Introduction

We sing our theology.

You may think we read about, and discuss, and listen to sermons about our theology - and we do. But the way theology lives in us is often through song. We know the power of music to connect us to a time, or a person, or a situation. We know the power of music to inspire, comfort, and affirm us. And when we sing hymns together - in worship, in classrooms, in our heads on Monday morning - we are singing our theology. We teach our children our theology through song as well, and when we do this we teach it again to ourselves.

In other words, singing is faith formation for everyone of every age.

As we consider the work of the Article II Commission and the proposal to organize the affirmation of our living faith into seven values, we can turn to our hymns to see how those are reflected in the songs we already sing together. It is true that some of the songs in Singing the Living Tradition (STLT) andSinging the Journey (STJ) may feel out of date or antiquated. Many new songs have been written since STJ was published in 2005, and many more will be written to reflect the faith we are growing and living into. Yet many of the hymns collected in those two hymnals are still fresh, alive, and reflective of the core values of our faith.

And this matters. Many of the hymns in this resource are commonly sung throughout Unitarian Universalism - songs that ground us and inform us beyond our congregation’s walls. These songs are important parts of our Unitarian Universalist culture, reflecting the story of our faith and who we want to be.

The hymns in this resource (with links to YouTube videos from around the denomination) have been ours for at least 18 years - or decades more - and reflect the values that have remained core to our faith. In addition to commentary on each of the selections below, we have added some guidance for selecting other hymns to reflect these values.

You may not see your favorite hymns here; for every hymn selected there were a dozen others that could have made the cut, but as with so much of life, decisions were made. We encourage you to make your own lists as you explore the work of the Article II Commission.

How to Use This Resource

• Use in worship services that reflect on the values outlined by the commission
• Use as musical breaks/a time of meditation in Article II discussion groups
• Use as “hymn of the month”
• Use in discussion groups about our hymns and how they reflect our theology
• Use in faith formation/lifespan faith development classes
• Add them to playlists that you listen to in the car, in your home, etc.