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Our Seven Principles

Sunday Service - January 1, 10:00am
Rev. Anne Orfald

The seven "Principles," and the six "Sources" from which they are drawn are printed on the back cover of our order of service. We see them each week, but it isn’t often we really focus on them directly, although I believe that they are implicit in nearly every topic we consider. Where have they have come from and what do they mean to us? How do they challenge us? In what individual ways do we respond to them? Try this: choose one in particular, and consider how that principle relates to the real world, how it relates to you in your life.

There will be a series of sermons in the New Year on the seven principles, and follow by an evening discussion group, where in a small group setting, we can explore these ideas. Participants will share their own stories, their spiritual journeys, their questions and doubts, their individual faith, as it were.

You will sometimes hear someone say "Unitarians can believe anything they want." Unitarians who have thrown off some oppressive tradition may say this proudly. Critics may say it scornfully: It is a "smorgasbord" religion, where you can pick and choose whatever you want from the menu. It is a "super market" religion, where you walk up and down the aisles and throw into the cart whatever you fancy and leave the rest. Sounds easy as can be! But no, that is a distortion of the freedom of belief we profess. Yes, we do hold diversity as a value. Yes we do see pluralism as an opportunity, not a threat. But if there is no common faith among us, then how can we call ourselves a religion? What we have rejected -- and this is so central to our religion because of our history of struggles with traditional authoritarian approaches -- is a creedal statement.

Our statement of principles is not a creed which says that there are certain core beliefs about the nature of God, the nature of humanity, the nature of the universe, and we must all agree on the wording or we are not inside the circle of the saved. What we have here is a statement of covenant not creed, which says essentially that there are a set of core values on which most of us, most of the time agree. At the same time, we respect the right of individuals to interpret them in their own words. Please notice the contrast between this statement and a creed. The Apostle’s Creed, for example says this: "I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried, descended into hell, on the third day rose again from the dead, ascended to heaven, sits at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty, whence He will come to judge the living and the dead." What the Unitarian Universalist Principles say, is that whether we come from a Christian background, or Earth-centred tradition, from Buddhism or Humanism, we make a covenant (a promise) to each other to live in such a way that we affirm and promote certain shared values.
Throughout the centuries of Unitarianism and Universalism, various covenants have been adopted. Each generation reflects, renews, revises. This statement will not live for all time. When the American Unitarian Association, and the Universalist Church of America came together and merged as one religious body in 1961, they adopted a statement of faith, cobbled together from the two traditions. By the 1970’s the rising feminist consciousness, and the rising ecological awareness led to a challenge coming from the grass roots, and particularly from lay women. A statement on which we can all agree, they said, must be gender inclusive and must recognize our interdependence with the rest of nature. Over a period of several years, there were workshops and discussions within our congregations, and finally a working group which developed this statement we now have. It was, in fact, adopted as a ByLaw of the UUA in 1985. Now that the Canadian Unitarians are separating from the continent wide group, the question is starting to emerge, will Canadian Unitarians adopt these same principles in exactly the same language? Maybe not. Probably so. That remains to be seen. For now, this is the best summary statement we have. When someone asks you what Unitarians believe, you might tell them that our approach to religion encourages us to find common ground in terms of ethical principles, rather than a set of religious beliefs. Let’s look at them briefly.
 

Principle 1: "the inherent worth and dignity of every person"

Reflections: What does it really mean to affirm and promote this principle? Do we really believe that every person has inherent worth and dignity? Do we believe that worth and dignity cannot be destroyed no matter how damaged a person may be? ...no matter how the person behaves or lives his/her life? Kenneth Collier answers in the affirmative. He adds, "Any religion that calls on me to be respectful where respect is easy, but lets me off the hook when it is difficult, is not worth bothering with. Such a religion will never challenge me to grow or deepen or become more fully human. I reject any religion that does not make me squirm occasionally when I consider my behavior, or that does not call me to grow toward those things that I need to be."

This principle calls us to accept people as they are, to recognize their inherent humanity. It calls us to a profound respect for each individual, in spite of differences of belief or behaviour. An individual challenge: If I live my life based on a belief that my worth and dignity is expressed in my service to others, what happens to my worth and dignity when I am unable to serve? Am I useless? Am I just a burden on others? I have heard people take this position. But here’s the problem. If I were to say that I am of no use once I can no longer serve, then I am also saying anyone who is unable to serve is useless. I reject that, and I believe this principle calls us to reject that.

Principle 2: "justice, equity and compassion in human relations"

Reflections: This principle requires us to ask what do we mean by justice? ...what do we mean by equity? ...what do we mean by compassion? ...and how do we balance these values? Ours is a religion focussed on this life. We do not say how you treat others will earn you a place in heaven - or not. We say that how you treat others, how you live your life in relationship with others matters here and now. It has been said ours is a faith of "deeds not creeds." Harry Meserve, has put out this challenging question: "If you were arrested for being a Unitarian Universalist, would there be enough evidence to convict you?" Robert Fulghum puts it this way: "I do not want your sympathy for the needs of humanity. I want your muscle. I do not want to talk about what you understand about this world. I want to know what you will do about it. I do not want to know what you hope, I want to know what you will work for." These are questions I think it is fair to put to ourselves as a congregation. If we were accused of being a Unitarian Universalist congregation, what evidence would convict us? How is our sympathy for the needs of humanity acted on? In what ways does our understanding of the world, and our hopes for the world become our work in the world?

Principle 3: "acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations"

Reflections: One of the earliest Unitarians in history, sixteenth century preacher Francis David of Transylvania is often quoted as saying "you need not think alike to love alike." Such a simple statement, but timeless in its truth. To say that we accept and encourage one another in our spiritual growth is a wonderful ideal. To live it is a challenge. It stretches us and tests us. Do we in fact accept and encourage those whose theology and world view differs from our own? It has always been, and will always be a struggle. When Humanists were on the cutting edge of Unitarian thought, Unitarian Christians were tested. How far did their acceptance, their "universalism" reach? Well the tension inherent in what has been called "theism vs. humanism" never has fully resolved.

In recent years we have been entering a new challenge. Humanism, having become the new orthodoxy in Unitarianism, finds its ability to accept really challenged by those who bring a strong God centered faith into our midst. Equally, Humanists are challenged by the new wave of so-called pagans and their unfamiliar rituals. How do we worship together when our beliefs are so diverse?

Last week there was a community meeting sponsored by the Kawartha World Issues Centre as a follow up to Sept. 11. The themes that framed the day were "this is the place we find ourselves" and then "where do we go from here?" I attended the workshop focused on faith communities. One of the questions that came up in this workshop attended by Muslims, a variety of Christians from Quaker to Pentecostal, and Unitarian and Buddhist, was "how do we pray together?" Good question. Is there a common language, is there a form suitable to all? The answer we came to was that working together and serving the community is a way of praying. We can come together as people of many faiths and join forces and become friends by sharing in an interfaith project. It seems right in line with the affirmation that this congregation used to say together: "Love is the doctrine of this church, the quest of truth is its sacrament and service is its prayer..." Maybe we cannot always find a common language for worship, maybe our diversity is too great. Maybe in working together and serving the community we do find common ground.

Principle 4: "a free and responsible search for truth and meaning"

Reflections: Many come to our doors precisely because of this principle. They tell me they were raised in traditions which did not encourage them to think for themselves. The questions they raised as children were not acceptable. They tell me they had to leave churches which asked them to affirm beliefs they could not. They may find a comfortable place here where no Truth (truth with a capital T) is handed to them, but where their doubts and also their convictions are honoured. One reading, written nearly 200 years ago, which still guides our approach to religious education puts it this way:

"The great end in religious instruction is not to stamp our minds upon the young, but to stir up their own;
Not to make them see with our eyes, but to look inquiringly and steadily with their own;
Not to give them a definite amount of knowledge, but to inspire a fervent love of truth;
Not to form an outward regularity, but to touch inward springs;
Not to bind them by ineradicable prejudices to our particular sect or peculiar notions,
But to prepare them for impartial, conscientious judging of whatever subjects may be offered to their decision;
Not to burden the memory, but to quicken and strengthen the power of thought;
Not to impose religion upon them in the form of arbitrary rules, but to awaken the conscience, the moral discernment.
In a word, the great end is to awaken the soul, to excite and cherish spiritual life."

[William Ellery Channing, a founder of American Unitarianism]
Principle 5: "the right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large"

As Edward Everett Hale, nineteenth century Unitarian minister, peace activist and chaplain to the United States Senate, said: "I am only one but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something. And because I cannot do everything I will not refuse to do the something that I can do."

Reflections: One of the central questions in religion is the question of authority. Who says what is true and right? Who says how our congregations shall be governed, who shall be called as minister, what form of worship shall be followed? Is it an ecclesiastical body, a hierarchical clergy, or is it a set of scriptures? And if neither, where is the authority for your faith? The Unitarian Universalist approach to religion has always been radically democratic in governance, and has always defended the individual right of conscience. It is because I know I am ultimately responsible for my own actions (that is, I cannot say "the church made me do it") that I do need the church. I need to be in religious community, to learn together, to listen to other voices, to test what I hear from that "still small voice within" against other understandings. I cannot be a Unitarian Universalist on my own, I need the tradition and the community to support me on the journey. And still it isn’t easy. There are times when the democratic process and the individual conscience are in conflict. When I was on the CUC Board, I saw this. A member of the Board knew that through a democratic process, Canadian Unitarians had taken a pro-choice position, and yet his own conscience was opposed to abortion. For him, the principle of respect for the inherent worth and dignity of every person included the fetus.

At the same time he had to respect the position that Canadian Unitarians had taken as a body. So he would not speak on that issue as a Board member, but only as an individual.

Principle 6: "the goal of world community with peace, liberty and justice for all"

Reflections: This principle has roots deep in our history. It has traditionally been our stance to "think globally and act locally." Unitarian leaders were behind the first Parliament of World Religions which met in Chicago in 1893. We were founders of the International Association for Religious Freedom and also the World Conference on Religion and Peace. Our presence at the United Nations through the Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office gives us a global voice on important international issues, such as the International Criminal Court. This orientation of looking outward, with concern for religious freedom and peace, has been just as important to us as the orientation of looking inward for spiritual direction. I do not think I have ever heard a Unitarian Universalist say, "who cares about human rights in Afghanistan ...in Palestine ...in Northern Ireland ...in China ...wherever." We might say we are not sure what actions to take. We do not all agree on whether there is a place for war, or not. But we care about the world community. I think that is agreed.

Principle 7: "respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part"

"Small as is our whole system compared with the infinitude of creation, brief as is our life compared with the cycles of time, we are so tethered to all by the beautiful dependencies of law, that not only the sparrow’s fall is felt to the uttermost bound but the vibrations set in motion by the words that we utter reach through all space and the tremor is felt through all time" said Maria Mitchell, the first American woman astronomer. Reflections: This seventh principle, stated more poetically than the others, has captured our imagination in this age of environmental awareness. Of course it is more than poetic metaphor, it is an essential concept to understanding the world as we know it. We know of the interdependence of plants and animals in the food chain. Interdependence also works at a sub-atomic level, it works at astronomical levels. And the concept of interdependence is important to our understanding of family dynamics, human communities, congregational relationships. It is not just a proposition about the natural world, it is a religious principle that leads inevitably to a deep sense of humility. If we are part of something vastly greater than ourselves, how can we possibly hang onto the arrogance that we are self-made and self-sufficient? The value we have place on individualism and independence has to be challenged and questioned. We are rediscovering an ancient truth.

Rumi, a thirteenth century Persian poet, wrote that "the reality and the truth we seek are not far away. They are not found after death. They are not locked away in the secret incantations and rituals of priests and temples. They are not a gift reserved for the very wise or for the very good. The reality and truth we seek are close by. We are surrounded by a miraculous energy. We are part of it."

This is not a creedal religion that tells you what to believe. It is a religion of principles that challenge you to be the best that you can be. This is not a place where you can believe anything. It is a place to explore and test your beliefs, to enter into the struggle to find common ground and to affirm both the inherent worth of individuals and the interdependent web of all existence.

So may it be.
 

References:

Kenneth Collier, Our Seven Principles in Story and Verse, Skinner House Books, Boston, USA, 1997

Edward Frost, ed. With Purpose and Principle: Essays About the Seven Principles of Unitarian Universalism, Skinner House Books, Boston, USA, 1998

Unitarian Universalist Association, Singing the Living Tradition, Boston, USA, 1993