Unitarian Universalist Association

Unitarian Universalist Association
The official logo of the UUA, based upon the flaming chalice motif.
Abbreviation	UUA
Classification	Unitarian Universalism
Orientation	Mainline
Polity	Congregational
President	Peter Morales
Associations	International Council of Unitarians and Universalists
Region	United States
Headquarters	24 Farnsworth Street, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Origin	May 15, 1961
Merger of	American Unitarian Association and Universalist Church of America
Congregations	1,096
Members	199,850 adherents overall,154,965(adult members)
Publications	UU World
Official website	www.uua.org

Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) is a liberal religious association of Unitarian Universalist congregations formed by the consolidation in 1961 of the American Unitarian Association and the Universalist Church of America. Both of these predecessor organizations began as Christian denominations of the Unitarian and Universalist varieties respectively. However, modern Unitarian Universalists see themselves as a separate religion with its own beliefs and affinities. They define themselves as non-creedal, and draw wisdom from various religions and philosophies, including Humanism, pantheism, Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Judaism, Islam, and Earth-centered spirituality. Thus, the UUA is a syncretistic religious group with liberal leanings. In the U.S, Unitarian Universalism grew considerably between 2000 and 2010 to include 211,000 adherents.

Most of the member congregations of the UUA are in the United States and Canada, but the UUA has also admitted congregations from Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines and Pakistan (although UUA policy appears at present to be against admitting any new congregations from outside North America, rather having them form their own national bodies and having these bodies join the International Council of Unitarians and Universalists). Until 2002, almost all member congregations of the Canadian Unitarian Council (CUC) were also members of the UUA and most services to CUC member congregations were provided by the UUA. However, after an agreement between the UUA and the CUC, since 2002 most services have been provided by the CUC to its own member congregations, with the UUA continuing to provide ministerial settlement services. Since 2002, some Canadian congregations have continued to be members of both the UUA and CUC while others are members of only the CUC.