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The Historical Timeline of Unitarian Universalism

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The Historical Timeline of Unitarian Universalism iver T n Un salism he meline ria H Ti o ita A scientist from England, Joseph Priestly is l f Un established the first American Unitarian Church to a in Pennsylvania in 1796. Unlike the Calvinist Jesus of Nazareth ric Christains, Unitarians believed that God was In the 1920s, Humanism influenced taught that we loving (not judging), the Bible was written American liberal religion. Humanists rejected should love by men (not God) and that human beings the concept of God as creator and ruler of the everybody – were born good (not sinful) and universe. They believed everybody must work our neighbors The roots of Universalism reach could choose good or evil together to make the world a better place and our enemies. back to an Egyptian named actions. because there is no God who will do it for us. Origen, in the 3rd century. Others believed that God In the 1820s, favored only some people, but Unitarian Christianity Origen taught that God loves John Murry brought became a new American religion everybody. Universalism toAmerica under the leadership of William During World from England. The first Ellery Channing and others. War II, the Unitarian Universalist church in Service Committee (USC) America was formed in helped people escape the Massachusetts, in 1779. A generation later, Transcendentalists like Nazis who were killing people Universalist beliefs in a Theodore Parker, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and they didn’t like. An artist loving God and universal Margaret Fuller believed that direct experience designed the flaming salvation spread under of nature and the world can teach us about God and chalice symbol to the leadership of Hosea that everybody has a spark of represent the USC. Ballou and others. the divine. Their beliefs The roots of Unitarianism appeared in influenced American the 4th century when some believed liberal religions, Jesus was a great man, but not part of especially God. They were called “unitarians,” and Unitarianism punished because the Christian church and led them claimed that Jesus was part of God. to speak out against slavery. ri er nita an niv sali U U st In the late 1800s, Universal- In 1553, an Italian ism and Unitarianism spread named Michael Servetus to the West Coast. Unitarian was burned at the stake in minister Thomas Starr King, Switzerland because he who was also a universalist Unitarians and In 1961, the American wrote a unitarian book called helped spread the religions. Universalists, Unitarian Association and the On the Errors of the Trinity. He also raised lots of money inspired by a Universalist Church of for the Sanitary Commission, loving God and a America merged to become which would later become In 1568, King John Sigismund of Transylvania– belief that every- the Unitarian Universalist the Red Cross. now Romania– allowed people to choose their body could learn Right Association. own religion for the very first time. Prior to that, and grow, were to Equal everyone had to follow a religion that the state involved in many chose. The world’s first Unitarian church was reform movements VOTE Rights formed in that country by such as women’s right Now there are Francis David. to vote, civil rights for Education over 1,000 Unitarian Unitarian ideas African Americans, for ALL Universalist churches in spread in Europe and England in This timeline was the creation of public adapted from a book the United States and the 17th and 18th centuries. education, and by Julie Parker Amery and Canada. Universalist groups expanded in compassionate originally was illustrated by Europe. Dennis Murphy. This version treatment for people was edited by Sheri Prud’homme with mental illness. and illustrated by Kelly Jonick..
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