What is Unitarian Universalism?
Unitarian Universalism is a liberal religion that encompasses many faith traditions. Unitarian Universalists include people who identify as Christians, Jews, Buddhists, Hindus, Pagans, Muslims, Atheists, Agnostics, Humanists, and others. Some do not identify with any group at all and are exploring spirituality.
As there is no official Unitarian Universalist creed, Unitarian Universalists are free to search for truth on many paths.
Although we uphold shared principles, individual Unitarian Universalists have varied beliefs about everything from scripture to rituals to God.
Our Symbol: The Flaming Chalice
A flame within a chalice (a wide-lipped stemmed cup), represents the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) and is a symbol of the Unitarian Universalist (UU) faith.
“At the opening of Unitarian Universalist worship services, many congregations light a flame inside a chalice. This flaming chalice has become a well-known symbol of our denomination. It unites our members in worship and symbolizes the spirit of our work.” -Dan Hotchkiss
The flaming chalice image has changed many times over the past 65 years. There is no single interpretation of today’s flaming chalice symbol. Modern chalice designs often incorporate two overlapping circles which, for many people, represent our Unitarian and Universalist heritages. Other images include additional elements, some of which are merely decorative and others which are very meaningful.
The links below will provide a further exploration of Unitarian Universalism