AboutJon Bond Expertise Will answer all questions regarding Unitarian Universalist (UU)church; including ancient history (Universalists go back to at least 250 A.D.) and medieval history (Unitarians look to 1553 A.D. as their beginning) up to merger of the two movements in 1961 and continuing up to present. Am familiar with Christian church organizations and relationship of UUs to traditional churches.
Experience Currently member of Unitarian Universalist Church of Boulder, Colorado. Past vice-president of Board of Trustees and currently on Membership Committee. Have taught UU history for over 20 years. Have attended Unitarian Universalist General Assemblies (annual meetings held in June) for past 15 years.
Organizations Unitarian Universalist Church of Boulder, Colorado
Expert: Jon Bond Date: 2/20/2004 Subject: Christian scholars
Question Dear Sir:
I am deeply interested in learning about progressive Christian thinking and scripture. But not from a fundamentalist or literalist or "born again" perspective. What is the scholarly view of Jesus? Of the idea of salvation? Of the gospels and Paul's letters? Where can I find the current writers in this area? What are some names & books? Who are the Christian non-dualists? Bishop Spong is the only one I know of and he seems terribly angry. Can you help me? Thanks, J.
P.S. I will be away from 3/2/04 thru 3/19/04. Please send your answer either before or after those dates. Thank you
Answer Hello Judith –
I'll try to answer all six of your questions. Remember, I'm one of over 250,000 people and, if you ask another UU (Unitarian Universalist), you may get a different (but, hopefully, not conflicting) answer. I'd like to divide my answer into seven parts: first, a background of our association. Then second through seventh, my answers to your six questions.
First – a background (including when the two groups originated):
The concept of Unitarianism generally looks to a Catholic priest, Michael Servetus, as a spiritual originator. Servetus was born in Spain in 1511 and died in 1553, after attacking the doctrines of the Trinity. Unitarianism is a doctrinal system characterized chiefly by a belief in the unipersonality of God and the normal humanity of Jesus, as contrasted with the Trinity and the eternal deity (divinity) of Jesus. Most Unitarians I've spoken with reject the divinity of Jesus, but do recognize him (Jesus) as a great moral teacher
Universalism is the theological doctrine that all souls will ultimately be saved and that there are no torments of hell. Universalism has been asserted at various times in different contexts throughout the history of the "Christian church"--e.g., Origen in the 3rd century. The Universalists also denied the miraculous element in Scripture, and rejected such important Bible doctrines as the total depravity of man and the Trinity.
The Unitarian Universalist Association was created in May of 1961 as a merger of Unitarians and Universalists.
Second, I will try to answer your first question on “what is the scholarly view of Jesus?” – I assume that you are asking “what is the [Unitarian Universalist] scholarly view of Jeses?" I believe that two famous Americans have the most scholarly views of Jesus. Thomas Jefferson wrote in April, 1803, “To the corruptions of Christianity I am, indeed, opposed, but not the genuine precepts of Jesus himself.” Jefferson called himself a Unitarian and wrote that he hoped it “would become the general religion of American.” Another famous American who leaned towards the contemporary spirit of Unitarian Universalism was Benjamin Franklin, who wrote on March 9, 1790, “As to Jesus of Nazareth, … I think the system of morals and his religion, as he left them to us, the best … but I apprehend it has received various corrupting changes, and I have … some doubts as to his divinity, tho' it is a question I do not dogmatize upon.” Most Unitarian Universalists will refer to Jesus of Nazareth and not as Jesus Christ.
Third, let me turn to your 2nd question wanting to know what Unitarian Universalists believe "Of the idea of salvation?” It is my understanding of traditional and classic Christian churches that their adherents believe in accepting Jesus as their saviour for salvation. William Ellery Channing, a famous Unitarian Universalist, in my opinion, best defined the Universalist approach as one of “universal salvation” [which, by the way, is how the Universalists inherited that label.] Channing wrote that we [members] are part “of the universal church“ and “no man can be excommunicated from it but by himself, by the death of goodness in his own breast.” Another way of saying what I believe regarding salvation is that I don't believe I have to accept any person as my saviour.
Fourth, let me now address your third question where you question Unitarian Universalist beliefs “Of the gospels and Paul's letters?” The collection of writings that constitutes the New Testament begins with four gospels. Next comes the Acts of the Apostles, followed by twenty-one letters that are attributed to Paul, James, Peter, John, and Jude. Finally, at the end of the early church's scriptures stands the Revelation to John. Virtually all Christians agree that these twenty-seven books constitute the "canon," a term that means "rule" and designates the list of writings that are regarded as authoritative for Christian faith and life. As opposed to traditional Christian acceptance of these twenty-seven books, Unitarian Universalists apply a liberal interpretation to the entire Bible. We find it to be a book rich in human episodes of lofty achievements from meager beginnings. We find it to offer great lessons, fine poetry, important records, understood best with archeological aid and compairso with other cultures and literature.
Fifth, I'm a little bit “stumped” when I come to your fourth question “Where can I find the current writers in this area?” I do not know of any Unitarian Universalist writers in the area of “the gospels and Paul's letters.” From a Christian approach, I would refer you to “The Jesus Seminar.” They are composed of members with "Protestant, Catholic, Jewish and independent" backgrounds. The Jesus Seminar attempts to change that through its conferences, press releases, books, webpage, etc. The goal is: "to bring the quest of the historical Jesus of Nazareth to the center of a global forum." You might try researching what they have to say.
Sixth, let me address your fifth question - “What are some names & books?” Like your previous question, if you're looking for “some names & books” that have an unbiased study on Christianity, I would refer you to The Jesus Seminar.
Seventh, you posed a sixth question as “Who are the Christian non-dualists?” If we look at some serious theological studies, we can see that allied to the idea of the self, or no-self, is that of duality or non-duality. Christians appear to be dualists, believing in a supreme God and in individual souls, while Buddhists are non-dualists. I don't know of many Unitarian Universalists who would be a dualists except, of course, some Christians in our group.
Thank you for taking the time to question what UUs might believe about progressive Christian thinking. For more information, please feel free to check out our web site http://uua.org/ A good book to check on is “The Unitarian Universalist Pocket Guide” – ISBN 0-933840-45-4
