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The UU Congregation: Habitat for Humanism

This article was originally published in the Humanist Network News. HNN is a weekly news e-zine of the American Humanist Association with a circulation of around 44,000. 


When the topic of Humanist community comes up someone is bound to mention Unitarian Universalism. That is because UUs have what Humanists who want community are looking for. Unitarian Universalism also comes up because a significant number of UUs are Humanists and because organized Humanism was in large part an outgrowth of Unitarianism in its early days. Humanism and Unitarian Universalism go together, and I assert that theover 1,000 UU congregations are natural and practical homes for local Humanist communities. Read more about The UU Congregation: Habitat for Humanism »

Secular Leadership Summit 2014

UUHA president John Hooper recently participated in the Secular Leadership Summit, on January 25, 2014. The event was held in Columbus, OH and was sponsored by the Secular Student Alliance. This meeting, formerly known as the Heads Meeting, brings together the leaders from all of the major non-theistic organizations to discuss strategy and to coordinate activities.

John described the event as, "a very positive meeting" and the people as, "a really cool bunch of folks".  Read more about Secular Leadership Summit 2014 »

The Humanist Community Project & UU Humanists

Have you heard about the Humanist Community Project? They are, "a Cambridge-based initiative to help create, establish, and connect a stronger nationwide network of Humanist communities focused on individual, group, and societal betterment, for the benefit of the secular and freethought movement." In other words, they are group that seeks to promote "Godless Congregations". Greg Epstein, the group's leader, described the project at the HUUmanists 2013 UUA General Assembly program, and explained that "Godless Congregations" is also the title of an upcoming book that he and co-author James Croft are working on.  Read more about The Humanist Community Project & UU Humanists »

On Becoming Humanist - My Personal Journey from Catholic Educated to Humanist, by Bob Koches

Editor's note: this is another essay in the "Why I Am a UU Humanist" series. What is your story? Contact us and let us share it.

My name is Bob Koches, I am a humanist and this is my journey.  I think of humanism as a kinder, gentler form of atheism. 

Humanist Manifesto III , a successor to the Humanist Manifesto of 1933, defines humanism as a progressive philosophy of life that, without supernaturalism, affirms our ability and responsibility to lead ethical lives of personal fulfillment that aspire to the greater good of humanity.   “The lifestance of  humanism - guided by reason, inspired by compassion, and informed by experience encourages us to live life willfully and fully.  It evolved through the ages and continues to develop through the efforts of thoughtful people who recognize that values and ideals, however carefully wrought, are subject to change as our knowledge and understanding advances.”  Read more about On Becoming Humanist - My Personal Journey from Catholic Educated to Humanist, by Bob Koches »

President's Corner

Before I tell you about the important progress we are making in both reinforcing the Humanist core of Unitarian Universalism and acting as a bridge between Unitarian Universalism and the secular/non-theist community, I have an exciting announcement to make:

On November 18, 2013, your Board of Directors unanimously approved the appointment of Maria Greene to the part-time position of Development and Communications Director of the Unitarian Universalist Humanist Association (HUUmanists).  Maria will guide our efforts in three areas: Membership Development/Fundraising; Local Group identification, formation and affiliation; and Communications. Please join me in thanking Maria for taking on this critical job in our movement and in giving her our enthusiastic support.  In a related action, the Board has appointed Rev. Dr. Neil Gerdes to the position of Secretary of the Association, replacing Maria.

Let me tell you about just a few of the exciting "happenings" involving your UU Humanist Association. Read more about President's Corner »

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