What We Believe

In Unitarian Universalism, you can bring your whole self: your full identity, your questioning mind, your expansive heart.

Our beliefs are diverse and inclusive. We have no shared creed. Our shared covenant (the seven Principles of Unitarian Universalism) supports “the free and responsible search for truth and meaning.” Though Unitarianism and Universalism were both liberal Christian traditions, this responsible search has led us to embrace diverse teachings from Eastern and Western religions and philosophies.

Unitarian Universalists believe more than one thing. We think for ourselves and reflect together.

We are united in our broad and inclusive outlook, and in our values, as expressed in our principles.

The Principles

Our congregation holds membership in the Unitarian Universalist Association. As a member congregation of the UUA we promote these seven principles:

  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.

In addition to the principles listed here, our congregation has voted to adopt the Eighth Principle:

  1. “We, the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association, covenant to affirm and promote: journeying toward spiritual wholeness by working to build a diverse multicultural Beloved Community by our actions that accountably dismantle racism and other oppressions in ourselves and our institutions.”

The Sources

UU inclusive spirituality is drawn from six sources:

  1. 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;
  2. Words and deeds of prophetic women and men which challenge us to confront powers and structures of evil with justice, compassion, and the transforming power of love;
  3. Wisdom from the world’s religions which inspires us in our ethical and spiritual life;
  4. Jewish and Christian teachings which call us to respond to God’s love by loving our neighbors as ourselves;
  5. 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;
  6. 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.

Origins of Unitarian Universalism

Our faith gets its name from the merger in 1961 of two religious groups: The Unitarians and the Universalists. Today, across North America there are more than 1,000 UU congregations serving 250,000 people. You may find folks of many different religious backgrounds (Buddhists, Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, and Pagans) You may find folks with different beliefs in God – from theists to agnostics, to atheists. You will find we embrace science and reason and see them as essential to a responsible spiritual life.

Read more about Unitarian Universalism