as a fellowshipped Unitarian Universalist minister, I am very comfortable with theological diversity, whether in other faith traditions or within Unitarian Universalism. If pressed for a label, I describe myself as a “feminist process panentheist." Please don’t let that scare you away, hehe.
The panentheist portion declares that we all carry the Holy within us and yet are also contained within the Holy. The process portion reminds us that we are co-creating the universe with the Holy. The feminist portion adds a lens of equity, compassion, and accountability. I find the Holy all around me, including within me and you. Regardless of what fancy words I use to quantify the Holy, Unitarian Universalism is the theology of my heart. My faith is deeply grounded in the Unitarian Universalist Shared Covenant and Values, which center courageous Love.
James Luther Adams, Rebecca Parker, Rita Nakashima, Sharon Welch, Octavia Butler, adrienne maree brown, Alice Walker, Ntozake Shange, and Robin Wall Kimmerer have had the most effect on my theology. Upon entering seminary, Adams gave voice to my own beliefs about social justice as theology. Parker, Nakashima, and Welch gave me permission to see the Sacred in my own life experiences as well as sacred texts. Butler showed me the beauty of change as a universal constant. Brown revealed the Holy in collaboration when we give one another enough time and trust to build together. Walker and Shange helped me see the God in me and continue to heal. Kimmerer connected me to the Love and wisdom of my kin in the natural world. All nine taught me to seek the Divine in connection and equality with others. I have carried their words into my ministry, attempting to include and learn from multiple voices.
In my work and in my life, my core values are authenticity, radical acceptance, and courageous love. Shame and fear isolate many of us, separating us from one another, ourselves, and the Holy. As civil rights activist and attorney Bryan Stevenson says, "Each of us is more than the worst thing we've ever done." We are more than our mistakes-- more than our weaknesses--more than our diagnoses. We are held by a Love that will not let us go.
If you would like to watch me in action at my congregation, video recordings of my last year of worship services are HERE and audio podcasts of my entire MVUUF ministry are HERE.
The panentheist portion declares that we all carry the Holy within us and yet are also contained within the Holy. The process portion reminds us that we are co-creating the universe with the Holy. The feminist portion adds a lens of equity, compassion, and accountability. I find the Holy all around me, including within me and you. Regardless of what fancy words I use to quantify the Holy, Unitarian Universalism is the theology of my heart. My faith is deeply grounded in the Unitarian Universalist Shared Covenant and Values, which center courageous Love.
James Luther Adams, Rebecca Parker, Rita Nakashima, Sharon Welch, Octavia Butler, adrienne maree brown, Alice Walker, Ntozake Shange, and Robin Wall Kimmerer have had the most effect on my theology. Upon entering seminary, Adams gave voice to my own beliefs about social justice as theology. Parker, Nakashima, and Welch gave me permission to see the Sacred in my own life experiences as well as sacred texts. Butler showed me the beauty of change as a universal constant. Brown revealed the Holy in collaboration when we give one another enough time and trust to build together. Walker and Shange helped me see the God in me and continue to heal. Kimmerer connected me to the Love and wisdom of my kin in the natural world. All nine taught me to seek the Divine in connection and equality with others. I have carried their words into my ministry, attempting to include and learn from multiple voices.
In my work and in my life, my core values are authenticity, radical acceptance, and courageous love. Shame and fear isolate many of us, separating us from one another, ourselves, and the Holy. As civil rights activist and attorney Bryan Stevenson says, "Each of us is more than the worst thing we've ever done." We are more than our mistakes-- more than our weaknesses--more than our diagnoses. We are held by a Love that will not let us go.
If you would like to watch me in action at my congregation, video recordings of my last year of worship services are HERE and audio podcasts of my entire MVUUF ministry are HERE.
