AUA: American Unitarian Association. Merged with the Universalist Church of America in 1961 to form the Unitarian Universalist Association.

autonomous congregations: see congregational polity. However, autonomous congregations may voluntarily enter into binding covenants that restrict their autonomy.

Cambridge Platform: an agreement among congregations in colonial Massachusetts as to how they would be governed.

congregational polity: an organizational form where each congregation controls its own membership and finances, and selects its own leadership.

congregationalism: a religious organization where each congregation is recognized as a complete church in itself. The individual churches may or may not belong to a larger association.

consensus: a decision making process used by a group, which tries to include all members and reach the best possible decision. The question is initially framed in open terms, all are given an opportunity to contribute ideas, and then an agreement is sought which is acceptable to all persons. Sometimes it has been defined as requiring everyone's agreement, and can then lead to tyranny of the minority.

Conrad Wright: UU historian and author of Congregational Polity, among many other works. Professor Emeritus of Church History at Harvard Theological School.

covenant: an agreement between parties. Used in the Hebrew bible as a compact between God and the people of Israel.

freedom of belief: UUA Bylaws Section 2.4 Freedom of Belief "Nothing herein shall be deemed to infringe upon the individual freedom of belief which is inherent in the Universalist and Unitarian heritages or to conflict with any statement of purpose, covenant, or bond of union used by any society unless such is used as a creedal test."

IARF: the International Association for Religious Freedom. A group of liberal denominations from all over the world, including Buddhist, Hindu, Moslem, Christian and others. Headquartered in Oxford, England.

ICUU: the International Council of Unitarians and Universalists. An organization formed in 1995 composed of representatives of denominations of Unitarians and Universalists around the world. The Council meets biennially, and has no permanent staff or office

polity: the way an a group governs itself

Principles, UU: the Section C-2.1 of the bylaws of the UUA which begins: "We, the member congregations of the UUA, covenant to affirm and promote: ..."

shibboleth: a word or saying used by adherents of a party, sect, or belief and usually regarded by others as empty of real meaning

Transylvania: an area in northwestern Romania, formerly a part of Hungary, where Unitarian churches have existed since the seventeenth century.

Universalist Church of the Philippines: a member congregation of the UUA located on the island of Negros. It consists of small village congregations with a total membership of about 600.