Dear WUUC,
The UUA Article II Study Commission has proposed extensive changes to the UUA Bylaws, Article II – Principles and Purposes. Article II lists our seven principles, six sources, the stated purpose of the UUA, and includes statements about inclusion and freedom of belief. The Article II Study Commission (AIISC) was created by the UUA Board of Trustees after the General Assembly of 2020 and charged with reviewing all sections of Article II, as stated below.
“The Commission is charged with reviewing all sections of Article II, and is free to revise,
replace, or restructure them as needed to meet the objectives stated above. There is nothing
sacred about the number of principles or sources, nor their specific wordings, nor in the way
that Article II is laid out. We encourage creativity.”
The full text of the charge can be found here:
https://www.uua.org/uuagovernance/committees/article-ii-study-commission/charge
The document below compares the current “Article II Principles and Purposes” and the new draft “Article II Purposes and Covenant” as of 11/7/22. To be accepted by our denomination, the proposed revision of the Article II Principles and Purposes must pass a majority vote of the delegates at General Assembly 2023 and then pass a stricter 2/3 majority vote of the delegates at General Assembly 2024. We encourage you to familiarize yourself with these proposed revisions.
The Commission hosted several feedback sessions in November for UUs across the country to share reactions and input to the proposed changes. Further feedback sessions are expected to be scheduled by the Commission in December. Within our WUUC congregation, there are strong feelings both in support of and in opposition to the new Article II draft. A board task force is working on a process for the congregation to discuss the Article II proposal.
In Community,
WUUC Board of Trustees
Leslie Morton, President
Jan Radoslovich, Vice-President
Terry Santmann, Secretary
Kermit Sprang, Treasurer
Linda Sherry, Member-at-Large
Jeff Lu, Member-at-Large
Proposed changes to UUA Bylaws Article II Principles and Purposes
compiled 11/7/2022
Section C-2.2 2.1 Purposes. The Unitarian Universalist Association shall devote its resources to and exercise its corporate organizational powers for religious, educational and humanitarian purposes. The primary purpose purposes of the Association is are to serve the needs of its member congregations, organize new congregations, extend and strengthen Unitarian Universalist institutions and implement its principles equip congregations for vital ministry, to support and train leaders both lay and professional, to heal historic inequities, and to advance our Unitarian Universalist values in the world. We will transform the world by our liberating love.
Delete the following:
Section C-2.1. Principles.We, the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association, covenant to 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.
Add the following: Section C-2.2. Values and Covenant.
Love is the enduring force that holds us together.As Unitarian Universalists in religious community, we covenant, congregation-to-congregation and through our association, to support and assist each other in engaging our ministries. We draw from our heritages of freedom and reason, hope and courage, building on the foundation of love.Love inspires and powers the passion with which we embody our values. Inseparable from one another, these shared values are:
Justice. We work to be diverse multicultural Beloved Communities where all people thrive.
We covenant to dismantle racism and all forms of oppression within individuals and our institutions. We are accountable to each other for this work.
Generosity. We cultivate a spirit of gratitude and hope.
We covenant to freely share our faith, presence, and resources. Compassionate generosity connects us one to another in relationships of mutuality.
Evolution. We adapt to the changing world.
The living tradition which we share draws 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 people 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.
Grateful for the religious pluralism which enriches and ennobles our faith, we are inspired to deepen our understanding and expand our vision. As free congregations we enter into this covenant, promising to one another our mutual trust and support.
We covenant to collectively transform and grow spiritually and ethically. Evolution is fundamental to life and to our Unitarian Universalist heritages, never complete and never perfect.
Pluralism. We celebrate that we are all sacred beings diverse in culture, theology, and experience.
We covenant to learn from one another and openly explore the depth and breadth of our many wisdoms. We embrace our differences and commonalities with love, curiosity, and respect.
Equity. We declare that every person has the right to flourish with dignity and worthiness. We covenant to use our time, wisdom, attention, and money to build and sustain a fully inclusive and accessible community of communities.
Interdependence. We honor the sacred interdependent web of all existence. With humility we understand our place in the web.
We covenant to care for and respect the earth and all beings by fostering relationships of mutuality. We work to repair the bonds we have broken.
Section 2.3 Inspirations.
As Unitarian Universalists, we draw upon, and are inspired by, the full depth and breadth of sacred understandings, as experienced by humanity. Grateful for the religious lineages we inherit and the pluralism which enriches our faith, we are called to ever deepen and expand our wisdom.
| Section C |
| Section C Nothing herein shall be deemed to infringe upon the individual freedom of belief which is inherent in the |