We're not really UU, more Unitarian

[Gaura Priya]

I do not understand what this means.

I understand that there are Unitarian churches who are affiliated with doctrine more like the AUC. And I also understand that there are Universalist churches that are still Christian.

However, my local Unitarian church is not like that. After all, they are affiliated with the CUC, which describes itself as Unitarian Universalism.

Furthermore, when I hear 'Unitarian' even in Classical Unitarianism, there is the usage of the world 'God' but my Unitarian congregation is allergic to God.

So... I'm confused.

 

[uu_sage]

American and Canadian styled Unitarian Universalism in my experience is neither Unitarian or Universalist in the truest meaning of both words. They seem to stem from the Western Unitarian Conference and the Free Religious Association around the turn of the 20th century that wanted to be religiously generic and not be bound in any religious tradition and affirm each person's conscience. The Free Religious Association and the Western Unitarian conference resurfaced in the 30s through the baby boomer era as the Fellowship movement that sought to create new fellowships rooted in humanist manifesto styled humanism and cultivated an anything but Christian attitude. As a Christian Universalist with a unitarian Godhead I'm currently aligned with the UU Christian Fellowship (UUCF), the United Church of Christ (UCC) and the Christian Universalist Association (CUA). I hope and pray that we Christian Universalists and Christian Unitarians are able to become a stronger voice, to foster the growth of more UU Christian churches both in the larger body of Christ and in the UUA.

 

[Gaura Priya]

American and Canadian styled Unitarian Universalism in my experience is neither Unitarian or Universalist in the truest meaning of both words. They seem to stem from the Western Unitarian Conference and the Free Religious Association around the turn of the 20th century that wanted to be religiously generic and not be bound in any religious tradition and affirm each person's conscience. The Free Religious Association and the Western Unitarian conference resurfaced in the 30s through the baby boomer era as the Fellowship movement that sought to create new fellowships rooted in humanist manifesto styled humanism and cultivated an anything but Christian attitude. As a Christian Universalist with a unitarian Godhead I'm currently aligned with the UU Christian Fellowship (UUCF), the United Church of Christ (UCC) and the Christian Universalist Association (CUA). I hope and pray that we Christian Universalists and Christian Unitarians are able to become a stronger voice, to foster the growth of more UU Christian churches both in the larger body of Christ and in the UUA.

Thank you for the clarification, but that still causes me confusion in why the Unitarian Church of Vancouver, since it stems completely immersed in Unitarian Universalist values, would still be hanging onto the label 'Unitarian' when it has completely departed even from traditional Classical Unitarian thought. Classical Unitarians, who were in a sense, free Christians, still allowed for the word 'God' to be part of their language, but Unitarian Universalism on the other hand, is a liberal pluralistic religion.

I may need to e-mail the Reverend for further clarification, since I am clearly confused. My path is not merely Unitarianism, but Unitarian Universalism that is encapsulated fully in its Principles and Sources.

As sad as it may seem, I may have to seek out my other congregation which is actually in my city. I merely go to the one in Vancouver simply because there are more people in attendance there.

 

[JonathanCid]

Who says a liberal, pluralistic religion can't allow the word 'God' to be part of its language, and who says Unitarian Universalism doesn't?

Yes, some congregations call themselves the Unitarian Church of This, or the Universalist Church of That, but they do so because historically their congregations were originally either just Unitarian, or Universalist. Since today Unitarian Universalism means both, saying either when it comes to a UU congregation is the same as saying Unitarian Universalist altogether. Sometimes I'll just say 'Unitarian' when I'm talking about Unitarian Universalism because it's shorter. Or sometimes I'll say 'Universalist' just to switch it up, and again, I'm talking about Unitarian Universalism.

I like Unitarian Universalism the way it is. I'm glad that although Unitarianism and Universalism began as Christian traditions, the traditions combined and then did something more radical than ever before - became a religion separate from Christianity and thus open to more than just Christian or Jewish revelation, but Hindu, Baha'i, Muslim, and other revelation. Or religious expressions and understanding, if anyone is uncomfortable with the word 'revelation'.

 

[bicker]

Yes good points. Not only does it fit, because of 180+ years of history of our church, but it also fits because the two terms, Unitarian and Universalist, both work literally.

 

[Jacksnyte]

Thank you for the clarification, but that still causes me confusion in why the Unitarian Church of Vancouver, since it stems completely immersed in Unitarian Universalist values, would still be hanging onto the label 'Unitarian' when it has completely departed even from traditional Classical Unitarian thought. Classical Unitarians, who were in a sense, free Christians, still allowed for the word 'God' to be part of their language, but Unitarian Universalism on the other hand, is a liberal pluralistic religion.

I may need to e-mail the Reverend for further clarification, since I am clearly confused. My path is not merely Unitarianism, but Unitarian Universalism that is encapsulated fully in its Principles and Sources.

As sad as it may seem, I may have to seek out my other congregation which is actually in my city. I merely go to the one in Vancouver simply because there are more people in attendance there.

Each UU church will lean more strongly towards the views of it's congregation. Thus, a congregation with more Wiccan members will have a strong CUUPS chapter, and the services may have a somewhat "Pagan " feel to them. That example could be used for congregations with a more Buddhist, Christian, or Humanist slant as well.

 

[Gaura Priya]

Each UU church will lean more strongly towards the views of it's congregation. Thus, a congregation with more Wiccan members will have a strong CUUPS chapter, and the services may have a somewhat "Pagan " feel to them. That example could be used for congregations with a more Buddhist, Christian, or Humanist slant as well.

Well, this all arose because I was trying to begin a Devotional ('Sharing the Word' would be the 'official name'), which my next step is to get a Committee to sponsor it.

I was going to call it informally a UU devotional, but one of the main women of the church told me, "Oh, we're more Unitarian than UU... so it would be better to call it Unitarian since that is our church's official name."

But in no wise is the Church any semblance to a Unitarian-only congregation if they are uncomfortable with the word 'God' and are rife with pagans and atheists.

Hence my confusion.

 

[JonathanCid]

If what you're saying about your congregation being uncomfortable with the word 'God' and being more pagan and atheist is correct, I'm confused about this statement that it's "more Unitarian" than UU. Very confused.

Maybe this person only meant historically, as the church is called Unitarian? That's the only way that would make sense.

 

[Gaura Priya]

If what you're saying about your congregation being uncomfortable with the word 'God' and being more pagan and atheist is correct, I'm confused about this statement that it's "more Unitarian" than UU. Very confused.

Maybe this person only meant historically, as the church is called Unitarian? That's the only way that would make sense.

I talked to the youth and children's minister at the church, and he told me that the elderly people of the congregation may still hold stronger to the identity of 'Unitarian,' despite the fact that the orientation and 'theology' of the church entiere is Unitarian Universalist.

Especially since it has carried on that name and historically the church was Unitarian long before the official merger and the Canadian Unitarian Council!