Article II Study Commission

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Article II Background

As the formative mission and purpose statement for the UUA, Article II came into being in 1961, with the consolidation of the Unitarian and Universalist denominations. The original Bylaws process brought together two separate churches that were similar in values but different in beliefs and practices which had to reached by consensus.

The next major change to Article II happened in 1984, arising initially from the feminist movement in Unitarian Universalism and the desire to incorporate the new wisdom found in the 23 years since 1961. The original six principles in Article II were changed to seven and some of the principles were refined into sources and the purposes.  Over the next 36 years, some additional Article II changes were made: the addition of a source and revisions of language to be more inclusive.  In recent years, people have called for other changes to some of the principles and sources, as well as a grassroots movement to add an 8th principle to address racial equity issues. In 2020, the UUA Board created the current Article II Study Commission. The charge to this Commission read, in part:

We therefore charge this commission to root its work in Love as a principal guide in its work; attending particularly to the ways that we (and our root traditions) have understood and articulated Love, and how we have acted out of Love.

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The Commission is charged with reviewing all sections of Article II, and is free to revise, replace, or restructure them as needed to meet the objectives stated above. There is nothing sacred about the number of principles or sources, nor their specific wordings, nor in the way that Article II is laid out. We encourage creativity.

The Commission consulted with numerous groups listed in this charge, as well as over 2,000 other UUs in various meetings, gatherings, and surveys.  The Article II Study Commission has spent time over the past two years in discernment and writing, soliciting feedback on their work, and then developing a proposed draft to recommend for study within UUA congregations.

The 2023 Review Process

The Study Commission has continued to solicit feedback on the proposed draft of the Article II Covenant in order to produce a final recommendation for the Board in January of this year.  The Board may recommend edits before the proposed language is included in the agenda for the June 2023 GA meeting in Pittsburgh.  Prior to GA, there will be mini-assemblies to propose and consider amendments which will be voted on by the GA delegates at these mini-assemblies. (Congregations are encouraged to select and credential their delegates before the mini-assemblies happen.)   At GA 2023, the amendments will be voted on by the delegates, and then the final proposed language will be approved or rejected by a majority vote.  If it’s approved, the UUA will enter into a year of contemplation and experimentation with the new Article II.  At GA 2024, it must be approved by a 2/3 majority before it is included in the Bylaws.

Resources for Study: