Why Values and Not Principles? Join Us to Discuss the What and Why of Article 2 Revisions.
Eight UCE members will serve as delegates to the UUA General Assembly June 20-23. Under consideration are proposed revisions to Article 2 of the UUA Bylaws, which describes our UU principles. The revisions replace the current UU Principles with the six Values of generosity, justice, equity, transformation, interdependence, and pluralism, with Love at the center as the power that holds us. This change calls out that we are accountable to one another for doing the work of living our shared values through the spiritual discipline of Love. These proposed Values statements reflect an evolution of our Principles including the 8th Principle.
So why is it necessary to evolve our 8 Principles into the proposed Values of generosity, justice, equity, transformation, interdependence, and pluralism – all centered in Love?
Join the UCE delegates and Denominational Affairs Team via zoom on June 3 at 7 pm or in-person/zoom June 9 at 12 pm in room 3 to discuss the what’s and why’s of the proposed changes. The delegates are eager to share information and discuss Article 2 , and understand what members think about the proposed changes.
Zoom link for June 3 and 9 sessions:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81668335293?pwd=0JEXsB7opczyhJsdsiZUawqohbEhOX.1
Meeting ID: 816 6833 5293 Passcode: 318292
Read more about the proposed revisions to UUA’s Article 2 here.
What’s driving the revisions to Article 2?
Article 2 is part of the UUA bylaws passed by the consolidated Unitarian and Universalist churches in 1961. Originally it included 6 principles, as well as the resources. There was also a mandate to review both parts every 15 years. The 7th principle was added by General Assembly vote in 1985, along with an update to gender-neutral language. The concept of an 8th principle was introduced to UU congregations and communities in 2013 and UCE adopted it in May 2021. To date, more than 223 congregations have passed it. However, it is not included in the UUA’s 7 Principles. The desired to address racism in the UUA Principles and the mandate to review the parts of Article 2 every fifteen years resulted in the UUA board appointing a 6-member commission to review Article 2.
Discussions began in the fall of 2020 and over the next 3 years hundreds of surveys were conducted. The commission met twice a month and submitted proposed changes in January 2023. The proposed changes included transforming the 7 Principles into 6 Values statements centered by Love, evolving the Sources into Inspirations, and simplifying the Freedom of Belief language.
The General Assembly voted in June of 2023 to continue a year of discernment about the proposed changes before calling for a vote at the 2024 meeting. For the past year UCE’s Denominational Affairs team has held sessions to discuss the proposed changes, posted information in the newsletter and hosted program tables, and Rev. Eileen has spoken about the changes from the pulpit.
The UCE delegates are eager to understand what members think about the proposed changes. Please share your thoughts with members of Denominational Affairs or UCE delegates at the June 3 or 9 sessions, in-person or through Realm: Shirely Adams, Lee Bannor, Peggy Boccard, Lina Hilko (alternate delegate), Melanie Kitchner, Cheryl Mounts, Joe Romeo (alternate delegate), Steve Serikaku, Elaine Siegel, Betty Walker, and Carla Williams.
Author: Carla Williams, Denominational Affairs Committee