Previous Statements of Core Values: Part 4 Proposed Changes to Article II

Previous Statements of Core Values

Part 4: Proposed Changes to

Article II of the UUA Bylaws

By Heather Millar, May 11, 2023

During a recent Zoom gathering, they reviewed “Affirmations of Faith” for Unitarians and Universalists from 1790 through 1935 and then the principles from 1961 when the two groups merged and became Unitarian Universalists. Finally, they shared the latest statement of principles from 1985 when our current list of principles was approved.

I share this information and link to establish the context for our consideration of reimaging Article II. Writing down what we believe/affirm has a long history and clearly changes over time to be updated, and reimagined.

The early statements by the Unitarian and the Universalists included Christian language. It was not until The Blake Covenant in 1894 that a statement did not reference Jesus and Christianity. This Covenant seems familiar to us.

Blake Covenant (1894) 

Written by Unitarian minister James Vila Blake. 

Love is the spirit of this church, and service is its law. 

This is our great covenant: to dwell together in peace, to seek the truth in love, and to help one another. 

Here is a list of the various statements and a link to what they actually include. 

  • Articles of Faith, Philadelphia Convention of Universalists (1790) 
  • Winchester Profession of Belief, New England Convention of Universalists (1803) 
  • American Unitarian Association Statement of Purpose (1825) 
  • American Unitarian Association Statement of Beliefs (1853) 
  • National Conference of Unitarian Churches Statement of Purpose (1865) 
  • Ames Covenant (1880)  Written by Unitarian minister Charles Gordon Ames
  • James Freeman Clarke’s Five Points of Unitarian Faith (1886) 
  • Blake Covenant (1894) 
  • Boston Declaration, Universalist General Convention (1899) 
  • Declaration of Social Principles, Universalist General Convention (1917) 
  • Williams Covenant (1933) Written by Universalist minister J. Griswold Williams
  • Universalist Bond of Fellowship (1935) 
  • Unitarian Universalist Principles (1961) 
  • Principles and Purposes (1985)

Below are links to materials and virtual gatherings that provide additional information about the proposed revision of Article II. 

The following Zoom workshops to discuss amendments to the above-referenced Article II revision are open to all Unitarian Universalists.