Anti-Racism 8th Principle Adopted by UCE!!!: May 21, 2021
After five months of education, conversation, and debate about a proposed new principle focused on dismantling racism and other oppressions, the Unitarian Universalist congregation of Evanston, Illinois, formally adopted the principle by an overwhelming 95% vote. The new principle becomes the eighth in a list of guiding values that light the way for UUs everywhere. Here is the new 8th Principle as adopted at our annual meeting, followed by the full list.
We, a member congregation 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.
Here is our full list of Principles that guide UCE:
- 1st Principle: The inherent worth and dignity of every person;
- 2nd Principle: Justice, equity and compassion in human relations;
- 3rd Principle: Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations;
- 4th Principle: A free and responsible search for truth and meaning;
- 5th Principle: The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large;
- 6th Principle: The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all;
- 7th Principle: Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.
- 8th Principle: 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.
A lot of the preparatory discussions before the annual meeting focused on the meaning of the words in the new principle. What does it mean to be accountable? What does it mean to dismantle racism and other oppressions in our institutions? One person said, “This seems like a no-brainer and we should all vote yes.” A few questioned where our care of the environment lives in this principle and how we will remain in covenant as we do this work in an accountable manner. We will have to continue to have conversations about these important issues. Right now, the whole association is looking at the principles and their wording through a study commissioned at the 2020 General Assembly.
The next step for us, after celebrating this success, is for each of us to think about how to continue to build accountable anti-racism and anti-oppession work into our UCE community. Team 8th will be working with the ministers and the YWCA Equity Consultants on the ways to live into our new principle. To that end let us use the perspective of Mia Mingus, an activist for disability justice, who expresses: “What if accountability wasn’t scary? It will never be easy or comfortable, but what if it wasn’t scary? What if our own accountability wasn’t something we ran from, but something we ran towards and desired, appreciated, held as sacred?”
8th Principle Update: April 16, 2021
The final congregation wide meeting about the 8th Principle will be a Board chat. Please attend the Board Special Edition: Consider the 8th Principle on Friday, April 23, 2021 from 6:00 – 7:00 pm. The Board will create space to hear the pros and cons from church members before the congregational meeting regarding the idea of adopting the 8th Principle.
If you have not yet been part of a group conversation about the 8th Principle and would like to talk with someone from Team 8th one-on-one to understand more about the 8th Principle, please contact Rev. Susan Frances at sfrances@ucevanston.org.
Q&A from the Town Hall meetings: Does the 8th Principle solely address black/white race issues?
The 8th Principle was created to address racism in all the ways it appears in our society. And racism affects us all. Right now, our Asian and Asian-American siblings are facing heightened acts of violence due to racism. Settlor colonialism continues to affect our Indigenous siblings. Latinx immigrants and citizens continue to face micro- and macro-aggressions on a daily basis. Although our black and white siblings are often at the forefront of public conversations around race, we must remember that until all of us are liberated from the bonds of racism, none of us are liberated.Within Unitarian Universalism, the co-creators of the 8th Principle are Paula Cole Jones, a black woman, and Bruce Pollack-Johnson, a white man. And, we have a black positive UU organization, BLUU, that has endorsed the adoption of the 8th Principle. This is important given our Association’s history, which you can read more about in Widening the Circle of Concern or in one of the books I’ve listed below. Addressing racism in the form of anti-blackness is vital to the work encouraged by the 8th Principle, but also important is eliminating white colorblindness and white erasure of BIPOC identities. We must hold everyone in our community as we move forward in our anti-racism work.
The 8th Principle was also created as an explicit call to address other oppressions within our congregations, Association, and society, such as ableism, classism, sexism, cissexism, homophobia, and xenophobia. In doing this anti-oppression work, we must work to hold in our hearts and express in our actions this wide-ranging need for justice and equity.
One reason the 8th Principle is so important is because it is an explicit call to the work of building a diverse multicultural Beloved Community comprised of individuals with complex personal narratives and varied social locations that combine privileged and marginalized identities.
Each person has a story and history. Each person is beautiful and unique. Each person is valued.
Yours in building our multicultural Beloved Community,
Rev. Susan
Books about UU History:
- Darkening the Doorways: Black Trailblazers and Missed Opportunities in Unitarian Universalism by Mark Morrison-Reed. It’s available from the UCE lending library once we have reopened the building or by ordering it from the UUA bookstore.
- Centering: Navigating Race, Authenticity, and Power in Ministry, edited by Mitra Rahnema. A collection of essays by UU religious leaders of color centering their stories, analysis, and insight of Unitarian Universalism. Available at UUA bookstore.
- Unitarian Universalists of Color: Stories of Struggle, Courage, Love and Faith, edited by Yuri Yamamoto, Chandra Snell, and Tim Hanami. A collection of essays by UU congregants of color. Available at UU of Color Story Project.
- The Arc of the Universe is Long, by Leslie Takahashi, James (Chip) Roush, and Leon Spencer. A history of the UUA journey toward becoming an anti-racist, anti-oppressive, multicultural movement. Available at UUA bookstore.
8th Principle Adoption Process: April 9, 2021
Learn about the 8th Principle at the next 8th Principle Town Hall gathering on Sunday, April 11 at 1:15 pm. It will be the same Zoom link as the virtual coffee hour. ALL ARE INVITED!
The final congregation-wide meeting about the 8th Principle will be a Board chat. Please attend the Board Special Edition: Consider the 8th Principle on Friday, April 23, 2021 from 6:00 – 7:00 pm. The Board will create space to hear the pros and cons from church members before the congregational meeting regarding the idea of adopting the 8th Principle.
If you have not yet been part of a group conversation about the 8th Principle and would like to talk with someone from Team 8th one-on-one or if you would like your small group to discuss it in order to understand more about the 8th Principle, please contact Rev. Susan Frances at sfrances@ucevanston.org.
Q&A from the Town Hall meetings: Why isn’t it (the 7 Principles, the BLM sign, all the work I have done or am doing) enough?
A core question I keep hearing in the conversations happening at UCE around the 8th Principle is:
Why isn’t “it” enough?
- “It” has referred to the existing 7 Principles.
- “It” has referred to our large Black Lives Matter sign on Ridge.
- “It” has referred to the hard work UCE congregants did during the civil rights era and the ensuing decades.
- “It” has referred to the hard work being done by members right now through FAST and REAL and the Organizing Team and the Peace & Justice Team and the Accessibility & Inclusion Team and the Endowment Committee and others.
I hear you. You should be proud of the work you have done, of the BLM sign, of the work you continue to do. AND I hear Black, white, indigenous, and members of color saying we aren’t done yet. I hear the endorsement of the 8th Principle by BLUU and by DRUUMM. For all the hard work and sound Principles, inequities still exist and micro-aggressions still occur. The 7 Principles have been in their current form since 1995 and they have not been enough to create systemic change, dismantle racism, or build a more inclusive congregation or association. As a spiritual home, as a place where we strive to nurture the human spirit for a world made whole, we want to acknowledge these ongoing personal injustices and find new ways to make our congregation a safe place, a radically welcoming space, for all. The 8th Principle is one of these ways.
When the question is framed as “Isn’t x enough?” there is only room for a yes/no answer. There is no room for a yes/and conversation. YES, we have been and are currently reflecting on and planning and creating and doing important anti-racism and anti-oppression work, AND the 8th Principle is one more of these things that we need to reflect on, plan to adopt, create a culture around its concepts, and then live out this principle in our congregation and the world. YES, the 8th Principle is an extension of what UCE has done and is doing, AND after we adopt the 8th Principle, we will have to continue to listen to each other, believe each other, forgive each other, and move forward together in relationship as we actively live into the values of the 8th Principle.
We are on a life-long journey, my friends. And I am glad to be on this journey with you. The longevity is one of the reasons why we need to lean into our covenantal community. Why we have to be willing to talk to each other when our feelings are hurt or we have cause to be offended. Why we have to be willing to listen and believe each other. Why we have to be willing to forgive and move forward, still connected to each other. Being on this life-long journey is also why we have to continue to bring joy and hope into our anti-racism and anti-oppression work. I envision the adoption of the 8th Principle will be one of these moments of celebration, fueling our hope and commitment to continue on this journey together.
Yours in building our multicultural Beloved Community,
Rev. Susan
Are the 7 Principles Mutable?: March 12, 2021
Learn about the 8th Principle at the next 8th Principle Town Hall gathering on Sunday, March 21 at 1:15 pm. ALL ARE INVITED! Register here to let us know you will be there.
We will have additional congregation-wide gatherings on 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 previous Town Hall meetings: Are the 7 Principles mutable?
Yes. As we continue to learn and grow, our principles and sources have changed and are meant to evolve with us.
When the Unitarians and Universalists merged in 1961, our newly formed Unitarian Universalist Association started out with 6 Principles and no sources. In 1985, we added the 7th Principle and adopted 5 Sources. In 1995, we added the 6th Source.
Right now, there is a Study Commission reflecting on and examining revisions to our 7 Principles. In 2017, the UUA General Assembly voted to create a Study Commission regarding adopting the 8th Principle. In 2020, the UUA General Assembly voted to create an Article II Study Commission. Article II of the UUA Bylaws is the article that contains the 7 Principles. The charge of the Article II Study Commission is to review all 7 Principles and incorporate the findings of the 2017 Study Commission on the 8th Principle. The report and recommendations for revising the Principles that stem from the Article II Study Commission will be presented to the UUA General Assembly in 2022.
If you have questions about the 8th Principle, please contact one of the Team 8th members, who are listed in REALM, or Rev. Susan Frances at sfrances@ucevanston.org. 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.
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.