Can We Change the Wording?: February 26, 2021
Learn about the 8th Principle at the next 8th Principle Town Hall gathering on Wednesday, March 10 at 6:30 pm. ALL ARE INVITED!
We will have additional congregation-wide gatherings on March 21, April 4, and April 11. If none of these dates fits into your schedule, Team 8th is considering adding either a Monday or Friday evening presentation later in April. Email Sally Parsons (psally944@gmail.com) by April 1 stating your preference. You may also plan to have your covenant group or small group discuss the 8th Prinicple when you meet in March or April.
Q&A from the Town Hall meetings: Can we change the wording?
We will not be discussing any revisions to the 8th Principle. The established wording of the 8th Principle is: “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.”
This wording was created by BIPOC and white UUs working in collaboration. The established wording was solidified in 2013 and has been endorsed by BLUU (Black Lives of UU) and DRUUMM (Diverse Revolutionary UU Multicultural Ministries). In an effort to have the 8th Principle be a consistent message across the UU world, UCE will not be discussing any edits to the wording of the 8th Principle.
Our friends at the Unitarian Universalist congregation in Brookfield, WI share these ideas:
“While it is phrased differently from the more vision-focused language of the other 7 Principles, it was specifically worded to express the need for accountable action because the implicit language of dignity, respect, equity and inclusion in the current 7 Principles has not resulted in sustained and significant change towards anti-racism in the UUA or its congregations.
Also, in our journey of understanding white supremacy culture (which includes an emphasis on the perfectibility of the written word) we recommend releasing the desire to tinker with the 8th Principle’s wording, and simply accept what UUs of color have said is needed, and the way it is being said.”
We will continue discussing the concepts and meaning of the 8th Principle, and look forward to seeing you at one of the Town Hall meetings.