“We, the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association, covenant to affirm and promote: journeying toward spiritual wholeness by working to build a diverse multicultural Beloved Community by our actions that accountably dismantle racism and other oppressions in ourselves and our institutions.”

The need for an 8th Principle was introduced by UU leader Paula Cole Jones, who observed  that congregations can believe they are following the 7 Principles without paying much attention to racism and other oppressions at the systemic level. She concluded that an 8th Principle, focused on anti-oppression, was needed to correct this. Paula and Bruce Pollack-Johnson, with input from other UU anti-racist activists, established the language for the principle. Bruce’s congregation, the UU Church of Restoration in Philadelphia, adopted the 8th Principle in May of 2017 and recommended that the UUA adopt it.

This week the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist 8th Principle Task Force has organized the worship service around the call to adopt an 8th principle of Unitarian Universalism, which seeks to name explicitly a commitment to building Beloved Community by dismantling racism and other oppressions. There will be an opportunity to discuss the 8th Principle during coffee hour and we look forward to all feedback and conversation following the service. Speakers-The 8th Principle Task Force

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