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
Question What are the "UU's" views regarding the bible? Is it reliable?
Answer Dear Colin –
I’ll try to answer your question. 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 two parts: first, a background of our association and then, second, what are the "UU's" Unitarian (Universalists) views regarding the Bible.
FIRST– a background (including where the two groups (Unitarian and Universalist) 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 (UUA) was created in May of 1961 as a merger of Unitarians and Universalists.
SECOND – In this part of my answer, Colin , I will answer your question on how UUs regard the Bible. Before I attempt that, I must point out that the Unitarian Church (hereinafter referred to as UUA) has no creeds, only statements of purpose. We pride ourselves in welcoming atheists and humanists, as well as Christians. Recently (in the last six years), the UU organization took a survey to find out what we believe is important in our religious lives.
Almost 10,000 Unitarian Universalists took the time to fill out and return the survey, giving us all an invaluable snapshot of who we are. Our association has been enriched by the knowledge gained from the answers many UUs provided.
This survey began a process designed to reach out to all UU individuals and congregations called "Fulfilling the Promise." This Concept was set in motion by the Unitarian Universalist Association's Board of Trustees. Its goal was to help us move toward agreement about why we come together as congregations and as an association, and what we hope to accomplish.
The survey questions came from individual UUs, as did the suggested responses. More than 500 people helped create this survey. We hope you will find your own experience reflected in the questions and answers, even if the exact language you would use is not perfectly captured here.
What follows are the total tabulations for the first 8118 surveys. At least one question deals with theological perspective. Question number 30 results follow:
Please check the one of the following which best describes your theological perspective:
The balance of the questions (age, sex, length of church membership, etc.), gave us a picture of who are demographically and as church persons. They provide a picture of what we say our values in religious community are.
Colin, as you can see, fewer than 10 of the UUA consider themselves Christian. Those in the UUA who consider themselves Christian may believe in the Bible as being the "word of God." In this part of my answer, Colin, I will attempt to outline how UUs believe in and interpret the Bible. No one, to my knowledge, believes everything in the Bible. Our Unitarian and Universalist forebears accept the authority of biblical truth, but affirmed that it must be reasonable interpreted. The advancement of human knowledge and experience over the years has led the UUs to find truth in many written works as well as to accept scholarly criticism of the Bible Nevertheless, this speaking of the truth, as the minister or other speaker best understand it, is still basic to us. Each individual congregant (member of UUA) must, of course determine for him or herself what rings true. It is not required that people agree with all that is said.
The Bible is treasured as a precious record of the Jewish people's spiritual evolution and insights, as well as an inspiring guide for religious living. Knowing that it presents a compilation of Middle Eastern legends developed early in the history of civilized existence, along with passages of sublime beauty and wisdom, UUs do not accept this, or any other "holy" book, as the infallible or exclusive word of God. Colin, I believe your question of "Is it reliable" refers to "Do the UUs believe the Bible to be reliable?" To regard certain Old and New Testament stories as unchallengeable statements of truth would be to discredit the findings of every university laboratory and department of scientific research the world. You have only to type in "Biblical contradictions" to see that there are well over a hundred "Biblical contradictions" so I do believe that the UU position is that we (the UUs) honor the Bible as a document of inspiration and counsel while, at the same time, we utilize various secular sources of truth and wisdom.
For more information, please feel free to check out our web site http://uua.org/ A good book to check on is “A Chosen Faith” – ISBN 0-8070-1617-9.
Colin, thank you for taking the time to question our beliefs and good luck in your search – you’re on the right track!
