About
NAUA is a growing Association of Unitarians, Universalists, and other religious liberals. We are working together to support one another in our individual and congregational efforts to make our world happier and more just through the practice and promotion of our shared values.
Our Values
NAUA summarizes these values, which emerged during the Renaissance and flourished during the Enlightenment, as freedom, reason, and tolerance, and considers them fundamental for any society to demonstrate respect for the worth and dignity of every person.
Freedom: Every person must be free to think and speak for themselves and to choose their own purposes and meaning in life.
Reason: Every person has the capacity to reason and consider the empirical evidence before them in their pursuit of truth and understanding. Ideological dictums and religious dogmas should not be imposed upon them.
Tolerance: Every person, regardless of their specific ideologies and identities, should have equal standing and equal access to the benefits and protections of society.
NAUA, thus, seeks to serve and support religious liberals in their efforts and ministries to promote such dignity amongst themselves, their communities, and in the world at large.
The North American Unitarian Association (NAUA) is committed to supporting and promoting liberal religion, including embracing the fundamental principles of religious freedom, reason and tolerance.
NAUA is not affiliated with the Untarian Universalist Association (UUA), which in 1985 adopted a number of principles and sources for its member organizations. These UUA principles and sources have neither been adopted nor rejected by NAUA.
NAUA is not a governing body for its individual members, member organizations, congregations or fellowships. NAUA does not recommend or require its members to accept or follow any specific religious or spiritual beliefs, creeds or covenants. Each member of the NAUA is autonomous, and as such shall determine for themselves whether to accept or reject the beliefs, principles and sources of a particular religion or denomination. NAUA expresses no opinion as to whether its members should promote or subscribe to the UUA’s principles and sources.
Meet our Provisional Board of Trustees
NAUA’s founding members have elected a provisional Board of Directors. A new Board will be elected by our members at our first Annual General Meeting.
Our Provisional Bylaws
NAUA Board has adopted a set of provisional Bylaws. These bylaws will be in effect until adopted and/or modified by the members at our first annual meeting. Please click this link to view or download these bylaws .NAUA Provisional Bylaws v15
Join Us
All Are Welcome
We welcome all people committed to liberal religion and embrace the principles of freedom, reason, and tolerance in pursuit of their individual paths. You do not need to be a Unitarian or Universalist to join.
Our members include Unitarians, Universalists, and other religious liberals throughout North America and the world.
Our members include both individuals and organizations, like congregations, churches, fellowships, and other related groups.
NAUA requires no adherence to any theological creed as a basis for membership.
The Latest News
New Edition of the Liberal Beacon
The Liberal Beacon #10 Featured Articles: Sensing the Spiritual Realm: Benneville and Early Universalist Pietism - Vernon Chandler Religious Pluralism in Context - Terry Cummings The Diversity of Diversity: Why Integration is Still the Right Way Forward - Bruce...
What stage of Reaction to the Changes in Unitarian Universalism are you at?
In this insightful article, Dr. Stephen Polmar examines changes and reactions within the Unitarian movement using the famous stages of grief model developed by Dr. Kubler Ross. This article was first published in the Oct. 2023 issue of the Liberal Beacon and bears...
I Before We Except Overseas – Tracing The Roots Of Our Multi-Century Identity Crisis
Most cultures of European descent cultivate individual identity more than other cultures of the world. We have to go back 60, or 100, or perhaps 300 years to find the roots of our contemporary debates over the role of identity in our society. One intriguing theory is...
Contact Us
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