Unitarian Universalist Association

www.uua.org 

Basic Facts
The Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) represents the interests of more than 1,000 Unitarian Universalist congregations, on a continental scale. UUA provides resources and offers consultations to local congregations, creates religious education curricula, spurs social action efforts, expedites the settlement of professional religious leaders, supports Beacon Press, and produces pamphlets, devotional material, and the bimonthly journal, UU World.

Basic Beliefs
The Unitarian Universalist Association believes in the affirmation and promotion of:
· 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;
· 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.

UUA draws from many sources to create a living tradition. Grateful for the religious pluralism that enriches and ennobles faith, they are inspired to deepen understanding and expand vision. As free congregations UUA promises to one another mutual trust and support. 

Basic History
Unitarianism and Universalism have their roots in Judeo-Christianity, but both beliefs were declared heretical by early church councils. During the Reformation, these two strands of religious thought reappeared and spread through Europe and, eventually, to America. The Universalist Church of America was founded in 1793, and the American Unitarian Association was founded in 1825. Today’s Unitarian Universalist Association was formed in 1961 by a consolidation of these two earlier organizations.

Though never large in numbers, Universalists and Unitarians have contributed significantly to American culture. Six American presidents were Unitarians or Universalists: Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, John Quincy Adams, Millard Fillmore, Chester Arthur, and William Howard Taft. Other members include American poet and essayist Ralph Waldo Emerson; author Henry David Thoreau; Clara Barton (founder of the American Red Cross), suffragist Susan B. Anthony; architect Frank Lloyd Wright; and civil rights leader Whitney Young.

The history of Unitarian Universalism has been marked by an increasing openness to theological diversity, and today it is a non-creedal faith community that supports its members in a wide variety of theological perspectives. The Transcendentalist movement of the 19th Century and the Humanist movement of the 20th Century were both spearheaded by Unitarians. Universalists were the first denomination in the United States to ordain a woman (in 1863), and today more than 50% of the UUA’s active ministers are female. In 2001, the UUA became the first historically White denomination to elect an African-American as its leader: the Rev. William G. Sinkford.  To read a more detailed history, click here.


Leadership
President and CEO—Rev. William G. Sinkford
Executive Vice President—Kay Montgomery

Location
Unitarian Universalist Association
25 Beacon Street
Boston, MA 02108
Phone 617-742-2100
Fax 617-367-3237