321
See also: God-consciousness 122–23 ■ Why prayer works 246–47 ■ The
revelation of Bahá’i 308–309 ■ Cao Ðài aims to unify all faiths 316T
he Unitarian Universalist
Association (UUA) was
formed in 1961 by the
merger of two movements founded
in the 19th century: the Universalist
Church of America and the
American Unitarian Association.
Although it emerged from a largely
Christian tradition, and some
members have beliefs that are
Christian in nature, the UUA aims
to be a “non-creedal, non-doctrinal
religion which affirms the
individual’s freedom of belief.”
Members acknowledge the need for
a spiritual and religious dimension
to life and believe individuals can
learn from all the world’s religions.
They place more emphasis on
a humanist search for truth and
meaning in this life than on belief
in a supreme being and salvation in
an afterlife. Some followers are in
fact agnostic or even atheist.
For the Unitarian Universalist,
personal experience, conscience,
and reason form the basis for
religious faith; the opinions and
beliefs of all men and women
should therefore be respected.This notion of respect runs through
the UUA philosophy and its “Seven
Principles”: the inherent worth and
dignity of every person; justice,
equity, and compassion in human
relations; the acceptance of one
another and encouragement to
spiritual growth; a free, responsible
search for truth and meaning; the
right of conscience, and the use
of the democratic process within
congregations and in society at
large; the goal of world community;
and respect for the interdependent
web of all existence. ■MODERN RELIGIONS
WHAT’S TRUE
FOR ME IS
THE TRUTH
A FAITH OPEN TO ALL BELIEFS
IN CONTEXT
KEY MOVEMENT
Unitarian Universalism
WHEN AND WHERE
From 1961, US
and Canada
BEFORE
6th century BCE Confucius
asserts that virtue is not sent
from heaven, but can be
cultivated in the self.
1st century CE Angering the
Jews, who consider themselves
the chosen people, Jesus
asserts that God’s kingdom
is open to all who accept him.
16th century In Protestant
Christianity, the authority of
Rome is replaced by spiritual
self-examination.
19th century The Baha’i
Faith emerges as one of
the first universalist new
religions, open to all.
20th century Cao Ðài is
founded on the principle
that all religions are equal.
The freedom of the
mind is the beginning
of all other freedoms.
Clinton Lee Scott