Our New Shared Values – A 21st Century Covenant of Love[1]
A sermon by Bob Clegg, All Souls Waccamaw UU, September 22, 2024
At General Assembly (or “GA”) this June, we embarked on a new chapter in our history: We approved a watershed update of our covenant with one another and with the world. ¿What happened at GA this year that deserves the term, “watershed update”? In a decisive vote,[2] delegates replaced the beloved Seven Principles, which have guided us for decades, with a set of six shared Values, with Love at their center. This change marks not just the evolution of our faith but also an intentional response to the demands of the world in which we live.
These six Values – Interdependence, Equity, Transformation, Pluralism, Generosity, and Justice – are now woven into the fabric of our covenant as Unitarian Universalists. They remind us who we aspire to be, both as individuals and as a collective. They are not just ideals to ponder, but Values to embody in our daily lives.
But before we dive into the richness of these Values, let us first reflect on how we arrived at this pivotal moment.
The decision to amend Article II of our UUA bylaws and replace the Seven Principles with these new Values was not made lightly. It was the result of a rigorous, multiyear process of feedback, discernment, and deep conversation across our congregations. Many voices contributed to this evolution – ranging from those who sought passionately to preserve what makes Unitarian Universalism so powerful, to those who urged us to be bolder, more inclusive, and better attuned to the realities of the 21st century.
For several years, the Article II Study Commission engaged with congregations who considered the extent to which the Seven Principles still reflected who we are today. “UUs at congregations across the country engaged with the proposal over the past several years. Members and congregations gave input into the new Values as they evolved, through Workshops at UUGAs, small-group meetings, board workshops, and open board meetings. The Amplifying the Charge program[3] was launched early this year, and prompted dialogue and intentional study about the proposed bylaws changes.”[4] The feedback revealed a deep love for the Seven Principles, but also recognize that the Principles did not always explicitly reflect the concerns of justice, equity, and inclusion in today’s world.
The commission’s task was not to discard our cherished principles, but to build upon them – to create something more dynamic, more inclusive, and more responsive to our time. UUA President Rev. Dr. Sofía Betancourt said, the result “will help promote liberation, radical inclusion, and communal care both within our church and across society.”[5],[6],[7]
As we move forward with our new Values, it’s important to remember that the Seven Principles have not been erased or forgotten. They remain a cherished part of our history, the shoulders upon which our new Values stand. We are free to continue to use the principles as a personal meditation guide, or as organizing principles for our life and work. They are a reminder of where we come from, and they still offer profound wisdom as we navigate the complexities of life.
However, just as the world has changed, so too must our covenant evolve to meet the challenges of our time. The Values we have now embraced are not a rejection of the principles. Rather, they are a natural extension of them – they deepen and broaden our articulation of our faith to reflect the realities of justice, equity, and the interdependence of all life.
To visualize this move from the Principles to the Values, we can think of the Principles as a playlist of individual songs. By contrast, the Values are a symphony, where each note harmonizes with others, creating a unified and ongoing composition that evolves with time.
So, why did we need this radical update? Our Seven Principles served us well for decades. They provide a framework for ethical living and spiritual growth. But as the world has changed, so too have the demands on our faith.
In the 21st century, we are confronted with the urgent need to address systemic injustice, the climate crisis, and the deep divisions within – and between – our societies. Our Values must speak to these realities. The Seven Principles, though beautiful and aspirational, did not always encompass our work to dismantle oppression, or to address environmental degradation. They did not explicitly challenge us to confront racism, ableism, or the structures of power that perpetuate harm in our world.[8]
The new Values are designed to meet these challenges explicitly. They are Values that call us not only to personal spiritual growth, but also to collective action. They are Values that recognize our interconnectedness and the need for systemic transformation. They are not just about what we believe – they are about how we live, how we engage with the world, and how we work together for justice and equity.
What is particularly powerful about these new Values is that they are not sequential. They do not represent a hierarchy or a checklist to be completed in order.[9] Rather, they are interconnected: Each flows into, and reinforces, the others. As another metaphor, that illustrates this interconnectedness, we can think of the Principles as a reliable recipe to follow. They provided step-by-step directions, a process for making a cake, a casserole, or a favorite family dish that we could all enjoy together at coffee hour after our service. The Values, then, are a shared community feast – say, something like what we might put together for Seder, or for Thanksgiving dinner – where everybody present brings something different, and the meal is richer for its diversity.
As adopted, our revised Article II contains a graphic [slide] of a flower with the word “Love” at the center, and with our six Values on the petals. This graphic is accompanied by a description of each Value, explaining how we covenant to practice and strive for each of them in our lives, our congregations, and the world.
Love, at the center of our Values, is the thread that binds them together. Placing love at the center reminds me of a conversation I had with a friend who was a member of the United Church of Christ Reformed several years ago. I asked her, “Why do you attend my UU Church most Sundays, but never became a member?” “Well,” she responded thoughtfully, “UUs are always talking about justice, and doing justice, and fighting for justice – and that’s good. But you know,” she said, “what about Love? I never hear much about Love in Unitarian Universalism.” Now, I turns out that my friend wasn’t exactly right: After ruminating on her idea, I searched in our hymnals, and it turns out, the word “Love” occurs in more than three times as many hymns as the word “Justice.” But it’s a point well taken: Our old Principles didn’t mention Love at all. Here, in our new Values, Love is at the Center.[10]
In the Article II graphic, Love and our UU Chalice is surrounded by six petals, each of which is labeled in turn:
- Interdependence reminds us that none of us is separate from the web of life—that the flourishing of one is tied to the flourishing of all.
- This leads us directly to Equity. Equity declares that every person has inherent worth and dignity. It demands that our work is to create inclusive, accessible communities where all can thrive.
- Transformation calls us to adapt and grow, both spiritually and ethically. Transformation reminds us that change is constant and necessary for growth.
- This openness to change is essential if we are to truly embrace Pluralism. Pluralism celebrates the diversity of human experience, theology, and culture. It challenges us to learn from one another in our shared search for truth and meaning.
- Generosity, meanwhile, calls us to act from a place of abundance. To be generous is to share not only our resources, but also our presence, our compassion, and our faith.
- And finally, Justice reminds us that this work is not just for our individual well-being but for the collective good. It calls us to dismantle systemic oppression and to create communities where all can flourish.[11]
Each of these Values strengthens the others. They form a web of mutuality, much like the interdependent web of existence that we covenant to honor and protect. So, for a particularly concrete metaphor, the Values create a landscape, a workshop, that is much more than a toolbox of essential tools. If the Principles were those tools – your hammer, your saw, and your measuring tape – then the Values work in concert to create a full workshop, where we continually build, repair, and innovate with each situation that arises.
Some of us may wonder about the 8th Principle,[12] a movement within Unitarian Universalism that sought to explicitly affirm our commitment to dismantling racism and other oppressions. While the 8th Principle as it was originally proposed was never officially adopted, its spirit lives on in these new Values.
The call to dismantle racism and all forms of systemic oppression is woven into our commitment to Justice. It’s also reflected in our dedication to Equity and Pluralism. In many ways, the new Values go beyond what the 8th Principle sought. The Values integrate the 8th Principle’s core message into the very fabric of our covenant. Implicitly, the Values expand the scope of the 8th Principle, to include not only racism, but also genderism, sexism, ableism, ageism, and whatever other -isms might rear their ugly heads – or just become apparent – to future generations. Rather than isolated as a separate principle, the work of justice and equity is now central to who we are as Unitarian Universalists.
As we move forward, it’s important to learn and embody these new Values in our congregations, and in our personal lives. If the Values are a symphony, not a playlist; if they are a feast, not a singular recipe; if they are a workshop, not a toolbox – then they offer us a framework to live by. They represent our deepest aspirations about how we might create the world we want for ourselves, and for future generations.
In our congregations, this might prompt us to reexamine how we make decisions: How can we ensure our processes are inclusive and that all voices are heard? It might cause us to expand our justice work; to engage more deeply with issues of racial, economic, and environmental justice. It might motivate us to cultivate a deeper generosity, both in how we share our resources, and how we show up for one another in times of need.
In our personal lives, these Values call us to live with intention and purpose. They invite us to examine our own habits, our assumptions, and our privileges. They beg us to commit to ongoing transformation. They challenge us to give generously of our time, our attention, and our care for others. And they remind us that we are not alone in this work: No, we are part of a larger, interdependent web of life.
If you carry just one thought with you to ponder from this message today, I hope it is this: With our new UU Values, and with Love at the Center, we have the opportunity to step into a new chapter of Unitarian Universalism. Let us do so with open hearts and minds. Let us embrace these new Values, not as abstract concepts, but as guides for how we live, love, and work together in the world. James Luther Adams defined our liberal faith as “the certainty that we have everything we need to solve our problems together.”[13] Now, with Love at the center, and with Interdependence, Equity, Transformation, Pluralism, Generosity, and Justice surrounding us, we have everything we need to face the challenges of our time with courage, compassion, and hope.
May it be so. Amen.
[1] 1994 words in text.
[2] The “new statement of values and beliefs for Unitarian Universalism… was adopted by a vote of 2,025 (80.2 percent) to 499 (19.8 percent) with 21 abstaining…. A two-thirds vote was required to approve the changes.” Elaine McArdle, “Love at the Center: New UU Statement of Values Passes after Momentous General Assembly Delegate Vote,” UU World, posted 6/23/2024, accessed 9/14/2024, https://www.uuworld.org/articles/uua-article-ii-passes-general-assembly-unitarian-universalism-bylaws-vote-values-statement).
[3] Quiana Denae Perkins, “Amplifying the Charge, Part of Shared Values and Article II Learning Resources, UUA, posted September 3, 2024, https://www.uua.org/re/article2/amplifying-charge?_gl=1*usa8e0*_ga*MTgyMTUwMTAxMy4xNzI2MzQwMDQw*_ga_VR20L6NSFS*MTcyNjM0MDAzOS4xLjEuMTcyNjM0MDIyMS4wLjAuMA...
[4] Ibid., UU World, slightly paraphrased.
[5] Betancourt continued, “Thousands of UUs put in countless hours of hard work to discern, discuss, and debate the direction of our faith tradition. This work was done carefully, thoughtfully, and thoroughly. And all UUs should be proud of that. Additionally, this demonstrates how democratic processes can be used to create change that is just and equitable. Everyone who wanted to be involved had the opportunity to provide input and make their case. [Our] language of shared values is all the stronger and more reflective of who Unitarian Universalists are today because it was a shared process.”
[6] As an aside, I will note that it was a “shared process” for those who chose to participate. As a delegate for my last congregation, I was grateful to get to vote for Article II at two stages in the revision process. From time to time in the future, I hope to represent this congregation, and more importantly I hope this congregation will resolve to always represent itself at future GAs.
[7] Importantly, this was not done as a surprise or “behind our backs.” If we are surprised at the Article II revision, it’s only because we haven’t been keeping up with UU news as reported in UU World and online. I am reminded of the Right of Participation that my favorite twelve-step organization practices as part of its governance principles – and of the way a friend of mine in that organization paraphrases “Right of Participation” with the statement: “If we choose not to participate, we must take what we are given.” Thus, Right of Participation is ours for the taking – and for the leaving. (Alcoholics Anonymous Twelve Concepts for World Service, Concept IV.)
[8] This is made clear by the 8th Principle that was proposed in 2019 and approved by many congregations then, which jumpstarted the wholesale reevaluation of Article II and eventually the movement to replace it entirely. The concerns of the 8th Principle were not addressed by the original seven Principles, which caused it to be proposed. C.f. the two paragraphs below addressing the 8th Principle, immediately after the listing of the six Values with Love at the center.
[9] Interestingly, linear thinking and to-do lists can be a symptom of white supremacist thinking.
[10] “Whatever Happened to Love?”, a previous sermon where I used this story before.
[11] One objection people may have is, “These Values are hard to remember.” I’m not sure they’re any harder to remember than seven Principles, and I’ve had a hard time committing both lists to memory so I can use them on the fly. But let me propose a mnemonic for the Values that has been useful to me, and may be useful, especially if you’ve got a visual memory. Think of this rather silly image [slide], which illustrates the sentence, “I Practice Juggling Tigers and Giant Eels.” The first letter of each word in “I Practice Juggling Tigers and Giant Eels” spells “IPGTGE,” which corresponds to the first letters of our Values in order: Interconnectedness, Pluralism, Justice, Transformation, Generosity, and Equity.” If you think of a better – that is, easier to remember – mnemonic, please let me know. For now, I’m trying to learn them using this little crutch.
[12] C.f. the paragraph on modern day shortcomings of the Seven Principles, immediately before the section above listing the six Values with Love at the center.
[13] James Luther Adams anthology by Harvard Press (title?).
