Misplaced Pages

#387612

88-547: The national historical park 's eleven buildings tell the story of five generations of the Adams family (from 1720 to 1927) including presidents, first ladies , envoys, historians, writers, and family members who supported and contributed to their success. In addition to Peacefield , home to four generations of the Adams family, the park's main historic features include the John Adams Birthplace (October 30, 1735),

176-432: A Hindu temple, a Reform or Orthodox synagogue, and a Catholic church. There is great variety among Unitarian Universalist congregations, with some favoring particular religious beliefs or forms of worship over others, with many more home to an eclectic mix of beliefs. Regardless of their orientation, most congregations are fairly open to differing beliefs, though not always with various faith traditions represented to

264-478: A Protestant church, but they vary widely among congregations. The most common symbol of Unitarian Universalism is the flaming chalice , often framed by two overlapping rings that many interpret as representing Unitarianism and Universalism (the symbol has no official interpretation). The chalice itself has long been a symbol of liberal religion, and indeed liberal Christianity (the Disciples of Christ also use

352-519: A 1611 King James Bible , an 18th-century copy of Marcus Elieser Bloch 's Ichthyology (which contained hand-painted illustrations), and the 1838 Mendi Bible (which was presented to John Quincy Adams by the group of 53 Mendi tribes people whom Adams defended for at the Supreme Court). With the help of the FBI, the books were returned to Adams National Historical Park undamaged. Kevin P. Gildea, 42,

440-515: A Unitarian Universalist congregation. As a result, individual practitioners may simultaneously identify as Unitarian Universalists, as well as other faith traditions. Although Unitarian Universalism draws its roots from Christian sources, contemporary Unitarian Universalists in North America view their religion as multifaith and drawing on a variety of sources, both religious and secular. Unitarian Universalism encourages its members to draw on

528-636: A Unitarian minister) and other transcendentalists , Unitarianism began its long journey from liberal Protestantism to its more pluralist form. After the schism in the Congregational Churches resulting in the foundation (1825) of the American Unitarian Association, some of those churches remained within the Congregational fold and became member congregations of the Congregational organization (later

616-640: A chalice as their denomination symbol ). The flaming chalice was initially the logo of the Unitarian Service Committee during the Second World War . It was created by Austrian artist Hans Deutsch . The holy oil burning in it is a symbol of helpfulness and sacrifice. Nevertheless, other interpretations have been suggested, such as the chalice used by the followers of Czech Jan Hus , which was supposedly reverential of Eastern Orthodox traditions; although Hus's early National Church

704-915: A common slogan in Unitarian Universalist congregations, "Deeds, not creeds." They hold that belief divorced from action does not change the world, and that good intentions often lead to a worse situation in the long term. Unitarian Universalist thinkers have long recognized the need to bring belief and action together, and encourage their members to go into the larger world and improve it. Because of this importance of action, Unitarian Universalists have long been involved in social , economic , and environmental justice movements, both through organizations created by Unitarian Universalists and through local, regional, national, and international grassroots organizing. Many Unitarian Universalists see this work as inseparable from their Unitarian Universalist faith, and see their participation in justice movements as

792-596: A conceptual framework, whereby both new and existing park units would be examined more holistically for ways to study history such as "creating social movements and institutions," "developing the American economy," and "peopling places." In the 20th century, potential new park units have been recommended not so much on "an orderly, balanced, and comprehensive" preservation of "outstanding examples", as Chief Historian Ronald Lee put it, but on those mandated to be studied by Congress, most of whose requests are recommended against by

880-518: A congregation's lay-led or relatively new status. However, some Unitarian Universalist congregations have grown to appreciate alternative terms such as fellowship and retained them even though they have grown much larger or lost features sometimes associated with their use (such as, in the case of fellowships, a traditionally lay-led worship model). Also of note is that there are many more people who identify as Unitarian Universalist on surveys than those who attend Unitarian Universalist congregations (by

968-761: A deeply important part of their religious faith. Historically, the Unitarian Univeralist Association's predecessor movements, Unitarianism and Universalism saw members involved in abolitionism , women's suffrage , pacifism , temperance , and prison reform . Today, Unitarian Universalists are deeply involved in causes such as racial justice and the Black Lives Matter movement, LGBTQ movements , feminism and women's rights , immigration justice , reproductive rights , climate justice , and economic inequality . The Unitarian belief that reason, and not creed, defines

SECTION 10

#1732771849388

1056-402: A factor of four in a recent survey), reflecting those who have never joined (and lapsed members) but nonetheless consider themselves part of the Unitarian Universalist movement. In 2004, UU World magazine asked for contributions of " elevator speeches " explaining Unitarian Universalism. These are short speeches that could be made in the course of an elevator ride to those who knew nothing of

1144-655: A leading figure in the founding of the church on American soil. Once laity and clergy relaxed their vehement opposition to the Doctrine of the Trinity Act 1813 , which finally allowed for protections of dissenting religions, the British and Foreign Unitarian Association was founded in 1825. It has its headquarters in Essex Hall, successor to Lindsey's Essex House. Two that have been significant in national life are

1232-692: A literal reading of the Bible . Liberalizing Unitarians rejected the Trinitarian belief in the tri-personal godhead: Father, Son, and Holy Ghost/Spirit. Instead, they asserted a unitary notion of God. In addition, they rejected the doctrine of original sin , moving away from the Calvinism of the Congregationalists . New England Universalists rejected the Puritan forefathers' emphasis on

1320-822: A park is not itself "historic", but can be called "historical" when it contains historic resources. It is the resources which are historic, not the park. There are 63 national historical parks. Klondike Gold Rush International Historical Park was formally established by the United States and Canada in 1998, the year of the centennial of the gold rush the park commemorates. The park comprises Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park in Washington and Alaska (above) and Chilkoot Trail National Historic Site in British Columbia. Tens of thousands of prospectors took this trail in hopes of making their fortunes in

1408-562: A part of article II of the Unitarian Universalist Association's bylaws. These Principles and Purposes were statements of shared values that Unitarian Universalist congregations agreed to uphold: These principles, first adopted in 1960 and later revised in 1984 and 1985, proved so popular that many Unitarian Universalists came to see them as a wisdom source in and of themselves and a guide for participation in Unitarian Universalist congregations. In June 2024,

1496-567: A particular caring for the poor, the weak and the downtrodden. As a result, issues of justice, including social justice are held in common among most. It's a blessing each of us was born; It matters what we do with our lives; What each of us knows about God is a piece of the truth; We don't have to do it alone. As in theology, Unitarian Universalist worship and ritual are often a combination of elements derived from other faith traditions alongside original practices and symbols. In form, church services might be difficult to distinguish from those of

1584-475: A period resembling purgatory . Christian Universalism denies the doctrine of everlasting damnation , and proclaims belief in an entirely loving God who will ultimately redeem all human beings. Historically, several forms of Nontrinitarianism have appeared within Christianity. The term may refer to any belief about the nature of Jesus Christ that affirms God as a singular entity and rejects

1672-444: A plurality of beliefs. Unitarian Universalists are encouraged to engage in their own unique spiritual journey and to follow their conscience in what beliefs to hold. Unitarian Universalism is seen as compatible with other spiritual paths, and individual Unitarian Universalists are encouraged to engage in their own spiritual journey, whatever the path. Unitarian Universalists are not required to renounce previous faith traditions to join

1760-467: A sermon and the singing of hymns. The extent to which the elements of any particular faith tradition are incorporated into personal spiritual practice is a matter of individual choice for congregants, in keeping with a creedless, non-dogmatic approach to spirituality and faith development. New England Unitarians evolved from the Pilgrim Fathers ' Congregational Christianity , which was based on

1848-502: A sermon or presentation by a minister, a lay leader of the congregation, or an invited speaker. Sermons may cover a wide range of topics. Since Unitarian Universalists do not recognize a particular text or set of texts as primary or inherently superior, inspiration can be found in many different religious or cultural texts as well as the personal experiences of the minister. The service also includes hymn-singing, accompanied by organ, piano, or other available instruments, and possibly led by

SECTION 20

#1732771849388

1936-525: A sole member within the UUA. The Canadian Unitarian Council (CUC) became an independent body in 2002. The UUA and CUC were two of the seventeen members of the now defunct International Council of Unitarians and Universalists (1995–2021). Unitarian Universalism was formed from the consolidation in 1961 of two historically separate Christian denominations, the Universalist Church of America and

2024-604: A song leader or choir. The most recent worship songbook published by the denomination, Singing the Journey contains 75 songs and is a supplement to the older Singing the Living Tradition which contains readings as well. Hymns typically sung in Unitarian Universalist services come from a variety of sources—traditional hymn tunes with new or adapted lyrics, spirituals, folk songs from various cultures, or original compositions by Unitarian Universalist musicians are just

2112-559: A variety of beliefs about the nature of the divine. The diversity of beliefs about divinity in Unitarian Universalism can be accounted for because of the influence of religious humanism on the movement in the late nineteenth century. Although Unitarian Universalists believe that anyone can be a Humanist, regardless of their position on the use of language of divinity, the rise of religious humanism within Unitarian Universalism enable members to be able to further question

2200-638: Is a few feet from the John Quincy Adams Birthplace home, where John and Abigail Adams moved. The house where John and Abigail Adams and their family lived during the time he was working on the Declaration of Independence and the Revolutionary War is also the 1767 birthplace of their son, John Quincy Adams. The younger Adams grew up in the home, and he and his family lived in it for a time later in life. The Old House

2288-546: Is a religion marked by freedom, reason, and acceptance. As such, Unitarian Universalists practice a non-creedal religion that does not require one to believe in any particular belief or doctrine. Rather than sharing common beliefs, Unitarian Universalists are united by a common history, the affirmation of each person's individual spiritual quest, and a covenant to uphold the community's shared spiritual values. As such, Unitarian Universalists vary greatly in their beliefs, and Unitarian Universalist congregations are often defined by

2376-614: Is between just two, as in a union of marriage, or whether the agreement is among millions, as in a free nation, or whether the agreement is among members who gather to be a free congregation." The use of covenants in Unitarian Universalist community dates back to 1646 and the creation of the Cambridge Platform by the Congregational churches of colonial New England , some of whom would later become Unitarians , predecessors of modern Unitarian Universalists. The Platform

2464-492: Is not yet owned or formally developed by the National Park Service, but may eventually be owned and established as a national historic site. National historical parks tend to be larger and more complex than national historic sites. In the United States, sites are "historic", while parks are "historical". The NPS explains that a site can be intrinsically historic, while a park is a modern legal invention. As such,

2552-423: Is seen as an evolving philosophy where the limits of science and reason are recognized, its tenets continue to play a large role in the thought of Unitarian Universalist congregations. Unitarian Universalist Humanists hold that the naturalism of their Humanism encourages individuals to recognize the awe, beauty, and wonder of the natural world and recognize the interdependence between humans and other beings. In

2640-744: The Book of Common Prayer , removing the Trinitarian Nicene Creed and references to Jesus as God . Theophilus Lindsey also revised the Book of Common Prayer to allow a more tolerant, free Unitarian interpretation. Neither cleric was charged under the Blasphemy Act 1697 that made it an "offense for any person, educated in or having made profession of the Christian religion, by writing, preaching, teaching or advised speaking, to deny

2728-728: The Baháʼí Faith . The Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) was formed in 1961 through the consolidation of the American Unitarian Association , established in 1825, and the Universalist Church of America , established in 1793. The UUA is headquartered in Boston , Massachusetts; and serves churches mostly in the United States . A group of thirty Philippine congregations is represented as

Adams National Historical Park - Misplaced Pages Continue

2816-541: The Congregational parish churches of New England , which were part of the state church of Massachusetts. These churches, whose buildings may still be seen in many New England town squares, trace their roots to the division of the Puritan colonies into parishes for the administration of their religious needs. In the late 18th century, conflict grew within some of these churches between Unitarian and Trinitarian factions. In 1805, Unitarians gained key faculty positions at Harvard . In 1819 William Ellery Channing preached

2904-797: The Cross Street Chapel in Manchester and, Newington Green Unitarian Church in north London . Unitarian congregations in Britain meet under the auspices of the General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches . There are 170 communities of Unitarians across Britain. The Chief Officer of the British Unitarians was Liz Slade as of 2024. In the United States, the Unitarian movement began primarily in

2992-584: The Holy Trinity ". The Act of Toleration (1689) gave relief to English Dissenters , but excluded Unitarians. The efforts of Clarke and Lindsey met with substantial criticism from the more conservative clergy and laity of the Church of England . In response, in 1774, Lindsey applied for registration of the Essex House as a "Dissenting place of worship" with the assistance of barrister John Lee . On

3080-655: The Jamestown Settlement and Yorktown battlefield in Virginia as one of the first new historical areas, and it was renamed a national historical park in 1936. It then established Morristown National Historical Park , the 1779–1780 winter encampment of the Continental Army in New Jersey, on March 2, 1933, as the first NHP: The U.S. House committee noted that the new designation was logical for

3168-726: The Klondike River district of Yukon . Download coordinates as: Unitarian Universalism Unitarian Universalism (otherwise referred to as UUism or UU ) is a liberal religious movement characterized by a "free and responsible search for truth and meaning ". Unitarian Universalists assert no creed , but instead are unified by their shared search for spiritual growth . Unitarian Universalists do not have an official, unified corpus of sacred texts . Unitarian Universalist congregations include many atheists , agnostics , deists , and theists ; there are churches, fellowships, congregations, and societies around

3256-675: The National Park Service (NPS). Some federally designated sites are owned by local authorities or privately owned, but are authorized to request assistance from the NPS as affiliated areas. One property is managed by the U.S. Forest Service , Grey Towers National Historic Site . Since October 15, 1966, all historic areas, including NHPs and NHSs, in the NPS are automatically listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). There are also about 90,000 NRHP sites,

3344-574: The United Church of Christ ), while others voted to become Unitarian. Some of the latter eventually became part of the Unitarian Universalist Association (formed in 1961) during a consolidation of the Unitarian and Universalist churches. Universalist churches in contrast followed a different path, having begun as independent congregations beyond the bounds of the established Puritan churches entirely. The UUA and

3432-510: The ordination sermon for Jared Sparks in Baltimore , outlining the Unitarian position. The American Unitarian Association was founded as a separate denomination in 1825. By coincidence and unknown to both parties, the AUA was formed on the same day—May 26, 1825—as the British and Foreign Unitarian Association . In the 19th century, under the influence of Ralph Waldo Emerson (who had been

3520-562: The substitutionary atonement of Christ developed by Anselm of Canterbury and John Calvin. There were several different forms of Christology in the beginnings of the Unitarian movement; ultimately, the dominant Christology became psilanthropism : that Jesus was a man, but one with a unique relationship to God. Influenced by the Socinian doctrine of the Polish Brethren , the Unitarian minister Samuel Clarke (1675–1729) revised

3608-539: The 1950s, the Mission 66 program revived historic studies that had lagged during World War II and saw the creation of the National Historic Landmarks program as a method to recognize important sites. From the 1960s to 1990s, the NPS evolved from a thematic framework, in which numerous specific themes and subthemes of American history were expected to each be included in some way in the system, to

Adams National Historical Park - Misplaced Pages Continue

3696-662: The Adamses worshipped and are buried, is provided by the congregation, for which they ask a small donation. The Church of the Presidents is across the town square from the Visitors Center and provides tours on a regular basis. This house is a National Historic Landmark , the birthplace of John Adams . In 1720 it was purchased by Deacon John Adams, Sr. , the father of the future second president. The younger Adams lived here until 1764, when he married Abigail Smith . It

3784-624: The American Unitarian Association, both based in the United States ; the new organization formed in this merger was the Unitarian Universalist Association. At the time of the North American consolidation, Unitarians and Universalists diverged beyond their roots in liberal Christian theology. They draw from a variety of religious traditions. Individuals may or may not self-identify as Christians or subscribe to Christian beliefs. Unitarian Universalist congregations and fellowships tend to retain some Christian traditions, such as Sunday worship with

3872-754: The Errors of the Trinity and Christianismi Restitutio caused much uproar. Servetus was eventually arrested, convicted of heresy, and burned at the stake in Geneva in 1553. The term "Unitarian" entered the English language via Henry Hedworth , who applied it to the teachings of Laelio Sozzini and the Polish Socinians . Unitarian churches were formally established in Transylvania and Poland (by

3960-522: The Humiliati movement in the 1950s, a group of reformist, liturgically minded clergy seeking to revive Universalism). Other symbols include a pair of open hands releasing a dove . Religious services are usually held on Sundays and most closely resemble the form and format of Protestant worship in the Reformed tradition. Services at a vast majority of congregations follow a structure that focuses on

4048-671: The Interior , but most have been authorized by acts of Congress . In 1937, the first NHS was created in Salem, Massachusetts , in order to preserve and interpret the maritime history of New England and the United States. There is one National Historic Area in the US park system, a unique designation given to the Aleutian World War II National Historic Area . There is one International Historic Site in

4136-444: The NPS developed criteria for nationally significant historic sites in the late 1930s, it aimed to identify unique sites that could each tell a broad story and would fit together to cover all aspects of American history. Surveys of sites were guided by themes and chronologies to ensure a diverse and comprehensive selection of those most representative of different eras and geographies, with less political influence over site selection. In

4224-692: The NPS's mandate. In 1935, Congress passed the Historic Sites Act ( Pub. L.   49–666 ), which established that "it is a national policy to preserve for public use historic sites, buildings and objects of national significance for the inspiration and benefit of the people of the United States." This expanded upon the Antiquities Act of 1906, which gave the President the ability to order "the protection of objects of historic and scientific interest." The Historic Sites Act directed

4312-461: The NPS. A 1973 NPS publication outlined policies for administration of historical areas, which were distinct from its natural and recreational areas. This included not only NHSs and NHPs but also national military parks, national battlefields, national battlefield parks, national battlefield sites, national memorials, and some national monuments; at that time there were 178 such areas, and management focused on "maintaining and where necessary restoring

4400-555: The National Park Service to survey historic sites which may be of national significance, as well as restore and acquire properties. The Historic American Buildings Survey began to document the country's architectural heritage and identify buildings for potential protection. Initially the Secretary of the Interior could designate national historic sites, though this did not include funding for acquition or administration without congressional action. Salem Maritime National Historic Site

4488-573: The Philippines, where Unitarian Universalism is much more theistically oriented , member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Philippines affirm the seven principles, but with the addition to their own first principle: "There is God. God is love." Unitarian Universalism believes that actions taken to make the world a better place are more important than what a person actually believes, as espoused by

SECTION 50

#1732771849388

4576-639: The Socinians) in the second half of the 16th century. There, the first doctrines of religious freedom in Europe were established (in the course of several diets between 1557 and 1568, see Edict of Torda ) under the jurisdiction of John Sigismund , King of Hungary and Prince of Transylvania, the only Unitarian monarch. The early Unitarian church not only rejected the Trinity, but also the pre-existence of Christ as well as, in many cases, predestination and original sin as put forward by Augustine of Hippo , and

4664-413: The Sunday following the registration—April 17, 1774—the first true Unitarian congregation discreetly convened in the provisional Essex Street Chapel. In attendance were Lee, Joseph Priestley and the agent of the Massachusetts Colony, Benjamin Franklin . Priestley also founded a reform congregation, but, after his home was burned down in the Priestley Riots , fled with his wife to America, where he became

4752-400: The US park system, a unique designation given to Saint Croix Island , Maine, on the New Brunswick border. The title, given to the site of the first permanent French settlement in America, recognizes the influence that it has had on both Canada and the United States. The NPS does not distinguish among these designations in terms of their preservation or management policies. The following site

4840-407: The UU General Assembly voted to replace the 7 principles in Article II of the UUA bylaws with a new covenant of 6 values, centered on Love. In Canada, members of the Canadian Unitarian Council affirm the seven principles along with an eighth principle: "Individual and communal action that accountably dismantles racism and systemic barriers to full inclusion in ourselves and our institutions." In

4928-429: The United Church of Christ cooperate jointly on social justice initiatives such as the Sexuality Education Advocacy Training project. In 1961 the American Unitarian Association (AUA) was consolidated with the Universalist Church of America (UCA), thus forming the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA). In the same year, the Canadian Unitarian Council (CUC) formed. The Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA)

5016-414: The United States of America 1801–1817 in the library. On the evening of November 11, 1996, one or more thieves used a chainsaw to gain access to and rob the building. The break-in triggered the site’s alarm system; however, the perpetrators fled before police arrived. Four priceless books were stolen: a 1772 English Bible which belonged to Louisa Catherine Adams (John Quincy Adams's English-born wife),

5104-430: The United States. They are usually owned and managed by the federal government. An NHS usually contains a single historical feature directly associated with its subject, while an NHP is an area that generally extends beyond single properties or buildings to include a mix of historic and later structures and sometimes significant natural features. As of 2024, there are 63 NHPs and 85 NHSes. Most NHPs and NHSs are managed by

5192-674: The absence of shared beliefs, Unitarian Universalists often see their religion as a covenantal (as opposed to a creedal ) one. Unitarian Universalists see covenants as the promises that bind congregations, communities, and individuals together in community. In Unitarian Universalism, covenants are mutual promises among individuals and communities about how they will behave and engage with each other. Covenants help create trust and care among Unitarian Universalists and in their congregations. Rather than creating things people have to do, covenants in Unitarian Universalist communities create freedom by helping members know what to expect from each other. In

5280-475: The almost complete failure of the Universalist movement in Canada had caused the formation of the Council to prompt a plan to merge with the UUA. Opposition to Liberal religious freedom relaxed, so that by 2002 it was agreed to increase autonomy and funding. The amalgamation proved troublesome for the Canadians, a small minority largely ignored, with only 45 congregations and 5,200 members—the Americans were insensitive to cultural differences. Unitarian Universalism

5368-408: The area and set a new precedent, with comparison to the national military parks , which were then in the War Department. The park's establishment allowed the NPS to have an administrative historical program with professional historians. President Franklin D. Roosevelt reorganized the agency to also oversee memorials and military parks with historic significance later in 1933, substantially broadening

SECTION 60

#1732771849388

5456-413: The breaking of Ramadan fast for Muslims), and Christmas Eve/ Winter Solstice services. Children's and youth's religious education classes teach about the divinity of the world and the sanctity of world religions. One of its more popular curricula, Neighboring Faiths (formerly Church Across the Street), takes middle and high school participants to visit the places of worship of many faith traditions including

5544-542: The defining doctrine of Universalism ( universal salvation ). This core doctrine asserts that through Christ every single human soul shall be saved, leading to the "restitution of all things" ( apocatastasis ). In 1793, Universalism emerged as a distinct denomination of Christianity in the United States, eventually called the Universalist Church of America . Early American advocates of universal salvation such as Elhanan Winchester , Hosea Ballou and John Murray taught that all souls would achieve salvation, sometimes after

5632-424: The doctrine of the Trinity , as affirmed by the mainstream Christianity : a consensus of Christian bishops at the First Council of Nicaea in 325. Nontrinitarianism was especially prevalent during the theological turmoils of the Protestant Reformation . A Spanish physician, Michael Servetus , studied the Bible and concluded that the concept of the Trinity, as traditionally conceived, was not biblical. His books On

5720-407: The existence and nature of the divine through its encouragement towards reason. Fifteen of the thirty-four signers of Humanist Manifesto I were Unitarians and one was a Universalist. Unitarian Universalists were also a significant presence among the signers of Humanist Manifestos II and III . Today, the majority of Unitarian Universalists in North America identify as Humanist. Although Humanism

5808-399: The historical designation "Unitarian" or "Universalist" (e.g. " First Unitarian Church "). A few congregations use neither (e.g. Unity Temple ). For some congregations, the name can be a clue to their theological orientation. For others, avoidance of the word "church" indicates a desire to distance itself from traditional Christian theology. Sometimes the use of another term may simply indicate

5896-439: The historical integrity of structures, sites and objects significant to the commemoration or illustration of the historical story". But because most units contained a combination of natural, historic, and recreational lands, the General Authorities Act of 1970 made all areas equal within the National Park System ; separate policy manuals for each were replaced in 1975 with one that would tailor policies in each park respective to

5984-511: The large majority of which are neither owned nor managed by the NPS. Of these, about 2,600 have been designated at the highest status as National Historic Landmark (NHL) sites. After its founding in 1916, the National Park Service initially oversaw sites of primarily scenic and natural significance, including national parks and national monuments . Historians soon began recommending preservation of sites relating to human history. Congress created Colonial National Monument in 1930 to protect

6072-432: The library be built out of stone so that it would be fireproof. The Library holds John Adams' copy of George Washington's Farewell Address as well as the Mendi Bible , a Bible presented to John Quincy Adams in 1841 by the freed Mendi captives who had mutinied on the schooner La Amistad and whom Adams had successfully defended before the United States Supreme Court. Henry Adams wrote his nine-volume The History of

6160-534: The nature of the Christian God , modern Unitarian Universalists hold a variety of views about the nature and existence of deity. Most Unitarian Universalist congregations take no formal stance on whether or not a god or gods exist but leave it up to individual members to decide for themselves what they believe. Unitarian Universalists may be atheists , agnostics , and theists . Among those Unitarian Universalists who use language of divinity, both monotheism and polytheism are common, and Unitarian Universalists hold

6248-482: The nearby John Quincy Adams Birthplace (July 11, 1767), and the Stone Library (built in 1870 to house the books of John Quincy Adams and believed to be the first presidential library ), containing more than 14,000 historic volumes in 12 languages. There is an off-site Visitors Center less than a mile (1.6 km) away. Regularly scheduled tours of the houses are offered in season (April 19 to November 10) by guided tour only. Access to United First Parish Church , where

6336-428: The past ten years, the congregation has used almost $ 2 million of its own resources to preserve the building. Church volunteers regularly give tours of the crypt, and the church is a popular second destination among park visitors. National historical park National Historic Site ( NHS ) and National Historical Park ( NHP ) are designations for officially recognized areas of nationally historic significance in

6424-594: The purpose of zones within. National historic sites are generally federally owned and administered properties, though some remain under private or local government ownership. There are currently 86 NHSs, of which 76 are official NPS units, 9 are NPS affiliated areas, and one is managed by the United States Forest Service . Derived from the Historic Sites Act of 1935, a number of NHSs were established by United States Secretaries of

6512-430: The religion. Here are examples of the speeches submitted: In Unitarian Universalist congregations, we gather in community to support our individual spiritual journeys. We trust that openness to one another's experiences will enhance our understanding of our own links with the divine, with our history, and with one another. Most Unitarian Universalists believe that nobody has a monopoly on all truth, or ultimate proof of

6600-426: The same degree. There is a wide variety in how congregations conceive of themselves, calling themselves "churches", "societies", "fellowships", "congregations", or eschew the use of any particular descriptor. Many use the name "Unitarian Universalist", (and a few "Universalist Unitarian"), having gradually adopted this formulation since consolidation in 1961. Others use names that reflect their historic roots by keeping

6688-524: The search for truth, and the Universalist belief that God embraces all people equally has led to the current Unitarian Universalist belief that truth and spiritual meaning can be found in all faiths. This is reflected in the wide array of spiritual practices found among Unitarian Universalists today. Many Unitarian Universalist congregations include Buddhist-style meditation groups, Jewish Seder , Yom Kippur and Passover dinners, iftaar meals (marking

6776-554: The select few, the Elect , who were supposed to be saved from eternal damnation by a just God. Instead Universalists asserted that all people will eventually be reconciled with God. Universalists rejected the hellfire and damnation of the evangelical preachers, who tried to revive the fundamentalist Christianity of the early Pilgrim fathers. Universalists claim a long history, beginning with several Church Fathers, though some modern scholars question whether these church fathers taught

6864-461: The truth of everything in any one belief. Therefore, one's own truth is unprovable, as is that of others. Consequently, we should respect the beliefs of others, as well as their right to hold those beliefs. Conversely, we expect that others should respect our right to our own beliefs. Several UU's then, would likely hold as many different beliefs. Other beliefs they may hold in common are a respect for others, for nature, and for common decency, leading to

6952-406: The words of Unitarian Universalist minister Alice Blair Wesley: "...authentic human freedom is of necessity, lawful freedom, and because we receive the possibility of freedom as a gift of the way things are, an authentic covenant is: a glad promise to live freely together, insofar as we are able, in accordance with the laws of reality that make our freedom possible. This is true whether the agreement

7040-512: The world's religions as well as the words and deeds of prophetic people as inspiration for their spiritual journeys. Although members are cautioned to be aware of possible cultural appropriation of traditions that do not belong to them, Unitarian Universalists are encouraged to find wisdom in a diverse spectrum of religions, customs, and cultures from around the world. Although the predecessors of Unitarian Universalism, Unitarianism and Universalism , find their origin in unorthodox beliefs about

7128-795: The world. The roots of Unitarian Universalism can be traced back to Protestantism and liberal Christianity ; more specifically, it can be traced to Unitarianism and Christian Universalism . Unitarian Universalists state that from these traditions comes a deep regard for intellectual freedom and inclusive love. Congregations and members seek inspiration and derive insight from all major world religions . The beliefs of individual Unitarian Universalists range widely; they can include, but are not limited to, religious humanism , Judaism , Christianity , Islam , Hinduism , Sikhism , Buddhism , Taoism , syncretism , neopaganism , atheism , agnosticism , New Age , omnism , pantheism , panentheism , pandeism , deism , and teachings of

7216-673: Was given corporate status in May 1961 under special acts of legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the State of New York . In 1998 the Canadian Unitarian Council and Unitarian Universalist Association dissolved their financial accord, although they continue to cooperate. The CUC had come into being at Meadville Lombard Theological School in 1961. However the continual decline of denominational churches and

7304-532: Was indicted on two counts of theft and one count each of concealing objects of cultural heritage and concealing government property. The church where both presidents and first ladies are entombed in the Adams Crypt is in close walking distance to the park visitor center but is not and has never been run by the National Park service. It is owned by the active congregation of Unitarian Universalists . In

7392-489: Was intrinsically an evangelical Protestant. In some agnostic historiographies the flaming chalice displayed a vague resemblance to a cross in some stylized representations, relying on the sepulchral traditions of the Hospitallers. Many Unitarian Universalist congregations light a chalice at the beginning of worship services. Other symbols include an off-center cross within a circle (a Universalist symbol associated with

7480-431: Was originally constructed in 1731 for Leonard Vassall, a sugar plantation owner, and was used as his summer house. The house stood empty for some time before it, along with 75 acres (30 ha), was purchased by Adams on September 23, 1787, for 600 pounds. The Adams family renamed it Peacefield , moved in the next year, and various generations occupied it until 1927, when Brooks Adams , the last occupant, died. That year it

7568-489: Was sold to the Adams Memorial Society. The National Park Service acquired it in 1947, and it has been a National Historic Site ever since. The Stone Library, completed in 1870, stands next to Peacefield and houses personal papers and over 14,000 books which belonged to John Adams, John Quincy Adams, Charles Francis Adams, Henry Adams , and Brooks Adams . In his will, John Quincy Adams requested that

7656-424: Was the first formal declaration of the principles of church order and governance in colonial North America. Today, many Unitarian Universalist congregations create their own covenants, often called covenants of right relations, to formally lay out the principles of their congregations. In the United States, members of the Unitarian Universalist Association covenanted together via the seven Principles and Purposes,

7744-625: Was the first place to be preserved as a national historic site, created by Secretary Harold L. Ickes 's secretarial order on March 17, 1938. It had followed his designation of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial in 1935; many historic sites in the National Park System continue to be protected under different designation types. Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site was designated later that year, another example of industrial heritage. As

#387612