Published on Wed Jul 29 2026 06:00:00 GMT+0600 (Omsk Standard Time) by 8th Principle UU

For many Unitarian Universalists, the call to adopt an 8th Principle has felt like a long, slow crescendo. But in recent years, a series of painful revelations and national events have turned that crescendo into a clarion call. The question is no longer "Why should we name racism and white supremacy in our covenant?" but rather "Why has it taken us so long—and what will we do now?"

The Catalyst: A Crisis of Accountability

In 2017, the Unitarian Universalist Association faced a profound institutional crisis. The hiring practices of the UUA came under intense scrutiny when it became clear that highly qualified candidates of color, particularly Latinx candidates, had been passed over in favor of white candidates for senior leadership positions. The controversy was not an isolated incident but a symptom of deeper, systemic patterns that had long been ignored. The resulting resignation of the UUA President sent shockwaves through the denomination, forcing a reckoning with the ways in which UU institutions had failed to live up to their professed values.

This crisis was not a surprise to those who had been watching the slow erosion of anti-racism work within the UUA. For years, many had warned that the lack of structural accountability would lead to exactly this kind of failure. The resignations were a painful but necessary wake-up call, and they galvanized a renewed push for a clear, unequivocal commitment to dismantling white supremacy culture within the faith.

A Broken Promise: The 1997 Commitment and Its Decline

The roots of this crisis stretch back more than two decades. In 1997, the Unitarian Universalist Association made a historic commitment at its General Assembly to become an intentionally anti-racist, anti-oppressive, multicultural institution. This was not a vague aspiration but a concrete pledge, backed by significant resources and a comprehensive strategy. Programs like the Journey Toward Wholeness, the Jubilee Anti-Racism Training workshops, and multicultural consulting services were launched with real funding and institutional support. For a few years, genuine progress was made.

However, by the early 2000s, that momentum began to stall. Funding for anti-racism work was quietly cut, training programs were scaled back, and the focus shifted away from deep structural change toward more superficial diversity initiatives. The promise of 1997 was never fully rescinded, but it was allowed to wither on the vine. The recent hiring crisis, then, was not an anomaly—it was the predictable result of years of declining support and lost focus.

Black UU Voices Lead the Call

In the aftermath of the hiring crisis, Black Lives of Unitarian Universalism (BLUU) and Diverse Revolutionary UU Ministries (DRUUMM) stepped forward with a clear demand. They endorsed the 8th Principle, which calls on UUs to "accountably dismantle racism and other oppressions in ourselves and our institutions." BLUU, in particular, has been unequivocal: the UUA made a promise in 1997, and that promise has not been kept. The 8th Principle is not a new idea; it is a tool to hold the denomination accountable to its own stated commitments.

"We are disappointed that the 8th Principle has not already been supported and midwifed by UUA leadership. The UUA voted in 1997 to commit to becoming an anti-racist, anti-oppressive, multicultural institution. It is time to live that commitment." — Black Lives of Unitarian Universalism

Allies for Racial Equity (ARE), the UU white ally group, has joined BLUU in this endorsement. The White Supremacy Teach-In held on April 30th and May 7th included BLUU's endorsement as a central resource, signaling a broad coalition of UUs who recognize the urgency of this moment. The message is clear: the leadership of Black UUs and UUs of color must be centered in this work, and white UUs must follow.

From Shallow Diversity to Deep Transformation

In the last decade, much of the UUA's funding and focus shifted away from structural change and toward what might be called "shallow diversity." This approach emphasizes representation—getting more people of color in the room—without addressing the underlying culture that makes those rooms unwelcoming or even hostile. Shallow diversity can feel good: it allows institutions to point to numbers and declare progress. But it does not dismantle white supremacy culture; it often simply asks people of color to assimilate into existing white norms.

The 8th Principle calls for something deeper: a transformation of our institutions and ourselves. It asks not merely for inclusion but for accountability—for a willingness to examine and change the exclusive practices, unspoken assumptions, and power imbalances that have kept Unitarian Universalism a predominantly white faith. The support UUs have shown for the Movement for Black Lives is encouraging, but true solidarity requires more than attending a rally. It requires purging our own institutions of the culture of whiteness and white supremacy.

The National Context: A Backlash Against Racial Justice

This internal crisis is unfolding against a backdrop of a broader national backlash. The New Jim Crow—mass incarceration and a criminal justice system that disproportionately targets and punishes people of color—has replaced older systems of slavery and Jim Crow laws. Police violence against people of color continues unabated. Recent Supreme Court decisions have gutted the Voting Rights Act and weakened affirmative action, rolling back decades of hard-won progress.

Perhaps most alarmingly, the election of Donald Trump brought into the highest levels of government individuals with open ties to white supremacist ideologies, including Attorney General Jeff Sessions. The country is moving quickly and dangerously in the wrong direction. In such a moment, Unitarian Universalists cannot afford to be complacent. We are called to take strong leadership in reversing these trends, and that leadership must begin with our own house.

Why This Principle, Why This Denomination?

Some may ask: why single out racism? Is it not enough to name all oppressions? The answer is that racism is not just one oppression among many; it is a foundational structure in American society that intersects with and amplifies all others. You can read more about Why Single Out Racism? to understand the reasoning behind this focus. And some may wonder why the UUA specifically—why should our small faith take on this work? The answer lies in our history, our values, and our unique potential. Learn more at Why the UUA (USA)?.

The 8th Principle is not a panacea. It will not, by itself, undo centuries of harm. But it is a necessary step: a public, accountable commitment that changes the ground of our covenant. It makes explicit what has too long been implicit: that we will not be a faith that tolerates white supremacy in any form, and that we will hold ourselves and our institutions accountable to that promise.

The Time Is Now

The confluence of internal crisis and external backlash makes this moment a kairos—a critical time of opportunity. The UUA has a choice: to repeat the cycle of good intentions followed by neglect, or to finally live up to its 1997 commitment. The 8th Principle offers a path forward, a way to embed accountability into the very fabric of our faith.

Adopting the 8th Principle is not the end of the work; it is the beginning. It is a promise to do the hard, ongoing labor of dismantling racism and other oppressions in ourselves and our institutions. The question is no longer "Why now?" but "If not now, when?" The answer, spoken by BLUU, DRUUMM, ARE, and countless UUs across the country, is clear: the time is now.

Written by 8th Principle UU