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93-548: Most of its founders were Unitarians who opposed the decision by a Unitarian national convention in 1865 to define the denomination as exclusively Christian. Seeking a broader movement, the organizers of the FRA invited people from several other religious traditions, including Jews and Spiritualists, to their founding meeting, and they invited representatives of eastern religions to address other meetings. Many FRA members continued to be active as Unitarians, and they continued to promote

186-501: A "Socinian" view was James Freeman . Regarding the virgin birth of Jesus among those who denied the preexistence of Christ, some held to it and others did not. Its denial is sometimes ascribed to the Ebionites ; however, Origen ( Contra Celsum v.61) and Eusebius ( HE iii.27) both indicate that some Ebionites did accept the virgin birth. On the other hand, Theodotus of Byzantium , Artemon , and Paul of Samosata all accepted

279-1027: A church hierarchy that includes the election by the synod of a national bishop who serves as superintendent of the Church. Many Hungarian Unitarians embrace the principles of rationalist Unitarianism. Unitarian high schools exist only in Transylvania (Romania), including the John Sigismund Unitarian Academy in Cluj-Napoca , the Protestant Theological Institute of Cluj , and the Berde Mózes Unitárius Gimnázium in Cristuru Secuiesc ; both teach Rationalist Unitarianism. The Unitarian Christian Association (UCA)

372-684: A collection of both existing and extinct Christian groups (whether historically related to each other or not) that share a common theological concept of the unitary nature of God. Unitarian Christian communities and churches have developed in Central Europe (mostly Romania and Hungary ), Ireland , India , Jamaica , Japan , Canada , Nigeria , South Africa , the United Kingdom , and the United States . In British America , different schools of Unitarian theology first spread in

465-489: A cultural and intellectual centre of a whole society, a place where ideas about society were openly and critically discussed. Octavius Frothingham Octavius Brooks Frothingham (November 26, 1822 – November 27, 1895) was an American clergyman and author. He was born in Boston, Massachusetts , the son of Nathaniel Langdon Frothingham (1793–1870), a prominent Unitarian preacher, and through his mother's family he

558-807: A few years he became the leader of the Unitarian movement. A theological battle with the Congregational Churches resulted in the formation of the American Unitarian Association at Boston in 1825. Certainly, the unitarian theology was being "adopted" by the Congregationalists from the 1820s onwards. This movement is also evident in England at this time. The first school founded by the Unitarians in

651-496: A leader figure in this group, developed what he called "scientific theism," which called for all theological concepts, including God and immortality, to be subjected to scientific scrutiny "on the basis of observed facts and leading to verifiable results." Despite their very different approaches, these two groups wanted to join with others to form an organization that would actively encourage the exploration of alternative religious views. On May 30, 1867, Unitarian dissidents organized

744-604: A meeting in Horticultural Hall in Boston that formed the Free Religious Association (FRA). A large proportion of the participants were Unitarian ministers. Other participants included Universalists, Quakers, Jews, Spiritualists, and people with no religious affiliation at all. Among the speakers were Ralph Waldo Emerson, Lucretia Mott , Robert Dale Owen , and Rabbi Isaac M. Wise . Emerson was

837-439: A member. In 1874, Lucretia Mott succeeded in having the constitution modified to say, "to encourage the scientific study of man's religious nature and history" instead of "to encourage the scientific study of theology," which put less emphasis on technical issues of theology and more on issues of religion in everyday life. FRA members held a variety of religious views. Abbot, who advocated "scientific theism," understood God to be

930-684: A person, whereas Octavius Frothingham saw God as a force of nature. The Cosmists, who were followers of Herbert Spencer , conceived of God as the soul of the universe and inseparable from it. The transcendentalists believed in "the Emersonian concept of the Over-Soul, the transcendent universal Mind." Some FRA members were agnostics, including Felix Adler . None of its members were avowed atheists, although they would have been considered to be religious if their actions were based on "an inward ethical imperative". In 1892, FRA vice presidents included

1023-650: A pre-existent Jesus who was subordinate to God the Father were Lucian of Antioch , Eusebius of Caesarea , Arius , Eusebius of Nicomedia , Asterius the Sophist , Eunomius , and Ulfilas , as well as Felix, Bishop of Urgell . Proponents of this Christology also associate it (more controversially) with Justin Martyr and Hippolytus of Rome . Antitrinitarian Michael Servetus did not deny the pre-existence of Christ, so he may have believed in it. (In his "Treatise Concerning

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1116-493: A series of lectures near Harvard University in 1867-1868 to reach students at the Harvard Divinity School. The lectures were so successful they disturbed the school's leadership. The class of 1868 afterwards invited FRA member John Weiss to be to be their class preacher, and the class of 1869 did the same with FRA member Octavius Frothingham . The committee of conservative Unitarians in charge of overseeing

1209-554: A signatory to the Oregon State Constitution, founded the first Unitarian church in Oregon in 1865. Eleven Nobel Prizes have been awarded to Unitarians: Robert Millikan and John Bardeen (twice) in physics; Emily Green Balch , Albert Schweitzer and Linus Pauling for peace; George Wald and David H. Hubel in medicine; Linus Pauling in chemistry; and Herbert A. Simon in economics. Four presidents of

1302-446: A story for all ages; and include sermons, prayers, hymns and songs. Some will allow attendees to publicly share their recent joys or concerns. This section relates to Unitarian churches and organizations today which are still specifically Christian, whether within or outside Unitarian Universalism. Unitarian Universalism, conversely, refers to the embracing of non-Christian religions. Some Unitarian Christian groups are affiliated with

1395-621: A theology and as a denominational family of churches , was defined and developed in Poland, Transylvania, England, Wales, India, Japan, Jamaica, the United States, and beyond in the 16th century through the present. Although common beliefs existed among Unitarians in each of these regions, they initially grew independently from each other. Only later did they influence one another and accumulate more similarities. The Ecclesia minor or Minor Reformed Church of Poland , better known today as

1488-509: A three-volume work called Oriental Religions and Their Relation to Universal Religion. In 1875, the FRA published Freedom and Fellowship in Religion , a collection of addresses by several members on issues relevant to the FRA. The FRA produced an influential series of pamphlets, especially during the period from 1875 to 1877. Thomas Wentworth Higgenson's "The Sympathy of Religions" was the most widely distributed. In it, Higgenson discusses

1581-719: A tool for missionary work or encouraging conversions. In India, three different schools of Unitarian thought influenced varying movements, including the Brahmo Samaj , the Unitarian Church of the Khasi Hills , and the Unitarian Christian Church of Chennai , in Madras, founded in 1795. As of 2011, "Thirty-five congregations and eight fellowships comprising almost 10,000 Unitarians now form

1674-540: A variety of ways in cultures around the world. They believed that all major religions are fundamentally the same, and that every specific religion is simply a phase of universal religion. The FRA founders hoped their movement would eventually lead to a new religion that was rational, progressive and based on what was universal in the world's religions. Potter said, "Free Religion is the natural outcome of every historical religion—the final unity, therefore, towards which all historical religions slowly tend." Potter predicted that

1767-423: Is a proper noun and follows the same English usage as other Christian theologies that have developed within a religious group or denomination (such as Calvinism , Anabaptism , Adventism , Lutheranism , Wesleyanism , etc.). The term existed shortly before it became the name of a distinct religious tradition, thus occasionally it is used as a common noun to describe any understanding of Jesus Christ that denies

1860-423: Is considered a factor in the decline of classical deism because there were people who increasingly preferred to identify themselves as Unitarians rather than deists. Several tenets of Unitarianism overlap with the predominant Muslim view of Jesus and Islamic understanding of monotheism . The Christology commonly called " Socinian " (after Fausto Sozzini , one of the founders of Unitarian theology) refers to

1953-576: Is not equal to God himself. Accordingly, Unitarians reject the Ecumenical Councils and ecumenical creeds , and sit outside traditional, main-stream Christianity. Unitarianism was established in order to restore " primitive Christianity before later corruptions set in". Likewise, Unitarian Christians generally reject the doctrine of original sin . The churchmanship of Unitarianism may include liberal denominations or Unitarian Christian denominations that are more conservative , with

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2046-737: Is not required. The modern Unitarian Church in Hungary (25,000 members) and the Transylvanian Unitarian Church (75,000 members) are affiliated with the International Council of Unitarians and Universalists (ICUU) and claim continuity with the historical Unitarian Christian tradition established by Ferenc Dávid in 1565 in Transylvania under John II Sigismund Zápolya . The Unitarian churches in Hungary and Transylvania are structured and organized along

2139-533: Is the sole legitimate heir, successor and continuation of the Index ." In 1872, Abbott sent a copy of his pamphlet "Truths for Our Times" to Charles Darwin . Darwin liked it and gave Abbott permission to print his endorsement of the pamphlet in The Index . In gratitude, Abbot gave Darwin a lifetime subscription to The Index . Darwin sent a donation of £25 to Abbot, but then, in 1880, he withdrew his endorsement of

2232-674: The American Unitarian Association (AUA) was formed by people who disagreed with the traditional Christian doctrine of the Trinity , the belief that God is three persons (Jehovah, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit). The founders of the AUA believed in the unity of God, considering Jesus to be an exalted but subordinate being. A national convention of Unitarians was organized in 1865 that for the first time included direct representation of individual congregations. The convention's decision to characterize

2325-513: The American Unitarian Association began to allow non-Christian and non-theistic churches and individuals to be part of their fellowship. As a result, people who held no Unitarian belief began to be called Unitarians because they were members of churches that belonged to the American Unitarian Association. After several decades, the non-theistic members outnumbered the theological Unitarians. Unitarianism, both as

2418-571: The Holy Spirit . This Christology existed in some form or another prior to Sozzini. Theodotus of Byzantium , Artemon and Paul of Samosata denied the pre-existence of Christ. These ideas were continued by Marcellus of Ancyra and his pupil Photinus in the 4th century AD. In the Radical Reformation and Anabaptist movements of the 16th century this idea resurfaced with Sozzini's uncle, Lelio Sozzini . Having influenced

2511-644: The International Council of Unitarians and Universalists (ICUU), founded in 1995. The ICUU has "full member" groups in Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, EUU, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Indonesia, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Romania, South Africa, Spain. Sri Lanka and the United States. Brazil is a Provisional Member. The ICUU includes small "Associate Groups", including Congregazione Italiana Cristiano Unitariana, Turin (founded in 2004) and

2604-637: The Logos , or the Word, a being begotten or created by God, who dwelt with God in heaven. There are many varieties of this form of Unitarianism, ranging from the belief that the Son was a divine spirit of the same substance (called Subordinationism ) or of a similar substance to that of God (called Semi-Arianism ) to the belief that he was an angel or other lesser spirit creature of a wholly different nature from God. Not all of these views necessarily were held by Arius ,

2697-666: The Lord's Supper , thinking that it ministered to self-satisfaction. It was as a radical Unitarian that he became pastor of another young church in New York City in 1860. The name of the church was initially the Third Unitarian Congregational Church. From the beginning, Frothingham belonged to the most radical wing of the Unitarians. Indeed, in 1864 he was recognized as leader of the radicals after his reply to Frederic Henry Hedge 's address to

2790-478: The National Urban League , and Florence Nightingale in humanitarianism and social justice; John Bowring , Samuel Taylor Coleridge and Elizabeth Gaskell in literature; Frank Lloyd Wright in the arts; Josiah Wedgwood , Richard Peacock and Samuel Carter MP in industry; Thomas Starr King in ministry and politics; and Charles William Eliot in education. Julia Ward Howe was a leader in

2883-619: The New England Colonies and subsequently in the Mid-Atlantic States . The first official acceptance of the Unitarian faith on the part of a congregation in North America was by King's Chapel in Boston, from where James Freeman began teaching Unitarian doctrine in 1784 and was appointed rector. Later in 1785, he created a revised Unitarian Book of Common Prayer based on Lindsey's work. Unitarianism

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2976-605: The Polish Brethren to a formal declaration of this belief in the Racovian Catechism , Fausto Sozzini involuntarily ended up giving his name to this Christological position, which continued with English Unitarians such as John Biddle , Thomas Belsham , Theophilus Lindsey , and James Martineau . In America, most of the early Unitarians were "Arian" in Christology (see below), but among those who held to

3069-524: The Polish Brethren , was born as the result of a controversy that started on January 22, 1556, when Piotr of Goniądz (Peter Gonesius), a Polish student, spoke out against the doctrine of the Trinity during the general synod of the Reformed ( Calvinist ) churches of Poland held in the village of Secemin . After nine years of debate, in 1565, the anti-Trinitarians were excluded from the existing synod of

3162-629: The Polish Reformed Church (henceforth the Ecclesia maior ) and they began to hold their own synods as the Ecclesia minor . Though frequently called " Arians " by those on the outside, the views of Fausto Sozzini (Faustus Socinus) became the standard in the church, and these doctrines were quite removed from Arianism. So important was Socinus to the formulation of their beliefs that those outside Poland usually referred to them as Socinians . The Polish Brethren were disbanded in 1658 by

3255-557: The Sejm (Polish Parliament). They were ordered to convert to Roman Catholicism or leave Poland. Most of them went to Transylvania or Holland, where they embraced the name "Unitarian". Between 1665 and 1668 a grandson of Socinus, Andrzej Wiszowaty Sr. , published Bibliotheca Fratrum Polonorum quos Unitarios vocant ( Library of the Polish Brethren who are called Unitarians 4 vols. 1665–1669). The Unitarian Church in Transylvania

3348-469: The True Jesus Church , and the writings of Michael Servetus (all of which maintain that Jesus is God as a single person). Recently, some religious groups have adopted the 19th-century term biblical unitarianism to distinguish their theologies from Unitarianism. Unitarianism is a Christian theology and practice that precedes and is distinct from Unitarian Universalism . In the 1890s

3441-898: The University of Leiden in the Netherlands for the ministry of the Dutch Reformed Church in Cape Town . There are two active Unitarian churches in Ireland, one in Dublin and the other in Cork. Both are member churches of the Non-subscribing Presbyterian Church of Ireland . Unitarianism was a latecomer to Denmark. Some of the inspiration came from Norway and England – family members of

3534-548: The religion of Jesus, not a religion about Jesus" to Unitarians, though the phrase was used earlier by Congregationalist Rollin Lynde Hartt in 1924. Worship within the Unitarian tradition accommodates a wide range of understandings of God , while the focus of the service may be simply the celebration of life itself. Each Unitarian congregation is at liberty to devise its own form of worship, though commonly, Unitarians will light their chalice (symbol of faith), have

3627-530: The 16th to 18th centuries, Unitarians in Britain often faced significant political persecution, including John Biddle , Mary Wollstonecraft , and Theophilus Lindsey . In England, the first Unitarian Church was established in 1774 on Essex Street, London , where today's British Unitarian headquarters is still located. As is typical of dissenters and nonconformists , Unitarianism does not constitute one single Christian denomination ; rather, it refers to

3720-845: The Bét Dávid Unitarian Association, Oslo (founded 2005). The largest Unitarian denomination worldwide today is also the oldest Unitarian denomination (since 1565, first use of the term "Unitarian" 1600): the Unitarian Church of Transylvania (in Romania , which is in union with the Unitarian Church in Hungary). The church in Transylvania still looks to the statement of faith, the Summa Universae Theologiae Christianae secundum Unitarios (1787), though today assent to this

3813-586: The Danish Lutheran Church, to one where this was no longer assumed ( ). Biblical Unitarianism identifies the Christian belief that the Bible teaches that God the Father is one singular being , and that Jesus Christ is a distinct being, his son, but not divine. A few denominations use this term to describe themselves, clarifying the distinction between them and those churches which, from

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3906-621: The Divine Trinity" Servetus taught that the Logos (Word) was the reflection of Christ, and "that reflection of Christ was 'the Word with God" that consisted of God Himself, shining brightly in heaven, "and it was God Himself" and that "the Word was the very essence of God or the manifestation of God's essence, and there was in God no other substance or hypostasis than His Word, in a bright cloud where God then seemed to subsist. And in that very spot

3999-507: The German liberal theology associated primarily with Friedrich Schleiermacher , the psilanthropist view increased in popularity. Its proponents took an intellectual and humanistic approach to religion. They embraced evolutionary concepts, asserted the "inherent goodness of man", and abandoned the doctrine of biblical infallibility , rejecting most of the miraculous events in the Bible (including

4092-592: The Unitarian Chapel was known as the "Mayors' Nest". Numerous Unitarian families were highly significant in the social and political life of Britain from Victorian times to the middle of the 20th century. They included the Nettlefolds , Martineaus , Luptons , Kitsons , Chamberlains and Kenricks. In Birmingham, England , a Unitarian church – the Church of the Messiah – was opened in 1862. It became

4185-576: The Unitarian Union of North East India." The American Unitarian Conference (AUC) was formed in 2000 and stands between UUA and ICUU in attachment to the Christian element of modern Unitarianism. The American Unitarian Conference is open to non-Christian Unitarians, being particularly popular with non-Christian theists and deists . As of 2009, The AUC has three congregations in the United States. Unitarian Christian Ministries International

4278-426: The Unitarian faith on the part of a congregation in America was by King's Chapel in Boston, which settled James Freeman (1759–1835) in 1782, and revised the Prayer Book into a mild Unitarian liturgy in 1785. In 1800, Joseph Stevens Buckminster became minister of the Brattle Street Church in Boston, where his brilliant sermons, literary activities, and academic attention to the German "New Criticism" helped shape

4371-472: The Unitarian preacher and theologian Ferenc Dávid ( c.  1520 –1579). Among its adherents were a significant number of Italians who took refuge in Bohemia , Moravia , Poland, and Transylvania in order to escape from the religious persecution perpetrated against them by the Roman Catholic and Magisterial Protestant churches. In the 17th century, significant repression in Poland led many Unitarians to flee or be killed for their faith. From

4464-406: The United States by Charles Lippy says, " The Open Court became the official publication of the Free Religious Association in 1887." The Open Court was a new journal published by Edward Hegeler that focused on the intersection of religion and science. Underwood, the previous editor of The Index , was its editor. However, Free Religion: An American Faith by Stow Persons, a book-length study of

4557-421: The United States was the Clinton Liberal Institute , in Clinton, Oneida County, New York , founded in 1831. Unitarians charge that the Trinity , unlike unitarianism, fails to adhere to strict monotheism. Unitarians maintain that Jesus was a great man and a prophet of God, perhaps even a supernatural being, but not God himself. They believe Jesus did not claim to be God and that his teachings did not suggest

4650-418: The United States were Unitarians: John Adams , John Quincy Adams , Millard Fillmore , and William Howard Taft . Adlai Stevenson II , the Democratic presidential nominee in 1952 and 1956, was a Unitarian; he was the last Unitarian to be nominated by a major party for president as of 2024. Although a self-styled materialist, Thomas Jefferson was pro-Unitarian to the extent of suggesting that it would become

4743-400: The abolitionist leader Frederick Douglass , who had escaped from slavery as a young man and gained fame as a public speaker and the editor of the North Star , an abolitionist newspaper. Many FRA members continued to be practicing Unitarians, and they promoted the ideas of the FRA within that denomination with increasing success. In 1894, the Unitarian National Conference essentially accepted

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4836-492: The admirable features of several non-Christian religions and says, "The name of Christianity only ceases to excite respect when it is used to represent any false or exclusive claims, or when it takes the place of the older and grander words, "Religion" and "Virtue". When we fully comprehend the sympathy of religions we shall deal with other faiths on equal terms." Also well-known was Frances Abbot's "Fifty Affirmations". This collection of brief statements expressed Abbot's views about

4929-577: The authority of the Bible and the existence of miracles. This was especially true for two influential groups within the denomination, the transcendentalists and those drawn to the use of scientific methods. The transcendentalists, who were closely identified with Ralph Waldo Emerson , challenged orthodox thinking with their belief that religious understanding was best achieved through direct intuition. The group oriented toward science wanted to modify traditional Unitarian teachings to accommodate recent scientific developments, including evolution. Francis Abbot,

5022-412: The belief that Jesus Christ began his life when he was born as a human. In other words, the teaching that Jesus pre-existed his human body is rejected. There are various views ranging from the belief that Jesus was simply a human ( psilanthropism ) who, because of his greatness, was adopted by God as his Son ( adoptionism ) to the belief that Jesus literally became the son of God when he was conceived by

5115-421: The church dissolved. Paralysis threatened him, and he never fully recovered his health.Frederic Henry Hedge In 1881, he returned to Boston, and devoted himself to literary work until his death there. To the later period of his life belongs his best literary work. While he was in New York, he was for a time art critic of the Tribune . Always himself on the unpopular side and an able but thoroughly fair critic of

5208-542: The churches associated with the Christian Church in Italy . Notable Unitarians include classical composers Edvard Grieg and Béla Bartók ; Ralph Waldo Emerson , Theodore Parker , Yveon Seon and Thomas Lamb Eliot in theology and ministry; Oliver Heaviside , Erasmus Darwin , Joseph Priestley , John Archibald Wheeler , Linus Pauling , Sir Isaac Newton and inventor Sir Francis Ronalds in science; George Boole in mathematics; Susan B. Anthony in civil government; Frances Ellen Watkins Harper , Whitney Young of

5301-429: The denomination as exclusively Christian created friction with a vocal minority who wanted a broader approach. Unitarians who wanted the denomination to be open to non-Christians argued for their approach again at the 1866 convention but again without success. Characterizing the AUA as exclusively Christian created a problem for the increasing number of Unitarians who were beginning to challenge traditional views, such as

5394-473: The divinity school subsequently interrogated each member of the class of 1869 about their religious views and denied two of them their stipend. In response, almost all students in that class refused to accept their stipends. The issue was eventually settled to the students' satisfaction. Encouraged by the success of those lectures, the FRA organized a series of lectures at Boston's Horticultural Hall. They attracted considerable interest for several years, but as

5487-432: The doctrine of the Trinity or affirms the belief that God is only one person . In that case, it would be a Nontrinitarian belief system not necessarily associated with the Unitarian movement. For example, the Unitarian movement has never accepted the Godhood of Jesus, and therefore does not include those nontrinitarian belief systems that do, such as Oneness Pentecostalism , United Pentecostal Church International ,

5580-432: The existence of a triune God . Unitarian Christology can be divided according to whether or not Jesus is believed to have had a pre-human existence. Both forms maintain that God is one being and one person and that Jesus is the (or a) Son of God , but generally not God himself. In the early 19th century, Unitarian Robert Wallace identified three particular classes of Unitarian doctrines in history: Unitarianism

5673-427: The face and personality of Christ shone bright." ) Isaac Newton had Arian beliefs as well. Famous 19th-century Arian Unitarians include Andrews Norton and William Ellery Channing (in his earlier years). Although there is no specific authority on convictions of Unitarian belief aside from rejection of the Trinity, the following beliefs are generally accepted: In 1938, The Christian Leader attributed "

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5766-427: The first biography of philanthropist and abolitionist Gerrit Smith . While he said Smith had advance notice of Brown's planned raid, Smith's daughter, Elizabeth Smith Miller , ordered the books recalled and pages removed. A second edition was prepared under her supervision with the offending material altered. Though always faithful to his radical views, in later years, his judgement grew more generous and catholic. He

5859-418: The first person to be officially enrolled in the new organization. The founders of the FRA were guided by two main principles. One was the freedom to explore unorthodox religious ideas without any restrictions of tradition, creed and external authority. William J. Potter, the primary force within the FRA during its most active years, described the FRA as a sort of "spiritual anti-slavery society", referring to

5952-442: The founders, and the wife of Edward Grieg. 1900–1918 the society priest was Uffe Birkedal, who had previously been a Lutheran priest. He held the first worship 18 February 1900. A founding general assembly 18 May 1900 elected Mary Bess Westenholz as the first chairman of the Society. The Society newsletter was named 'Protestantisk Tidende' 1904–1993, and then renamed 'Unitaren', reflecting a gradually changing perception of being part of

6045-403: The free religion movement, says, "The passing of The Index left free religion without an organ of its own." Persons says the subscribers to The Index were transferred to Unity , a progressive Unitarian publication or to Open Court . An edition of Abbot's "Truths for the Time" that was published sometime after 1888 includes a "Notice" on the final page that quotes Abbot as saying that " Unity

6138-479: The graduating students of the Divinity School on "Anti- Supernaturalism in the Pulpit." In 1865, when he had practically given up transcendentalism , his church building was sold and his congregation began to worship in Lyric Hall under the name of the Independent Liberal Church, their connection with the Unitarian denomination being thereby sundered. In 1875, they moved to the Masonic Temple , but four years later ill-health compelled Frothingham's resignation, and

6231-430: The ideas of the FRA within their denomination. In 1894, the Unitarian National Conference essentially accepted the position of the FRA, removing part of the original reason for its creation. The FRA was still active until at least 1917, when it celebrated its fiftieth anniversary. The FRA worked largely through lectures, books and periodicals, including The Index , which was published weekly from 1870 to 1886. In 1825,

6324-448: The late 19th century, evolved into modern British Unitarianism and, primarily in the United States, Unitarian Universalism . In 16th-century Italy, Biblical Unitarianism was powered by the ideas of the Non-trinitarian theologians Lelio and Fausto Sozzini , founders of Socinianism ; their doctrine was embraced and further developed by the Unitarian Church of Transylvania during the 16th and 17th centuries. Today, it's represented by

6417-445: The latter being known as biblical Unitarians . The birth of the Unitarian faith is proximate to the Radical Reformation , beginning almost simultaneously among the Protestant Polish Brethren in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth and in the Principality of Transylvania in the mid-16th century; the first Unitarian Christian denomination known to have emerged during that time was the Unitarian Church of Transylvania , founded by

6510-414: The majority, he habitually underestimated his own worth; he was not only an anti-slavery leader when abolition was not popular even in New England , and a radical and rationalist when it was impossible for him to stay conveniently in the Unitarian Church , but he was the first president of the Free Religious Association (1867) and an early and ardent disciple of Darwin and Spencer . Frothingham wrote

6603-418: The namesake of this Christology. It is still Nontrinitarian because, according to this belief system, Jesus has always been beneath God, though higher than humans. Arian Christology was not a majority view among Unitarians in Poland, Transylvania or England. It was only with the advent of American Unitarianism that it gained a foothold in the Unitarian movement. Among early Christian theologians who believed in

6696-428: The nature of what he called pure religion, its current expression in the world's specific religions, and its future expression in a universal religion. Samuel H. Morse edited and published The Radical , a monthly magazine, in Boston from 1865 to 1873. With about a hundred pages per issue, it represented the interests of the FRA, especially its transcendentalist wing. The Index: A Weekly Paper Devoted to Free Religion

6789-453: The new religion would appear in his lifetime through process of evolution that was already working through the existing religions. The founding convention adopted a constitution that said the goal of the FRA was "to promote the interests of pure religion, to encourage the scientific study of theology, and to increase the fellowship of the spirit." The constitution was modified in 1872 to make it clear that one did not need to believe in God to be

6882-473: The novelty of the FRA's views wore off, the lectures were discontinued in 1878. The FRA held annual national conventions at various cities throughout the country. These conventions usually included three or four public meetings at which FRA speakers would discuss the principles of free religion. Representatives of Eastern religions were often invited to speak at FRA meetings. Several FRA members published books to support their movement. Samuel Johnson produced

6975-415: The pamphlet without explanation. Unitarianism Unitarianism (from Latin unitas  'unity, oneness') is a nontrinitarian branch of Christianity . Unitarian Christians affirm the unitary nature of God as the singular and unique creator of the universe , believe that Jesus Christ was inspired by God in his moral teachings and that he is the savior of humankind, but he

7068-521: The position of the FRA, removing part of the original reason for its creation. The FRA began to decline in the mid to late 1870s. Octavius Frothingham was succeeded as president of the FRA in 1878 by Felix Adler , founder of the Ethical Culture movement , which was open to people of diverse religious beliefs. Adler tried to rejuvenate the organization with a program of establishing a network of local societies that would promote education about

7161-464: The predominant religion in the United States. In the United Kingdom, although Unitarianism was the religion of only a small minority of the population, its practitioners had an enormous impact on Victorian politics, not only in the larger cities – Birmingham , Leeds , Manchester and Liverpool – but in smaller communities such as Leicester , where there were so many Unitarian mayors that

7254-407: The recent success of the movement to eliminate slavery in the U.S. He said the goal of the movement was to "bring people together in religious union" while "liberating religion from every sort of thralldom to irrational and merely traditional authority". The other principle was to promote what its founders called "free religion," which was understood to be the essence of religion that is expressed in

7347-432: The science of religion and would work to advance social welfare. Adler's project failed to gather enough support within the FRA, however, and he resigned from the organization in 1882. The proceedings of the FRA's 47th annual meeting were published with the title World Religion and World Brotherhood . The association was still active until at least 1917, when it celebrated its 50th anniversary in Boston. The FRA sponsored

7440-619: The subsequent growth of Unitarianism in New England. Unitarian Henry Ware (1764–1845) was appointed as the Hollis professor of divinity at Harvard College, in 1805. Harvard Divinity School then shifted from its conservative roots to teach Unitarian theology (see Harvard and Unitarianism ). Buckminster's close associate William Ellery Channing (1780–1842) was settled over the Federal Street Church in Boston, 1803, and in

7533-517: The virgin birth). Notable examples are James Martineau , Theodore Parker , Ralph Waldo Emerson and Frederic Henry Hedge . Famous American Unitarian William Ellery Channing was a believer in the virgin birth until later in his life, after he had begun his association with the Transcendentalists. Arianism is often considered a form of Unitarianism. The Christology of Arianism holds that Jesus, before his human life, existed as

7626-555: The virgin birth. In the early days of Unitarianism, the stories of the virgin birth were accepted by most. There were a number of Unitarians who questioned the historical accuracy of the Bible, including Symon Budny , Jacob Palaeologus , Thomas Belsham, and Richard Wright , and this made them question the virgin birth story. Beginning in England and America in the 1830s, and manifesting itself primarily in Transcendentalist Unitarianism , which emerged from

7719-621: The woman suffrage movement, the first ever woman to be elected to the Academy of Arts and Letters, and author of the " Battle Hymn of the Republic ", volumes of poetry, and other writing. Although raised a Quaker, Ezra Cornell , founder of Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, attended the Unitarian church and was one of the founders of Ithaca's First Unitarian Church. Eramus Darwin Shattuck,

7812-679: The word first appears in a title in Stephen Nye 's A Brief History of the Unitarians, called also Socinians (1687). The movement gained popularity in England in the wake of the Enlightenment and began to become a formal denomination in 1774 when Theophilus Lindsey organised meetings with Joseph Priestley , founding the first avowedly Unitarian congregation in the country. This occurred at Essex Street Church in London. Official toleration came in 1813 . The first official acceptance of

7905-748: Was a Unitarian ministry incorporated in South Carolina until its dissolution in 2013 when it merged with the Unitarian Christian Emerging Church. The Unitarian Christian Emerging Church has recently undergone reorganization and today is known as the Unitarian Christian Church of America. In addition, the Unitarian Universalist Faith Alliance and Ministries follow a Progressive Christian format honoring Sacred Space and Creation Spirituality. The Unitarian Christian Church of America (UCCA)

7998-646: Was a greater orator than a writer, and his sermons in New York were delivered to large audiences, averaging one thousand at the Masonic Temple, and were printed each week; in eloquence and in the charm of his spoken word he was probably surpassed in his day by none save George William Curtis . Personally he seemed cold and distant, partly because of his impressive appearance, and partly because of his own modesty, which made him backward in seeking friendships. He died at his home in Boston on November 27, 1895. He

8091-572: Was first recognized by the Edict of Torda , issued by the Transylvanian Diet under Prince John II Sigismund Zápolya (January 1568), and was first led by Ferenc Dávid (a former Calvinist bishop, who had begun preaching the new doctrine in 1566). The term "Unitarian" first appeared as unitaria religio in a document of the Diet of Lécfalva , Transylvania , on 25 October 1600, though it

8184-651: Was followed soon afterwards by chapels in Sydney and Adelaide, and later regional centres including Ballarat. The modern church, no longer unitarian Christian, retains properties in Adelaide, Sydney and Melbourne, and smaller congregations elsewhere in Australia and New Zealand. The Unitarian movement in South Africa was founded in 1867 by David Faure , member of a well-known Cape family. He encountered advanced liberal religious thought while completing his studies at

8277-684: Was formed on 1 October 2016 through the merging of the Unitarian Christian Emerging Church and the Unitarian Christian Conference. The church's current ministry in on-line and through local fellowship gatherings. The current senior pastor and current president of the UCCA is the Reverend Dr. Shannon Rogers. The UCCA has both ordained and lay members. The first Unitarian Church in Australia was built in 1854 in Melbourne and

8370-547: Was founded in Toledo, Ohio in 1870 as the semi-official periodical of the FRA under the editorship of Francis Abbot. In 1873, it moved to Boston, and in 1880 it came under the direct control of the FRA. Abbot resigned in 1880, after which The Index was edited by William Potter and Benjamin Underwood until the last issue was published in 1886. Sources disagree on what followed the demise of The Index . Religious Periodicals of

8463-1012: Was founded in the United Kingdom in 1991 by Rev. Lancelot Garrard (1904–93) and others to promote specifically Christian ideas within the General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches (GAUFCC), the national Unitarian body in Great Britain. Just as the UUCF and ICUU maintain formal links with the Unitarian Universalist Association in the US, so the UCA is an affiliate body of the GAUFCC in Great Britain. The majority of Unitarian Christian publications are sponsored by an organization and published specifically for their membership. Generally, they do not serve as

8556-509: Was not widely used in Transylvania until 1638, when the formal recepta Unitaria Religio was published. The word Unitarian had been circulating in private letters in England, in reference to imported copies of such publications as the Library of the Polish Brethren who are called Unitarians (1665). Henry Hedworth was the first to use the word "Unitarian" in print in English (1673), and

8649-642: Was related to Phillips Brooks . He graduated from Harvard College in 1843 and from the Divinity School in 1846. On March 23, 1847, he married Caroline Martha Curtis (February 5, 1825 - June 8, 1900). He was pastor of the North Unitarian church of Salem, Massachusetts , from 1847 to 1855. He broke with this congregation over the issue of slavery. From 1855 to 1860, he was pastor of a new Unitarian society in Jersey City . There he gave up

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