About the Social Witness Process
While called by various names, the social witness process is the method by which the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) comes to understand and act on the social issues of our times, finally bearing witness through statements adopted as UUA policy by the delegates of a General Assembly. The process has been an integral part of our faith the since the merger between the Unitarians and the Universalists in 1961. This process is congregationally driven and is facilitated by the Commission on Social Witness (CSW).
Congregational Study/Action Issues (CSAIs) are issues selected by Unitarian Universalist member congregations for four years of study, reflection and action. In the third year of this process, delegates at General Assembly (GA) can vote to approve a Statement of Conscience (SOC) resulting from congregational feedback on the CSAI. A fourth year is devoted to implementation.
CSAI to SOC Process Charts
This chart demonstrates the new CSAI to SOC process (PDF), from initial CSAI proposals to adoption of a UUA Statement of Conscience. For those of you who are more visually inclined, there is this graphical version (PDF).
Proposer's Guide
The Proposer's Guide provides updated information on the Congregational Study Action Issue/Statement of Conscience and Action of Immediate Witness (CSAI) proposal process under the By-Laws changes adopted at the 2006 UUA General Assembly.
For more information contact socialwitness @ uua.org.
This work is made possible by the generosity of individual donors and congregations. Please consider making a donation today.
Last updated on Friday, November 18, 2011.
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