Our Beliefs, Principles

Unitarian and Universalist denominations consolidated in 1961 to form the new religion of Unitarian Universalism. Its roots lie in the Unitarian belief in the unity or oneness of God and in universal salvation.

Unitarian beliefs have been around since the first century, but people didn't form religious groups based on the ideas until the middle of the 1500s in Transylvania and the mid-1600s in England. The religious authorities of the times saw these early Unitarians, such as Michael Servetus, as heretics and often persecuted them or worse.

Unitarianism and Universalism came to North America, flourished in the atmosphere of religious freedom and grew as the United States did. Unitarian leaders became advocates for social change, championing education and prison reform, orphanages, the abolition of slavery, women's rights, ministry to the poor, and later, civil rights.

The American Red Cross, the League of Women Voters, the ACLU, and the SPCA were all founded by Unitarians or Universalists. Well known Unitarians include Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, John Quincy Adams, William Howard Taft, Louisa May Alcott, Susan B. Anthony, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Paul Revere, Julia Ward Howe, Frank Lloyd Wright, Buckminster Fuller, Clara Barton, Linus Pauling, Ray Bradbury, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., Adlai Stevenson and Robert Fulghum.

Changes over the years have made Unitarian Universalism a broad and flexible faith. Individual Unitarian Universalists have varied beliefs about everything from scripture to rituals to God, yet all share our seven principles.

Unitarian Universalist Principles

There are seven principles which Unitarian Universalist congregations affirm and promote:

• 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.

Unitarian Universalism draws inspiration from many sources:

• 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 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.

We affirm that we will honor and live by Unitarian Universalist principles, demonstrated through:

• Faith in freedom of religious belief;
• Use of reason and responsibility in our everyday lives;
• Joy in our multi-generational work together;
• Service to one another;
• Personal growth inspired by our services and lifespan education programs;
• Enthusiasm for spreading the word about Unitarian Universalist values; and
• Respect for all individuals and their identities.