Article II Study Commission Final Report and Proposal
The Article II Study Commission has completed its two year study. They submitted their report (PDF 26 pages) to the UUA Board of Trustees at their meeting held on January 20, 2023. The report includes the Study Commission’s recommended revisions to Article II.
Background
Article II of the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) Bylaws, Principles and Purposes, is the foundation for all of the work of our UUA and its member congregations and covenanted communities. It is the covenant to which all of our congregations and covenanted communities pledge themselves when they become members of our UUA.
Our current Principles and Purposes were last revised in 1987. At General Assembly (GA) 2017, there was discussion of amending the Principles to add an 8th Principle, addressing racism, and an amended 1st Principle, addressing non-human life. The 5th Principle was the subject of a report in 2009, which dealt with the ways in which GA and other Unitarian Universalist (UU) gatherings do and don’t embody an inclusive democratic process. The 7th Principle has also been the subject of discussions about possible amendments.
There have been many projects, resolutions, task forces and other strategies that have come from the Board, Commission on Appraisal and grassroots groups which encourage us to take a look at our principles, purposes, bylaws and rules. It is time for us to do a review and make changes so that we are living into the Unitarian Universalism of the future, a Unitarian Universalism that holds us in times of great need and ethical, moral and spiritual crises. We are in one of those times now.
In response to those discussions, the UUA Board committed to establishing this Article II Study Commission to consider possible amendments to this Article.
Resources
UUA Resources:
Information, history, and resources provided by the UUA on Aritcle II can be found here: https://www.uua.org/uuagovernance/committees/article-ii-study-commission
Final Proposed Article II Draft
Why are the bylaws being reviewed? An article from UU World “For the First Time in Forty Years, Unitarian Universalist May Adopt New Bylaws”
What was the Article II Study Commission charged to do?
WSUU Member Contributions:
Article II Summary and Report from WSUU Member, Leilani Davenberry : “This review process of A2 has helped me grow my own theology and has been a gift to me personally and spiritually whether it passes or not.”
Initial reflection from 2023 Alternate Delegate, Kerry Lusignan
From GA Delegate, Cynthia Townsend: “As a GA Delegate I think that it’s important that this letter, (which I, Leilani & Rev. Carter signed) be included with the WSUU Article II resources, because it includes 900 UU’s calling other UU’s back into right relations from the ugly tone of some Article II discussion.”