When the Happy Days decade of the 1950’s finally gave way to the 1960’s, cultural forces in this country had reached an unstoppable tipping point. People started claiming their independence which unleashed a tidal wave of social experimentation challenging the norms, rules and institutions that had shaped and governed American life for generations.
In the midst of this chaotic cultural upheaval and cry for independence, Unitarians were coming together in the hopes of forming a shared identity by articulating a clear and cohesive core of shared beliefs. When the dust settled the Seven Principles were born.
You can imagine the push-back. Some members were outraged. Why go and ruin a good thing? Our independence makes us who we are, right? How can there ever be agreement on what we believe?
The Seven Principles didn’t try to create any new Unitarian beliefs, rather were an articulation of theological lessons learned. What was new and revolutionary was that the principles redefined what it meant to be independent. Instead of Unitarians being independent from each other, the Seven Principles provides a way for us to be independent together. Diversity maintained yet united by a cohesive core of common beliefs, a shared identity. It was pure genius.
The miracle of 2020?
Years later we now know that finding and articulating common ground does not have to compromise our independence. The same is true with problem-solving. Independence can be counter productive. The freedom to solve similar problems independently isn’t freedom at all. We’re better together. Like codifying our theological common ground, doing likewise with our organizational lessons learned will be a tide that lifts all boats.
Can there be a miracle of 2020?
