Being UU

When I was teaching young ones at my church one year, I made up a song for them, and we sang it each week as we gathered. I used it to set the tone for our exploration in that Sunday’s lesson.

I’m a UU.

Who are you, you?

I’m a UU.

Who are you, you?

I’m a UU.

Who are you, you?

We can learn together.

UU is Unitarian Universalist.

The roots of the Unitarian side of my church go back to the Reformation era. Unitarians rejected the trinitarian dogma of the Catholic Church. God, they said, was one, a unity, and could not, should not be divided into three parts. Of course, that was apostate talk at the time.

Universalism dates to 17^th century England where the doctrine taught that salvation by their Christian God was available to all, even Jews, not just those who subscribed to a particular belief system. They believed there was no pre-determination of salvation.

Fast forward a few centuries and the Universalists joined with the Unitarians to form a collaboration in 1961. Though both churches came out of Christianity, the 20^th century church is not considered Christian with a capital C.

Rather, this theologically liberal church subscribes to shared principles and covenants rather than creeds. Today, only about 20% of UUs call themselves “Christian”. Our faith draws from many traditions and teachers who helped shape the current church.

I come from a rural Christian church background (read that “conservative”) and my husband was reared Catholic. It never sat right with me. The questions I had weren’t honored, respected, nor addressed to my satisfaction. The first time I attended a UU church, while in college decades ago, I knew I had found something that fit me. 

But it wasn’t until we had our own children that we began regularly attending UU services. There is no better foundation, we believe, for rearing future young people for this world’s work.

We affirm the following principles:

1. 1st Principle: The inherent worth and dignity of every person;
2. 2nd Principle: Justice, equity and compassion in human relations;
3. 3rd Principle: Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations;
4. 4th Principle: A free and responsible search for truth and meaning;
5. 5th Principle: The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large;
6. 6th Principle: The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all;
7. 7th Principle: Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.

I have many Christian friends and family who do not understand my choice. How can I not adhere to the tenets I was reared with? Quite simply. My church principles mean that the world should be a better place because I walked here.

I would not do or say differently if I believed in Heaven and Hell. I believe you do the right thing because it is the right thing not because of a reward or punishment at the end.

I do not know why the divinity or not of a great teacher like Jesus should cause me to do or say differently. His divinity--or not--simply has no impact on my actions or speech.

Many, many, many will not agree with me. But for those of you who know me, am I less a good person because I don’t accept what you do?