Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Greater Naples

Are You New to Unitarian Universalism?

Unitarian Universalism is a non-creedal faith. This means that no one is asked to recite or commit to a statement of belief. Every person is entitled to, and indeed supported in, a free and responsible search for truth and meaning. In other words, we honor one another's spiritual and religious journeying. We honor the free church tradition.

Does that mean we can believe anything we want?

No way! UUs understand that with freedom comes great responsibility. Our beliefs and personal truths come from our experiences and understanding of the world. We pay attention to the scientific world view and engage in critical thinking. Our minister, Katy, puts it this way, "the source of our authority is the evidence of our experience, refined through reason and the free church tradition and tested in community."

If you don't have a creed, how can you all be together?

We agree to walk together in the ways of love and justice which makes us a covenental community. We may disagree on some things but we promise to stick around and work things out. It doesn't matter if you practice Buddhism while I attend Bible studies or if I have a personal savior and you believe there is no god because we are working together to create a fair world for everyone. Our community isn't focused on beliefs but on values, justice and living a responsible life in this world.

Is is true that UUism is a new religion?

Yes and no. The roots of our tradition come out of the very first stirrings of ancient Judaism and Christianity. The ideas of inherent worth, the capacity of human goodness, salvation for every human and the fight against systems of oppression were all new and revolutionary ideas. UUism is called the living tradition because it has grown, changed and responded to the world culture and society around it. The protestant reformation, the transcendentalist movement, and other major cultural shifts have contributed to the faith we practice today. And it continues to grow and respond...

There are lots of ways to find out more:

Take a UU 101 class from Katy.
Check out www.uua.org.
Join a Fellowship Circle or talk with other families.
Our Resource library has many books available to borrow.
Watch "Voices of a Liberal Faith."