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Unitarian Christianity is the belief in the single personality of God, in contrast to to the doctrine of the Trinity (three persons in one God). It is the philosophy upon which the modern Unitarian movement was based, and, according to its proponents, is the original form of Christianity. Unitarian Christians believe in the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, as found in the New Testament and other early Christian writings, and hold him up as an exemplar. Adhering to strict monotheism, they maintain that Jesus was a great man and a prophet of God, perhaps even a supernatural creature, but not God himself. Unitarians believe in the moral authority, but not necessarily the divinity, of Jesus.

Unitarians distinguish themselves from Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox and other Christian denominations in that they believe that their belief system is structured around "following the religion of Jesus, not a religion about Jesus." They do not "pray to Jesus", but to God, as Jesus taught.

Historically, Unitarians have encouraged open-minded, freethinking views of God, Jesus, the world and purpose of life as revealed through reason, scholarship, science, philosophy, scripture and other prophets and religions. Unitarians believe that reason and belief are complementary and that religion and science can co-exist and guide them in their understanding of nature and God. They also do not enforce belief in creeds or dogmatic formulas. Although there is flexibility in the nuances of belief or basic truths for the individual Unitarian Christian, general principles of faith have been recognized as a way to bind the group in some commonality. Members generally accept religious pluralism and find value in all teachings, but remain committed to their core belief in Christ's teachings. Unitarians value a secular society in which government stays out of religious affairs.

Unitarians are not to be confused with the Unity Church.

The Distinction between Theological Unitarians and Ecclesiastical Unitarians

The term "Unitarian" has been applied both to those who hold a Unitarian belief and to those who belong to a Unitarian church. A hundred years ago, this would not have made much of a difference, but today it is an important distinction to make.

Unitarianism as a theology is not identical to modern American Unitarian Universalism, because over time in America, the Unitarian Universalists have moved away from the traditional Christian roots of Unitarianism.

In the 1890's 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," simply because they were members of churches that belonged to the American Unitarian Association. After several decades, the non-theistic members outnumbered the theological Unitarians. A similar phenomenon is now going on in the UK's Unitarian churches.

This article mainly concerns only Unitarianism as a theology. For more information about ecclesiastical Unitarians, see Unitarian Universalism.

Forms of Unitarianism

Unitarianism can very loosely be divided into two categories. Both maintain that God is one being and one "person"—the one Jesus called "Our Father." Jesus is the (or a) Son of God, but generally not God himself. However, they differ as to particulars.

Socinianism— Jesus did not preexist his human life, but as a man was chosen by God and filled with the Holy Spirit. This theology is associated with the Ebionites, Theodotus of Byzantium, Artemon, Paul of Samosata, and other Adoptionists in the early Church, and Faustus Socinus in the Protestant Reformation. In modern times we see this view manifested in Rationalist Unitarianism, which emerged from the German Rationalism and the liberal theology of the 19th century. Its proponents took a highly intellectual and humanistic approach to religion, rejecting most of the miraculous events in the Bible (including the virgin birth.) They embraced evolutionary concepts, asserted the "inherent goodness of man," and abandoned the doctrine of biblical infallibility. Rationalist Unitarianism is distinguished from Deism (with which it nevertheless shares many features) by its belief in a personal deity who directly acts on creation, while Deists see God as holding aloof from creation. Notable Rationalist Unitarians include Ralph Waldo Emerson and Theodore Parker in theology and ministry, Joseph Priestley and Linus Pauling in science, Susan B. Anthony and Florence Nightingale in humanitarianism and social justice, Charles Dickens in literature, and Frank Lloyd Wright in arts. Many Hungarian Unitarians embrace the principles of Rationalist Unitarianism — the only Unitarian high school in the world, John Sigismund Unitarian Academy in Cluj Napoca (Kolozsvar, Klausenburg), Romania, teaches Rationalist Unitarianism.

Arianism—The Son is a pre-existent being , the result of the union between the Divine Logos and the human being Jesus, by which Jesus became God himself (Servetism). This theology is associated with early church figures such as Justin Martyr, Hippolytus of Rome, Eusebius of Caesarea, Arius, Eusebius of Nicomedia, Asterius the Sophist, Eunomius, and Ulfilas. Arian Unitarianism remains as the only or main theology among Unitarians in Transylvania, Hungary, France, and several countries in Africa. Famous Arian Unitarians include Michael Servetus, Isaac Newton, Andrews Norton and Dr. William Ellery Channing. Since the 19th century, several Evangelical or Revivalist movements adopted a unitarian theology. Theologies among Evangelical Unitarians are often Arian, and occasionally Sabellian (Jesus is God in the flesh, the manifestation of God, who exist as a single person). Evangelical Unitarians share their strict adherence to sola scriptura and their belief that Scripture is both inspired and inerrant. Christadelphians and both groups called the Church of God of the Abrahamic Faith are Evangelical Unitarians. Other modern non-trinitarian churches, such as the Filipino-based Iglesia ni Cristo, may also be included, although they reject the "unitarian" name to avoid confusion. Jehovah's Witnesses and Christadelphians also have a unitarian theology with specific traits.

Principles of Faith of Modern Unitarian Christians

Unitarian Christians generally do not believe in the Virgin Birth, the deity of Christ, or Biblical inerrancy.

Unitarian Christians do not have a creed or formal statements of faith that must be believed in its entirety or used as a test of character in order to be accepted into fellowship with other Unitarian Christians. However, they have set out some basic principles that distinguish their faith from other Christian religions.

Although there is no specific authority on these principles, the following represent the most generally accepted -

the belief in One God and the oneness or unity of God.
the life and teachings of Jesus Christ is the exemplar model for living ones' own life.
that reason, rational thought, science, and philosophy together with religion and faith are not mutually exclusive.
that man has the ability to exercise free will in a responsible, constructive and ethical manner with the assistance of religion.
the belief that human nature in its present condition is neither inherently corrupt nor depraved, but capable of both good and evil, as God intended.
the conviction that no religion can claim an absolute monopoly on the Holy Spirit or theological truth.
the belief that the works of the Bible are inspired by God, but were written and edited by humans and therefore subject to human error.
the rejection of traditional doctrines that they believe malign God's character or veil the true nature and mission of Jesus Christ, such as the doctrine of predestination, eternal damnation, the Trinity, and the vicarious sacrifice or satisfaction theory of the Atonement.

Most Unitarian Christians would say that Jesus of Nazareth and his followers and disciples would today be defined as Unitarian Christians, and that Unitarian Christianity is the form of Christianity most closely following the direct teachings of Jesus. However, Unitarian Christians respect the beliefs of others and do not believe that the Unitarian Christian way is the only way to follow God's will.

Unitarian Christians believe Jesus did not claim to be God nor did his teachings hint at his divinity or the existence of a triune God. Unitarian Christians generally do not believe that Jesus was conceived in the womb of a virgin or performed miracles to the extent reported in the Gospels. Unitarian Christians give the most weight regarding the accounts of Jesus, his character, and his life to the four canonical Gospels (Mark, Mathew, Luke, and John). Most also accept other sources of information about Jesus including newly discovered Gospels that were not included in the original canon of the Bible (e.g. Nag Hammadi Library).

Unitarian Christians reject the doctrine of some Christian denominations that God chooses to redeem or save only those certain individuals that accept the creeds of, or affiliate with a specific Church or religion, from a common ruin or corruption of the mass of humanity. They generally do not believe that God merely demands belief in certain principles of faith and that no good works in life are required to be morally righteous.

Most Unitarian Christians believe that the mixing of political activism and religious fellowship is not an acceptable practice. Unitarian Christians believe that one's personal moral convictions will guide their political activities and a secular society is the most viable, just and fair society.

Ecclesiology

Unitarian Christianity is a tradition in Unitarianism that asserts a connection with Arian beliefs in the early Christian Church preceding the Nicene Creed's establishment of the Trinity as orthodox Christian belief. Arius, son of Ammonius, who was a popular priest appointed presbyter for the district of Baucalis in Alexandria in 313. His views of the nature of Jesus, although not original, conflicted with the views held by Bishop Alexander of Alexandria. Bishop Alexander's position was that Jesus was God, in human form.

The issue ultimately resulted in the Nicene Creed adopted at the First Council of Nicaea in 325, wherein with the involvement of the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great, the issue was considered settled and the adoption of Alexander's view became the orthodox doctrine and all other views were considered heresy and officially suppressed. At the Second Ecumenical Council in 381, the position that God was actually the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost was agreed and the formulation of the doctrine of the Trinity was complete. Christian Unitarians believe that God is a single oneness, whereas the vast majority of those calling themselves Christian in the world today, including Catholics, Protestants, Orthodox, and other denominations, are Trinitarians. Many Christians consider any religion that does not adhere to the basic tenants formulated by the Nicene Creed, including Trinitarianism, to be non-Christian.

Unitarianism developed in the 1600s during the Protestant era of the evolution of the Christian church with strongholds in Eastern Europe and eventually Britain and the North Eastern parts of the United States. As liberal Christians and Freethinkers, these small congregations developed into more formal associations of churches. In America, in 1961 the American Unitarian Association and the Universalist Church of America merged to form the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA), which is the largest organization of Unitarians in the US. The UUA no longer is an explicitly Christian organization and does not focus on the core teachings of Jesus Christ or Christianity.

Several Unitarian organizations still promote Christianity as their central theme including the Unitarian Universalist Christian Fellowship (UUCF, an affiliate of the UUA), the General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches (GAUFCC) of the United Kingdom, and the Unitarian Christian Association (UCA, an affiliate of the GAUFCC).

In the US, the newest organization promoting a return to the theistic roots of Unitarianism is the American Unitarian Conference (AUC), formed in 2000. The AUC's stated goal is to formulate and promote classical Unitarian-based, unifying religious convictions, which balance the needs of members with a practical approach to inclusion and progressive free thought.

External links

American UC Denominations not within the UUA

God is 1 not 3 Resources Living Hope Intl. Min.
Biblical Unitarians
American Unitarian Conference
Christian Churches of God

Articles on theological debate among American Unitarians

Historical texts on Unitarianism

Traditional Unitarian Literature

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 *'''[[Arianism]]'''&mdash;The Son is a pre-existent being , the result of the union between the [[Divine Logos]] and the human being [[Jesus]], by which Jesus became God himself ([[Michael Servetus|Servetism]]). This theology is associated with early church figures such as [[Justin Martyr]], [[Hippolytus of Rome]], [[Eusebius of Caesarea]], [[Arius]], [[Eusebius of Nicomedia]], [[Asterius the Sophist]], [[Eunomius]], and [[Ulfilas]]. Arian Unitarianism remains as the only or main [[theology]] among Unitarians in [[Transylvania]], [[Hungary]], [[France]], and several countries in [[Africa]]. Famous Arian Unitarians include [[Michael Servetus]], [[Isaac Newton]], [[Andrews Norton]] and Dr. [[William Ellery Channing]]. Since the [[19th century]], several [[Evangelicalism|Evangelical]] or Revivalist movements adopted a unitarian theology. Theologies among Evangelical Unitarians are often Arian, and occasionally [[Sabellianism|Sabellian]] (Jesus is God in the flesh, the manifestation of God, who exist as a single person). Evangelical Unitarians share their strict adherence to ''[[sola scriptura]]'' and their belief that Scripture is both inspired and inerrant. [[Christadelphians]] and both groups called the [[Church of God of the Abrahamic Faith]] are Evangelical Unitarians. Other modern non-trinitarian churches, such as the Filipino-based [[Iglesia ni Cristo]], may also be included, although they reject the "unitarian" name to avoid confusion. [[Jehovah's Witnesses]] and [[Christadelphians]] also have a unitarian theology with specific traits.
-==Principles of Faith==
+==Principles of Faith of Modern Unitarian Christians==
 Unitarian Christians generally do not believe in the [[Virgin Birth]], the [[deity]] of Christ, or [[Biblical inerrancy]].