Unitarian Universalism

"Unitarian" is a word that means "One God" or "One Love."

And "Universalism" is a word that means "For All."

So, one way to describe Unitarian Universalism is "One Love, For All."

With roots in the early Christian Church, both Unitarianism and Universalism flourished through the Protestant Reformation, especially the "Radical Reformation," which encouraged the fire of an individual's free right-of-conscience sustained in the covenant of community.

Right-of-conscience means that each individual conducts a free and responsible search for truth and meaning. Each individual is encouraged and challenged to work out and develop their own individual relationship with Love.

That freedom has led to a pluralist faith, in which the same community may hold members of a range of beliefs and practices. For instance, a Unitarian Universalist who is adheres to Pagan practices may sit on Sunday beside a Unitarian Universalist who is an atheist or humanist; in front of them might be a Unitarian Universalist who "freely follows Jesus" and prays to God; beside that person, a Unitarian Universalist who's more eclectic, drawing from various traditions.

In all of this individual diversity, what binds Unitarian Universalists together in a congregation is "covenant."

Covenant is the agreement of free people to, as our 17th-century forebears would say, "walk together," in the spirit of Love. (Now, in the 21st century, we might say we "move together" or "travel together"). As we share the journey, the covenantal nature of our interrelationship means that we invite one another back, again and again, to right relationship, in love.

In June 2024, the Unitarian Universalist Association, by a vote of its General Assembly, committed to the 6 values in the graphic above, with the 7th, "Love," at the center.

You can learn more about Unitarian Universalism by going here: https://www.uua.org/beliefs/what-we-believe

At FUUF, love grows here. Come see for yourself.