A Different Way of Thinking

Hall wrote that “The chief bond of the churches included in the modern General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches is not doctrinal but devotional.” Unitarianism is a faith without a creed – we don’t ask anyone to subscribe to a particular set of beliefs, but we do share some important values, of which more on another occasion.

image: iarf.net

We are a sacred community, in which each person can explore what gives his or her life meaning and purpose. Each Unitarian congregation, each Unitarian society, and the movement nationally, is a faith community made up of individuals on a spiritual journey, who have come together because they share this open and inclusive attitude to religion and spirituality.

We believe that each person should be able to work out what they believe for themselves, and not be under any pressure to sign up to particular beliefs. (In practice, many Unitarians do hold many beliefs in common; but this is not a prerequisite for being a member of the Unitarian community). We believe that all individuals have the right to believe what seems good to them, so long as they have come to that belief using their reason and conscience. Another way of saying this is that we believe in the right of private judgement in matters of religion and spirituality - the movement does not dictate what its members should believe.

However, that doesn’t mean that we are free to believe whatever we like; as I have said, beliefs have to be submitted to our individual reason and conscience, made sense of in the context of our own life experience, and also be bounced off the other members of our Unitarian community. And so again, in practice, there are certain beliefs that are not acceptable in Unitarian communities - homophobia, racism, sexism and so on. Any belief that excludes or belittles another sector of humankind is unlikely to be welcomed in, or endorsed by, a Unitarian community.

And what we believe may change over time. Unlike most mainstream Christian denominations, which expect their members to sign up to a particular creed or set of beliefs, once and for all, Unitarians recognise that as people have new experiences and encounter new ideas, their beliefs may change. The beliefs of most long-term Unitarians will evolve over the years, according to what they see and hear and learn and experience and take to heart. We find this liberating.