Unitarian Universalism
| Unitarian Universalism | |
|---|---|
From left to right, top to bottom:
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| Abbreviation | UUism |
| Classification | Inclusivist Liberal religion |
| Scripture | officially none |
| Theology | Liberal Pluralist, Liberationist, Omnist, and Syncretic |
| Founder | Members of the American Unitarian Association and the Universalist Church of America via consolidation |
| Origin | May 1961 |
| Number of followers | ≈1.7 million identify with Unitarian Universalism in the U.S.A. (2024); 152,958 members and religious education enrollees (≈9% of American UUs) in the UUA (2024) |
Unitarian Universalism (UUism or UU) is a liberal religious tradition characterized by its commitment to theological diversity, inclusivity, and social justice. Unitarian Universalists do not adhere to a single creed or doctrine. Instead, they are unified by shared covenants across congregations based on foundational values and principles centered on love and pluralistic worship.
The beliefs of individual Unitarian Universalists range widely and are often contextual to the congregation. The development of Unitarian Universalism can be traced back to liberal Protestantism and Restorationism through the Unitarian and Christian Universalist traditions. Contemporary Unitarian Universalists may draw upon diverse theological and philosophical thought, including agnosticism, Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, New Age, neopaganism, nontheism, religious humanism, Sikhism, Taoism, and teachings of the Baháʼí Faith, among others.
Worship can take place in churches, fellowships, congregations, and societies. Unitarian Universalists maintain a deep regard for intellectual freedom and inclusive love. Congregations and members seek inspiration and derive insight from all major world religions and therefore do not have an official, unified corpus of sacred texts. There are, however, texts unique to its tradition that are commonly appreciated by professed Unitarian Universalists, such as A Chosen Faith by John A. Buehrens and Forrest Church, which has been called "the classic introductory text on Unitarian Universalism," and The Unitarian Universalist Pocket Guide.
The modern Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) was formed in 1961 through the consolidation of the American Unitarian Association, established in 1825, and the Universalist Church of America, established in 1793. The UUA is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, and serves churches mostly in the United States. A group of thirty Philippine congregations is represented as a sole member within the UUA. The Canadian Unitarian Council (CUC) became an independent body in 2002. The UUA and CUC were two of the seventeen members of the now defunct International Council of Unitarians and Universalists (1995–2021).