A flame within a chalice is the symbol representing the Unitarian Universalist faith.
The Unitarian Universalist faith willingly receives people of diverse beliefs (atheists, humanists, Christians, and pagans, to name a few) and promotes broad-minded acceptance of each individual's search for spiritual growth, truth, and meaning. Unitarian Universalist seekers are encouraged to "find their own spiritual path." While the Bible is an important text for some Unitarian Universalists, many seek guidance from other sacred books and religious traditions. According to the Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry (CARM), Unitarian Universalists generally agree that "human reason and experience should be the final authority in determining spiritual truth."
Social justice and serving humanity are two important interests of Unitarian Universalists. You will encounter them fighting for the rights and freedoms of women, working to end slavery, advocating for equality among people of all sexual orientations, and supporting same-sex marriages. In spite of their relatively small numbers, they have managed to be quite influential in waging a number of cultural causes. Most adherents are also comfortable merging the findings of science into their belief system.
If you'd like to learn more about Unitarian Universalism, Jack Zavada has done an excellent job unpacking some of the tenets of this theologically controversial faith group:
- Unitarian Universalist Church Overview
- Unitarian Universalist Beliefs & Practices
- Unitarian Universalist History
Image Courtesy of the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA)
Mary wrote: “…most traditional Christian faith groups would classify then as a non-Christian cult. ”
And probably most Unitarian Universalists would refer to the denomination as “post-Christian” – that is, coming out of a fully Christian heritage (both the Unitarians and the Universalists were Christians, though not quite “orthodox” ones) but no longer as a group identifying with any particular Christian message about Jesus or God or salvation.
Unitarian Universalists take such labels as Christian and Buddhist as identifiers of PERSONAL belief, philosophy, theology, practice, or committment – rather than as identifiers of the denomination, which can include many different personal identifiers.
The problem with Mary’s statement is the assumption that because a religious group does not adhere to orthodox Christian thought, belief, practice, and identity it is somehow a “cult.” The normal negative meaning of “cult” includes such things as mind control or personality cult, not mere unorthodox/ heterodox/ heretical teachings. Unitarian Universalism is no cult. It is just a non- or post-Christian religious movement/ denomination/ religion.
While I am staunchly Christian, believing whole-heartedly in the resurrection of Christ as the only way to salvation, I do agree that the Unitarian Universalist movement is most likely not a cult by today’s modern understanding of the word – as Mr. Oakley pointed out.
However, it should be noted that Merriam Webster’s first definition of “cult” is: formal religious veneration: worship. According to such a broad definition, any organized religion (including Unitarian Universalist) would be a cult.
“Post-Christian???”
To be Christian is to follow Christ. “Which Christ” you might ask. Well, the only one well know is the Jesus Christ of the bible. The Unitarian Universalists certainly don’t believe in this Jesus. Jesus believed in a God who was creator of all that was and only he was to be worshipped (not the earth or our femininity). Jesus believed in Hell. Jesus believed he was the only way to the Father. Jesus believed we are sinful and in need of a savior. Jesus believed he and the Father were one and he readily accepted worship. The direct followers of Jesus including Paul said that if anyone preached a Gospel other than the one they preached they would be eternally cursed. So, maybe not a cult but CERTAINLY not Christian. If you want to make up your own religion from your own experience and desire then worship yourself and leave Christ out of it.
To be fair and clear, Unitarian Universalists (as an organization) do not identify themselves as a specifically Christian religion.
I am a Unitarian Universalist. We are in no way a “Christian” organization, though this is not necessarily a bad thing (sorry!). However, the use of the term “cult” would be what is considered a “loaded word”. A loaded word is one in which people reading the word may assume a meaning different than the actual meaning. An author using such a word often intends for people to take the word to mean something intensely negative, and then defends the word with “But you see! In the dictionary, it only means this!” It is a dishonest way to do things.
However, despite the gaff over the word “cult”, this article gives a fairly accurate depiction of our beliefs, which I appreciate. We do, indeed, fight for justice wherever we can…and I think we all know that the world is in need of more of that!
As a Unitarian Universalist, I am appalled by your lack of understanding.
“The Unitarian Universalist faith willingly receives people of diverse beliefs (atheists, humanists, Christians, and pagans, to name a few)”
We leave out the atheists (They reject God, and are on the way to being humanist, another no-no) and seeing as though there aren’t any pagans left, we can’t embrace them (The Roman Catholic Church killed them all off a few centuries ago, only after setting Christmas and Easter on pagan holidays).
“Because the religion does not require a belief in God, Christ’s divinity, or the trinity doctrine”
We don’t just believe in God, we know He’s there. You Christians believe Jesus was the son of God, right? Now, show me where in the Bible (our main holy book) Jesus says that he is the son of God. He refers to the Lord as Father, but don’t you give thanks to our Heavenly Father? Also, find where it says anything about the “trinity”. Oh wait, you can do that because Constantin’s minions re-wrote the Bible in the 4th century. Next, I have to say the Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry is a load of inappropriate words all piled into one.
The rest of the main article is pretty much true, but I don’t have time to go through all the comments. I know the Lord will guide you through all your troubled times and walk with you through the good. I bid you farewell and goodnight.
Michael –
Check out this page titled “Are My Beliefs Welcome in Unitarian Universalism?” on the official Unitarian Universalist website:
http://www.uua.org/beliefs/welcome/index.shtml. It says:
“In addition to holding different beliefs on spiritual topics, individual Unitarian Universalists may also identify with and draw inspiration from Atheism and Agnosticism, Buddhism, Christianity, Humanism, Judaism, Paganism, and other religious or philosophical traditions.”
It is extreme to call Unitarian Universalism (UU) a cult, and it reflects a misunderstanding of what UU is about. Cults have an aberrant dogma. Unitarian Universalism replaces dogma with a dialectic method — a set of guidelines that define what ways are appropriate to discuss individual, personal faith.
Some UU congregations are explicitly Christian, while others draw liberally from other faiths. All individual UUs must respect the teachings of Jesus, whether they believe he was Christ Son of God, or simply one of the great moral philosophers.
While belief in a traditional incarnate God — the “big bearded man in the sky” — is not insisted upon, belief in some kind of “higher power” is, which is what makes it a “faith.” A UU sermon does mention God, but the congregation understands that the person on the pew beside you may have a different conception of exactly what God constitutes — it may even mean “the divine,” or “the gods.”
When I was a UU teen, I was dating a Jewish girl who went to Hebrew school at the temple across the street. She asked if it was OK to attend my church on Sundays. Not only did the rabbi approve, but he encouraged her!
In conclusion, some Unitarian Universalists are Christian, some technically aren’t, though all observe the teachings of Jesus as each understands them. But Unitarian Universalism is NOT a cult, in any sense of the term. Extremists would be more successful arguing that UU isn’t a religion.
Unfortunately , my experiences with the Unitarians have been negative. The congregations are warm and open but once they have an opportunity to talk about their beliefs they criticize me for believing in Jesus as the Christ and challenge me to read books that “prove” he is not the Son . I was ridiculed for my belief in heaven! Felt very “antichrist” to me and that says it all.
I am a UU ,and i highly doubt the comment above me. That said i am a theist, and do not believe in the trinity, jesus as god, or many traditions of the “orthodox” church per say. I do believe in god. The creation of the universe by god. I believe god is everywhere, and in all of us. I believe in science. , and appreciate the way my faith and science co-exist. The word cult used by the author of this peice was badly choosen, but i dont feel she was being underhanded in any way. God bless you all.
Why call yourself a Church? That is what confuses people. It seems Unitarian Universalism is like-minded liberals with common goals. It appears to be more of a club, not a Church.