Unitarianism

The past history of the Unitarian movement has stamped cer tain characteristics on its life. Many of its founders were forced into exile by exclusion from the larger historic Churches of Christendom; and this, together with its subsequent denomina tional history, has infused a certain habit of mind—of independent judgment, of bringing opinions to the bar of strong common sense, of proving all things and holding fast that which is good. But the need of more effective corporate union is being deeply felt, and has led to the recent union of the principal denomina tional organizations in a new and representative body, the "Gen eral Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches" (1928).

Unitarianism in the United States followed essentially the same development as in England, and passed through the stages of Arminianism, Arianism, anti-tritheism, to rationalism and a modernism based on a large-minded acceptance of the results of the scientific and comparative study of all religions. As early as the middle of the 18th century Harvard college represented the most advanced thought of the time, and a score or more of clergymen in New England were preaching what was essentially Unitarianism. The most prominent of these men was Jonathan Mayhew (1720-66), pastor of the West church in Boston from to 1766.

The first official acceptance of the Unitarian faith on the part of a congregation was by King's chapel in Boston, which settled James Freeman (1759-1853) in 1782, and revised the Book of Common Prayer into a mild Unitarian liturgy in 1785. Unitarian congregations were organized at Portland and Saco in 1792 by Thomas Oxnard; in 1800 the First church in Plymouth accepted the more liberal faith. Joseph Priestley came to the United. States in 1794, and organized a Unitarian church at Northumber land, Pa., in the same year, and one at Philadelphia in 1796. His writings had a considerable influence. Thus from 1725 to 1825 a more tolerant belief was developing in New England, and to some extent elsewhere.

William Ellery Channing was settled over the Federal Street Congregational church, Boston, 1803 ; and in a few years he became the leader of the Unitarian movement. At first mystical rather than rationalistic in his theology, he took part with the "Catholic Christians," as they called themselves, who aimed at bringing Christianity into harmony with the progressive spirit of the time. His essays, The System of Exclusion and Denuncia tion in Religion (1815) and Objections to Unitarian Christianity Considered (1819), make him a defender of Unitarianism. The Unitarian movement has grown slowly; and its influence has been chiefly exercised through general culture and the better literature of the country. Many of its clergymen have been trained in other denominations; but the Harvard divinity school was distinctly Unitarian from its formation in 1816, to 1870, when it became an unsectarian department of the university. The Meadville theological school was founded in Meadville, Pa., in 1844, and in 1926 was removed to Chicago. The Pacific Unitarian school for the ministry at Berkeley, Calif., was estab

lished in 1904. The Tuckerman school in Boston gives training for parish assistants and directors of religious education.

Periods of Unitarian

thought in the United States has passed through three periods. The first, from 1800 to 1835, was formative, mainly influenced by English phi losophy, semi-supernatural, imperfectly rationalistic, devoted to philanthropy and practical Christianity. Dr. Channing was its distinguished exponent. The second, from 1835 to 1885, pro foundly influenced by German idealism, was increasingly ration alistic, though its theology was largely flavoured by mysticism. The leaders of this second period were Emerson and Theodore Parker.

The third period, beginning about 1885, has been one of rationalism, recognition of universal religion, large acceptance of the scientific method and ideas and an ethical attempt to realize the higher affirmations of Christianity. It has been marked by harmony and unity to a degree found in perhaps no other religious body, by steady growth in the number of churches and by a widening fellowship with all other progressive phases of modern religion. This last phase has been shown in the organiza tion of the International Council of Unitarian and other Liberal Religious Thinkers and Workers at Boston on May 25, 190o, "to open communication with those in all lands who are striving to unite pure religion and perfect liberty, and to increase fellow ship and co-operation among them." This council has held sessions in London 0900, Amsterdam (1903), Geneva (1905), Boston (I 91 0), Paris (1913), Boston (1920), Leyden (1922) and Prague (1927). Since 1910 its title is International Congress of Free Christians and other Religious Liberals. During this period the influence of Emerson has become predominant.

Beyond its own borders the body has obtained recognition through the public work of such men as Henry Whitney Bellows and Edward Everett Hale, the remarkable influence of James Freeman Clarke and the popular power of Robert Collyer. In 1927 the number of Unitarian churches in the United States and Canada (whose churches are affiliated with the American associ ations) was 422, with 491 ministers. Adherents in the United States in 1927 numbered 131,912. The periodicals are The Christian Register, weekly, Boston; Unity, weekly, Chicago; Pacific Unitarian, San Francisco.

See Joseph Henry Allen, Our Liberal Movement in Theology (Bos ton, 1882) and Sequel to our Liberal Movement (Boston, 1897) ; John White Chadwick, Old and New Unitarian Belief (Boston, 1894). See especially Chadwick's William Ellery Channing (1903) ; Unitarianism: its Origin and History, a course of Sixteen Lectures (Boston, 1895) ; also George Willis Cooke, Unitarianism in America: a History of its Origin and Development (Boston, 1902) ; Ephraim Emerton, Unitarian Thought (1911) ; Earl M. Wilbur, Our Unitarian Heritage (Boston, 1925) ; Francis A. Christie, "Unitarianism" in the American Journal of Theology, Oct., 1917, reprinted in Freedom and Truth (1925) ; and Unitarian Year Book (Boston). (J. H. L.)