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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.

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===

===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.

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 Waldo 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]].  

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

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.  

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.