We uphold the free search for truth. We will not be bound by a statement of belief. We do not ask anyone to subscribe to a creed. We say ours is a noncreedal religion. Ours is a free faith.
We believe that religious wisdom is ever changing. Human understanding of life and death, the world and its mysteries, is never final. Revelation is continuous. We celebrate unfolding truths known to teachers, prophets, and sages throughout the ages.

We affirm the worth of all women and men. We believe people should be encouraged to think for themselves. We know people differ in their opinions and lifestyles, and we believe these differences generally should be honored.
We seek to act as a moral force in the world, believing that ethical living is the supreme witness of religion. The here and now and the effects our actions will have on future generations deeply concern us. We know that our relationships with one another, with diverse peoples, races, and nations, should be governed by justice, equity, and compassion.

Reverend Marta Flanagan received her Master of Divinity degree from Harvard Divinity School and was ordained in 1987. She first served as minister in the First Universalist Society in Salem, Massachusetts.

The Transformational Heritage of Unitarian Universalism
by Reverend Jaco B. TenHove

UUism has come to embody a rich variety of contemporary religious postures, with a long and inspiring “living tradition” that undergirds a continuing dynamic evolution.

In the first centuries of the Common Era, unitarian and universalist ideas swirled among many others, but were eventually declared heretical. The belief that Jesus was somewhat less divine than God (championed by Arius) or that God provided universal salvation (advanced by Origen) were positions forced underground by collaborating authorities of church and empire.

The Arian notion resurfaced alongside the 16th century Protestant Reformation, when some people began to conclude for themselves that there was no scriptural support for the dominant Trinitarian doctrine. These courageous Arian “anti-trinitarians” gained toeholds in Poland (briefly), and Transylvania (still). Some migrated to Western Europe, facing persecution at almost every turn.

In America, the movement toward a unitarian position emerged gradually and organically, supported by the Puritan inclination to organize around covenant more than creed. The American Unitarian Association was founded in 1825, as the busy harbor of Boston encouraged a growing diversity of religious thought. A formative and articulate group of Transcendentalists embodied American individualism and controversially expanded the boundaries of liberal Christianity, while the boundaries of Unitarianism itself moved westward.

Meanwhile, English seeds of modern Universalist thought hopped the ocean to America, flowering mostly in more rural New England, where a Universalist Convention was founded in 1793. With their vision of a steadily loving God, Universalists offered a genuinely positive alternative to the “fire and brimstone” versions of revivalist Christianity.

Both groups actively participated in 19th century reform movements and established youth organizations as well as international interfaith affiliations. The Humanist movement and innovations in religious education stimulated 20th century efforts, leading to merger in 1961.

Since then, members of the Unitarian Universalist Association have reflected American evolution from a progressive angle, contributing to important social causes and deepening a commitment to our planet as a unified whole. The challenging heritage of early liberal religious pioneers continues to unfold anew, focused by the inclusion of “all souls” in exploration of diverse religious paths.

Bull Run Unitarian Universalists (BRUU) exists to nurture ourselves, our community, and our natural world in the pursuit of spiritual and intellectual growth. We give expression to our mission through celebrating our diversity and giving of our talents and resources with justice, equity and compassion. We work toward our goals through an open democratic process, respecting the views of each individual and seeking to protect the interdependent web of life

Welcoming Congregation

Bull Run Unitarian Universalists (BRUU) is a Welcoming Congregation which celebrates and supports the lives, the relationships, and the individual and group contributions of its lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender members and friends. We affirm and promote their full participation in the life of the congregation and community. We pledge our congregation's commitment to continue dismantling the belief that heterosexuality is the only normal, acceptable, and healthy sexual orientation.

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