WITNESSING FOR CHRIST IN A RELIGIOUSLY PLURALISTIC WORLD

WITNESSING FOR CHRIST IN A RELIGIOUSLY PLURALISTIC WORLD: CONFRONTING CULTS AND FALSE RELIGIONS WITH E. Unit 6: Unitarian Universalism CALVIN BEISNER

UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISM: NAME AND HISTORY Name � Unitarian—versus Trinitarian � Universalist—versus saved/lost distinction Unitarian History � Roots in the Radical Reformation in Poland Transylvania Early Continental: Michael Servetus, Faustus Socinus Early British: John Biddle, Theophilus Lindsey Early American: Jonathan Mayhew, Joseph Priestly, Harvard College, William Ellery Channing Transcendentalism an offshoot: Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau American Universalism in 18 th & 19 th centuries

RISE OF HUMANISM AMONG UNITARIANS “Religion of democracy” Controversy between humanist and theist Unitarians, 1918 -1937 Humanist Manifesto I, 1933 Theists and atheists coexisted with Unitarianism: “Religious” versus “Secular” Humanism

AMERICAN UNIVERSALIST ASSOCIATION AND UNIVERSALIST CHURCH OF AMERICA MERGED IN 1961 TO FORM UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST ASSOCIATION Until 20 th century Unitarian Universalists generally claimed to be Christian; today’s Unitarian Universalist Association doesn’t. Trending increasingly liberal.

UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST VITAL STATISTICS 211, 600 registered members of UUA, 204, 000 in U. S. , 34, 700 in Massachusetts, 1, 034 congregations worldwide About 500, 000 Americans consider themselves Unitarian Universalists High social status � � � 49. 5% college graduates Median household income second only to Jewish Disproportionately influential in U. S. institutions Five Presidents: John Adams, John Quincy Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Millard Fillmore, William Howard Taft Famous literary figures: Longfellow, Emerson, Melville, e. e. Cummings, William Cullen Bryant, Hawthorne, Greeley, Thoreau Eight U. S. Supreme Court Justices including Holmes Famous women: Louisa May Alcott, Clara Barton, Julia Ward Howe, Florence Nightingale, Susan B. Anthony

UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST THEOLOGY—PART 1—SOURCES OF AUTHORITY Religious freedom, tolerance, and pluralism � “Faith stances” among UUs � Critique � Biblical position on religious freedom, tolerance, and pluralism

UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST THEOLOGY—PART 1, CONTINUED Divine revelation and the Bible � Summary: reason, experience, conscience are authority; Bible just one of sacred books, none infallible; some find inspiration in it, some don’t; Bible not to be interpreted literally Response � Reason � Inspiration � Refutation of criticisms � Outstanding literature � To be interpreted literally according to genre

UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST THEOLOGY—PART 2—GOD: SUMMARY Wide diversity of opinions Some atheists Some believe in impersonal higher power or “divine spark” Some believe “God” is term for self-ordering principle of nature Process theology is popular Neo-paganism (especially goddess worship) becoming increasingly popular All UUs reject the Trinity

UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST THEOLOGY—PART 2, CONTINUED: RESPONSE Both the Bible and much respected philosophy affirm God is real. God is not a vague “higher power” or “divine spark” Biblical doctrine of God: God is a triune spirit infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in His wisdom, power, justice, holiness, goodness and truth. There is only one God is distinct from His creation.

UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST THEOLOGY—PART 3—CHRIST: SUMMARY Jesus not uniquely divine Others can attain his great heights of spiritual maturity. Miracles, virgin birth, bodily resurrection unreal. Not an infallible teacher Many UUs regard him as a great moral teacher. Some UUs reject him as a great moral teacher.

UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST THEOLOGY—PART 3—CHRIST, CONTINUED: RESPONSE Jesus is God. No one else will ever equal Him. Miracles, virgin birth, resurrection true events. Jesus’ teachings are infallible. Jesus’ own self-assessment is incompatible with the belief by some UUs that He was a great moral teacher and model but not uniquely divine. Those UUs who reject Jesus as a teacher and moral model are more consistent than those who accept Him as such but deny His deity: C. S. Lewis: “I am trying here to prevent anyone saying …. ” (Liar, Lord, or Lunatic)

UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST THEOLOGY—PART 4—MAN AND SIN: SUMMARY UUs affirm the dignity and worth of all human beings. UUs teach that humans are products of evolution. UUs deny the doctrine of original sin. UUs emphasize human capacity to do good. UUs promote “humanitarianism. ”

UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST THEOLOGY—PART 4—MAN AND SIN--RESPONSE Humans are created in God’s image. Adam was created by directly by God and Eve from him. Adam sinned and endowed all his posterity with sin. Although unregenerate people can do “civic righteousness, ” they can’t do true good: motivated to glorify God. The Bible and Christianity require love of neighbor.

UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST THEOLOGY, PART 5 —SALVATION: SUMMARY All people are “children of God” or have the “divine spark” No need for salvation in Biblical sense. Jesus is “savior” only in honorific sense. Claiming Jesus is only way of salvation is exclusive and narrow-minded. Salvation means making this world a better place. Humans don’t need grace but can “save” themselves by cultivating moral character.

UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST THEOLOGY—PART 5, SALVATION, CONTINUED: RESPONSE Only God regenerates are His children. Universal sin entails universal need for salvation. Jesus is literally the Savior of sinners. Asserting that Jesus is the only Savior is not narrow -minded—it’s simply true or false. Salvation consists in reconciliation with God through faith in Christ and His atoning work.

UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST THEOLOGY—PART 6— HEAVEN, HELL, AND AFTERLIFE: SUMMARY Most believe people cease to exist at death. Some are agnostic about afterlife. Some believe in afterlife or think it likely. All deny bodily resurrection. All deny a God of love would condemn any to hell.

UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST THEOLOGY—PART 6—HEAVEN, HELL, AND AFTERLIFE, CONTINUED: RESPONSE All will be raised from the dead, some to everlasting joy with God, others to everlasting torment under His just wrath in judgment. Moral argument for punishment after death. Some people have died and come back to life— historical evidence. While Christians seek to improve the world, they’re not utopians. God’s love is compatible with His condemning sinners to hell.

TIPS FOR WITNESSING TO UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISTS Understand their attraction. Treat each as an individual. Be prepared to discuss and defend exclusive truth claims of Christianity. Turn their arguments around on them. Ask them key questions: Learn logic to pinpoint their internal inconsistencies and refute their fallacious arguments. Don’t fear to use Scripture. Be friendly. Serve. Pray