Building Your Own Theology and Spirit in Practice are each offered based on interest and are taught by religious professionals and lay ministers in the church. If you are interested in one of these courses this year, please email eshadowsong@first-unitarian-pgh.org. For those new to the congregation or to Unitarian Universalism, or wishing to brush up their knowledge, introductory classes are offered monthly by our Membership Team and can be found here.

Book Groups: Recommended reading for 2023 – 24

  • A God That Could Be Real: Spirituality, Science, and the Future of Our Planet by Nancy Ellen Abrams
  • On Repentance and Repair by Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg*

*This is the UUA’s Common Read for this year.


Recommended Reading: Unitarian Universalism for Beginners 

This list scratches the surface of the rich and varied topics to explore in our faith. The UUA Inspirit bookstore carries many, many additional titles worth browsing!

The following books will ground readers in Unitarian Universalist recent historical context and basic explorations of theology and philosophy of Unitarian Universalism. This list is continually being updated.

Want to start a book group on one of these titles? Email eshadowsong@first-unitarian-pgh.org for assistance.

  • Elite: Uncovering Classism in Unitarian Universalist History by Mark Harris
  • A Chosen Faith : An Introduction to Unitarian Universalism
  • Black Pioneers in a White Denomination by Mark D. Morrison-Reed
  • Revisiting the Empowerment Controversy: Black Power and Unitarian Universalism by Mark D. Morrison-Reed
  • Fluent in Faith: A Unitarian Universalist Embrace of Religious Language by Jeanne Harrison Nieuwejaar
  • The Cathedral of the World: A Universalist Theology by Forrest Church
  • The Gift of Faith: Tending the Spiritual Lives of Children by Jeanne Harrison Nieuwejaar