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Line 1: + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + − 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.''<ref>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."</ref> + − 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."<ref>[http://www.transcendentalists.com/unitarian_christianity.htm Unitarian Christianity], text of Channing's sermon</ref> + + Line 23:
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'''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."<ref>[http://www.uua.org/info/origins.html Unitarian Universalist Origins: Our Historic Faith], Mark W. Harris, minister of the First Parish Unitarian Universalist in Watertown, Massachusetts</ref> The word does not simply mean monotheism and is not applied to Jews, but to people who consider themselves Christians.
'''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."<ref>[http://www.uua.org/info/origins.html Unitarian Universalist Origins: Our Historic Faith], Mark W. Harris, minister of the First Parish Unitarian Universalist in Watertown, Massachusetts</ref> The word does not simply mean monotheism and is not applied to Jews, but to people who consider themselves Christians.
Unitarians are religious liberals who stress the freedom of the individual to seek religious truth through the use of reason. Considering the dogma of the Trinity a corruption of Christianity, they believe in the unity of God and view Jesus as strictly human. The name Unitarian derives from this opposition to the Trinitarians. Unitarians accept Jesus as one of humanity's great teachers and generally hold an optimistic view concerning the ability of man to achieve his own salvation.
Unitarian denominations are notable for their high turnover, as people move through briefly on their way into or out of Christianity.
==History==
===Europe===
Unitarianism somewhat resembled [[Arianism]], a once-powerful Chruistian sect that died out by 400.
Modern Unitarianism first emerged in the teaching of the Italians Lelio Sozzini, or Socinus (1525-1562), and his nephew Fausto (1539-1604). Thus "Socianianism" was one of many theological innovations during the [[Protestant Reformation]]. It was propagated by Fausto in Poland, where a strong community was in existence until persecution scattered its members about 1650. Francis Dávid (or David) (1510-79), a Hungarian, was the leading proponent in Transylvania after 1565, where the Church continues to this day.
===England===
In England, the movement grew out of the work of dissenters from the Church of England, including Theophilus Lindsey (1723-1805), who established the first Unitarian church in London in 1774. It also spread among the English Presbyterians. The noted clergyman and scientist [[Joseph Priestley]] (1733-1804) was a Unitarian minister; he formed the first Unitarian Society in Philadelphia, in 1796. The Unitarians later claimed [[Thomas Jefferson]] as a sympathizer, as well as [[Isaac Newton]]. Jefferson decided not to join the group. Newton was an Arian but died before the Unitarians became active.
===United States===
Unitarians emerged primarily within the Congregational churches of New England, in reaction against the excessive emotionalism of the [[First Great Awakening]] (from 1734) and subsequent revivals. Unitarians were rationalists who distrusted emotionalism and saw revivals as unholy. A sharp division emerged between the liberals and conservatives within Congregationalism; in 1805 the Hollis Professorship of Divinity at Harvard College was filled by Unitarian Henry Ware. The bitter debate that ensued was responsible for a great number of schisms among the New England churches. The most celebrated leader of the new liberal theology was [[William Ellery Channing]], especially for his sermon "Unitarian Christianity" at Baltimore in 1819. The American Unitarian Association was formed in 1825 as an organization of individuals; not till 1865 was a conference of churches formed. The philosophical movement of [[Transcendentalism]], typified by [[Ralph Walso Emerson]], further liberalized the Unitarian churches, as a result of the influence of Emerson and [[Theodore Parker]]. They vigorously championed the abolition of slavery and many other reforms. Parker brought to the denomination a social consciousness and a political activism that has continued strong through the years.
Many leading literary and scientific figures have been Unitarians, including Emerson's contemporaries [[Oliver Wendell Holmes]] (1809–1894), a poet who was the father of the justice; and Henry W. Longfellow (1807-1882), along with many scholars and educators. Unitarians include four presidents : [[John Adams]], [[John Quincy Adams]], [[Millard Fillmore]], and [[William Howard Taft]].
Unitarians were among the first to accept Darwinian [[evolution]] views as applied to religion and "higher criticism" of the Bible and have continued to modify their theology to accord with new fads. Since the 1930s the Unitarians have been influenced greatly by religious humanism--the belief that mankind should set aside unsolvable theological problems and concentrate on the application of the scientific method to the task of creating a better life
== [[Unitarian Universalism]]==
== [[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.'' Members of the denomination are often called "Unitarians", although members of the organization, not wishing to overlook Universalism, prefer to call themselves "U-Us." The Unitarians appealed to a Harvard-educated Boston elite, while Universalism was common in the hard-scrable farmers f remore New England villages.
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."<ref>[http://www.transcendentalists.com/unitarian_christianity.htm Unitarian Christianity], text of Channing's sermon</ref>
In 1991 there were 1,020 Unitarian churches in the United States and Canada, with a total membership of 193,000. National headquarters are in Boston. The Beacon Press of Bostonstresses liberal political issues.
==Beliefs==
Unitarian Universalism is noncreedal. A Unitarian Universalist minister answers the question "Are Unitarian Universalists Christian?" with a forthright "Yes and no."<ref name=wesley>[http://www.uua.org/aboutuu/uufaq.html Our Unitarian Universalist Faith: Frequently Asked Questions], Alice Blair Wesley</ref> 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 [[humanist]]s, [[liberal Christians]], or world religionists."
Unitarian Universalism is noncreedal. A Unitarian Universalist minister answers the question "Are Unitarian Universalists Christian?" with a forthright "Yes and no."<ref name=wesley>[http://www.uua.org/aboutuu/uufaq.html Our Unitarian Universalist Faith: Frequently Asked Questions], Alice Blair Wesley</ref> 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 [[humanist]]s, [[liberal Christians]], or world religionists."
: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.
: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.
: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.
==Further reading==
* Buehrens, John A.. and Forrest Church. ''A Chosen Faith: An Introduction to Unitarian Universalism'' (1998) [http://www.amazon.com/Chosen-Faith-Introduction-Unitarian-Universalism/dp/0807016179/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1233546268&sr=8-4 excerpt and text search]
* Bumbaugh, David, ''Unitarian Universalism: A Narrative History'' (2001)
* Smith, Leonard. ''The Unitarians: A Short History'' (2008)
==Notes and references==
==Notes and references==
[[Category:Religion]]
[[Category:Religion]]
[[Category:Protestant Denominations]]
[[Category:Liberals]]
[[Category:Revivals]]