A Personal Interpretation of the Seven UU Principles

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A Personal Interpretation of the Seven Principles

Member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association subscribe to a set of seven principles. While they are well-known, some find them less meaningful on an individual level. Ben Stallings, a member of this church, offers the following re-statement. It is not the official view of First Universalist, but illustrates some of our most common values and how they may be realized.

1) We believe that all people (or beings) have inherent worth and dignity. Our value is given to us by our creators (all those who came before us) and cannot be destroyed, though it can be hidden or revealed by the way we treat each other. We acknowledge and worship this inner light in ourselves and others.

2) We believe that the best state of human affairs is one we call "justice," that we can recognize justice when we see it, and that we can create justice by treating everyone equally and having compassion for them. We strive to practice equity and compassion in order to create justice.

3) We believe that we all benefit when we honor our differences and encourage each other to grow spiritually. We acknowledge and worship the differences among us and our various spiritual journeys.

4) We believe that each of us must find truth and meaning for hirself. We encourage each other's searches for truth by sharing what we have found ourselves and by questioning each other's assumptions. We embrace and honor the truth as it reveals itself, even from unlikely or unverifiable sources.

5) We believe that the democratic process is the best way we have yet found to create justice in our congregations and in society at large. We respect and honor the heartfelt views of minorities and work to incorporate them into the decisions of the majority, in the interests of justice. We acknowledge and worship the role each individual plays as we collectively create a just society.

7) [I've rearranged for the sake of closure] We believe that we are interconnected with everything else that exists in a web of interdependence. Seemingly unrelated events can affect us in unexpected ways. We believe that it is in all our interests to treat the Universe with respect and compassion. We acknowledge and worship the interconnected nature of our Universe.

6) We believe that by following these principles, we can create a world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all. We have faith in the quality of the materials, the intentions of the builders, and the nobility of the goal. We acknowledge and worship the role that we all play in creating the Universe.

This page last updated on 03/29/06

First Universalist Church of Minneapolis

A Personal Interpretation of the Seven Principles