Article II Background and Next Steps - by Stephanie Kimball, Director of Lifespan Religious Education

A big decision facing congregations that are a part of the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) is whether to support adoption of the proposed changes to Article II of the UUA Bylaws. At the General Assembly last June, delegates voted overwhelmingly in favor of continuing the discussion this year, and next June, delegates will vote on whether to accept the changes. As a Unitarian Universalist who values democratic participation, I hope that members of this congregation will engage by learning about the proposed changes and the reasons behind them, doing the inner work of understanding their own reaction to the changes, sharing views and listening deeply to others’ perspectives, and ultimately making up their own minds about whether the proposed changes express more accurately what Unitarian Universalism needs to be in the second quarter of the twenty-first century.

As one who has participated in many conversations about Article II within and beyond this congregation, I offer this background. Next month I expect to announce opportunities for learning more.

What is Article II?

“Article II” refers to a Bylaw of the Unitarian Universalist Association. This is a legal document required by the state of Massachusetts to include a statement of the purposes for which the UUA’s funds will be spent. The current version of Article II contains our Principles and Sources, which can be found in our hymnal on the pages just before the first hymn. The full text of Article II can be found here. To read the proposed revision and the accepted revisions, please click here.

How the proposed changes came about:

Article II was last revised in 1985. As a living tradition committed to ongoing learning and growth, our UU statements of Principles and Purposes were never intended to be set in stone; in fact, it is written into our Bylaws that Article II would be reviewed every 15 years to ensure it was still reflective of the times. In light of the facts that there have been efforts to revise the 1st, 5th, 7th, principles and to add an 8th one specifically addressing racism, the UUA board called for a commission to study Article II as a whole and propose a revision.

The Article II commission convened in 2020 to study the process, the history of Article II, and other background. In 2021 they began holding listening sessions to learn what values and sources of inspiration were shared by Unitarian Universalists. A process was presented at the 2021 General Assembly, and focus groups were engaged. From the UUA website:

Congregational resources for small group ministry and group discussion were developed and shared in the fall of 2021. Focus groups, individual interviews, and surveys continued through the winter and spring of 2022. Draft language was prepared and shared during General Sessions at the 2022 General Assembly. Focus groups and surveys were used to collect feedback on these drafts.

…Over the course of its work, the Commission engaged in 45 feedback sessions, with 4,611 total participants. Their videos reached 7,765 viewers, and their 29 surveys generated a total of 10,925 responses.

Based on what they heard, the Commission continued to revise their drafts, ultimately submitting their proposal to the board in January, 2023. Proposed revisions were submitted in the spring of 2023, and at an online mini-assembly at the start of the 2023 General Assembly last June. Delegates to the General Assembly then voted overwhelmingly (95%) to continue the conversation for the following year.

We are in the midst of our year of discernment. This is our opportunity to consider how the proposed revision to Article II would affect us as Unitarian Universalists. It’s a time to think deeply about each of the Values as well as the other sections of the Article. In a way, it’s like an opportunity to “try on” this new garment and see how well it fits.

The Commission is currently working on incorporating the wording of the amendments that passed at GA in June. A new version is expected to be released in December or early January.

Next June there will be a final vote at General Assembly: if 65% of the delegates vote in favor, we will adopt the proposal as our new Article II. If the vote fails, no changes to Article II will be considered for the following two years.

You can learn more about the process and timeline here.

What has changed in the new version, and what remains the same?

• Both versions are covenants between/among the member congregations of the UUA. Covenants are statements of how we agree to be with one another. Unitarian Universalism does not have a creed; that is, we do not ask or expect people to believe one set of truths in order to be counted as Unitarian Universalists. Instead, we work together to create covenants that state how we aspire to act.
• In a UUCB workshop last spring, many people compared the old and new versions of Article II side-by-side, and found that most of the words in the current Article II are also found in the proposed version. However, the proposed version names ways in which our shared values call us to action.
• The proposed version takes a clear stance for racial justice both within and beyond our UU organizations. For congregations such as ours that have adopted the 8th principle, this is not a substantive change (though some find it is more clearly worded in the new version). However, the majority of UU congregations have not yet adopted the 8th principle for a variety of reasons – so for the association as a whole, directly addressing racial justice is a significant change.

Why is this important?

The world has changed a great deal since 1985. It is important that we find ways to express our faith that incorporate what we know and understand today, and are relevant to the challenges we face now.

It’s natural to be attached to what is familiar, especially if the words of the current Principles were significant in your decision to identify as a Unitarian Universalist. If you wish to continue to articulate your faith using the language of the Principles, there is absolutely no reason for you not to do so. I doubt that we will be replacing our hymnals any time soon, so the words will continue to be available there. However, it’s also important to restate our values in ways that speak to the new generations of people coming through our doors, and offer tools that will be helpful in building beloved community in the twenty-first century.

There is a trove of additional information about Article II, the revision process, frequently asked questions, and more on the UUA website. I encourage you to read more about it and carefully consider your reactions to it. What do you like about the new version? How does it change your understanding of Unitarian Universalism? What do you find challenging? Are there parts you don’t understand? If you find yourself resisting the new document, where is that resistance coming from? What do you fear losing? Is that fear well-founded, or is it simply a response to change itself?

Whatever your thoughts, I would love to hear from you. I am currently making plans for congregational conversations and opportunities to study the proposed revisions, and your feedback can help shape these plans.

I’m glad to be on this journey with you!

Stephanie

Stephanie Kimball, Director of Lifespan Religious Education