#390 | Tim Beardsley | "Free and responsible"

Submission 390
Tim Beardsley
RRUUC Bethesda, Maryland

What is your suggestion or idea?

Under ““pluralism,”” ““We covenant to learn from one another in our free and responsible search for
truth and meaning”” seems an odd place to put the ““free and responsible search for truth and meaning.””

I suggest we end that sentence with ““from one another.”” I suggest that ““free and responsible…”” will work better under ““Transformation”” . We could say there ““We covenant to collectively transform and grow spiritually and ethically through a free and responsible search for truth and meaning.””

What is the reason for your amendment idea?

Article II should be presented as an easy-to-follow sequence of ideas that has a consistent flow. The current position of ““free and responsible search for truth and meaning”” is jarring because it is a passing reference, made apparently artbitrarily while mentioning the value of learning from each other. Our free and responsible search for truth and meaning should be clearly presented as a foundational effort, not mentioned in passing under a reference to learning from each other. We can pursue our free and responsible seach for truth and meaning in other ways besides through learning from each other.

Have you discussed this idea with your congregation or other UUs?

Have not discussed this idea with anyone.

1 Like

In five workshops held in my congregation, this was a recurring theme. We support making “free and responsible search for truth and meaning” more prominent, perhaps with a Value of its own. It is a distinguishing characteristic of Unitarian Universalism.

I would support this amendment.