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Unitarian Universalism is a non-denominational faith that welcomes people from various backgrounds. It leans towards seeking truth from different sources and is organized by the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations. It is a liberal faith that appeals to people of different religions and even agnostics and atheists. Local congregations have autonomy, and the denomination has a headquarters and districts. It has no creed but has Seven Principles that promote understanding, knowledge, and the worth of all people.
Unitarian Universalism is a non-denominational faith that is open to people from a wide range of faiths and philosophical backgrounds. Unlike many religious or spiritual approaches, unitary universalism tends to lean more towards openness to seeking truth from a variety of different sources. In general, faith solicits a combination of seeking truth through organized religion, science, the arts, and all types of personal and business experience.
The main proponent of Unitarian Universalism is the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations, based in Boston, Massachusetts. UUA was formed in 1961 from a merger of the American Unitarian Association and the Universalist Church of America. For several years, these two liberal Christian denominations had become increasingly close in their philosophies regarding social issues and had often entered into joint projects for community service and worship materials.
During the latter part of the 20th century, Unitarian Universalism was thought of as a truly liberal faith. By interpreting itself as a covenant faith rather than a creed-based faith, Unitarian Universalism has been able to appeal to people from a wide range of religious backgrounds. Today the faith includes people of Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Native American, Buddhist and other religions background. Agnostics and atheists are also welcome within Unitarian Universalist congregations, as the unifying tenets of the faith have to do with outward action and not with the promotion of a personal or corporate belief system that can serve as evidence of brotherhood.
In congregational politics, unitary universalism places great autonomy with the local church or fellowship. The local government may choose to employ a minister or function as a lay-led group. Individual congregations tend to have their own unique atmosphere, based on the collective beliefs held by the people who attend.
As a denomination, Unitarian Universalism is organized with a headquarters that functions as a means of centralizing efforts to promote faith and provide resources for the local congregation. Field organization includes the use of districts, which are essentially collections of congregations within a given geographic area. The organization holds an annual General Assembly, which provides a forum for adherents to gather and discuss matters of common interest, worship together in a variety of different traditions, and prepare statements representing the public position for the faith. However, it should be noted that statements made by the General Assembly are not considered binding on any congregation or individual member of the faith.
Without any creed or statement of faith to act as a unifying statement, unitary universalism is based on claims that outline the general understandings that members of unitary universalism tend to hold. Currently, this is expressed in the so-called Seven Principles. The contents of this document promote the responsible pursuit of understanding, knowledge and enlightenment, as well as promote the unified universalist understanding of the intrinsic worth of all people.
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