The great mysteries of truth and meaning that life has to offer speak through our own intuitions, experiences, traditions, communities, conflicts and the nature of relationships to us. An important part of the spiritual basis of our faith tradition is the understanding that it is at least an encouragement to seek truth and meaning. Another aspect is that in the spiritual core it is not enough to embark on a free search for meaning. In some faith traditions, such as [[Unitarian Universalism]], this makes sacred the right and responsibility to participate in the free and responsible search for acts of religious piety. As long as we remember to respect the value and dignity of all human beings and to share a commitment to an interdependent network, Unitarian Universalism will be the guiding principle that offers a saving alternative to the dangers of internal division in a fragile world. If, as universalists of unity, we are unable to recognize the ground on which we stand, we effectively remain in articulating the ground that stands between each child and the mystery that unites them and distinguishes the life of one child from the life of another. Unitarians and Universalists believe in the Golden Rule of Charity. And we work for a better world through the search for truth, an open mind and the use of reason to help explore religious ideas while giving each the right to choose his own faith. --- Uniform universalism is a liberal religious faith that values the free and responsible search for truth and meaning, the inherent value and dignity of each human being, justice, equality, compassion, human relationships and respect for the interwoven web of existence we all belong to. Unified universalism draws from many different religions and beliefs, but no religion has the answer to what most can teach us. It is a faith tradition that encourages the individual to develop a personal faith. Unlike many religions in North America, unitarianism and universalism do not require adherents to a particular creed or belief. Uniform universalism proclaims the importance of individual freedom of belief, and includes members from a wide range of faiths. Its members and friends include people who describe themselves as agnostic, atheists, Buddhists, Christians, humanists, wickans and many other religious traditions. Liberalism, individual freedom of interpretation, tolerance for diversity, agreement on methods and approaches to theological and ecclesiastical questions, and belief in the inherent dignity of the human being are strong elements that hold the movement together. The Enlightenment was responsible for softening some of the more serious aspects of Calvinist theology and paving the way for the resurrection of the doctrine of universal salvation. The term Universalist was used for the first time in 1626 to describe those who believe in universal salvation and go to heaven. The Universalists affirm, like the Unitarians, the value and dignity of all human beings as given by faith and an unshakeable conviction which calls for self-respect and respect for others. By virtue of the value and dignity of each person, justice, equality, compassion, human relations, mutual acceptance and the promotion of spiritual growth, our community is free and responsible to seek truth, meaning, the right of conscience and the use of democratic processes for ourselves and society as a whole, with the objective of building a world community of peace, freedom, justice and respect for the interdependent web of existence of which we are all part. We do not carry any Liberal Christian, Liberal Jewish, Buddhists, Buddhists, Humanists, Hindus, Atheists or any other mixture, but are curious and looking for meaningful ways to look at life beyond religious experience. Our spirituality is boundless, whether we are sitting in Zen or Buddhist meditation, hearing the truth in the Christian lectio divina, praying to the spirit of life, or singing around the Winter Solstice. --- A final general observation is that, in my experience, this is not the way many UUs understand the experience of our faith. One way to describe the spirituality and universalism of unity is that it calls us to feel comfortable in uncomfortable places and not to know everything. These principles remind us to treat all people as human beings, not because we are one in one, but because of the systemic implications that govern our entire cultural way of life. The name I have chosen to call it universalism offers a clear epistemology that reconciles the One with the Many. Unified universalists consider this valuable because it tells us something about the humanity of the world and how people can find religious meaning and orientation. A theology of the twenty-first century, based on the concept of the One, offers its followers a broad focus in the light of Unitarianism and the many windows of universalism. Honoring the many different religious approaches, it excludes the truth-telling absolutists. Since the nineteenth century, the universalists have felt closely connected to the Unitarians, as both groups share many views and practices. The universalists of unity offer free pulpits and free pews, the leaders of the services can speak the truth as they know it without censorship, and the recipients of the preaching message can also accept or reject it. The Unitarian-Universal Association declares and affirms that it has a special responsibility to its members, society and organizations to promote the full participation of all persons in their activities and in the full spectrum of human endeavors regardless of race, color, gender, disability, affective or sexual orientation, age or national origin and without violating any particular interpretation of religion or religious belief or belief.