Unitarian Universalism

During the first three centuries of the Christian church, believers could choose from a variety of views about Jesus. Among these was a belief that Jesus was an entity sent by God on a divine mission. Therefore the word “Unitarian” developed, meaning the oneness of God. Another religious belief was universal salvation. This was the belief that God would condemn no person to eternal damnation. A Universalist believed that all people would be saved. In sixteenth-century Transylvania, Unitarian congregations were established for the first time in history. During the seventeenth century, reformers in several European countries formed

The burning chalice represents the UU faith as their symbol with many meanings, which is open for personal interpretation. A UU member explains her heartfelt feelings of the burning chalice to be ”understood as a metaphor for the lives of human beings, both as individuals and in the community. The flame needs three elements, the first of which is fuel. Fuel is material, like the individual persons, the treasured buildings and books, money and documents of a church community. If a fire lacks fuel it is said to be "burning low" like a candle in its final moments. The second element is heat. Think of the heat of life itself, distinguishing the living from the dead: the spark of intelligence, the warmth of human encounter, even the friction of disagreement. The vitality of congregational life, activities which animate and engross, thought-provoking moments that challenge are signs of a healthy liberal religious community. Unitarians believe that the warmth which functioning and supportive communities can provide sustains society. The third element is air. Greeks and Hebrews alike have always compared Spirit with air. Unitarians are open to the importance of personal religious experience, whether in chapel on a Sunday, or in everyday moments during the workweek. To develop, people need spirit: the inspiration of that invisible yet vital element, the deep moments of the self in prayer or meditation, the shared movement of the heart when the spirit is felt”(Harris).

New discoveries and theories in the world of science are thought to be exciting and insightful. Science helps shed a little light on the unknown! The world is ever changing, as does each person’s journey in life, so why not embrace new ideas and visions in a positive note.

Most UU congregations partake in a spring ritual during a service where everyone brings in a flower and places it in a basket when they arrive and then pick out a different flower upon leaving. Each different flower symbolizes a member who shares their ideas with others, so that every person takes a piece of something with them (Sias).

Today there are over 1,000 congregations in the United States and Canada. Each congregation is different, and is shaped by the people. Since about 85% of the members of the UU faith grew up with a different religion, many other religious rituals and ideas are brought into the faith. There are a variety of people involved today, that range from liberal Christians, theist and atheist, agnostic and humanist, pagan, Christian, Jew, Hindu, and Buddhist (Robinson).

In 1961, Unitarians and Universalists merged to become the Unitarian Universalist Association, and formed their headquarters in Boston. Every four years a President is elected to represent t

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