Wrestling with Covenant in Unitarian Universalism: Building a Congregational Culture of Covenant

Abstract

As the Unitarian Universalist denomination attempts, again, to address its structural racism, a focus on covenant and covenantal theology may build a foundation of trust and mutuality. This focus on covenant must be a full effort to embrace a culture of covenant on the congregational as well as the denominational level. A culture of covenant incorporates theology, polity, relationships, and ritual to integrate covenants into every part of a congregational community. This grounding of covenant in community love, the inherent worth and dignity of all people, and a fierce commitment to justice will support a network of trust to engage in hard conversations while also providing the accountability to address racism and other oppressions.