Unitarian Universalism
Unitarian Universalism is a liberal religious tradition characterized by its commitment to theological diversity, inclusivity, and social justice. Unitarian Universalists do not adhere to a single creed or doctrine. Instead, they are unified by shared covenants across congregations based on foundational values and principles centered on love and pluralistic worship.
The beliefs of individual Unitarian Universalists range widely and are often contextual to the congregation. The development of Unitarian Universalism can be traced back to liberal Protestantism and Restorationism through the Unitarian and Christian Universalist traditions. Contemporary Unitarian Universalists may draw upon diverse theological and philosophical thought, including agnosticism, Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, New Age, neopaganism, nontheism, religious humanism, Sikhism, Taoism, and teachings of the Baháʼí Faith, among others.
Worship can take place in churches, fellowships, congregations, and societies. Unitarian Universalists maintain a deep regard for intellectual freedom and inclusive love. Congregations and members seek inspiration and derive insight from all major world religions and therefore do not have an official, unified corpus of sacred texts. There are, however, texts unique to its tradition that are commonly appreciated by professed Unitarian Universalists, such as A Chosen Faith by John A. Buehrens and Forrest Church, which has been called "the classic introductory text on Unitarian Universalism," and The Unitarian Universalist Pocket Guide.
The modern Unitarian Universalist Association was formed in 1961 through the consolidation of the American Unitarian Association, established in 1825, and the Universalist Church of America, established in 1793. The UUA is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, and serves churches mostly in the United States. A group of thirty Philippine congregations is represented as a sole member within the UUA. The Canadian Unitarian Council became an independent body in 2002. The UUA and CUC were two of the seventeen members of the now defunct International Council of Unitarians and Universalists.
History
Puritan roots and Congregationalist background
Unitarian Universalism was formed from the consolidation in 1961 of two historically separate Christian denominations, the Universalist Church of America and the American Unitarian Association, both based in the United States; the new organization formed in this merger was the Unitarian Universalist Association. At the time of the North American consolidation, Unitarians and Universalists diverged beyond their roots in liberal Christian theology. They draw from a variety of religious traditions. Individuals may or may not self-identify as Christians or subscribe to Christian beliefs. Unitarian Universalist congregations and fellowships tend to retain some Christian traditions, such as Sunday worship with a sermon and the singing of hymns. The extent to which the elements of any particular faith tradition are incorporated into personal spiritual practice is a matter of individual choice for congregants, in keeping with a creedless, non-dogmatic approach to spirituality and faith development.New England Unitarians evolved from the Pilgrim Fathers' Congregational Christianity, which was based on a literal reading of the Bible. Liberalizing Unitarians rejected the Trinitarian belief in the tri-personal godhead: Father, Son, and Holy Ghost/Spirit. Instead, they asserted a unitary notion of God. In addition, they rejected the doctrine of original sin, moving away from the Calvinism of the Congregationalists.
New England Universalists rejected the Puritan forefathers' emphasis on the select few, the Elect, who were supposed to be saved from eternal damnation by a just God. Instead Universalists asserted that all people will eventually be reconciled with God.
Universalism
Universalists claim a long history, beginning with several Church Fathers, though some modern scholars question whether these church fathers taught the defining doctrine of Universalism.This core doctrine asserts that through Christ every single human soul shall be saved, leading to the "restitution of all things". In 1793, Universalism emerged as a distinct denomination of Christianity in the United States, eventually called the Universalist Church of America. Early American advocates of universal salvation such as Elhanan Winchester, Hosea Ballou and John Murray taught that all souls would achieve salvation, sometimes after a period resembling purgatory. Christian Universalism denies the doctrine of everlasting damnation, and proclaims belief in an entirely loving God who will ultimately redeem all human beings.
Unitarianism
According to Spanish physician, Michael Servetus, he studied the Bible and concluded that the concept of the Trinity, as traditionally conceived, was not biblical. His books On the Errors of the Trinity and Christianismi Restitutio caused much uproar. Servetus was eventually arrested, convicted of heresy, and burned at the stake in Geneva in 1553.The term "Unitarian" entered the English language via Henry Hedworth, who applied it to the teachings of Laelio Sozzini and the Polish Socinians. Unitarian churches were formally established in Transylvania and Poland in the second half of the 16th century. There, the first doctrines of religious freedom in Europe were established under the jurisdiction of John Sigismund, King of Hungary and Prince of Transylvania, the only Unitarian monarch. The early Unitarian church not only rejected the Trinity, but also the pre-existence of Christ as well as, in many cases, predestination and original sin as put forward by Augustine of Hippo, and the substitutionary atonement of Christ developed by Anselm of Canterbury and John Calvin. There were several different forms of Christology in the beginnings of the Unitarian movement; ultimately, the dominant Christology became psilanthropism: that Jesus was a man, but one with a unique relationship to God.
Great Britain
Influenced by the Socinian doctrine of the Polish Brethren, the Unitarian minister Samuel Clarke revised the Book of Common Prayer, removing the Trinitarian Nicene Creed and references to Jesus as God. Theophilus Lindsey also revised the Book of Common Prayer to allow a more tolerant, free Unitarian interpretation. Neither cleric was charged under the Blasphemy Act 1697 that made it an "offense for any person, educated in or having made profession of the Christian religion, by writing, preaching, teaching or advised speaking, to deny the Holy Trinity". The Act of Toleration gave relief to English Dissenters, but excluded Unitarians. The efforts of Clarke and Lindsey met with substantial criticism from the more conservative clergy and laity of the Church of England. In response, in 1774, Lindsey applied for registration of the Essex House as a "Dissenting place of worship" with the assistance of barrister John Lee. On the Sunday following the registration—April 17, 1774—the first true Unitarian congregation discreetly convened in the provisional Essex Street Chapel. In attendance were Lee, Joseph Priestley and the agent of the Massachusetts Colony, Benjamin Franklin. Priestley also founded a reform congregation, but, after his home was burned down in the Priestley Riots, fled with his wife to America, where he became a leading figure in the founding of the church on American soil.Once laity and clergy relaxed their vehement opposition to the Doctrine of the Trinity Act 1813, which finally allowed for protections of dissenting religions, the British and Foreign Unitarian Association was founded in 1825. It has its headquarters in Essex Hall, successor to Lindsey's Essex House. Two that have been significant in national life are the Cross Street Chapel in Manchester and, Newington Green Unitarian Church in north London. Unitarian congregations in Britain meet under the auspices of the General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches. There are 170 communities of Unitarians across Britain. The Chief Officer of the British Unitarians was Liz Slade as of 2024.
United States
In the United States, the Unitarian movement began primarily in the Congregational parish churches of New England, which were part of the state church of Massachusetts. These churches, whose buildings may still be seen in many New England town squares, trace their roots to the division of the Puritan colonies into parishes for the administration of their religious needs. In the late 18th century, conflict grew within some of these churches between Unitarian and Trinitarian factions. In 1805, Unitarians gained key faculty positions at Harvard. In 1819 William Ellery Channing preached the ordination sermon for Jared Sparks in Baltimore, outlining the Unitarian position. The American Unitarian Association was founded as a separate denomination in 1825.By coincidence and unknown to both parties, the AUA was formed on the same day—May 26, 1825—as the British and Foreign Unitarian Association.
In the 19th century, under the influence of Ralph Waldo Emerson and other transcendentalists, Unitarianism began its long journey from liberal Protestantism to its more pluralist form.
Integration, 1825–1961
After the schism in the Congregational Churches resulting in the foundation of the American Unitarian Association, some of those churches remained within the Congregational fold and became member congregations of the Congregational organization, while others voted to become Unitarian. Some of the latter eventually became part of the Unitarian Universalist Association during a consolidation of the Unitarian and Universalist churches. Universalist churches in contrast followed a different path, having begun as independent congregations beyond the bounds of the established Puritan churches entirely. The UUA and the United Church of Christ cooperate jointly on social justice initiatives such as the Sexuality Education Advocacy Training project.In 1961, the American Unitarian Association was consolidated with the Universalist Church of America, thus forming the Unitarian Universalist Association. In the same year, the Canadian Unitarian Council formed. The Unitarian Universalist Association was given corporate status in May 1961 under special acts of legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the State of New York.
In 1998, the Canadian Unitarian Council and Unitarian Universalist Association dissolved their financial accord, although they continue to cooperate. The CUC had come into being at Meadville Lombard Theological School in 1961. However the continual decline of denominational churches and the almost complete failure of the Universalist movement in Canada had caused the formation of the Council to prompt a plan to merge with the UUA. Opposition to Liberal religious freedom relaxed, so that by 2002 it was agreed to increase autonomy and funding. The amalgamation proved troublesome for the Canadians, a small minority largely ignored, with only 45 congregations and 5,200 members—the Americans were insensitive to cultural differences.