Unitarian Universalist Symbol Unitarian  Universalism

UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST
ASSOCIATION
 
Overview :

The Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) is a liberal religious organization, serving the "UU" churches of North America. The Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches estimated a total membership of 502,000 in 1990. 7 The UUA was formed in 1961-MAY-11 from the merger of the Unitarian and Universalist Churches. Unlike other religiously liberal faith groups, UU's are currently expanding in numbers. 

Beliefs of Unitarian Universalists are quite diverse:

  • About one in four identifies themselves to be Christian.
  • Many do not believe in (or question) the existence of a deity or deities. They often describe themselves as agnostics, atheists, humanists, free thinkers, etc.
  • Others follow religious traditions from around the world: Buddhism, Hinduism, Neopaganism, Judaism etc.

Definitions:

The term Unitarian has traditionally had two religious meanings:

  1. A monotheistic belief which was widespread in the early Christian movement, that God is a unity, not a trinity. The exact nature and makeup of deity occupied the thoughts of many Christians during the first few centuries CE. There were many anti-trinitarian movements at the time: monarchianism, sabellianism and patripassianism. A series of church councils decided that God is a Trinity, composed of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Unitarianism then became a heresy and was suppressed.
  2. a religious movement which featurs a lack of dogma, a belief in the inherent goodness of people, and the obligation for each member to seek out and develop his or her own system of beliefs and ethics.

It is this second meaning of Unitarian that we will use here.

The term Universalism has also had two religious meanings:

  1. The belief that Jehovah as described in the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) is the deity for all humanity, rather than just for the Jews.
  2. A religious movement which promoted the concept that every person will go to heaven after death. This is in contrast with the traditional Christian belief that one's natural destination is eternal torment in hell. Only those who are saved will attain heaven. Today, the latter beliefs are still held by some conservative Christians. Other conservatives are drifting toward the Universalist belief. Mainline and liberal Christians are already there.

It is the second meaning of Universalism that we will use here.

History of the movement

Unitarian Universalists value the teachings of:

  • Origen (circa 185 CE) who stressed Jesus' humanity, and believed that God would receive all people (even demons) into heaven.
  • Jan Huss a Bohemian church reformer and martyr, burned at the stake in 1415 CE.
  • Michael Servetus who wrote "On The Errors of the Trinity" which led to his execution at the stake in 1553 in John Calvin's Geneva for his unitarian heresy.
  • King John Sigismund of Transylvania (now a part of Romania and Hungary) in 1568 issued the first edict of religious freedom. This allowed citizens to hold diverse religious beliefs and still be loyal to the state.
  • Writers, scientists, and others who promoted religious tolerance, including Alcott, Bryant, Holmes, Locke, Milton, Newton, Florence Nightingale, and Thoreau.
  • American politicians such as John Adams, John Quincy Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Paine, Adlai Stevenson and William Howard Taft.
  • John Murray, who in 1779 became the minister of the first Universalist church in the U.S. at Gloucester, MA.
  • Joseph Priestly, chemist and Unitarian Minister who established the first Unitarian Church in the U.S. in 1796.
  • Hosea Ballou, author (in 1805) of "A Treatise on Atonement" which argued against the existence of miracles, the Trinity and of Hell. He is sometimes referred to as "The Father of American Universalism".
  • Preachers and theologians Ralph Waldo Emerson, William Ellery Channing and Theodore Parker.
  • Julia Ward Howe, a fighter in the abolition of slavery.
  • Clara Barton, who worked for penal reform.
  • Susan B. Anthony, who advocated women's rights.

The first church to call itself Unitarian was established in Transylvania, in 1638. During the 17th and 18th centuries, Universalist groups were formed in England. An organization which was to become the Universalist Church of America was formed in 1785. By 1810, there were 20 Unitarian churches in England. In the U.S., many churches were founded which were Unitarian or professed Unitarian beliefs. Theirs was largely a reaction to the rigidity of Calvinist belief in New England. These churches formed the American Unitarian Association in 1825. The first Unitarian church in Canada was established in Montreal in 1842. In 1961, the Unitarian and Universalist churches merged to become the UUA.

Unitarian Universalist beliefs

The two religious movements that became the "UU" Association were originally viewed by the public as Christian churches who were defined largely by their heretical beliefs about the nature of God and the afterlife. However a gradual change started during the 19th century and continues today. Emerson was a powerful force in this change. His Divinity School Address emphasized the importance of intellectual freedom and reason. Most modern day Unitarian Universalists share the following beliefs -- that:

  • Each person, because of her/his humanity inherently has dignity and worth.
  • Each person seek his/her unique spiritual path, based upon their personal life experience, the use of reason and meditation, the findings of science and her/his fundamental beliefs concerning deity, humanity, and the rest of the universe.
  • The prime function of a clergyperson and congregation is to help the individual members to grow spiritually.
  • All the great religions of the world, and their sacred texts, have worth.
  • There should be no barrier to membership, such as compulsory adherence to a creed.
  • Their lives, their congregations and association are governed by the concepts of democracy, religious freedom and religious tolerance
  • Much of their effort should be directed towards civil rights, achieving equality of treatment for everyone regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, etc. They have played a major role in these battles for equal rights, in spite of their relatively small numbers.

Some UU members and their churches regard themselves as liberal Christians. Others would describe themselves as non-Christians. In 1995-JUN, the Association acknowledged that its sources of spirituality are: Christianity, Earth Centered Religions (Afro-American religions, Native American spirituality, Wicca, other Neopagan religions, etc.), Humanism, Judaism, other world religions, prophets, and the direct experience of mystery.

Unitarian Universalist Statement of Principles and Purposes:

"We, the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association, covenant to affirm and promote:

  • The inherent worth and dignity of every person
  • Justice, equity and compassion in human relations
  • Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations
  • A free and responsible search for truth and meaning
  • The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large
  • The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all
  • Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part

The living tradition we share draws from many sources:

  • Direct experience of that transcending mystery and wonder, affirmed in all cultures, which moves us to a renewal of the spirit and an openness to the forces which create and uphold life
  • Words and deeds of prophetic women and men which challenge us to confront powers and structures of evil with justice, compassion, and the transforming power of love
  • Wisdom from the world's religions which inspires us in our ethical and spiritual life
  • Jewish and Christian teachings which call us to respond to God's love by loving our neighbors as ourselves
  • Humanist teachings which counsel us to keep the guidance of reason and the results of science, and warn us against idolatries of the mind and spirit
  • Spiritual teachings of Earth-centered traditions which celebrate the sacred circle of life and instruct us to live in harmony with the rhythms of nature.

Grateful for the religious pluralism which enriches and ennobles our faith, we are inspired to deepen our understanding and expand our vision. As free congregations we enter into this covenant, promising to one another our mutual trust and support."

Comparing Christianity and Unitarian Universalism

We do few comparisons of faith traditions on this website beyond describing their range of beliefs in deity and their shared beliefs in the "Golden Rule." We will do so here, because the UU movement is so unlike other religions, and because Christianity is such a dominant religion in the U.S. and Canada.

We compare conservative Christianity and the UU movement below:

Beliefs of Conservative Christians In common with most other religions, Evangelical faith groups require their members to adhere to a list of beliefs concerning the nature of God, of mankind, and of the rest of the universe. This usually includes the following theological beliefs, derived largely from the literal interpretation of biblical passages:

  1. The original writings of the Bible, were inerrant (without error).
  2. Jesus Christ was born of a virgin.
  3. Atonement: that through Jesus' death, the relationship between God and a person can been restored.
  4. Resurrection: that after Jesus Christ's death and burial, he arose again.
  5. Second coming: that Jesus return to earth is imminent.
  6. Incarnation: that God appeared on earth in human form as Jesus Christ.
  7. Justification: an act of God in which any person who accepts that he/she has sinned and who believes in the atonement of Christ is forgiven of his/her sins and brought into a close relationship with God.
  8. Regeneration of the spirit: that a new believer undergoes a spiritual rebirth.
  9. Inspiration: that the authors of the Bible were inspired by the Holy Spirit.
  10. The Trinity: that God consists of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
  11. Satan is a created being, was once an angel but is now an all-evil tormentor of humanity.
  12. Salvation is attained by repentance and trusting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
  13. Heaven and Hell exist as places of eternal reward and punishment after death.

Beliefs of Unitarian Universalist groups: Many people think that UUs are required to believe that God is a unity and to reject the concept of the Trinity. This is not true. Members are not required to hold any specific belief concerning God, Jesus, heaven, hell, etc. As a result, UUs hold diverse beliefs about deity. Within a single congregation, there will be some individuals who are unsure of the existence of god(s) and goddess(es). Others believe in no deity, a single deity or many deities. They hold various views on life after death, including complete annihilation of the person, some form of afterlife removed from earth, or reincarnation. They are free to have beliefs that parallel those of conservative Christians; but few do so. Approximately 25% of UUs consider themselves to be Christians. These people typically share many beliefs about Jesus with liberal Christian denominations.

Practices of Conservative Christians A main responsibility of all members is to attempt to win as many souls to Jesus Christ as possible. This is a natural outgrowth of their belief that those who do not trust Jesus Christ as their personal lord and savior will remain lost and never attain heaven. They are also instructed to convert "the lost" by the "Great Commission" specified in the New Testament. Some faith groups actively promote laws or practices that discriminate against women and minorities, and which limit people's choice in abortion, euthanasia, etc. Some believe that non-Christian faith groups worship demons, and that their organizations are either influenced by Satan or actually led by Satan. They tend to be politically conservative. They are urged to avoid being "unequally yoked," by being married to spouses who are not conservative Christians.

Practices of Unitarian Universalists UUs do little proselytizing. They make few attempts to convert others to their religion. They believe that other religions have value; they cherish religious diversity and freedom. UUs are generally motivated by the principle of "liberty and justice for all" and believe in the inherent dignity of each human, regardless of race, color, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, nationality, degree of ability, etc. Starting in the 1950s, UUs were influential beyond what their numbers would suggest, in the battles to end racial segregation. They have been actively involved in programs to promote equal rights for women, gays, lesbians and other oppressed minorities. They value their local congregation as a place where they can help each other in their individual quests for spiritual knowledge. They have a larger percentage of women clergy than any other religion (other than Neopaganism). They were the first large denomination to have an office to promote equal rights for gays and lesbians, including the right to marry. Most of their congregations have solemnized unions of gays and lesbians. They tend to be politically liberal. Many couples who were raised in different religions find that membership in a UU congregation is an excellent method by which they can share spiritual and religious experiences, while maintaining their personal beliefs.

Groups associated with the UUA:

  • Buddhist Fellowship: The Unitarian Universalist Buddhist Fellowship is a group within the UUA for Buddhists. "Since the introduction of the first Buddhist texts to American in the mid-19th century, Buddhism has been an extremely influential force among Unitarians..." 5
  • Christian Fellowship: "The Unitarian Universalist Christian Fellowship is a group within the UUA for Christians. The purpose of the Fellowship (UUCF) is to serve Christian Unitarians and Universalists according to their expressed religious needs; to uphold and promote the Christian witness within the Unitarian Universalist Association; and to uphold and promote the historic Unitarian and Universalist witness and conscience within the church universal." 6
  • Church of the Larger Fellowship: The CLF is an outreach of the UUA which supports Unitarian Universalists throughout the US and Canada who do not have a Unitarian congregation or fellowship nearby. They publish a newsletter Quest.
  • "CUUPS": The Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans was formed in 1985 to promote the "practice of contemporary Pagan and Earth [-centered] and nature-centered spirituality". They also help UU's who are also Neopagans to network together. They develop material to inform and facilitate Neo-Pagan services at individual UU churches. They promote communications among religions etc. They have a quarterly newsletter Pagan NUUS and an annual journal The UU Pagan.
  • Interweave: This is an organization affiliated with the UUA and composed of Unitarian Universalists who promote lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender concerns. The UU Association was the first significant religious organization in North America to open an office for the support of equal rights for (and acceptance of) gays and lesbians. This has expanded in recent years to include both bisexual and transgendered people.
  • Unitarian Universalist Service Committee: This was formed in 1939 to help people escape from fascism in Europe. A parallel group in Canada is the USC, formed after World War II by Lotta Hitchminova. Each has since evolved into an agency no longer affiliated with the UU movement, but still gaining much financial and other support from that source. Both groups are active around the world, in the areas of: health care (including family planning), the status of children and women, poverty reduction, human rights, the environment, etc.
  • Other Groups: There are Unitarian interest groups for Judaism, and for the ethical treatment of animals. Beacon House is its publishing arm.

Unitarian resources on the Internet:

  1. The UUA maintains a WWW site at http://uua.org
  2. An essay "Unitarian Universalism in Brief," is at http://www.uua.org/uubrief.html
  3. Suite101.com has a section on Unitarian Universalism at: http://www.suite101.com/welcome.cfm/unitarian_universalist 
  4. The Web Home for Unitarian Universalist Pagans (WHUUPS) is at http://www.notelrac.com/whuups.dir/index.html
  5. Unitarian-Universalist Buddhist Fellowship at http://www.uua.org/uubf/
  6. Unitarian Universalist Christian Fellowship at http://www.uua.org/uucf/
  7. "Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches," Selected data on religious bodies can be downloaded from: http://www.census.gov/prod/3/98pubs/98statab/sasec1.pdf