This statement was adopted by the 2011 General Assembly after a four-year study and action process. Note: Paragraph numbering has been added to the original document for ease of use. 1. Aware of our interdependence, we acknowledge that eating ethically requires us to be mindful of the miracle of...

Immanuel Kant, a key figure in the field of philosophy, was born in what is now Germany. He grew up in a Lutheran household, part of a family that particularly emphasized piety and vigorous religious devotion. At the age of 16, he enrolled at the University of Konigsberg, and went on to spend his...

Activity time: 20 minutes Description of Activity Use this activity as an extension of Activity 4, Kant's Moral Law. Introduce the activity with these or similar words: Believing that moral rules need to be universally applicable, Kant arrived at some interesting conclusions about the nature of...

Activity time: 20 minutes Materials for Activity Newsprint, markers, and tape Description of Activity Invite participants to brainstorm a list of Unitarian Universalist moral/ethical statements....

Activity time: 15 minutes Materials for Activity Drawing paper Crayons, markers, and/or color pencils Preparation for Activity Prepare the meeting room so that participants have adequate table space for drawing, alone and in pairs. Set out materials where all can reach them....

Activity time: 25 minutes Materials for Activity Journals or notebooks, one for each participant Variety of writing and drawing materials, such as pens, pencils, fine point color markers, and color pencils Newsprint, markers, and tape Preparation for Activity Write on newsprint, and post: Recall ...

Activity time: 10 minutes Description of Activity Share this question: If you steal one paper clip, is it okay for everyone else on the planet to also steal a paper clip-leading within the space of one day to six billion stolen paper clips?...

Activity time: 2 minutes Materials for Activity Worship table or designated space Chalice, candle, and lighter, or LED/battery-operated candle Singing the Living Tradition, the Unitarian Universalist hymnbook Preparation for Activity Arrange the worship table or designated space. Description of...

Materials for Activity Sign-in sheet and pen or pencil Pocket folder, pen/pencil, and paper for each participant Name tags, single-use or durable Newsprint, markers, and tape Optional: Refreshments Preparation for Activity Using the Workshop-at-a-Glance as a guide, create and post the agenda on...

Remarks by Ralph Waldo Emerson, delivered before the graduating class of Harvard's Divinity School on July 15, 1838. The intuition of the moral sentiment is an insight of the perfection of the laws of the soul. These laws execute themselves. They are out of time, out of space, and not subject to...

Ralph Waldo Emerson advocated direct experience of religious sentiment, unmediated by clergy, or by tradition or ritual. In describing himself as a "Transcendentalist," Emerson lifted up his belief that it was possible for people to have a direct, transcendent experience of reality, a personal...

There are moral sources and/or authorities that inform or guide my ethical behavior. I have firm moral convictions. Each person is entitled to their view of what is right and wrong. Truth exists and our understanding of it becomes clearer over time....

There are seven Principles which Unitarian Universalist congregations covenant to affirm and promote: The inherent worth and dignity of every person; Justice, equity, and compassion in human relations; Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations; A free an...

Workshop Title Day, Date, Time Workshop 1: The Locus of Moral Authority Workshop 2: Unchanging Truths Workshop 3: The Collective Good Workshop 4: Cultivating a Virtuous Character Workshop 5: Natural, Legal, and Human Rights Workshop 6: The Story of Our Lives Workshop 7: Relational Ethics Workshop...

Ralph Waldo Emerson was a leading 19th-century philosopher, father of the Transcendentalist movement. Before he became a philosophical and literary luminary, he was a Unitarian minister and served the Second Church in Boston between 1829 and 1832. In pursuing ministry, Ralph Waldo followed in the...

Activity time: 25 minutes Materials for Activity Construction paper Writing implements in various colors, including pens, pencils, crayons, and/or markers Preparation for Activity Read the Description of Activity; then, make your own values map as an example....

Activity time: 25 minutes Materials for Activity Journals or notebooks, one for each participant Writing and drawing materials, such as pens, pencils, fine point color markers, and color pencils Newsprint, markers, and tape Preparation for Activity Write this prompt on newsprint: Share a story fr...

Activity time: 20 minutes Materials for Activity Newsprint, markers, and tape Preparation for Activity Read the scenario so you will be comfortable presenting it. Post blank newsprint. Description of Activity Introduce this activity using these or similar words: Each workshop in this series will...

Activity time: 20 minutes Materials for Activity Sample Unitarian Universalist congregational or small-group covenants, and descriptions of how each came to be written Singing the Living Tradition, the Unitarian Universalist hymnbook Preparation for Activity If you have a congregational covenant,...

Activity time: 10 minutes Materials for Activity Worship table or designated space Chalice, candle, and lighter, or LED/battery-operated candle Singing the Living Tradition, the Unitarian Universalist hymnbook Preparation for Activity Arrange the worship table or designated space. Description of...