The First Unitarian Church of Dallas is a Unitarian Universalist congregation located in Dallas, Texas. It was established in 1899. The church has a history of social justice advocacy and has gained significant media attention in recent years for its role in supporting abortion access in Texas.
The First Unitarian Church of Dallas was founded in 1899.[1] Early in its history, the congregation faced challenges in finding a welcoming space, reportedly meeting initially at Temple Emanu-El due to other local churches' reluctance to host them.[1]
The church's campus includes a building designed by architect Harwell Hamilton Harris, completed in 1950.[2] Harris described his design as "a clearing in the forest," intended as a place of renewal within the city.[2] In 2022, the church underwent a significant expansion that included new facilities.[3] This project received an Award of Merit in the Cultural/Worship category from Engineering News-Record (ENR).[4]
The First Unitarian Church of Dallas has a long-standing involvement with social justice, often taking progressive stances on civil rights.[1]
In the 1960s, some members of the congregation assisted women seeking abortions by referring them to a doctor in East Texas, who performed the procedure illegally.[6]
In 1969, the church began holding study groups about women and their roles in society. These meetings included discussions of reproductive rights and abortion, with the church inviting "members of Planned Parenthood, doctors and lawyers".[7] Although early on members felt "conservatively" about abortion, they quickly became "passionate" about access to abortion.[7] In 1970, the church's women's group met with Linda Coffee and Sarah Weddington. When the pair later filed Roe v. Wade, the women's group submitted "a key legal brief in support of reproductive choice" in support of the case.[7][8] Prior to the decision, the church also organized trips to Texas' capital, Austin, to advocate for the repeal of anti-abortion legislation.[7]
It was the first organization to join the Just Texas Reproductive Freedom Congregation movement, which launched in August 2021.[7]
Following the 2022 overturning of Roe v. Wade, which eliminated the constitutional right to abortion, the First Unitarian Church of Dallas became an advocate for abortion access in Texas, a state with highly restrictive laws.[9][10][11] The church's senior minister, Rev. Daniel Kanter, has publicly affirmed the church's moral imperative to support reproductive rights.[10] The church is involved with the Clergy Consultation Service (CCS), a statewide initiative that assists Texans seeking abortion care, including facilitating travel to states where abortion remains legal, such as New Mexico.[9][8][11] The church's actions are part of a broader movement among some faith leaders who frame abortion access as an issue of religious freedom and compassionate care.[7][10]
In April 2024, the church opened the Truth Pregnancy Resource Center in Dallas, which offers "sonograms, pregnancy tests, and resources for adoption," as well as "information on contraceptives and out-of-state abortion resources".[12][13] It was opened in part to counter crisis pregnancy centers, which aim to dissuade abortions.[12]
