Posted May 5, 2021.
Dear UUCF Community,
The UUCF Board of Directors is proud to endorse the adoption of the Unitarian Universalist (UU) 8th Principle, which states:
“We covenant to affirm and promote: journeying toward spiritual wholeness by working to build a diverse multicultural Beloved Community by our actions that accountably dismantle racism and other oppressions in ourselves and our institutions.”
The 8th Principle was co-authored by Paula Cole Jones and Bruce Pollack-Johnson. Paula is a life-long UU and a member of All Souls Church Unitarian in Washington, DC. She served as interim congregational life consultant for the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) Central East Region from 2018-2020. Bruce is a member of the UU Church of the Restoration in Philadelphia. They worked with a group of anti-racist activists in the Joseph Priestley District to develop the wording. Both Black Lives of UU (BLUU) and Diverse and Revolutionary UU Multicultural Ministries (DRUUMM) have endorsed the 8th Principle and urge all UU congregations to adopt it. More than 40 congregations have adopted this principle and the expectation is that close to 100 congregations will have adopted it by UUA General Assembly (GA) in June 2021.
The Article II section of the UUA Bylaws provides the Principles and Purposes for UUs. It is the foundation for all of the work of our UUA and its member congregations. At the 2017 GA there was a discussion of amending the Seven Principles to add an 8th Principle addressing racism. Following those discussions, the UUA established an Article II Study Commission to look at all of the Principles and Purposes. The last time the Principles and Purposes were changed was 1987. For some religious institutions, the equivalent of Article II would be regarded as a permanent statement of belief. Ours, however, is a Living Tradition. We commit ourselves to regularly revisiting our Principles and Purposes to ensure that we are relevant, that as we grow in understanding our Principles and Purposes grow too. The study commission is charged with bringing its recommendations for revisions to the UUA Board by January 2023 and will be voted on by the delegates at the General Assemblies in 2023 and 2024.
The 8th Principle is a vision of how to live the Seven Principles. It asks us to go beyond beliefs to practice/actions. The other principles are up to the individual. The 8th Principle asks us as a congregation to commit to fully living the Seven Principles.
At UUCF’s annual meeting on Jun. 6, we anticipate taking a vote on adopting the 8th Principle. In preparation for the annual meeting, the UUCF Racial Justice Steering Committee is hosting “The 8th Principle: Building a Culture of Inclusion,” a workshop featuring Paula Cole Jones. The workshop will be held online this Sat., May 8, 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m. You are invited to take advantage of this opportunity to explore why we need an 8th Principle and why now.
The Board is encouraging UUCF members to vote to adopt the 8th Principle. The decision on the inclusion of this new principle will express our collective commitment to anti-oppression and anti-racism as part of our congregational identity.
The UUCF Board of Directors
Mark Magee, President
Kaye Cook, Vice President
Meredith Carr, Secretary
Darryl Branting, Treasurer
Susan Bennett
Matt Higgins
Scott Kestner
Lydia Lewis
Rich Williams