What do Unitarian Universalists believe? The UU philosophy doesn't lend itself to easy answers to this question, and there are a variety of reading materials in the parlor of the Fellowship Hall that will provide you with comprehensive answers. Here, however, is a brief summary of our background and beliefs. For more details, see Marta Flanagan's "We are Unitarian Universalists," at www.uua.org. Unitarian Universalism is a progressive religion born of the Jewish and Christian traditions and today honors a range of religious and spiritual traditions from around the world. We believe that personal experiences, conscience and reason should be the final authorities in religion.

We uphold the free search for truth. We will not be bound by a statement of belief. We do not ask anyone to subscribe to a creed. We say ours is a non-creedal religion, a free faith.

We say that religious wisdom is ever changing.

We affirm the worth of all women and men. We believe people should be encouraged to think for themselves. We know people differ in their opinions and lifestyles and believe these differences generally should be honored.

We seek to act as a moral force in the world, believing that ethical living is the supreme witness of religion.

While the members of the Unitarian Universalist Association hold many beliefs, there are Seven Principles which are common to all societies within the association. Thus, UUA affirms and promotes:

•  The inherent dignity and worth of every person
•  Justice, equality, 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