Third Principle of Unitarian Universalism

Acceptance of One Another and Encouragement to Spiritual Growth in Our Congregations

Reflection on the Third Principle

“Spiritual growth isn’t about a vertical ascent to heaven but about growth in every dimension at once. It’s spirituality in 3-D. Growth in spirit doesn’t measure one’s proximity to a God above, but rather the spaciousness of one’s own soul—its volume, its capacity, its size.

“We need souls that can take in the world in all its complexity and diversity, yet still maintain our integrity. And we need souls that can love and be in relationship with all of this complexity. Instead of fight or flight, we need a spiritual posture of embrace.”

—Rev. Rob Hardies, All Souls Church Unitarian, Washington, DC (read more from Rob in The Seven Principles in Word and Worship, ed. Ellen Brandenburg.

The Seven Priciples of Universal Unitarianism

  1. First Principle

  2. Second Principle

  3. Third Principle

  4. Fourth Principle

  5. Fifth Principle

  6. Sixth Principle

  7. Seventh Principle