Unitarian?
Whats that?
Questions and answers about a liberal religious alternative
by
Rev Cliff Reed
Contents
- Introduction
- Who are
the Unitarians?
- Where
does the word Unitarian come from?
- Does
Unitarian have the same meaning today?
- Do
Unitarians have anything to do with the New Age?
- Are
Unitarians Christians?
- What do
Unitarians believe about God?
- Do
Unitarians believe in the Bible?
- What do
Unitarians believe about Jesus?
- Do
Unitarians believe in the Holy Spirit?
- Do
Unitarians celebrate Easter?
- Do
Unitarians celebrate Christmas?
- Do
Unitarians believe in the Devil and Hell?
- How do
Unitarians respond to the problem of evil?
- What do
Unitarians think about sin?
- How do
Unitarians understand salvation?
- Do
Unitarians believe in life after death?
- What is
the Unitarian view of human nature?
- Is
there a Unitarian morality?
- Where
do Unitarians stand on ?
- Do
Unitarians mix religion with politics?
- How do
Unitarians view sexuality?
- Do
Unitarians see environmental issues as religious?
- Are
Unitarians pacifists?
- Where
does religious authority lie?
- What do
Unitarians do about Religious Education?
- Is
there a Unitarian spirituality?
- How
important is worship, and what is it like?
- Do
Unitarians celebrate communion?
- Do
Unitarians carry out baptism?
- What
are Unitarian weddings like?
- What do
Unitarians do about funerals?
- Do
Unitarians have ministers?
- How do
Unitarians get on with other churches?
- What do
Unitarians think of other faiths?
- Who
founded the Unitarian movement?
- What
does the Flaming Chalice mean?
- What
holds the Unitarian movement together?
- How is
the Unitarian movement organised?
- Are
there Unitarians in other countries?
- Who are
the Universalists?
- What
sort of people become Unitarians?
- Where
can I find out more?
- Further
reading
About the Author
Cliff Reed has been minister to the Unitarian
congregations of Ipswich, Framlingham and Bedfield in Suffolk since 1976. He was
Secretary of the International Council of Unitarians and Universalists from 1995
to 1997 and President of the General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian
Churches from 1997 to 1998. He has written three collections of devotional
material: We Are Here (1992); The Way of the Pilgrim (1993); and
Celebrating the Flame (1997). He has also contributed to several
anthologies of prayers and meditations, and written a number of hymns for
Unitarian hymnals.
Introduction
The historic Unitarian affirmation God is
One is what gave the movement its name. Today, this stress on divine unity is
broadened. Now Unitarians also affirm: Humanity is One, the World is One, the
Interdependent Web of Life is One. But while Unitarians may share these
affirmations, we do so in an open and liberal spirit. And there is a lot more to
us than that.
As a minority faith tradition, Unitarians
are less well known than we deserve to be. Of those who have heard of us, many
have an outdated or erron-eous picture. Many more may never have heard of us at
all. This is a shame. In a culture where many are looking once more to life's
spiritual dimension, Unitarians offer something unique.
This text is designed to introduce Unitarians by means of a simple
question-and-answer formula, based mainly on questions that people have actually
asked when encountering Unitarians for the first time. I hope it will begin to
answer your questions.
But first, it is important to
make something clear. Unitarians approach religion and spirituality in a rather
unusual way. We believe that faith should be free from the constraints imposed
by others. We believe that no one should dictate what another person may or may
not believe. This means that this text is not the Unitarian party line, for
there is no party line. It does not presume to speak for all Unitarians on any
or every issue. It is essentially my own personal perspective as a lifelong
Unitarian.
Cliff Reed
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Who are the Unitarians?
The Unitarians are a community of
people who take their religion, or their spirituality, liberally. That is to
say, we hold that all people have the right to believe what their own
life-experience tells them is true; what the prompting of their own conscience
tells them is right. We say that each person's spiritual or intuitive experience
deserves respect; that everyone's deep reflection and reasoning on religious and
ethical questions should be taken seriously.
Unitarians
form a movement that tries to put these affirmations into practice. Our local
religious communities offer a setting where people can worship, explore, and
share faith together in an atmosphere of freedom and mutual respect.
Please Note: Unitarians share the first three
letters of their name with some other religious groups and denominations. This
sometimes causes confusion. Just to clarify matters, Unitarians have nothing
whatsoever to do with the Unification Church and, with one exception, are quite
distinct from any other religious organisation whose name begins with Uni....
The exception is the Universalist tradition, found mainly in the United States,
which is dealt with elsewhere in this text.
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Where does the word "Unitarian" come from?
Its roots lie
in the Reformation of 16th-century Europe. At that time Protestant Christians
claimed the right to read the Bible in their own languages and to interpret it
for themselves.
Some who did so found that it spoke of
one God, without qualification. This did not square with the orthodox Christian
doctrine of the Trinity, which says that God consists of three "persons".
Because these people believed God to be a "unity" rather than a "trinity" they
became known as "Unitarians".
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Does "Unitarian" have the same meaning today?
Unitarians
are less likely to argue about such strictly theological issues today. We now
place more stress on the importance of liberty of conscience in matters of
faith.
It is still true, though, that most Unitarians
affirm the oneness of God: the Divine Unity. Traditionally this was about God as
one "person". Nowadays, however, God's unity is often seen rather differently:
as the oneness of that Ground of Being within which we and all things come to
be. Following from this, many Unitarians affirm that the infinite variety and
diversity of the universe is connected and enfolded in a transcendent oneness.
Thus unity is the true and essential nature of things.
Just as creation is one, so too humanity is one and the human person is one.
What divides is less important than what unites. That which unites -- the
ultimate unifying principle or spirit -- is what many Unitarians mean today when
speaking of God.
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Do Unitarians have anything to do with the New Age?
Unitarians have been around for centuries. We are not a
manifestation of the New Age movement. Nevertheless, as with any phenomenon
relating to human spirituality, Unitarians are prepared to look at the vast
range of New Age practices and ideas with an open mind.
Having done so, though, it must be said that many of us regard a good deal of
what we see as highly suspect, even dangerous. Old superstitions have been
revived, new ones developed, and populist pseudo-scholarship favoured over the
real thing. We Unitarians value our heritage as rational religionists, as well
as valuing life's spiritual dimension. Much New Age material seems to fail the
tests of both reason and healthy spirituality.
On the
other hand, Unitarians also see valid and valuable insights in some of what is
dubbed "New Age". In particular, many Unitarians welcome holistic
interpretations of the human person or the planet. We are prepared to see the
value of some forms of alternative and complementary medicine, for example. We
also share the revival of interest in a spirituality that focuses on the natural
world, and believes we must get back to living in harmony with it. This is an
area where our civilisation has much to learn. We are also sympathetic to
approaches that value the intuitive and the feminine.
The whole New Age movement reflects the spiritual hunger of our times. Some of
its responses to that hunger are highly dubious, but others deserve serious,
though discriminating, attention. Unitarians are willing to give that.
We would not wish to dismiss anything that genuinely
meets a need. Neither, though, do we wish to retreat into the spiritual and
mental obscurity of a pre-Enlightenment, pre-scientific age that is anything but
"New"!
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Are Unitarians Christians?
As to whether any Unitarian,
or anyone else, is a Christian is really for that person to decide.
From the earliest days of the Church there have been many
different ideas about what being a Christian means. Much suffering has been
caused by the resultant disputes, persecutions and wars. This sad record has led
some Unitarians to regard the term "Christian" with disfavour. For them it is
too hung about with unacceptable baggage to be worth retaining.
There are also those who simply do not base their belief system on
the Christian tradition. Some of these define their position as religious
humanist. Others favour a broader theism, an earth-centred spirituality or a
faith that draws principally on religions other than Christianity.
However, Unitarians generally hold Jesus in high regard. We favour
a simple and inclusive definition of the word Christian. Thus a Christian is any
person who seeks to live in accord with the life and teachings of Jesus, who
identifies with what is best in the Christian tradition, and who, perhaps, sees
in Jesus a revelation of the God who is immanent in all people. This is the
wellspring of love that permeated his nature and his ministry.
In this sense, many Unitarians are Christians. And we also recognise as
such all who share the same spirit, whatever their position on the Christian
theological spectrum.
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What do Unitarians believe about God?
"God" is a very
subjective word.
Unitarians recognise this and do not
presume to define God for others. We believe that everyone should be free to
encounter the Great Mystery for themselves without mediator or veil.
However, most Unitarians would use the word "God" to signify that
which they believe to be of supreme worth. God is that which commands ultimate
reverence and allegiance. God is the inspiration and the object of those who
seek truth in a spirit of humility and openness. For some, Christian language
about God as a loving, personal power -- father-like, as Jesus experienced --
comes closest to their own belief. Increasingly, the feminine aspect of the
divine is recognised too -- God as Mother, the Goddess. Many experience God as a
unifying and life-giving spirit: the source of all being, the universal process
that comes to consciousness as love in its creatures. Some use the word "God" to
signify the human ideal, the noblest visions and aspirations of humanity against
which we measure ourselves. God as an inward presence -- the "still small voice"
-- means more to many than any external power.
Such
understandings are not, of course, mutually exclusive. There are some Unitarians
who avoid using the word "God" altogether. For them it has become debased or
corrupted by abuse, or simply doesn't mean anything to them. Does all this sound
confusing? Only if you really think that God -- that which is ultimate in the
universe and in our lives -- can be reduced to one neat formula. Human
experience suggests otherwise, and Unitarians accept this.
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Do Unitarians believe in the Bible?
Unitarians see the
Bible as the record of a people's long struggle to understand themselves, their
world and their God. In it the writers describe and interpret the spiritual
dimension of their existence and their history. In the insights, stories and
experiences that the Bible's human authors record, we can learn much in our own
quest for faith and meaning.
Where we find in scripture
a source of sustaining and abiding truth, it can be said to be a source of
divine wisdom. But Unitarians do not approach the Bible uncritically or without
discrimination. Nor do we regard it as an inerrant and unquestionable authority.
What it says must be viewed in the light of reason and conscience. Due regard
must be given to the continuing discoveries of biblical criticism, serious
scholarship and archaeology.
Anything in the Bible that
Unitarians accept as true is accepted because it rings true in our own humble
reflection upon it. We do not accept it just because it is in the Bible. Much
that is there is clearly addressed to particular cultural and historical
situations. Much belongs to a remote stage of religious development to which we
cannot relate.
Taking the advice of Paul the Apostle,
Unitarians prefer to abide by the spirit of the Bible's sacred treasures than by
a narrow adherence to the letter.
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What do Unitarians believe about Jesus?
Unitarians
believe that Jesus was a man, unequivocally human.
It
has long been our view that to talk of him as God is unfaithful to his own
understanding of himself. The New Testament accounts describe a Jewish man,
chosen, raised up, adopted and anointed by God. They claim that the divine
purpose was that Jesus should reconcile first the Jews and then all humanity to
each other and to God. This would prepare the way for the Messianic age of
peace.
Jesus stood both in the prophetic tradition of
such figures as Isaiah and Hosea, and in the kingly line of David. His ministry
took place in a primarily Jewish context. His challenge to a corrupt priesthood
in the Jerusalem Temple made him powerful enemies. These found common cause with
the ruthless Roman authorities. The result was his crucifixion, a supreme
example of human integrity and faithfulness in the face of human evil.
Unitarians do not see the crucifixion as a blood sacrifice for sin.
Whatever Jesus' own perception, his followers -- like him, all
faithful Jews -- believed him to be the Messiah, "the anointed one"; in Greek,
"the Christ".
Today's Unitarians are not first-century
Jews. We cannot share their perspective. However, Jesus' teachings and what we
know of his life lead Unitarians to regard him as a major (some would say
the major) figure in humanity's spiritual journey. While honouring him we
do not worship him, something we believe he would not have wanted.
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Do Unitarians believe in the Holy Spirit?
Unitarians do
not see any differentiation between the Holy Spirit and God, and use the words
more or less interchangeably. We conceive of the Spirit as the active divine
presence in individuals and communities, as the divine breath that gives us
life, as that ineffable factor that binds us together.
The Spirit, for many Unitarians, is the divine mystery moving among us and
within us as we work and worship. Indeed, for many, God as loving, creative
Spirit is the primary concept of the divine.
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Do Unitarians celebrate Easter?
Most Unitarians do, but
with perhaps three separate, although not mutually exclusive, perspectives.
First there is the view that in the stories of Jesus'
Resurrection we have a powerful myth. This celebrates the triumph of the human
spirit, exemplified in Jesus, over all that would crush it, and even over death.
Second, from a more specifically Christian standpoint,
is the belief that the loving spirit of Jesus triumphed over death and passed
into the community of disciples who formed the early church. The body of the
faithful thus became the physical resurrection, the risen body, of Christ.
Inasmuch as a religious community continues to embody that loving spirit, then
it continues to embody the re-surrection. Most Unitarians would doubt the
literal veracity of the Gospel resurrection accounts. Some, though, see them as
based on vivid spiritual experiences undergone by several of Jesus' followers in
the aftermath of his death. These then played an important part in convincing
the disciples that his spirit was still among them.
The
third principal way in which Unitarians celebrate Easter is as the festival of
life's renewal in the spring. The earth's resurrection after winter's apparent
death is something that affects us profoundly as dependent children of nature.
Many Unitarians therefore feel that it is a time of deep spiritual significance
in itself. They point out that the word "Easter" is derived from "Eastre", the
name of the ancient Anglo-Saxon Goddess of spring, fertility and renewal.
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Do Unitarians celebrate Christmas?
The answer is yes.
Why? It marks the birth of a religious leader of seminal importance. The birth
of Jesus stands as a symbol of the divinity inherent in every human birth. It
stands for the perennial rebirth of innocence and hope in every new child. It
calls to mind the values of peace and goodwill that should be with us all the
year. It coincides with the winter solstice, the turning of the earth towards
the light and the warmth of a new year. All these factors play a part in the
Unitarian Christmas.
Unitarians do not, in the main,
let it worry us that we do not know the precise date of Jesus' birth. Nor do we
worry that the two quite distinct Gospel Nativity stories probably have little
or no historical basis. As myth they express later beliefs about the
significance of Jesus and other, more timeless, truths.
Unitarians believe that Jesus was conceived and born in the usual human manner,
which in no way diminishes him -- quite the contrary. Many, though, are willing,
for the season, to suspend disbelief, enter into the Christmas myth, and find at
its heart a message of divine love for a world that needs it.
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Do Unitarians believe in the Devil and Hell?
The short
answer has to be "No". Few, if any, Unitarians think of the Devil as having any
objective existence. If we speak of him at all, which we rarely do, it is as a
mythical being. In this sense the Devil is only the mythic personification of
all the evil and malice of which human beings are capable.
The linguistic root of the word "devil" has to do with division.
Therefore the Devil could be taken as a mythic symbol of that which divides what
should be united -- human community, the integrity of creation, the wholeness of
the human person. Any suggestion that he is more than this is seen by Unitarians
as a descent into superstition -- with very real dangers for the psychologically
vulnerable.
The same can be said for "demons" and the
like. Where our ancestors, and even some today, see demon-possession, Unitarians
see mental illness.
We take a similar view of Hell,
traditional abode of the Devil. When Unitarians speak of Hell it is in
this-worldly terms. We may use the word to describe the very real states of
spiritual desolation and alienation into which human beings can fall. Hell might
be described as the sense of utter separation from God, or the inability to give
or receive love. Unitarians do not see Hell as the domain of an "anti-God" or as
a divinely ordained place of punishment. Indeed, we do not see it as a place at
all.
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How do Unitarians respond to "the problem of evil"?
Unitarians tend to see the world and its inhabitants in positive
terms. This doesn't mean, though, that we are not conscious of "evil". One
Unitarian theologian described the so-called "problem of evil" as "this old and
terrible perplexity" -- and so it is. Unitarians are reluctant to produce glib
solutions to it.
As far as "natural evil" (disease,
earthquakes, hurricanes and so on) is concerned, Unitarians see it simply as
part and parcel of living on this planet. We would not regard such phenomena as
the result of supernatural agency or divine wrath. But we might want to ask just
how "natural" some of these disasters really are. It is often the case that
human action, or the neglect of it, can greatly exacerbate or even cause an
apparently "natural" disaster. The destruction of forests, for example, is
implicated in such disastrous events as flooding, landslides, climate change,
and desertification. Thus the boundaries between "natural evil" and "human" or
"moral" evil can become blurred.
As far as moral evil
is concerned, Unitarians do not see this as an inherent or inherited feature of
human nature. Let us take "evil" to describe attitudes, words, and actions that
originate in malice, hatred, and ruthless self-concern. Unitarians might well
see its source in a fundamentally flawed world-view, one that denies the
essential connectedness of all people and all creation. However, even then we
would be conscious of the immense complexity of the issue, and of our limited
understanding of human motivation.
Rather than get too
bogged down in theorising, most Unitarians would see tackling evil and the
suffering it causes as a higher priority. As adult individuals we are
responsible for ourselves. Our prime task is to examine what we do and think.
Then it is to direct our own lives in such a way that they will be a blessing to
those whose lives we touch.
Having done this, our
responsibility extends to the wider human community. There the challenge is to
respond effectively, yet lovingly, to the consequences of evil, whatever its
cause.
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What do Unitarians think about Sin?
"Sin" is a word with
baggage attached. That is why Unitarians often avoid it, or use it only
sparingly. But this does not mean that we pay no attention to the issues the
word involves.
A Unitarian view of sin might be this:
to sin is wilfully to act, speak, or even think in a way that ones own
conscience condemns as wrong. Alternatively, sin is the failure to act, speak or
think in ways that one knows to be right. Or again, to sin is to fall short of
the standards of conduct that ones own faith or ethical system regards as ideal.
It is missing the mark that we set ourselves. And because we all fall short in
this way, there is no room for smugness, self-satisfaction, and
self-righteousness.
Although Unitarians may not like to
use the word "sinners", we would agree that we are all imperfect, flawed beings
when set beside our models of the ideal. However, we generally take the view
that sin is essentially a personal thing. Each one of us is responsible for
himself or herself, although the consequences of our sin will affect others,
both now and in the future.
The remedy for sin is a
process of contrition, repentance, and forgiveness. That is, true regret, a
turning away from what conscience condemns, and a loving acceptance of the
sinner. The giving and receiving of forgiveness -- including
self-forgiveness -- are necessary for healing to take place. Through
forgiveness (human or divine) the wholeness and fellowship that sin fractures
are restored. Unitarians believe that we must always be ready to forgive. It is
no part of our practice to load people with guilt. A burden of guilt is
destructive both spiritually and psychologically.
The
notion that we human beings inherit a burden of sin from Adam and Eve -- that we
are conceived in sin and born sinners -- finds no favour with Unitarians. We are
more likely to see the story of the Fall in Genesis as a mythic portrayal of
every persons journey. It represents the life-journey from the innocence of
infancy through the harsh transition of adolescence to adulthood and the
awakened conciousness of sexuality, responsibility, and mortality. Unitarians
see no inherent or inherited guilt or depravity here, no need for
blood-sacrifice to buy back the soul. Jesus, Unitarians affirm, lived out his
message of selfless love to the bitter end. Our own sin, our own false and
selfish consciousness, is overcome inasmuch as we too can live lovingly and
selflessly, no matter what the cost.
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How do Unitarians understand salvation?
It must be said
that many Unitarians are wary of the word "salvation". We find some of its
associations in mainstream Christianity unhelpful.
However, whether we use the word or not, Unitarians tend to see salvation in
this-worldly rather than other-worldly terms. We identify it with the
deliverance of the human spirit from those things that diminish it and bar the
way to its fulfilment. Thus, deliverance from all that fractures our
relationships with each other, with the rest of creation, and with our own true
selves -- and so from God -- constitutes salvation. Such fracture manifests
itself in hatred and resentment, arrogance and bitterness, greed and fear, guilt
and self-contempt.
Unitarians identify the agent of
salvation as healing, dynamic love. This is both channelled through others and
derived from some wellspring within ourselves. It is love that brings wholeness
and fulfilment through the dissolution of the barriers that divide us. These
barriers exist both inwardly and in the external world. The ultimate saviour is
the source of love's power -- which most call God.
However, love becomes manifest only in human beings and their relationships. So
all those people who bring mercy and reconciliation, liberty and justice into
the world are the embodiments of salvation. They are the "saviours" within
humanity.
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Do Unitarians believe in life after death?
Unitarians
hold a wide variety of beliefs on this subject. Some have a very firm belief in
personal survival beyond death, and cite evidence to support it.
Others -- probably most -- are less categorical, perhaps believing
that in some way all that constitutes a human being continues to exist after
death. However, they would not wish to be specific about how, where or in what
form. They might talk in terms of the soul or spirit returning to God. They
might say that the essence of a person is rewoven into the spiritual life of the
universe, just as the body's constituents are reworked into the universe's
physical dimension. Some are interested in exploring the various theories of
reincarnation. The persistence of a person's ideas, genes and more intangible
influences would be as much as many Unitarians would be prepared to concede.
Some prefer to say nothing at all, being content to "take one world at a time".
Most, though, would also point to the continued existence of individuals in the
memories and lives of those who knew and loved them, and would see in this a
source of comfort.
Whatever our position, most
Unitarians agree that this is an area of mystery. Many theories exist, many
claims are made, but undisputed evidence is hard to find. Unitarians take the
view that, in any case, the focus of our attention should be this world. Our
concern is better directed to considering how we should live our lives in the
here and now. A life well-lived is the best preparation for death, what-ever may
lie beyond it.
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What is the Unitarian view of human nature?
Unitarians
take a scientific and evolutionary view of human origins.
We regard the biblical creation stories as myths. As myths, though, they
still have value. In them are expressed deep and perceptive insights into human
nature and our place in world.
However, a hard and fast
view of human nature is precluded by the incompleteness of our knowledge. We
have a long way to go in our exploration of human origins, biology, sociology
and psychology.
Generally speaking, though, Unitarians
share a positive view of human nature and human potential. While not being blind
to human weakness and our capacity for evil, we do not see human beings as
inherently depraved or corrupt. We have little time for the doctrines of
"original sin" and inherited guilt. Rather we see human beings as having
inherent and equal worth. This is regardless of all such differences as race,
gender, class, creed, or sexual orientation.
Unitarians
affirm that all human beings originate in the Divine Unity, all have something
of God in them, all are alive with the same divine breath.
Humanity's tragedy has all too often been to lose sight of this. Thus
people become alienated from each other and from the roots of their own being.
To rediscover an awareness of our connectedness with each other and with our
common origin is one of the objects of the spiritual quest.
On the fraught question of whether human nature and human destiny are
free or determined, Unitarians come down on the side of freedom. Our forebears
had little time for the old Calvinist ideas of predestination or for
superstitions like astrology.
More serious
considerations come into play with such issues as the influence of the
environment in which we are raised and, increasingly, with genetic determinants.
Although the jury is still out here, Unitarians recognise their importance.
Unitarians accept that human beings are moulded by many influences and live
within certain parameters. However, we believe that people remain capable of
free choice and self-determination. Indeed, our freedom is enhanced the more we
understand the factors that influence us. And to the extent that we are free,
then to that extent we are also responsible.
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Is there a Unitarian Morality?
With our belief in
individual religious freedom, can Unitarians give any moral guidance? If
Unitarians are free to "build their own theology"*, are
we not free to build our own morality? Can there be any shared moral standards,
or are all free to behave as they please?
One point a
Unitarian might make is that unless your moral standards are truly your own,
then they do not really constitute morality. If they are simply imposed on you,
then they are just a means of social control and nothing more. Of course, a
commonly accepted "moral framework" must exist in any human society. But this is
not enough, unless people also have a personal morality, an ethical code that is
truly their own.
A Unitarian view of morality does not
favour untrammelled individualism. Unitarian acceptance of the underlying unity
and connectedness of humanity comes into play here. We don't live in isolation.
We are members of society, with a responsibility to help make it work. We may be
individuals, with a right to our own beliefs, but we are also social beings. As
such it is incumbent upon each of us to behave in ways that respect others and
make our community, and our world, a better place for everyone. In building a
personal morality we may well learn from the teachings and example of others,
but the crucial point is to make it ours. One of the traps in the area of
morality is to pay more attention to other people's behaviour than to one's own.
Judgementalism and self-righteousness can result.
Unitarians are suspicious of any morality that is too rigid in its decisions or
which is lacking in mercy. Such "morality" often comes with a religious label
attached. But a liberal religious Unitarian morality offers another model: one
that imposes the highest standards on oneself, while treating others with
justice and compassion.
* Building Your Own Theology is the title of a
series of adult religious education courses devised by Richard S. Gilbert, a
Unitarian Universalist minister. They are widely used in Unitarian
congregations.
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Where do Unitarians stand on ...?
It is impossible to
give "the Unitarian position" on any and every specific ethical and moral issue.
This is for two reasons. First, there are too many to deal with in the space
available here. Second, Unitarians do not impose a "moral orthodoxy" any more
than a theological one.
On many things, though, there
is a near universal consensus. This may be expressed in statements agreed at
local, district, and national levels. Even then the right to dissent is fully
respected and such statements are not seen as binding on all Unitarians, either
in the present or the future.
Unitarians are wary of
narrowly focused "morally absolute" positions -- those claiming a monopoly of
truth and virtue on a particular issue. We see such inflexibility as insensitive
to the inevitable complexities of such issues. Simplistic "moral absolutism"
also carries with it the dangers of spiritual arrogance, bigotry, and
self-righteousness. It can corrupt the well-meaning. As we have seen on issues
such as abortion and animal rights, it can lead to violent fanaticism on the
part of extremists that discredits a whole movement.
Unitarians approaching any moral issue will seek balance and a stance that
affirms love, life, compassion, and justice. We will be conscious, though, that
our personal decision is ours alone. We will recognise that other sincere people
may reach a different conclusion. Where there are differences, Unitarians seek
respectful dialogue. Where there is consensus, we will speak and act together as
the times demand.
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Do Unitarians mix religion with politics?
Unitarians tend
to see their faith in this-worldly terms. This means that we see the spiritual
sphere as inextricably linked with the ordering of human affairs. Our religion
is in constant dialogue with the world as it is, and thus with the political and
social issues of the day.
In this we make no claim to
be different from many people in other denominations and faith traditions.
Indeed, Unitarians find many points of contact with other people of faith on
matters relating to social, economic, and environmental justice.
Inasmuch as these matters are political in the broadest sense,
then Unitarians do mix religion with politics. This means, for some, active
involvement in campaigns, marches and demonstrations. It may mean lobbying
politicians and making legislators aware of Unitarian concerns in particular
areas of policy. It means using one's democratic rights responsibly and
purposefully for the common good. It means focusing on political and social
issues in worship in order to explore their spiritual implications.
Unitarians are interested in the whole range of challenges facing
our society and our world. We believe that our liberal religious ethos, our
affirmation of human dignity, and our one-world vision have something valuable
to offer in this regard.
However, although many
Unitarians are active in the social and political sphere, as a movement we are
not aligned with any political party or single-issue political organisation.
Unitarians can be found across the whole spectrum of democratic political
parties, sometimes as dedicated activists. They can also be found in all manner
of groups campaigning on humanitarian and environmental issues.
As a movement, Unitarians are religious, not political, but our
religion has political implications, and our politics have a spiritual
foundation.
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How do Unitarians view sexuality?
Unitarians see human
sexuality as a perfectly natural and healthy dimension of our existence.
Although it is fundamentally the means of pro-creation,
Unitarians recognise and value its role in bringing intimacy, tenderness, and
pleasure to loving relationships. We do not insist that sex is for procreative
purposes only, but its primeval purpose is a source of wonder, reverence, and
awe.
For the most part, Unitarians take the view that
the natural spectrum of sexuality includes both homosexuality and bisexuality.
For this reason we would affirm the right of gay, lesbian, and bisexual people
to give full emotional and physical expression to their sexuality.
In all matters relating to sexuality, however, Unitarians stress
the absolute necessity of responsibility and respect. For us, sexual immorality
means any form of sexual activity that is not conducted on a sure basis of
mutual consent and with due regard to the health, welfare and feelings of third
parties. Unitarians regard sexual abuse and exploitation of any kind as an
affront to the rights, worth, and dignity of the human person. Any sexual
activity that is not entered into willingly, consciously, respectfully, and
lovingly by consenting and responsible adults is seen by Unitarians as dangerous
and unacceptable.
In our view sex, properly used, is a
wonderful gift to be thankful for. If, however, it is squandered or used to
degrade and hurt others, then something wonderful becomes tawdry and squalid.
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Do Unitarians see environmental issues as religious?
As
people who place their primary religious concern on life in this world,
Unitarians are much concerned with environmental issues. Historically, we have
been deeply interested both in the scientific study of our natural environment
and in seeing it as a spiritual resource -- alive with the divine.
This remains the case today. Unitarian devotional writing and
hymnody reflect a deep sense of the sacredness of the natural world. Many
Unitarians are active in environmental and conservation organisations. Unitarian
worship often reflects spiritually on these subjects, and also celebrates the
natural cycle of the seasons.
Among Unitarians there is
considerable interest in "creation spirituality" (not to be confused with
"Creationism"). Unitarians may see creation spirituality in a Judaeo-Christian
context: the creation as blessing, as the pregnant manifestation of God's
unfolding creative power. They may also look to other traditions which, for
example, see the earth as Mother -- to be revered and respected -- with all
natural phenomena replete with spiritual significance.
Whatever the theological underpinning (which some may not see as necessary
anyway) care for the environment is now seen as an important aspect of liberal
religious life. This is both for its own sake and for the sake of all present
and future generations of the earth's inhabitants. Unitarians regard the
main-tenance of a sustainable, diverse and beautiful environment -- "natural"
and "human" as needful for our survival and our wellbeing as a species.
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Are Unitarians pacifists?
On pacifism, as on all issues
of personal conscience, each Unitarian is free to come to his or her own
conclusions without fear of judgement or censure. So although there are many
Unitarian pacifists, there is no explicit requirement or implicit expectation on
the matter. Unitarians live with diversity and its potential tensions -- on this
subject as on many others. A Unitarian congregation may include both pacifists
and members of the armed forces.
But whether pacifist
or not, Unitarians affirm the values of peace, justice, forgiveness and
reconciliation. Some call these divine values. They are held to be necessary for
the wholeness and happiness of any human community, from the family to the
nation and the world.
On the subject of war, Unitarians
agree that it is wrong. Some say that this rules out the use of force entirely,
that it can never be justified in any situation. For others, though, there are
-- sadly, tragically -- situations in which the use of proportionate force is
necessary in order to prevent or defeat a greater evil, particularly to defend
the innocent and the weak in immediate peril.
Unitarians generally agree, however, that we must find better ways than war and
violence to resolve conflicts and disputes. We agree that nations and
individuals should regard the renunciation of violence as a moral imperative.
But many Unitarians also believe that, in the world as
it is, circumstances sometimes necessitate actions for the sake of others that
fall short of these ideals. It gives them no satisfaction to do so.
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Where does religious authority lie?
The Unitarian view of
religious authority contrasts with those held by many other traditions.
It is often the case that a religious organisation,
whatever its size, vests spiritual authority in a holy book, a creed or
confession of faith, in a hierarchical structure or priestly caste, or in some
charismatic leader or authority figure. Although this authority may be seen by
its own adherents as divine or a mediation of the divine, the Unitarian view is
that it remains essentially human, regardless of claims made by it or for it.
Unitarians are sceptical of any claim to be in
exclusive possession of religious truth. In the final analysis, all human beings
have the same access to the evidence. All human beings can have a direct
relationship with the ultimate, with God. All human beings can see the universe
for themselves. All have the potential for an interior life of the spirit.
Although someone may develop spiritually within a
particular faith tradition, such development is greatest when the believer is in
active and critical dialogue with it. To be unthinkingly submissive to it, on
the other hand, is fraught with dangers.
Unitarians
believe that the seat of religious authority lies within oneself. This is not an
arrogant claim. All people develop their own belief-system, whether they
articulate it or not. All people choose what to accept or reject from the
propositions on offer. The Unitarian approach is, therefore, to recognise that
each person is his or her own final authority in matters of faith. Our liberal
religious ethos grants full individual freedom in this regard.
However, we also see the necessity of religious community, of exposure to
the beliefs, doubts, and insights of others. This provides the necessary checks
and balances that prevent belief descending into self-indulgence, fantasy, and a
blinkered self-centredness.
To be a Unitarian is to
take responsibility for one's own faith. It is to value the intuitions of
oneself and others. It is to test one's beliefs against reason and conscience.
It is to afford others the same right to be honest with their own inner
authority as one claims for oneself.
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What do Unitarians do about Religious Education?
The
Unitarian approach to children's Religious Education is concerned initially with
encouraging a young child's natural sense of wonder and curiosity. In this lie
the roots of spiritual growth. Hearing the stories with which others have sought
to make sense of a mysterious world helps them to find a language to express
themselves.
Unitarians do not impose one set of answers
on vulnerable minds. At every stage Unitarian RE is concerned with helping
youngsters to develop beliefs that are truly their own. This involves such
things as the exploration of their developing feelings and relationships. It
involves learning without prejudice about their own and other people's faith
traditions. It involves consideration of the various moral, ethical and related
issues that young people must face.
The aim is to
provide a warm and affirming setting in which children can grow their own faith,
respect themselves and others, and prepare to enter adulthood with a healthy and
personal system of values.
Religious Education doesn't
end there. Unitarians believe that it should continue throughout our lives.
Increasing knowledge of our own and other faith traditions is part of this. So
too is gaining a better awareness of all that moulds us and our world. Unitarian
adult Religious Education is, however, particularly concerned with helping
people to explore, understand, and articulate their own spiritual odyssey. A
supportive, non-judgemental and entirely voluntary group is the setting for
this.
In such a group a high level of trust is
encouraged -- and pre-determined "right answers" are neither offered nor
required. Adult Religious Education programmes of this kind are an important
feature in the life of many Unitarian congregations.
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Is there a Unitarian spirituality?
Within the Unitarian
historical tradition there have been many strands. These include deeply
devotional Christian and Theistic forms, as well as a strong belief in the
necessity of reason.
Religious humanism has also played
its part, by locating the focus of spiritual concern wholly in our life in this
world rather than in realms or beings deemed supernatural.
Another long-standing, and now resurgent theme, is that of nature or the
creation as replete with spiritual significance.
In a
sense, there has always been something of a shifting balance between two
tendencies. On the one hand, there is the rational, scientific and discursive.
On the other, there is the intuitive, the emotional and -- in its true sense --
the mystical. While there may not be a single Unitarian spirituality, it could
be said that the spectrum of Unitarian spirituality covers this range.
Unitarians would not see the poles of this spectrum as
in opposition. We see a healthy spirituality as one that holds in balance the
intuitive and the rational. Active respect for both the mind and the deepest
emotions is necessary for wholeness of spirit.
This
respect for all the aspects of one's own being extends also to other people. A
willingness to recognise the spiritual core of another person's faith in this
profound and balanced way liberates us from the tendency to be distracted by the
particular forms, concepts, and words in which they express it.
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How important is worship, and what is it like?
The
majority of Unitarians would say that worshipping together is at the heart of
all that we do. Most Unitarian communities gather in their churches, meeting
houses, chapels or other premises on Sundays to worship. In worship we affirm
the faith and the values that we share, while being respectful of our
differences.
Unitarian worship seeks to engage the
whole person as well as the whole community in what goes on. Thus while the
spirit and the soul are addressed, so too is the mind -- the faculties of
thought and reason. Even the body is included -- singing is, after all, a
physical activity! Sometimes the body is involved in other ways too, in movement
and dance, but this is much less common.
The form that
Unitarian worship takes varies considerably. There is an increasing wish to
explore new forms. It is still the case, though, that most Unitarian services
take a form closely akin to the hymns / prayers / readings / address long
familiar in Nonconformist churches. But while the form may be similar, the
content is usually rather different, often markedly so.
The service will usually include hymns or songs. Some may be familiar from
mainstream Christian-ity, but Unitarians have a rich and living tradition of
hymn-writing.
Prayer, very often of a more
contemplative and meditational type, is a regular component. Both in words and
in silence Unitarians focus themselves on the divine, both immanent and
transcendent. Prayer and reflection also enables the worshipper to "centre
down", to draw on interior sources of inspiration and resolve.
A selection of readings is a usual feature. These may well include the
Bible, but by no means always or exclusively so. Unitarian openness to many
sources of insight means that readings can come from any source deemed relevant
and appropriate. Thus poetry, the scriptures of other faiths, secular writings,
and all manner of devotional materials may be drawn on.
There will often, but by no means always, be a sermon or address. In the
Unitarian context this is a personal statement of witness by the preacher. It is
offered to the listeners to use as they think appropriate. There is no
suggestion that the preacher's views must be accepted. A good sermon is a
sustained and intelligent discourse that reflects spiritually on an issue of
either current or timeless concern.
A childrens story
is often told to the whole group.
; A sharing of personal
news may feature.
Music is a valued component of many
services.
Unitarian worship often begins with a
"chalice-lighting", the "Flaming
Chalice" being the recognised symbol of the Unitarian faith.
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Do Unitarians celebrate communion?
Some congregations
celebrate Christian communion several times a year. This is a simple memorial
act, associating those present with Jesus and all who have followed him. It may
also look beyond the Christian tradition to embrace all people of goodwill,
whatever their faith. Unitarians also celebrate other forms of communion,
notably the Flower Communion. Devised by Czech Unitarian minister Norbert Capek
in the 1920s, this is a celebration of unity in diversity, both within the
congregation and in the wider world.
The various forms
of Unitarian communion, traditional and otherwise, are concerned with the
celebration of connectedness, sharing and commun-ity. They express in a simple
and informal ritual the links we have with each other in the present and with
those in the past in whose footsteps we follow. They may also express our
membership of the wider humanity and the whole matrix of life on earth.
All forms of Unitarian communion are open
unconditionally to anyone who wishes to participate in the spirit of goodwill.
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Do Unitarians carry out baptism?
The short answer is
"yes", but short answers can be inadequate. It is necessary to stress that
Unitarians differ from mainstream Christian doctrine on this.
Unitarians believe that human beings are essentially pure and innocent
when they are born into the world. That is to say, Unitarians believe that a
newborn child is free from any burden of inherited guilt or "original sin". No
Unitarian would say that Christian baptism is necessary in order to save the
soul from purgatory, hell or damnation.
Because of such
unfortunate associations, many Unitarians do not use the word "baptism" at all.
Unitarian infant or child baptism is actually a ceremony of thanksgiving and
celebration for a new life.
It is also a time when the
parents, godparents, families, and friends dedicate themselves to the child's
nurture and upbringing. The ceremony also welcomes the child into the religious
fellowship, the "Universal Church", and the wider community of humanity and of
life on earth. It does not have to take a Christian form.
Adult baptism is unusual among Unitarians. It takes place when an
individual wishes to make public witness of her or his commitment to Christian
discipleship and the way of Jesus.
With adult baptism,
as with the welcoming and dedication of a child, Unitarians plan the ceremony
with maximum input from those most centrally involved. In this way every effort
is made to ensure that it is a true and honest reflection of what they believe.
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What are Unitarian weddings like?
No two Unitarian
weddings are exactly alike. This is because no two couples getting married have
precisely the same beliefs and aspirations about what they are doing. Unitarians
help those planning their wedding to make it an occasion that is unique to them.
If the ceremony is really to mean something, then it is
essential that it reflects what the couple really feel. In preparing for the
wedding, the couple are encouraged to talk and think very seriously about what
they want for the ceremony and, more importantly, for their continuing life
together.
Rather than impose a standard form on
weddings, Unitarians help couples to plan their own service. This includes not
only choosing favourite readings, hymns, and music but more importantly choosing
and even writing their own vows. Nothing is imposed that the couple do not want
or cannot say in all sincerity (provided that certain legal requirements are
met). Unitarians believe that for a couple to plan their own wedding service is
the best preparation for it.
The minister, or
celebrant, is ready with advice and guidance only.
Unitarians impose few preconditions on a couple other than that they be truly
and seriously committed to their relationship as life-partners. The fact that
one or both of them may have gone through a divorce is not, in itself, an
obstacle. Unitarians think that people should have the chance to build anew, and
to do so with the blessing of the religious community.
Unitarians are also happy to marry couples where the partners are of different
faiths, and to reflect both faiths in the service.
Although same-sex unions have no legal status in Britain, a number of Unitarian
congregations and ministers are prepared to hold ceremonies of blessing for
them. We approach these in much the same way as a heterosexual marriage
ceremony.
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What do Unitarians do about funerals?
Wherever possible a
Unitarian ceremony to mark someone's death -- and to celebrate his or her life
-- should be true to that person and sensitive to the needs and feelings of the
bereaved.
Even if the minister or celebrant did not
know the deceased personally, she or he will make every effort to make the
funeral service reflective of that persons qualities and beliefs. Consultation
with relatives and friends is usually a part of this.
It is also an opportunity to offer pastoral care if needed and requested.
Unitarians do not use the emotional vulnerability of those in mourning to
"evangelise" or impose our own beliefs on them.
Respect
for the deceased's convictions is very important, and Unitarians are usually
willing to provide celebrants for those who might otherwise find it hard to find
one, such as humanists.
Unitarians propound no
particular view on whether the dead should be buried or cremated.
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Do Unitarians have ministers?
A trained and educated
professional ministry has always been an integral component of the Unitarian
movement, and this remains the case.
In the Unitarian
context, the minister is not a member of a distinct priesthood. There is nothing
a minister does that, in principle, a lay person may not do. A minister is
simply a person who has been prepared and appointed to fulfil a role that others
may not have the time, the inclination, or the skills to fulfil themselves. A
minister is a leader of worship, a pastor, an educator, a counsellor, a
facilitator, and perhaps the representative of the faith community in the wider
society.
Appointment of a minister is in the hands of
the congregation, not the denomination, although the denomination keeps a roll
of ministers as a way of maintaining personal and professional standards.
The Unitarian ministry is open equally to women and to
men, and has been since the early 20th century. It is open to homosexual and to
heterosexual people -- with no prejudicial conditions imposed on either.
The Unitarian movement also has lay people fulfilling a
ministerial role in a proportion of its congregations. Such recognised lay
leaders must undergo appropriate training. Sometimes lay leadership is a
preliminary step towards gaining full ministerial status.
Both ministers and lay leaders receive training and theological education
at colleges, situated in Manchester and Oxford, and there is also provision for
Welsh-speakers to prepare for the ministry in Aberystwyth.
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How do Unitarians get on with other churches?
Unitarians
have always had a somewhat ambivalent relationship with what are called
"mainstream" Christian churches. The ambivalence can come from both sides. Both
historical theological differences and recent trends influence the relationship.
However, Unitarians have generally sought as close and
constructive a relationship with other denominations as both are comfortable
with. In the nineteenth century a leading Unitarian proposed, in vain, the
formation of a "Federal Union of Churches". Unitarians were also active in the
foundation of the British Council of Churches. We have so far been excluded from
the BCC's successor, Churches Together in Britain and Ireland.
In local situations, Unitarians have often been closely involved with
ecumenical activities. Sometimes, though, we have been excluded here too, and
sometimes we have not wished to be involved.
Unitarians
have no desire to indulge in theological disputes with the Christian mainstream.
We are content to respect the faith and beliefs found in other churches, even if
we do not share them.
However, Unitarians and
mainstream Christians have a great deal in common too, both historically and
spiritually. This is particularly so when it comes to putting shared values into
practice. In all sorts of areas concerned with social responsibility, pastoral
care, global justice, environmental issues, and human welfare, Unitarians can
and do find common cause with mainstream Christians.
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What do Unitarians think of other faiths?
Human beings
are infinitely varied. So too are their cultures and the conditions in which
these evolved. Furthermore, the universe and its mysteries -- including the
human psyche -- cannot be entirely comprehended by our limited powers of thought
and description. For these reasons Unitarians recognise the inevitability of
many diverse expressions of faith.
Unitarians do not
say that all religions are the same. Nor do we say that all are of equal worth.
What we do say is that no honest and sincere expression of belief should be
discounted out of hand. To judge another's faith is presumptuous and dangerous.
All true expressions of the religious impulse come from our encounter with the
wonder and mystery of the universe. All result from the joy and pain, the highs
and lows of our life-experiences in this world. Thus all have something to say
and to teach.
However, between the original experiences
at the root of a faith tradition and the development of its religious
institutions much can happen. Interpretation, rationalisation, elaboration and
corruption come into play. At every stage what happens is subject to the
vagaries of human beings. This means that any claim to absolute and exclusive
truth must be treated with the utmost reservation, if not suspicion.
Thus Unitarians afford respect to all sincere believers of
whatever faith. We seek to learn from the witness of all spiritual traditions,
but we do not do so uncritically.
Unitarians were
pioneers in the area of interfaith dialogue, and founded the world's oldest
global interfaith organisation, the International Association for Religious
Freedom. Unitarians are also active in many local interfaith organisations and
initiatives.
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Who founded the Unitarian movement?
Unitarians do not
look to any one person as the founder of the whole faith tradition. Many people
played their part in the emergence from mainstream Christianity of a liberal
religious movement with a Unitarian theology. In fact, Unitarian ideas have
developed independently several times in a number of places around the world.
The oldest Unitarian movement in the world with a
continuous history is in Transylvania -- now part of Romania. Unitarians there
look to Francis David (1520-1579) as the founder of their Church.
Another early figure of great importance was Fausto Sozzini
(1539-1604) (better known to history as Faustus Socinus). He was an Italian
theologian who became the effective leader of the Unitarian Minor Reformed
Church of Poland, also called the Polish Brethren.
In
England several names are worthy of special mention. John Biddle (1615-1662), a
young schoolteacher, publicly propounded a Unitarian theology during the
religious and political ferment of the mid-17th century. Joseph Priestley
(1733-1804), best remembered as a scientist, became the leading spokesman for
the Unitarian movement of his day, which grew within the English Presbyterian
and other Nonconformist denominations during the 18th century. Theophilus
Lindsey (1723-1808) left the Church of England to found the first avowedly
Unitarian congregation in Britain (in Essex Street, London) in 1774.
The Unitarian movement had its pioneers elsewhere in Britain too.
During the 18th and early 19th centuries they included such figures as Jenkin
Jones and Charles Lloyd in Wales, and William Christie and Thomas Fyshe Palmer
in Scotland.
Although the social conventions of the
time kept women out of leadership positions, this did not stop them from
contributing to the developing life and thought of the emergent Unitarian
movement. Sadly, their names were often neglected by historians. Among them,
though, were the pioneer feminist Mary Wollstonecraft (1759-1797) and the poet
and educationalist Anna Laetitia Barbauld (1743-1825).
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What does the Flaming Chalice mean?
The Flaming
Chalice has become the generally accepted "badge" of Unitarianism over the
past fifty years. It was first adopted by the American Unitarian Service
Committee during the Second World War.
Since then,
Unitarians throughout the world have seen it as a way to express their distinct
identity as a liberal religious community.
The man who
designed it was a Czech named Hans Deutsch, and his inspiration was the Czech
religious reformer, Jan Hus. Hus was burned at the stake in 1415 for the
"heresy" of offering the chalice of communion to the laity as well as the
clergy.
Recalling this, we Unitarians offer our own
"chalice of communion", symbolising the religious community itself, to all
people without condition or reservation. When and where Unitarians actually
celebrate communion, the understanding becomes literal as well.
The flame atop the Unitarian chalice represents the spirit of
love, truth and liberty. To this spirit the community bears witness and with it,
hopefully, the community is filled. For some, at least, this recalls the
"tongues of fire" of Pentecost.
The flame also has a
more tragic significance. It commemorates the martyrdom, not only of Jan Hus,
but of so many who died bravely in the cause of religious liberty.
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What holds the Unitarian movement together?
Unitarians
believe that freedom from prescribed creeds, dogmas and confessions of faith is
necessary if people are to seek and find truth for themselves. We rate spiritual
honesty above religious conformity. But without a binding creed, how can a
congregation -- let alone a national movement -- stay together?
The Unitarian answer is that shared values and a shared religious
approach are a surer basis for unity than theological propositions. Because no
human being and no human institution can have a mono-poly on truth, it is safer
to admit that from the outset. We are seekers and sharers, fellow pilgrims on
the path, and this is how we Unitarians see ourselves. The values underpinning
the Unitarian movement have to do with mutual caring and mutual respect. They
involve a readiness to extend to each other a positive, involved and
constructive tolerance. They are the values of a liberal religious community
that honours individuality without idolising it; of a community that finds
spiritual stimulation in the unique contribution of each person while feeling
itself united by a bond too deep for words. They are the values of a community
that is open to truth from many sources; a community of the spirit that
cherishes reason and acknowledges honest doubt; a community where the only
theological test is that required by ones own conscience.
Above all, perhaps, Unitarians are bound by a sense of common humanity.
We believe that the world would be a better place if more people put this one
factor before all the lesser and illusory things that divide us.
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How is the Unitarian movement organised?
The basic unit
of the Unitarian movement is the autonomous local congregation. It may be called
a church, a fellowship, a chapel, or a meeting. There are about 180 of these in
Britain. They vary in size, but membership is usually in the tens rather than
the hundreds. Some have their own buildings, while others hire space for their
activities or meet in private homes. Distribution across the country is very
uneven. These congregations associate together for the purposes of mutual
support and shared endeavour. Thus at both the regional (district association)
and national levels they comprise an interdependent federation or denomination.
The structure is democratic at every level.
The
national organisation is called the General Assembly of Unitarian and Free
Christian Churches. This has departments and committees dealing with such things
as ministry, religious education, youth, social responsibility, worship,
information, development, interfaith matters, and finance. There is a department
dealing with Welsh affairs: a high proportion of the twenty-two congregations in
Wales use the Welsh language.
The General Assembly also
owns and administers the Nightingale Centre, a conference, retreat, and holiday
centre in the heart of the Peak District National Park at Great Hucklow in
Derbyshire.
Unitarians who are unable to reach a church
or fellowship are catered for by the National Unitarian Fellowship with
postal/internet contact and some regional meetings.
Within the Unitarian movement there are a number of organisations catering for
specific con-stituencies and interests. These include women's groups and young
adult groups, societies interested in Unitarian history, church music, and
psychical studies, and open fellowships concerned with peace issues and with
meditation.
The General Assembly has a close
association with the Non-Subscribing Presbyterian Church of Ireland. This shares
the same freedom from imposed creeds and dogmas but is overwhelmingly liberal
Christian in theology. As a denomination, it does not identify itself as
Unitarian, although it includes people who do.
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Are there Unitarians in other countries?
There are
Unitarian and Unitarian Universalist groups in at least twenty countries on six
continents. Some are large and long-established, others are very small and very
new.
Most are members -- along with the British General
Assembly -- of the International Council of Unitarians and Universalists (ICUU).
Each member group is independent, with its own history and traditions, and they
vary considerably both in theological emphasis and cultural setting. All are
committed to a liberal approach to faith.
The largest
is the Unitarian Universalist Association in North America. This is also the
most pluralistic theologically.
The second largest, the
Unitarian Church in Transylvania, Romania, is wholly Christian in its Unitarian
faith.
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Who are the Universalists?
The Universalist tradition
dates back at least to the 18th century. It began by preaching universal
salvation as opposed to the predestined consignment to heaven or hell propounded
especially by orthodox Calvinism. Universalists held that Gods love would not
permit anyone to be damned eternally, and that everyone could and would be saved
eventually. This Universalism evolved to a position that saw universal truth
reflected in all the great faith traditions.
In Britain
the few Universalist congregations that existed in the 18th and 19th centuries
soon became part of the growing Unitarian movement.
In
the United States, the Universalist Church and the Unitarians grew closer and
closer together until, in 1961, they merged to form the Unitarian Universalist
Association.
Some of the newer movements around the
world have taken the double Unitarian Universalist name from the outset.
Unitarians and Universalists, while having their own
historical and theological traditions, now form one integrated faith community.
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What sort of people become Unitarians?
- People looking for an open-minded religious community where you are free
to develop your own truly personal faith.
- People looking for a liberal church where you are free to voice doubts --
where you are not expected to say things you don't really believe.
- People looking for worship that engages the mind as well as the spirit and
the emotions.
- People who want a universal religious approach, open to the insights of
more than one faith tradition.
- People who want a spiritual foundation for their humanist values and their
social and environmental concerns.
- People who want a church that engages seriously with the Christian
heritage but is not bound by it.
- People in search of something to give balance and depth to their awakening
spirituality.
- People in search of a welcoming and undogmatic religious community for
themselves and their families -- however defined.
- People who take humanity's spiritual dimension seriously but want to move
beyond fundament-alism, sectarianism, and religious intolerance.
Return to
List of Contents
Where can I find out more?
- The Unitarian Information Department will be happy to deal with your
enquiries or put you in touch with your nearest Unitarian congregation. They
can be contacted at:
Unitarian Headquarters
Essex Hall
1-6 Essex Street
London WC2R
3HY
Tel. 0171- 240 2384
Fax 0171 240 3089
email: ga@unitarian.org.uk
web address: www.unitarian.org.uk
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