Difference between revisions of "Unitarianism"

Revision as of 19:04, February 28, 2008

Unitarianism is the belief in the oneness of God, as opposed to trinitarianism, the belief in the doctrine of the Christian Trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It thus contradicts the Nicene Creed; as a Unitarian minister has written, "Unitarians and Universalists have always been heretics."^[1] The word does not simply mean monotheism and is not applied to Jews, but to people who consider themselves Christians.

Unitarian Universalism

In the United States, Unitarianism is also an informal name for the beliefs of a religious denomination, originally the American Unitarian Association, known since its 1961 merger with the Universalists as the Unitarian Universalist Association.^[2]

The American Unitarian Association was founded in 1825, based on principles espoused in the sermons of William Ellery Channing, notably an 1819 sermon entitled "Unitarian Christianity."^[3]

Unitarian Universalism is noncreedal. A Unitarian Universalist minister answers the question "Are Unitarian Universalists Christian?" with a forthright "Yes and no."^[4] She notes that "At a Unitarian Universalist worship service or meeting, you are likely to find members whose positions on faith may be derived from a variety of religious beliefs: Jewish, Christian, Buddhist, naturist, atheist, or agnostic. Members might tell you that they are religious humanists, liberal Christians, or world religionists."

Unitarian churches are particularly common in the Northeast United States, where the denomination originated. Many Unitarian church structures are picturesque white-painted frame structures of the sort that are emblematic of New England. They are, however, likely to have a rainbow flag flying in front of them, as the denomination has been at the forefront in welcoming same-sex couples; one U-U pamphlet is entitled "Unitarian Universalism, A Religious Home for Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender People."^[5]

Unitarians self-describe as religious liberals. It is probably fair to say that the denomination has a reputation for political liberalism as well. As one sermon put it, "Sometimes we act as if we believe we can effect a complete separation of our liberal faith and our politics. Some of us confuse liberal religion with liberal politics and seem to operate under the belief that if we are registered with the Democratic party we have fulfilled our religious obligations in the public sphere. Both these beliefs are actually false. I say this even though I myself have at different times acted as if I believed one of these two things."^[6].

The American Unitarian Conference, founded in the year 2000, believes the Unitarian Universalists have departed from the "Unitarian Christianity" of Channing and regards itself as a "reborn" version of the American Unitarian Association, which it says "disbanded" in 1961 when it merged with the Universalists.^[7]

Unitarian Universalists and Christianity

A Unitarian minister has answered the question "Are Unitarian Universalists Christian?" in these words:^[4]

Yes and no.

Yes, some Unitarian Universalists are Christian. Personal encounter with the spirit of Jesus as the Christ richly informs their religious lives.

No, Unitarian Universalists are not Christian, if by Christian you mean those who think that acceptance of any creedal belief whatsoever is necessary for salvation. Unitarian Universalist Christians are considered heretics by those orthodox Christians who claim none but Christians are "saved." (Fortunately, not all the orthodox make that claim.)

Yes, Unitarian Universalists are Christian in the sense that both Unitarian and Universalist history are part of Christian history. Our core principles and practices were first articulated and established by liberal Christians.

Some Unitarian Universalists are not Christian. For though they may acknowledge the Christian history of our faith, Christian stories and symbols are no longer primary for them. They draw their personal faith from many sources: nature, intuition, other cultures, science, civil liberation movements, and so on.

Notes and references

1. ↑ Unitarian Universalist Origins: Our Historic Faith, Mark W. Harris, minister of the First Parish Unitarian Universalist in Watertown, Massachusetts
2. ↑ Members of the denomination are often referred to simply as the Unitarians, although members of the organization, not wishing to overlook Universalism, prefer to call themselves "U-Us."
3. ↑ Unitarian Christianity, text of Channing's sermon
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} Our Unitarian Universalist Faith: Frequently Asked Questions, Alice Blair Wesley
5. ↑ Unitarian Universalism, A Religious Home for Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender People, Barbara L. Pescan
6. ↑ An Election-day Sermon for Religious Liberals, Dan Harper, First Unitarian in New Bedford
7. ↑ American Unitarian Conference: Promoting the American Unitarian Tradition