The Difference Between Covenant and Creed

 

By Ed Lane, member of First Parish, retired UU minister and former chairman of the board of Beacon Press

  • A covenant is relational. It defines how people agree to act in relationship with one another.
  • A creed is theological. It defines what people have to believe in order to be a member of a church.
  • A covenant is inclusive. It welcomes persons with varied beliefs.  Some Sunday in church read the words to hymn 361, “Enter rejoice, and come in.” a very covenantal hymn. Note that welcoming diversity does not imply agreement.  The covenant says, “We welcome you.  Come as you are.  We may or may not agree, but we welcome your perspective and if we disagree we commit ourselves to disagree agreeably.”
  • A creed is exclusive. If you can’t say, “I believe in …” you can’t come in.
  • A covenant says our primary concern is people.
  • A creed says our primary concern is correct doctrine, ergo the purity of the institution of the church.
Also, here is a definition of a covenant by Walter Herz that I like:   The common understandings, agreements, and promises made, one to another, that define our mutual obligations and commitments to each other as we try to live our faith and vision.

Criteria for a Good Covenant Statement
(from page 57 of the UUA’s “Vision, Mission, and Covenant: Creating a Future Together)

In creating your covenant statement, it is good to keep the following criteria in mind:

  • The statement should not be too vague or too detailed. Simply saying “Be nice to one another” is not enough, but highlighting every possible behavior or “fall from grace” should be avoided as well.
  • Using affirmative language rather than negative language makes it easier for the congregation to feel supportive and to join in. Using we will rather than we will not also leads toward a statement that is more suited to occasional use in worship and other celebratory services.
  • The covenant should be faithful to both the vision and mission of the congregation.
  • The covenant should be appropriate to this particular congregation and be realistic in terms of the congregation’s context.
  • Consider including in the covenant an understanding that people are fallible and that there will be times when individuals fall short of the mark. This recognition, along with an included assumption of goodwill, can be helpful during the hard times in congregational life.
  • Ensure that your congregation’s covenant statement complements both the theological understanding of the membership and the principles of Unitarian Universalism.”
© 2011-12 First Parish in Needham Unitarian Universalist