Term Paper on "Unitarianism Denomination"

Term Paper 4 pages (1350 words) Sources: 2

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Unitarian Universalism: Beliefs and Organization

The Unitarian Universalist denomination, as it name suggests, believes in the unitary nature of God. Unlike most Christian sects, it rejects the concept of the trinity or the idea that God consists of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Although the modern Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) was founded in 1961, the sect has a long history in America. Unitarians distinguished themselves from other religious groups early in their history, because they believed in universal salvation, in contrast to the Calvinists who believed in the possibility of salvation for only a small, elect group of people.

The Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) unifies two religious movements, that of Unitarianism (believers in the unity of God) and Universalists (believers in universal salvation).The idea of a 'unitary' Christian God has origins back to the Christian early fathers. Origen of Alexandria and Gregory of Nyssa advocated the idea of a singular godhead, although the Council of Nicaea declared the idea to be heresy in 325 BCE. Another early advocate of Unitarianism, Michael Servetus was martyred in 1553 during the Reformation "for his criticism of the doctrine of the trinity and his opposition to infant baptism… Servetus rejected the doctrine of original sin and the entire theory of salvation based upon it, including the doctrines of Christ's dual nature and the vicarious atonement effected by his death. He believed Jesus had one nature, at once fully human and divine, and that Jesus was not another being of the godhead separate from the Father, but God come to earth. Other human beings, touched by Christian grace, could overcome sin and themselves become progressively divine" (Hughes 2011). The UUA traces its formal beginnings back to 1569 "when Transylvanian King John Sigismund issued an edict establishing religious freedom" including those who questioned conventional trinitarianism (Zavada 2011).

Unitarianism as a movement gained in popularity in the U.S. during the 19th century, and was associated with the Transcendentalist movement spearheaded by liberal thinkers and writers like Ralph Waldo Emerson (author of "Self-Reliance") and Henry Thoreau. America's democratic and independent philosophy as a nation resonated with the Universalist belief in the fact that every person could have a personal relationship with God and its stress upon the humanity of Jesus. "Some famous Unitarians include John Adams, John Quincy Adams, Louisa May Alcott, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Paul Revere, William Howard Taft, and Frank Lloyd Wright" ("Unitarianism," UAA, 2011). It was formally established as a church in 1825 (Zavada 2011).

Universalism arose as a religious movement in England. Many fled to the United States to escape religious persecution, and the Universalist Church was founded as a formal church in 1793. It was the first church in the United States to ordain a woman and the Universalist Church strongly supported education for all citizens, women's rights, and the abolishment of slavery ("Universalism," UAA, 2011). In 1961, the Universalist and Unitarian denominations merged to form the UAA, as it exists today. Although-based within the United States, branches also exist internationally in many former U.S. outposts, such as the Philippines and in some European nations, including Romania.

Universalists today honor the wisdom of the teachings of Jesus, but have a pluralistic conception of religion. "Unitarian Universalism does not hold one particular religious text to be the most sacred or authoritative. Members use sacred texts from a variety of traditions or none at all, but the Bible is the most commonly used sacred text" ("Unitarian Universalism," Religion Facts, 2011). The principles of the organization are not a formal creed, but rather affirm the innate sacredness and dignity of all human persons. The seven principles which Unitarian Universalist congregations affirm and promote are: "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… READ MORE

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