At times, the specific religious traditions, practices, and beliefs of the past are not enough to fill the spiritual void of the modern human being. Even more, a single religion alone may not hold all of the answers to satisfy one’s desire for enlightenment, and many choose a new path. This is the path that led to the creation of the religious denomination of Unitarian Universalism.
The faith of Unitarian Universalism was brought into existence upon the formation of the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) from the merger of the two liberal Protestant denominations of Unitarianism and Universalism in Boston, Massachusetts in the year 1961. No single person may be claimed to as the founder of this faith. At the time of founding, these two denominations had expanded beyond the scope of their Christian roots, and as such, many members of the Unitarian Universalist congregation may identify themselves with more than one religion making them very theologically diverse. This characteristic can be termed religious pluralism, or acceptance of various religions. Members cherish and respect their solemn, unified search for spiritual growth and understanding above all else.
The most defining characteristic of Unitarian Universalism is that it follows no specific set of beliefs and holds no official creed. Members are given absolute freedom to search out and find their own truths regarding such topics as existence, nature, the meaning of life, creation, and the afterlife. Instead of formal standards or beliefs, the Unitarian Universalist Association has embraced “Principles, Purposes, and Sources” which its members confirm, promote, and share as part of their faith.
The seven Principles and Purposes are as follows:
The...
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Peterson, Michael - Hasker, Reichenbach and Basinger. Philosophy of Religion - Selected Readings, Fourth Edition. 2010. Oxford University Press, NY.
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There is a witticism about Unitarian Universalism that begins, “Do you belong to an organized religion?” To which the congregant replies, “No, I’m a Unitarian Universalist.” As with most jokes, there is an element of truth to the wisecracking punchline. Unitarian Universalism is a non-dogmatic, creedless religion that embraces a diverse theology—including meaningful traditions from a number of faith systems, along with an appreciation of a variety of holy texts. Conversely, Unitarian Universalism also appeals to those who eschew any faith traditions, including secular humanists, atheists, and agnostics. Despite being a religion that welcomes everyone to their table,
The Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) is a church that is actually a combination of two other churches. The Universalists, organized around 1793 and the Unitarians, organized around 1825. The two sects consolidated into the Unitarian Universalist Association in the year of 1961. (UUA.org, 2007)
How do we stay Wesleyan if we don't heed the Notes and Sermons of John Wesley in some way
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Religion is a guiding light that shines into all factors of life. It builds one’s character and personality, and affects one’s perspective on his surroundings. Religion wears many hats, as it can range from a loosely set philosophy to a strict, taxing code of conduct. Ralph Waldo Emerson’s religion was a non-traditional one which emphasized self-reliance (Rowe 5), individuality (St. John 6), and the natural goodness of man (Jue 7). He saw religion as a relative, personal set of beliefs which can change and vary widely between practitioners, and even within one person over a period of time. In fact, Emerson began his religious journey as a Calvinist in Harvard’s School of Divinity, then held a career as a minister of a Unitarian church in Boston (Leude 1). His beliefs as a Unitarian were similar to his Transcendentalist philosophies (1), discovered soon after his resignation as a minister. When analyzed from a biblical perspective, Emerson’s literary works clearly reflect the influences of eastern religion and mysticism in their depiction of nature as well as God, the human spirit, and religion.
Religion is an organized collection of beliefs and cultural systems that entail the worship of a supernatural and metaphysical being. “Religion just like other belief systems, when held onto so much, can stop one from making significant progress in life”. Together with religion come traditions that provide the people with ways to tackle life’s complexities. A subscription to the school of thought of great scholars
Christianity. (2009, February 11). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 04:45, February 14, 2009, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Christianity&oldid=270002186
Monotheistic religions have helped shaped the world. Religion is a topic that has many definitions and is seen in many different ways. Some people believe in one G-d (God) which is known as monotheism while at the same time some people believe in many G-ds or no G-ds or G-d. Religion is something that has had a major effect on the world. Three of the major religions are all monotheistic. In this paper, I will talk about 3 aspects of three major monotheistic religions Judaism, Christianity and, Islam.
THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR THE PSYCHOLOGY OF RELIGION. (2009). Journal of Psychology and Theology, 37(1), 72. Retrieved April 21, 2009, from ProQuest Religion database. (Document ID: 1675034711).
This paper deals with an assessment of the faith of others which transcends absolutism without resorting to relativism. More specifically, it aims to show that an African philosophy and way of life called "Ubuntu" (humanness) significantly overlaps with such a "decolonized" assessment of the religious other, and that this assessment can therefore also be explained, motivated or underscored with reference to the concept of Ubuntu. Much can and has already been said about the presuppositions and requirements of such an assessment. However, for the purposes of this paper I would like to concentrate on only three of these, viz.: (1) a respect for the other as a religious other; (2) an agreement on criteria, i.e. a common scale in view of which the adherents of different religious traditions may jointly judge these traditions; and (3) an interreligious dialogue or "mutual exposure" (cf.