Unitarian Universalism has a proud and diverse heritage. In the pages which follow, you will find the particulars of our story and answers to many questions people ask about our faith. Suffice it to say here, we begin in the 16th century Reformation of the Roman Catholic Church, notably in Transylvania. We also emerge newly formed in the 18th century Enlightenment of England. In the New World, we derive our sense of church and general practices of worship and governance from our Pilgrim and Puritan ancestors.

Over time, Unitarian Universalism is especially characterized by a deep commitment to continually search for the truths of our lives. Since the early 19th century, we have moved steadily beyond our Christian origins to take up the insights of the Transcendentalists and the emerging scientific worldview. By the 20th century, our faith embraced humanism and a commitment to social progress and justice.

We sometimes describe ourselves as the "church of the continuing Reformation." Toward the latter part of the 20th century, we once again re-framed our understanding of faith to include the insights of feminism and a new commitment to earth-centered traditions and environmental justice.

This spiritual growing makes Unitarian Univeralism exciting --- but a bit baffling at times to newcomers. Be sure, we will grow further as our exploration teaches us better how to live in our beautiful and diverse world.

The Principles of Unitarian Universalism

From time to time, Unitarian Universalists try to put into a few words our major commitments. As we are non-creedal, these are not tests of right thinking. They reflect our best understanding of our shared commitments at the present time. No doubt, we will continue to update our princples and testimonials.

In 1985, delegates to the annual General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association adopted the following statement of principles. It is our current short-hand answer to "what holds Unitarian Universalists together?"

Unitarian Universalist Principles

We Unitarian Universalists affirm and promote -

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

The Historic Sources and Resources of Unitarian Universalism

The living tradition which we share draws from many sources:

• Direct experience of that transcending mystery and wonder, affirmed in all cultures, which moves us to a renewal of the spirit and an openness to the forces which create and uphold life;
• Words and deeds of prophetic women and men which challenge us to confront powers and structures of evil with justice, compassion, and the transforming power of love;
• Wisdom from the world's religions which inspires us in our ethical and spiritual life;
• Jewish and Christian teachings which call us to respond to God's love by loving our neighbors as ourselves;
• Humanist teachings which counsel us to heed the guidance of reason and the results of science, and warn us against idolatries of the mind and spirit.
• Spiritual teachings of earth-centered traditions which celebrate the sacred circle of life and instruct us to live in harmony with the rhythms of nature.

Grateful for the religious pluralism which enriches and ennobles our faith, we are inspired to deepen our understanding and expand our vision. As free congregations we enter into this covenant, promising to one another our mutual trust and support.

The Unitarian Universalist "Flaming Chalice"

The History of the Flaming Chalice

Adapted from the pamphlet "The Flaming Chalice" by Daniel D. Hotchkiss.

At the opening of Unitarian Universalist worship services, many congregations light a flame inside a chalice. This flaming chalice has become a well-known symbol of our denomination. It unites our members in worship and symbolizes the spirit of our work.

The chalice and the flame were brought together as a Unitarian symbol by an Austrian artist, Hans Deutsch, in 1941. Living in Paris during the 1930's Deutsch drew critical cartoons of Adolf Hitler. When the Nazis invaded Paris in 1940, he abandoned all he had and fled to the South of France, then to Spain, and finally, with an altered passport, into Portugal.

There, he met the Reverend Charles Joy, executive director of the Unitarian Service Committee (USC). The Service Committee was new, founded in Boston to assist Eastern Europeans, among them Unitarians as well as Jews, who needed to escape Nazi persecution. From his Lisbon headquarters, Joy oversaw a secret network of couriers and agents.

Charles Joy felt that this new, unknown organisation needed some visual image to represent Unitarianism to the world, especially when dealing with government agencies abroad.

Deutsch was most impressed and soon was working for the USC. He later wrote to Joy: "There is something that urges me to tell you... how much I admire your utter self denial [and] readiness to serve, to sacrifice all, your time, your health, your well being, to help, help, help.

"I am not what you may actually call a believer. But if your kind of life is the profession of your faith---as it is, I feel sure---then religion, ceasing to be magic and mysticism, becomes confession to practical philosophy and---what is more- --to active, really useful social work. And this religion--- with or without a heading---is one to which even a `godless' fellow like myself can say wholeheartedly, Yes!"

The USC was an unknown organization in 1941. This was a special handicap in the cloak-and-dagger world, where establishing trust quickly across barriers of language, nationality, and faith could mean life instead of death. Disguises, signs and countersigns, and midnight runs across guarded borders were the means of freedom in those days. Joy asked Deutsch to create a symbol for their papers "to make them look official, to give dignity and importance to them, and at the same time to symbolize the spirit of our work.... When a document may keep a man out of jail, give him standing with governments and police, it is important that it look important."

Thus, Hans Deutsch made his lasting contribution to the USC and, as it turned out, to Unitarian Universalism. With pencil and ink he drew a chalice with a flame. It was, Joy wrote his board in Boston, "a chalice with a flame, the kind of chalice which the Greeks and Romans put on their altars. The holy oil burning in it is a symbol of helpfulness and sacrifice.... This was in the mind of the artist. The fact, however, that it remotely suggests a cross was not in his mind, but to me this also has its merit. We do not limit our work to Christians. Indeed, at the present moment, our work is nine-tenths for the Jews, yet we do stem from the Christian tradition, and the cross does symbolize Christianity and its central theme of sacrificial love."

The flaming chalice design was made into a seal for papers and a badge for agents moving refugees to freedom. In time it became a symbol of Unitarian Universalism all around the world.

The story of Hans Deutsch reminds us that the symbol of a flaming chalice stood in the beginning for a life of service. When Deutsch designed the flaming chalice, he had never seen a Unitarian or Universalist church or heard a sermon. What he had seen was faith in action-people who were willing to risk all for others in a time of urgent need.

Today, the flaming chalice is the official symbol of the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee and the Unitarian Universalist Association. Officially or unofficially, it functions as a logo for hundreds of congregations. A version of the symbol was adopted by the General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches in Britain. It has since been used by Unitarian churches in other parts of the world. Perhaps most importantly, it has become a focal point for worship. No one meaning or interpretation is official. The flaming chalice, like our faith, stands open to receive new truths that pass the tests of reason, justice, and compassion.

Source: Unitarian Universalist Association and the General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches [From the UUA web page, http://www.uua.org/aboutuu/chalice.html]

Learn More

Turn to this next set of pages to learn more about Unitarian Universalism. You will also find there further links to Unitarian Universalist organizations. Additionally, please contact our Minister for further conversation.