Our Beliefs
What Does Non-Creedal Mean?
As a member church of the Unitarian Universalist Association, we have no set dogma or theology. That means we do not have any declared statements that you have to believe to be a Unitarian Universalist. A non-creedal faith allows individual Unitarian Universalists the freedom to search for truth on many paths. While our congregations uphold “shared principles” (see below) individual Unitarian Universalists may discern their own beliefs about spiritual, ethical, and theological issues.All are welcome in our walls, regardless of your beliefs, faith, age, gender, sexual preference, or social class. One could say we are a group much more interested in the spiritual journey than the destination, and much more predisposed to practicing than preaching.
As a member church of the Unitarian Universalist Association, we have no set dogma or theology. That means we do not have any declared statements that you have to believe to be a Unitarian Universalist. A non-creedal faith allows individual Unitarian Universalists the freedom to search for truth on many paths. While our congregations uphold “shared principles” (see below) individual Unitarian Universalists may discern their own beliefs about spiritual, ethical, and theological issues.All are welcome in our walls, regardless of your beliefs, faith, age, gender, sexual preference, or social class. One could say we are a group much more interested in the spiritual journey than the destination, and much more predisposed to practicing than preaching.
Mission
The All Souls Unitarian Universalist congregation of Bellville is a community of active, open-minded and welcoming people who celebrate their diversity as they encourage and support each other to fearlessly and passionately search for truth and meaning.
The All Souls Unitarian Universalist congregation of Bellville is a community of active, open-minded and welcoming people who celebrate their diversity as they encourage and support each other to fearlessly and passionately search for truth and meaning.
There are seven principles that Unitarian Universalist congregations affirm and promote:
- The inherent worth and dignity of every person;
- Justice, equity and compassion in human relations;
- Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations;
- A free and responsible search for truth and meaning;
- The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large;
- The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all;
- Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.
Unitarian Universalism draws from many sources:
- Direct experience of that transcending mystery and wonder, affirmed in all cultures, which moves us to a renewal of the spirit and an openness to the forces which create and uphold life;
- Words and deeds of prophetic women and men which challenge us to confront powers and structures of evil with justice, compassion, and the transforming power of love;
- Wisdom from the world’s religions which inspires us in our ethical and spiritual life;
- Jewish and Christian teachings which call us to respond to God’s love by loving our neighbors as ourselves;
- Humanist teachings which counsel us to heed the guidance of reason and the results of science, and warn us against idolatries of the mind and spirit;
- Spiritual teachings of earth-centered traditions that celebrate the sacred circle of life and instruct us to live in harmony with the rhythms of nature.