A new banner on Berkeley Street highlights how our Unitarian Universalist tradition affirms that “Democracy Includes Dissent.” As a religious tradition committed to both the use of democracy and the right of conscience, Unitarian Universalism has long championed civil disobedience and faithful dissent from oppressive policies and actions.  At their monthly meeting on November 1, the Social Justice Community of First Church elected to post this banner as a public witness to our values and tradition.

Earlier this fall, the Unitarian Universalist Association Board of Trustees passed a historic “Statement on Faithful Dissent, Noncompliance and Civil Disobedience.” This statement underscores our religious values which call us to action against oppression and injustice. In part, the statement reads:

Rooted in our powerful history of religious witness for just action and faithful dissent, we declare that Unitarian Universalists must stake our faith tradition today on the urgent call to act for liberation in our country, and condemn the anti-democratic forces of authoritarianism. Such a call encompasses civil disobedience, noncompliance and direct actions of protest, as it has in the past, while preserving our commitments to human dignity and democratic society. This commitment is essential to sustain with integrity our UU religious values of justice, equity, interdependence and pluralism, and our Constitutional rights and freedoms.

As a congregation, our Puritan religious ancestors arrived in Massachusetts Bay in 1630 as dissenters from the state religion of England. Bringing their colonial charter with them, they established wider participation in both civil and religious government than known in England at that time. While the early Puritans also punished dissenters and excluded women, indigenous peoples, and enslaved Africans from elections, over time the founding seeds of dissent mingled with commitments to the right of conscience and shared governance to become support for the American Revolution, 19^th century abolitionism, 20^th century civil rights, and 21^st century advocacy for LGBTQ folx and immigrants.

Today we continue to explore how to live our values of justice, equity, interdependence and pluralism as a congregation in collaboration with our social justice partners.  You can learn more about the Social Justice Community online or at our next monthly meeting, Sunday, December 6, 12:30pm. Or, please come any Sunday at 11am to be challenged, comforted, and/or inspired by our services. Each service is followed by a coffee hour where you can connect with others seeking how to promote democracy and vocalize dissent against oppression and injustice.