Opportunities for Action: Engaged Spirituality Team
Resolution on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Unity Worldwide Ministries Juneteenth 2021
An official statement from Unity Worldwide Ministries:
Unity Worldwide Ministries stands for anti-racism, i.e., we are opposed to racial hatred, racial violence, bias, systemic racism, and the oppression of people of color. We stand for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for people who are marginalized because of color. No individual or group should be made to live in fear or excluded from society. Recent events in the United States and the world remind us that violent repression, prejudices, injustices, and inequalities towards people of color are embedded in societies, from social structures to institutions to cultures. Unity chooses to be more aware and take positive action in dismantling systemic racism and the social structures that support injustice and prejudice, and we raise awareness throughout our membership, churches, and centers.
WHEREAS: Unity stands for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for people of color. Our second principle states: “Human beings have a spark of divinity within them, the Christ spirit within. Their very essence is of God, and therefore they are also inherently good.” This principle applies to all people regardless of color; and
WHEREAS: We are fully committed to Unity Worldwide Ministries being an ambassador for diversity, equity, and inclusion in our world and an example through our actions in the Unity Movement; and
WHEREAS: Unity Worldwide Ministries Board of Trustees acknowledges that there has been and is systemic racism in Unity. We acknowledge and accept responsibility for the impact that our history with racism has made upon our Black and Brown friends, colleagues, congregants, students, employees, and patrons—both past and present. We commit to eradicating any and all systems, policies, and practices that would in any way replicate our past mistakes or reproduce an environment that discriminates against or is inhospitable toward people on the basis of race, color, or ethnicity; now therefore be it,
RESOLVED: That based on Unity’s fifth principle of taking action, which states: “Knowing and understanding the laws of life—also called truth—is not enough. A person must live the truth that he or she knows;” we commit to the following actions:
To reflect on an ongoing basis, diversity, equity, and inclusion in our Unity Worldwide Ministries Board of Trustees.
To commit to reinforce our policy of non-discrimination by adopting and instituting best practices for ensuring that all qualified applicants and candidates are given full consideration for any, and all positions, without respect to race, ethnicity, culture, or color.
To ongoing robust mandatory staff leadership development and education committed to building a culturally competent, anti-racist community of leaders and allies. Our bold initiative will address trainings on Implicit Bias, Cultural Competence, White Fragility, and Becoming an Anti-Racist, along with ongoing training and education that positions Unity Worldwide Ministries to be on the leading edge of building consciously awake thought leaders, committed to dismantling systemic racism and building the Beloved Community.
To develop and disseminate principle-centered educational programs and curricula for use in our centers, spiritual communities, study groups and churches that equip Unity ministers, spiritual leaders, teachers, and laity with the information, inspiration, and resources necessary to detect and dissolve systemic racism within themselves and build healthy diverse, equitable, and inclusive communities. These materials will take many forms including a wide offering of online webinars.
To allocate monetary resources to the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2021 to continue the work that the UWM Board has done in the 12-week class on racial diversity and the continued recognition of an inherent culture of white privilege with a racial equity consultant to assist us in developing a more organization-wide permanent response to the issue and needs for increased diversity, equity, and inclusion, and be it,
FURTHER RESOLVED, we are committed to moving beyond neutrality and to fully acknowledging that Black Lives Matter, too, and we are committed to demonstrating our sensitivity and understanding of this basic Unity tenet by no longer colluding in racism.
Statement for Peace
Unity stands for peace in the presence of conflict; for love in the presence of hatred; for forgiveness in the presence of injury. Unity honors the many names for God, the many paths to God, the many ways to worship God; for there is only one power and presence of God and that God loves each one of us equally. It is therefore the position of Unity Worldwide Ministries and Unity World Headquarters at Unity Village to urge all nations, their leaders and their people to turn to God by whatever the name for guidance during these challenging times and pursue peace, not war, for this is what honors the God of all our faith traditions. Unity stands for peace in our lifetime.
Climate Change Action Resolution
We, the leadership of Unity Worldwide Ministries, hear the urgent call to co-create a world that nourishes all life forms. We positively declare our love for and spiritual interconnectedness with all beings and our responsibility to protect the sustainability of the environment.
Aligned with the empowering spiritual teachings of Unity co-founders Charles and Myrtle Fillmore, Jesus and other inspired spiritual teachers, we advocate our worldwide prayer partners to take into affirmative prayer and meditation the personal inquiry of “what is mine to do” to improve the quality of life of all beings and our planet. UWM affirms that climate change is real and that human activity is a significant cause of climate change. UWM also acknowledges that climate change is an issue resulting in both environmental degradation and social injustice. As such, we commit to serve, as our faith leads us, to take steps in healing the planet. Unity Worldwide Ministries, in accordance with its God-centered five basic principles, commits to advancing the Unity movement by:
- Promoting active stewardship of the environment and an awareness of our oneness with the earth.
- Cultivating a consciousness of EarthCare that includes both spiritual and practical actions that support and balance the environment and our human needs, in accordance with Unity’s Fifth Basic Principle, “Through thoughts, words and actions, we live the Truth we know.”
- Promoting sustainable living practices that honor the earth's ecosystems and resources in a responsible manner.
- Transforming attitudes and commitments by embracing concrete actions that reduce human ecological impact and promote social justice for all.
- Educating, supporting and encouraging individuals to align their (individual) lifestyle choices with values that promote environmental sustainability and recognition of their moral imperative to care for creation.