Talk:Unitarian Universalism/Politics

Political Action and Unitarian Universalism

A high proportion of Unitarian Universalists tend to be politically active in social justice movements, most notably civil rights, gay rights including civil marriage, and feminism. This tradition of activism is found in the histories of both Unitarians and Universalists, as well as the current Unitarian Universalist Association.

For instance, Universalists and Unitarians were very active in abolition, women's rights and women's sufferage. Samuel May and Theodore Parker, both Unitarian clergymen, were prominent in the abolitionist movement. Olympia Brown, a Universalist, was the first woman to achieve full standing with a denomination in the United States as an ordained minister. She went on to work tirelessly for women's sufferage. Susan B. Anthony, a Unitarian who was raised as a Quaker, was a highly influential and effective figure in the sufferage movement as well.

In more recent history, many Unitarian Universalists were (and still are) active in the civil rights movement. Most notably, James J. Reeb, a minister at All Souls Church, Unitarian in Washington, D.C. and a member of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, was clubbed in Selma, Alabama on March 8, 1965, and died two days later of massive head trauma. He and approximately 20% of UU ministers marched with Martin Luther King Jr. in the three marches from Selma, Alabama, to Montgomery. The Selma to Montgomery marches for voting rights are best known as Bloody Sunday, although technically that refers only to September 7, the most violent day of the three.

The current President of the Unitarian Universalist Association, Rev. William Sinkford, is African-American, making Unitarian Universalism the first traditionally white religion to be headed by an ethnic minority.

While there is no demand on individual Unitarian Universalists, beyond their own examined conscience, to support any political position, many will quote the saying "deeds not creeds" as the fundamental reason for so many Unitarian Universalists being politically active. A Universalist, Lewis Beals Fisher once said, "Universalists are often asked to tell where they stand. The only true answer to give to this question is that we do not stand at all; we move."

The Unitarian Universalist Principles, quoted above, affirm a covenant (agreement) for how to relate to one another and the wider world, rather than what to believe about any specific issue. With one of the principles explicitly stating "a goal of world community with peace, liberty and justice for all" and another upholding "the right of conscience and the use of the democratic process in our congregations and society at large" it is perhaps easy to connect the dots between Unitarian Universalist spirituality and the high proportion of Unitarian Universalist who are poltically active.

There are Unitarian Universalists who oppose the death penalty and participate in political movements to end it in the United States and abroad. Other UUs are dedicated to causes for environmental protection, peace work, feminism and gender equity, free speech, safe and legal abortion access, family planning, comprehensive and appropriate sexuality education for all ages, animal rights, freedom from mandatory school prayer, interfaith coalitions for greater understanding and cooperation, worker and labor rights, anti-racism education, housing for the homeless, affordable housing for all, domestic violence shelters for families and legal advocacy for victims, BGLTQ (bisexual, gay, lesbian, transgender, transsexual, queer, and questioning) civil rights, and the list goes on.

It is not unusual to find Unitarian Universalists who are involved with a variety of the causes mentioned by finacially supporting some organizations while actively leading or participating in others. Other forms of advocacy include lobbying decision makers through letters, email, phone calls and personal visits and providing educational forums from small groups to large community gatherings.

Collectively, Unitarian Universalist congregations have undertaken a series of organizational and practical steps to be acknowledged as a "Welcoming Congregation", a congregation which has taken specific steps to welcome and integrate BGLTQ members. Gays and lesbians are regularly ordained as UU ministers, and religious services are performed recognizing committed same-sex relationships.

Many congregations are also heavily involved in projects and efforts aimed at supporting environmental causes and sustainability. These are often termed "seventh principle" activities because of the seventh principle quoted above.

A comprehensive discussion of Unitarian Universalism can be found in the book Challenge of a Liberal Faith by George N. Marshall (ISBN 0933840314).