This reminds me of the Jewish lessons about when the main Temple was destroyed. Many thought the faith was done, gone, finished because the Temple was gone. They were reminded that the Temple was just a thing and that they their bodies, minds, souls, actions were the living Temple of faith and they needed to continue.
Having participated actively in the process leading to adoption in 1985 of the Seven Principles, I'm aware that that statement was a big change from the prior one. But an even bigger change happened afterward: the idea that "our faith" is stored in the UUA bylaws! Before 1985, hardly anyone could have quoted the UUA bylaw principles. Instead they would have quoted a variety of local or unofficial affirmations of faith. I expect the new statement to be adopted this summer, and I do not expect it to be as influential or popular as the 1984 statement. I'm okay with that! We can continue to use the Seven Principles or create new ways of saying what we are about.
We like to say we are non-creedal, but there is a name for a faith statement authorized by institutaional adoption: Such a statement is a creed.
This reminds me of the Jewish lessons about when the main Temple was destroyed. Many thought the faith was done, gone, finished because the Temple was gone. They were reminded that the Temple was just a thing and that they their bodies, minds, souls, actions were the living Temple of faith and they needed to continue.
Having participated actively in the process leading to adoption in 1985 of the Seven Principles, I'm aware that that statement was a big change from the prior one. But an even bigger change happened afterward: the idea that "our faith" is stored in the UUA bylaws! Before 1985, hardly anyone could have quoted the UUA bylaw principles. Instead they would have quoted a variety of local or unofficial affirmations of faith. I expect the new statement to be adopted this summer, and I do not expect it to be as influential or popular as the 1984 statement. I'm okay with that! We can continue to use the Seven Principles or create new ways of saying what we are about.
We like to say we are non-creedal, but there is a name for a faith statement authorized by institutaional adoption: Such a statement is a creed.