HOPEDALE UNITARIAN PARISH
Our Principles
We affirm and promote:
- The inherent worth and dignity of every person;
- Justice, equity 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.
The living tradition which we share draws from many sources:
- Direct experience of that transcending mystery and wonder,
affirmed in all cultures, which moves us to a renewal of the spirit and an openness to the forces which create and uphold life;
- Words
and deeds of prophetic women and men which challenge us to confront powers and structures of evil with justice, compassion, and the
transforming power of love;
- Wisdom from the world's religions which inspires us in our ethical and spiritual life;
- Jewish and Christian
teachings which call us to respond to God's love by loving our neighbors as ourselves;
- Humanist teachings which counsel us to heed
the guidance of reason and the results of science, and warn us against idolatries of the mind and spirit.
- Spiritual teachings of earth-centered
traditions which celebrate the sacred circle of life and instruct us to live in harmony with the rhythms of nature.
Grateful for the
religious pluralism which enriches and ennobles our faith, we are inspired to deepen our understanding and expand our vision. As free
congregations we enter into this covenant, promising to one another our mutual trust and support.
The History of the Flaming Chalice
Unitarian Universalist Association Pamphlets