Unitarian Universalists share an ethical covenant to abide by seven core principles. The Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) has proposed adding the 8th Principle. We at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Atlanta (UUCA)—along with all other member congregations—have been called to explore adopting this principle for our community here in Atlanta and for our denomination. The 8th Principle Awareness Committee supports the work of discernment within our congregation.

The short version is that many congregations who have worked to follow the 7 principles of Unitarian Universalism have nonetheless struggled to build deeply multicultural and inclusive communities. UUs in other congregations have found that adopting the 8th Principle has helped to center anti-racism in our covenant, keeping us accountable to this work.

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The 8th Principle Awareness Committee has been charged by the UUCA Board to support our community in learning more and engaging in a discernment process to determine whether we are ready to take the step to commit to adding this principle to our covenant. To this end, we already know we are going to:

• • Commit to working individually as members and friends of UUCA to review the 8th Principle and consider adopting it
  • Hold a kickoff event as a congregation where we learn more about the origin and the purposes of this principle
  • Keep UUCA apprised about efforts within the congregation to learn more about the 8th Principle and its implications for our work
  • Engage in a UUCA Common Read program about the work of building Beloved Community and how the 8th Principle might affect this
  • Share experiences and knowledge building in an Adult Religious Exploration Class
  • More to come!