UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISM

Introduction

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Overview:

The Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (commonly called the Unitarian Universalist Association or UUA) is a liberal religious organization, serving the Unitarian Universalist (UU) churches of North America. The Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches estimated a total membership of 502,000 in 1990. ₁ The UUA was formed on 1961-MAY-11 from the merger of the Unitarian and Universalist Churches. Unlike other religiously liberal faith groups, UUs are currently expanding in numbers. 

Before about 1960, UUs were largely considered the most liberal of Christian denominations. Since then, the beliefs of Unitarian Universalists have become quite diverse. They are now considered a separate religion and no longer part of Christianity. In 1995-JUN, the UUA acknowledged that its main sources of spirituality are: Christianity, Earth Centered Religions (African-American religions, Native American spirituality, Wicca, other Neopagan religions, etc.), Humanism, Judaism, other world religions, prophets, and the direct experience of mystery. Fewer than 10% of Unitarian Universalists identify themselves as Christians. The organization exists as a very liberal, multi-faith group.

According to a 1997 survey of almost 10,000 UUs gave their theological perspective as:

They are certainly a diverse lot!

It is obvious that the "glue" that holds congregations together is not a shared theological belief system, as it is in almost all other religious groups. The 1997 survey found that the four most important factors are:

Definitions:

The term Unitarian has traditionally had two main religious meanings:

1. A monotheistic belief that God is a unity, not a trinity. This was widespread in the early Christian movement, 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. Three were 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. This belief system still exists in the form of Biblical Unitarianism: Christians who believe "in one God, the Father, and one Lord, Jesus Christ...The "Holy Spirit" is another name for God..." ₃
2. A contemporary religious movement which features 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 Jewish people.
2. A religious movement which historically promoted the belief 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 most conservative Christians. Other mainline and conservative Christians are gradually drifting toward the Universalist belief. Liberal and most mainline 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:

The first church to call itself Unitarian was established in Transylvania, in 1638. During the 17^th and 18^th 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 Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA).

Some modern-day Unitarian Universalists:

There are many well-known North Americans who are members of UUA congregations, who have joined the Church of the Larger Fellowship, or have identified themselves with the UUA.

The First Parish and the First Church in Cambridge (Unitarian Universalist) has prepared biographies of UUs who made major contributions to North American science, theology and culture during the period 1936 -- when a report Unitarians Face a New Age was published -- to 1961 when the Unitarian Universalist Association was founded. Some were/are:

A few UUs of the 21st century whom we are aware are:

There are many more individuals who have contributed greatly to society and were affiliated in some way with the UUA or its predecessor organizations. See the "Famous UUs" web site, Reference 5.

References used:

1. "Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches," Selected data on religious bodies can be downloaded from: http://www.census.gov/ You need software to read these files. It can be obtained free from:
2. "The 1997 Unitarian Universalism Needs and Aspirations Survey," at: http://www.uua.org/ The respondents were self-selected from among the recipients of the WORLD periodical. There may be some bias in the survey.
3. "Biblical Unitarians," at: http://www.biblicalunitarian.com/
4. "Notable American Unitarians 1936-1961," at: http://www.harvardsquarelibrary.org/
5. Jone Johnson Lewis, "Famous UUs" at: http://www.famousuus.com/

Copyright © 1996 to 2004 incl. by Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance
Latest update: 2004-AUG-02
Author: B.A. Robinson