Unitarian Universalism
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Unitarian Universalism is a religion with a theologically liberal worldview. One of its principles is the free and responsible search for truth and meaning.[1] A Unitarian Universalist place of worship is called a congregation. It is quite possibly the least dogmatic religion to come out of Western Christianity — a textbook example of a liberal religion. Seriously, they make the Anglicans look like rabid fundies. It was formed as a merger of the Unitarians and the Universalists, which were once two separate Christian movements, although since then it has largely split from key Christian beliefs and become a religion in its own right. The Unitarians arose in the 1500s, and originally were anti-trinitarian, believing that Jesus was not God. Universalism started in the late 1700s with the belief all people would be saved.
They are sometimes referred to by stricter dogmatists as "atheists,"[2] due to their very open-ended mission to provide a community for pursuit of faith and spirituality, and their remarked-upon debates a few years ago about whether to use the word "god" in their services. Unitarian Universalists may describe themselves as a humanist, agnostic, deist, atheist, pagan, monotheist, pantheist, polytheist, or no description.
There is a Unitarian Universalist house of fellowship in Portsmouth, NH, which ironically has a very large display of the Ten Commandments arrayed on each side of the pulpit ("stage") area set up by a previous sect which occupied the building. They have left it in place due to its historical importance[3] rather than for its religious significance.
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[edit] Summary
The word "unitarian" refers to "unitarianism" - essentially a rejection of trinitarianism. Their conception of God is that there is one god and he is God, and that's all there is to it - rather like Islam. None of this "three in one" nonsense. While one might applaud them for dispensing with two persons of the trinity on the basis that the very idea just doesn't make sense, it's a great pity they didn't go that one step further.
The word "universalist" refers to "universalism" - the doctrine that all people will get to heaven eventually. They don’t believe in hell, or see hell as a kind of purgatory where souls stay for a time till they are reconciled with God. References to eternal hell in the Bible are explained as mistranslations.[4][5]
Historically Unitarian-Universalism began as a Christian denomination, nominally based on the Bible, teaching that there is a (unitarian) God, that Jesus did indeed have at least something to do with redemption from mankind's original sin (although this redemption applied universally). However, contemporary UUism has moved beyond its Christian roots, to include Humanism, world religions, and Earth-based nature religions (including those of indigenous peoples, and contemporary Neo-Paganism.)
[edit] Beliefs
Unitarian Universalism is a remarkably difficult-to-define religion. The church tolerates a wide range of different beliefs regarding both theology and spirituality, but the vast majority (91%) say that they are, among other things, humanists, while those holding specifically Christian, "earth-centered", Buddhist, or Jewish beliefs are significant minorities.[6] Unitarian Universalists often adhere to seven "principles", sort of like the Ten Commandments, which can be summed up as belief in the value of:
- humanity
- justice
- diversity
- free inquiry
- democracy
- community
- respect for nature
How an individual reaches these conclusions, however, is entirely up to them.[7]
Though Unitarian Universalists take no official stance on most current issues, its inclusive and pragmatic nature make it more appealing to liberals than to conservatives. In 1984, it became the first major church to recognize same-sex marriage [8], and remains one of the most vocal religious supporters of it to this day.
[edit] Unitarian Universalist Christmas carol
- Gods rest ye, Unitarians, let nothing you dismay;
- Remember there's no evidence there was a Christmas Day;
- When Christ was born is just not known, no matter what they say,
- O, Tidings of reason and fact, reason and fact,
- Glad tidings of reason and fact.
- Our current Christmas Customs come from Persia and from Greece,[9]
- From solstice celebrations of the ancient Middle East.
- This whole darn Christmas spiel is just another pagan feast,
- O, Tidings of reason and fact, reason and fact,
- Glad tidings of reason and fact.
- There was no star of Bethlehem, there was no angels' song;
- There could not have been wise men for the trip would take too long.
- The stories in the Bible are historically wrong,
- O, Tidings of reason and fact, reason and fact,
- Glad tidings of reason and fact!
Lyrics by the Rev. Christopher Gist Raible of the First Unitarian Church of Worcester. This was posted to LiveJournal[10] and the UUs loved it.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
[edit] Footnotes
- ↑ (The 4th principle of Unitarian Universalism)UUA.org Seven principles
- ↑ Atheists and agnostics are a majority in the church, outnumbering Christians by 4 to 1.[1]
- ↑ The historical importance is as a display or work of art, and how it fits into the decor of the building, rather than as a set of laws
- ↑ Greater Reality Forum - Heaven and Hell
- ↑ Gospel Themes - Jesus' teachings about hell
- ↑ See above:Universalist Unitarian Association
- ↑ http://www.uua.org/visitors/6798.shtml
- ↑ http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D05E0DB1539F93AA15755C0A962948260
- ↑ Not to mention Germany, England, and Ireland.
- ↑ http://community.livejournal.com/chalice_circle/152100.html