FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

of the
Bay Area Unitarian Universalist Church's (BAUUC)

CONSERVATIVE COVENANT GROUP  
 
 

Q #1 -- What are the Conservative Covenant Group's goals?

A #1 -- It primarily strives to provide a forum at the Bay Area Unitarian Universalist Church for social and political conservatives to discuss common interests, including books, essays, and current affairs.

Secondarily, the group hopes its very existence will encourage the Bay Area UU Church to embrace a diversity of political viewpoints by welcoming people regardless of their political orientation.  
 
 

Q #2 -- What does this group actually do at its meetings?

A #2 -- Like other covenant groups, this one opens with a chalice lighting, a reading from a UU source, and a round of personal check-ins. The group members reserve empty chairs to welcome newcomers. They socialize and discuss common interests. And they organize outings and service projects.  
 
 

Q #3 -- What does the Conservative Covenant Group mean by the word "conservative"?

A #3 -- In this context, the word "conservative" is a catch-all term for an array of similar yet distinguishable social and political perspectives, including libertarian, communitarian, Democrat, independent, neoconservative, theoconservative, Republican, and possibly others.  
 
 

Q #4 -- If the group members' views are so varied, what if anything do they have in common?

A #4 -- The members agree that the public discourse of the Bay Area UU Church can be improved by providing a forum for perspectives, concerns, and opinions that the UU movement has historically misunderstood, marginalized, or ignored.  
 
 

Q #5 -- How can the Conservative Covenant Group benefit the Bay Area UU Church?

A #5 -- In theory, the Bay Area UU Church's acceptance of religious pluralism logically implies an acceptance of political pluralism. However, UU communities have a tendency to assume that all UUs are the same politically or should be the same politically. The very existence of the Conservative Covenant Group is a helpful reminder of the complete diversity within the Bay Area UU Church.  
 
 

Q #6 -- Does the group have a particular theology?

A #6 -- No. This group has attracted UUs with a range of metaphysical viewpoints, including UU Christian, Humanist, Pagan, and others.  
 
 

Q #7 -- What are the group's social views?

A #7 -- The group endorses individual responsibility, and its members represent a mixture of other social values.  
 
 

Q #8 -- Is this group a guy thing?

A #8 -- Of course not. It welcomes both women and men.  
 
 

Q #9 -- Is this group affiliated at all with the Conservative Forum for Unitarian Universalists?

A #9 -- The Conservative Covenant Group is aware of the CFUU's existence and the CFUU's website at www.cfuu.org Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Conservative-Forum-for-Unitarian-Universalists/137295430594, but the covenant group is currently not affiliated with the CFUU.  
 
 

Q #10 -- Why is this group a covenant group?

A #10 -- The status of covenant group links the group officially with the Bay Area UU Church. This relationship supports the group's leadership, helps develop new leadership, and keeps the group vitally connected to the congregation.  
 
 

Q #11 -- Where can I read this group's covenant?

A #11 -- Surf the internet to www.bauuc.org/memberservices/covenant/conservative.html conservative.html . In addition, there is a homily about our group, and notes from a 2005 SWUUSI workshop on UU conservatism.  
 
 

Most of the credit for writing this goes to Jason Pullen, but Peter Taylor is currently maintaining it. Please address all comments to Peter.