I appreciate the ongoing work and thought you (@KaraStebbins) are putting into your excellent amendment. However, I feel the list of value words in the last paragraph may detract from the impact of the Principles listed above that paragraph. My preference would be omit the final paragraph and let the principles shine on their own.
Frankly, I’m not sure what to do with the concept of Values. The six values listed in the proposed revision are wobbly. “Transformation” seems almost weaponized to make people feel guilty for not supporting the revisions. “Justice” offers three separate concepts in three sentences that don’t blend (diversity, dismantle oppression, democracy (democracy is what allowed our systems of racism to exist in the first place)).
I would love to see these Principles as C-2.2, and let the amendment process leading to the voting at GA manage the Values section, bumping it and subsequent sections to C-2.3 to C-2.6.
See what you think of a slightly different approach. I’m sure it needs some more wordsmithing (or perhaps I should just go back to the original post!?)
Section C-2.2. Principles, Covenants, and Values. Unitarian Universalists articulate and re-articulate our principles and covenants as part of our living tradition. The process helps us identify and express the values that we share in common. It also builds the mutual respect, trust and support that helps us live our values. Our currently articulated principles and covenants are:
We acknowledge our place in the interdependent web of existence, with humility and efforts toward harmony.
We recognize the inherent worth and dignity of every person and celebrate the diversity and uniqueness of all life;
We accept and encourage one another in free and responsible searching for truth, meaning, spiritual growth, and loving actions;
We support the right of conscience and the use of inclusive democratic processes within our congregations and in society at large;
We practice justice, equity, and compassion in all our relationships;
We work to be aware of and learn how to dismantle systemic oppressions, including racism, in ourselves and our institutions;
We give generously of our attention, time, talents and resources, as we adapt with the changing world.
We build beloved diverse communities, with the goal of world community with peace, freedom and justice for all.
I hesitate to get too much into wordsmithing at this point, realizing the Commission will be doing lots of wordsmithing in the six months after the GA vote takes place. My thought is to return to your original amendment section titled “Section C-2.2. Principles and Covenants,” avoiding “Values” which will no doubt be addressed in other proposed amendments. (I would love to remove the proposed Values and the flower graphic, but am focusing my energy to retain the 7 Principles + the 8th).
Your original section lead-in (“Section C-2.2. Principles and Covenants. We, the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association, articulate these Principles, and promise our mutual respect, trust, and support as we enter into and live these Covenants”) resonates with me, but you should stick with what resonates with you.
Kara, I like your original suggestion very much. Although it could certainly use some wordsmithing (I see several replies along those lines), and it may be too much to submit as a single amendment to GA (but why not try?), I hope that something like your amendment can become the new Article II to be brought for a final vote next year. If it isn’t a possibility to bring your amendment to this year’s GA, I hope this year’s GA can decide to take a pause on the Article II revision process so a revision like you propose can be accomplished.
Very interesting proposal, Kara. I have offered a revision of the Principles and Sources also, in #269. Maybe some of my ideas would be useful here.
Section C-2.2. Principles
We, the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association, covenant to affirm and promote, among ourselves and in the wider world:
-Reverence for the earth, its natural processes, and all the interdependent life it supports;
-Respect for the humanity and dignity of every person;
-Practices of justice, compassion, cooperation, care, and peace in human relations;
-Generosity in sharing material abundance;
-The right of every person to engage in a free and responsible search for truth and meaning;
-Free speech and tolerance for diverse viewpoints held in good faith and good will;
-Self-governance by open democratic process;
-Humility before human limitations, and awe before abiding mysteries.
The living tradition that we share draws from many sources:
-Direct
experience of that transcending mystery and wonder, affirmed in all
cultures, that renews the spirit and fills us with a sense of oneness
with the forces that create and uphold life;
-Words and deeds
of visionary people that inspire us to confront injustice and cruelty
with justice, compassion and the transforming power of love;
-Wisdom from the world’s religions that offer examples of ethical and spiritual practice;
-Humanist
teachings that counsel us to heed the guidance of reason and the
findings of science and warn us against unexamined assumptions;
-Spiritual
teachings of Indigenous earth-centered traditions that center the
sacred circle of life and living in harmony with nature;
-Philosophical writings on social relations and governance that help us imagine how to create the beloved community;
-Art of all kinds that enlarges our spirits through the experience of beauty.
Grateful for the wisdom of our forebears, and mindful of our responsibility to those who will come after us, as free congregations we enter into this covenant, promising to one another our mutual trust and support.
I love the lead with a strong action verb for each statement! I also like how you have incorporated some of the new language along with the concepts we already had; great work!
Regarding your second to last bullet point,
We give generously of our attention, time, talents and resources, as we adapt with the changing world.
We had a great discussion about the “Transformation” value in the Zoom session – and I think it’s sensible to pair the “generosity” language with growth/change, but I think the connection there could be more clear. Here were some of the points from that group: we want to embody both personal and interpersonal transformation, we want to grow both “spiritually” and “ethically” (which is also more inclusive for non-spiritual people), we want to include acceptance of one another, and we want to acknowledge our active participation in societal transformation. You can see @uurockrev’s great wording in this thread: #448 | LeRae Niell | Change “Transformation” to “Growth”
I know there’s already plenty on the table, but here’s one more wording to consider. Please feel free to take any language you like:
(we) Respect the inherent worth of every being, and uphold our common right to respect, love, and dignity
(We) Explore the spiritual and religious possibilities in a free and open search for personal truth and meaning, and embrace the diversity of cultures, experiences, and theologies
(We) Build a beloved community of peace, liberty, and freedom from oppression by employing democracy, accessible and inclusive to all peoples, and give generously in loving cooperation
(We) Respect the interdependent web of all existence, heal our ties to the great tree of life, and honor the natural world
(We) Promote peace and justice for all peoples, empathy and compassion for all persons, and affirm the diversity of the human experience
(We) Grow ethically and spiritually through acceptance of one another, an openness and encouragement to change, and respond with love to a changing world, never complete and never perfect.
l like your approach, Alec! It sounds more poetic than mine, which I know is something that the UUA is looking for.
My main goal was to make as few changes as I could to the current Principles while still meeting the UUA Charge. My reasoning is that it would please the people who want no change, then help them see exactly what changes seem essential to the UUA - and maybe accept them.
There are so many different ways to express what is important to us. It’s hard to know which way will appeal to enough people to get it passed!
Will you be submitting your version?
I haven’t decided whether I will revise mine or submit it as-is - or maybe not submit anything. Here’s the current version I might submit, adding a few of your words to the interdependence principle:
Section C-2.2. Principles and Covenants. We, the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association, articulate these Principles, and promise our mutual respect, trust, and support as we enter into and live these Covenants:
We acknowledge our place in the interdependent web of existence, with honor and humility, and efforts toward harmony and healing.
We recognize the inherent worth and dignity of every person and celebrate the diversity and uniqueness of all life;
We accept and encourage one another in free and responsible searching for truth, meaning, spiritual growth, and loving actions;
We support the right of conscience and the use of inclusive democratic processes within our congregations and in society at large;
We practice justice, equity, and compassion in all our relationships;
We work to be aware of and learn how to dismantle systemic oppressions, including racism, in ourselves and our institutions;
We give generously of our attention, time, talents and resources, as we adapt with the changing world.
We build beloved diverse communities, with the goal of world community with peace, freedom and justice for all.
I respect the suggested modifications to the principles that Alec has summarized, but worry they drift away from the 7 Principles in ways that may not be as acceptable to the Assembly as Kara’s proposal.
I agree with Kara’s thinking: “My main goal was to make as few changes as I could to the current Principles while still meeting the UUA Charge. My reasoning is that it would please the people who want no change, then help them see exactly what changes seem essential to the UUA - and maybe accept them.”
Examples for why I prefer Kara’s list are I prefer “every person” to “all beings” because a “being” is too ethereal to require worth and dignity, and the inclusion of Tree of Life doesn’t really belong in this list since it has Biblical and other mythological meanings that UUs have not defined (to my knowledge).
@klsteb2 Kara. I support your amendment and hope you will submit it for consideration. As one other poster suggested, I encourage you to submit a version that resonates with you. I trust your reasoning and instincts on this, and debating and voting on an amendment like this would help clarify the will of the assembly.
I like this better than I first expected to, since I’m a pretty big fan of the current draft. I was disappointed you omitted prophetic because it’s “religious” though. I think this aversion to “religious” words is one of the things holding us back as a religion. It’s a lowest common denominator approach that denies us the use of some powerful words that are part of our historic tradition.
Anyway, I’m kind of sorry you aren’t pursuing this one.
I actually discussed with a fellow congregant whether the “prophetic voices” could be included also in the secular part of the sources, and I think reference to this kind of leadership would be appropriate in a longer version draft. (Also, I agree we should not try to expunge any religious language, since some of us are believers, but I think people are also wary of language that has been misused, and “prophetic” may be one of those words.)
Remember, any congregation’s amendment can be presented by any delegate who takes it back to their congregation for discussion and approval–it doesn’t have to the originator. In the case of Amendments #147 and #460, these actually now have a history with two separate congregations.
A previous (and the original) draft was submitted as feedback by me during the last feedback session. It also incorporated verbatim an “Arts” Source proposed by Rev. Rick Davis (I since changed one word in that language–from “feelings” to “emotions”). Both @Janet and I presented that earlier incarnation to our congregations for discussion and arrived at the wording for #147 and #460. Those amendments are now being further discussed in a group started during the Inspirations/Sources workshop, and I hope they will succeed in being melded into one amendment that a delegate from either congregation could present.
@Janet , to be clear, the suggestion was not the word “prophetic” associated with secular sources, but the observation that the “prophetic voices” in the spiritual section of sources includes important leaders (as well as direct, individual experience and religions generally), and there was nothing comparable in the secular source section. Maybe would be something more like “trailblazers” or “pathfinders”? But again, this is probably easier to work into a longer form proposal, but we could certainly do a quick check-in with the group(s) that are workshopping this amendment. My original draft eliminated the “prophets” as I decided they were included in religious faiths and traditions, but some people miss this element.
Kara - Your lovely #486 has been parsed into its separate sections in the comments. I see both C-2-2 (Principles and Values) and C-2-3 (Inspirations) in particular have been discussed. Do you mean that no parts of your amendment will be submitted? I’m very much interested in your C-2-2.
Kara - Since you won’t be submitting any part of your #486 amendment, I am interested in submitting your Principles section to the Delegate Platform (maybe with a few minor tweaks after I review it). Is that OK with you? I don’t want to appropriate your work without permission.
