Unitarianism

This is one of the Christian traditions that equally profess to be the continuity to apostolic works. The founders of this movement defined it as a belief of primitive Yahosheanism before later corruptions set in.

The founding fathers claimed that those corruptions were not only decimated to the doctrinal of trinity but also of various other orthodox doctrines and usages.

The word “Unitarian” means a person who believes in the doctrine of oneness of Yahweh. It refers to those Christian adherents who reject the doctrinal belief of trinity which defines Yahweh as three person co-existing consubstantially as one being.

The movement hold that Yahoshea is in real sense the son of Yahweh but not at equal to Yahweh.  In recent history, the movement or some of its associations have began to attack the concept of Biblical inerrancy.

History Of The Movement

The history of the Unitarianism as a religious tradition is traced to Peter Genesius (a Polish student) who argued against the doctrine of trinity in a Reformed (Calvanist) Churches of Poland in a synod held in Secemin.  This sparked heavy debate that tarried for nine years in the church.

In 1556, the anti-Trinitarians were excluded from the existing synod of Polish Reformed church.  This prompted the non-Trinitarians to hold their own synod and were referred as “Ecclesia Minor”.

The opponents of the movement began to identify them as “Arians” but the views of Fausto Sozzini became influential and formed the standard of the movement that people began to identify them as “Sozzinians”.  They were equally called the “Polish Brethren” and were banned by Polish parliament in 1658.

The polish authority ordered the converts to re-convert to Catholicism or to leave Poland. Majority of them migrated to Transylvania or Holland where they embraced the name as “Unitarians”.

In Transylvania, the movement was recognized by the Edicts of Torda that was issued by the Transylvania Diet under Prince John II Zapolya in 16th century.

Regarding to the name “Unitarianism” Barl Morse Wilbur in his book- History of Unitarianism put it this way “. The name originated at the time of great dispute at Gyulafehervar in 1568, in the course of which Melius quite often concluded his argument by saying – “Ergo Deus est Trinitarians”.  Hence, his party naturally came to be called Trinitarians and their opponents would naturally be called Unitarians.

The name seems thus to have come into general use only gradually and it was long before it was employed in the formal proclamation of their superintendents.  It is not found in print as the denomination of the church until 1600 when the “Unitaria religio” was named as one the four religions in a decree of the Diet of Leczfalva in the extreme Southern part of Transylvania.

The name was never used by the Sozzinians on Poland. Later in the seventeenth century, Transylvanian Unitarian students made it known in Holland, where the Sozzinians in exile, who had never adopted Sozzinians as the name of their movement and were more and more objecting to it, welcomed it as distinguishing  them from Trinitarians.  Unitarianism thus gradually superseded the term Socinian  and spread to England and America.

Unitarianism evolved from four countries, one after the other. Such nation were Poland, Transylvania, England and America.  Though, in each of these roots, there were elements of certain individual characteristics but shared a high degree of general spirit, a common point of view, and a doctrinal pattern that present all as outgrown from a single movement of common ancestry that passed from one to another.

Observations or historical records hold that both four foundations were distinct and appears to have sprang independently or directly from its own native roots, and to have been influenced by other and similar movements only after it had already developed an independent like and character of its own.

Doctrines And Practices

As a non-Trinitarian movements, it has often made shifts from other of similar concept by properly identifying itself as a Unitarian religious movement.  The movement do not accept the concept of divinity of Yahoshea Meshiyach and remain separated from various Unitarian traditions that hold to such belief.

Example of non-Trinitarian movements that hold that Yahoshea is Yahweh as a single person include Oneness Penticostalism United Pentecostal Church International, True Jesus Church and writing of Michael Servetus.

Recently, some sections of the movement have adopted the 19th century “Biblical Unitarianism” to distinguish itself from other Unitarianism.

In the origin, Unitarians were adherents that hold to religious tradition of Christianity but as times past, some Unitarians and Unitarian universalists moved away from Christian roots and began to allow non-Christians and non-theistic Churches and individuals to be part of their fellowships.

The American Unitarian Association became a mixed up of both theological Christians and non-theistic individuals and with passage of time, the non-theistic people outnumbered the theological Unitarians in the movement.

The non-theistic Unitarians began to swell in United Kingdom and Canada and such prompted theological Unitarians to start distinguishing themselves from the belief of modern Unitarians and Unitarian universalist Churches and their fellowships.

These prompted the development of theologically Unitarian Churches.

The theological Unitarians hold that Yahoshea was a great man and a prophet of Yahweh, perhaps even of a supernatural being but not Yahweh himself or equal to him.  The movement view the mainstream Christianity of not adhering to strict monotheism.  The movement believe that Yahoshea did not claim to be Yahweh and that his teachings did not suggest of a triune persons in Yahwehood.

The Unitarians are divided over pre-human existence of Yahoshea but both held that Yahweh is one being and one person and that Yahoseha is the son of Yahweh but not Yahweh himself.

The original founders of the movement held that Yahoshea began his life when he was born as a human.  The mainline Unitarianism hold that Yahoshea was simply a human (Psilanthropism) who by his greatness became adopted by Yahweh as his son (adoptionism).

The doctrine of non-pre-human existence of Yahoshea Meshiyach have been argued in early centuries by people like Theodotus of Byzantium, Artemon and Paul of Samosata and Photinus in the 4th century.  This ideology resurfaced in the eras of Radical Reformation and Anabaptist movements of the 16th century.

In the early life of Unitarianism, the doctrine of virgin birth of Yahoshea was adopted.  Later, some Unitarians began to question the authencity of Bible and this made them to  question the virgin birth’s account.

In early 19th century, a movement identifying itself as Transcendentalist Unitarianism emerged in England and America.  This tradition took an intellectual approach to religion.  They began to embrace evolutionary concepts, asserted the inherent goodness of man and rejected the doctrine of biblical infallibility and equally rejected most of the accounts of miracles in the book.

The original concept of Unitarianism were not totally Arian which hold that Yahoshea existed as a Logos – a being created by Yahweh in heaven before he came to earth through virgin birth.

The Arian traditions hold that Yahoshea was never equal to Yahweh but higher than humans.  The view of Arian was not adopted by majority of Unitarians in Poland, Transylvia or England but was adopted by the American Unitarianism.

Unitarians combined the knowledge of Yahoshea Meshiyach, the world and purpose of life through blending of scriptures, reason, science, philosophy, scholarship, prophets and other religions.

The movement hold that believe and reason are complimentary and the religion and science can jointly guide a member to understanding  the nature and Yahweh.  The movement holds to religious pluralism and treasure all religious teachings but remain committed to the fundamental teachings of Yahoshea Meshiyach.

Christians equally value a secular or free society in which exists a separation between government and religious affairs.  As free thinkers, majority favour religious freedom from government.  The movement rejects the belief of pre-destination or salvation of Yahweh for his chosen.  They believe that good acts and faith are necessary for redemption.

Unitarianism holds the belief that there is one Yahweh and the oneness or unity of Yahweh.  That the teachings of Yahoshea Meshiyach is the examplified model for adherents.  That reason, rational thought, science and philosophy works with faith in Yahweh.

The movement holds that human beings have the ability to exercise free-will and responsibility, constructive and ethnic manner with the help of religion.

Other doctrines of the movement are – though the authors of the Bible were inspired by Yahweh, they were humans and thereby subject to human error.  That no religion can claim of absolute monopoly of the Holy Spirit or religious truth.

It holds that human nature in its present condition is neither inherently corrupt nor deprived but capable of both good and evil as intended by Yahweh.

The movement hold that traditional doctrines that malign Yahweh's character or of Yahoshea Meshiyach and speculations of nature are rejected.  Such doctrines include predestination, original sins, eternal damnation, vicarious sacrifice or theory of atonement.

As a libral movement, each Unitarian congregation is free to choose its worship tradition but must relate to general view of understanding of Yahweh.  They include reading of sermons, prayers, hymns, songs and testimonies as part of worship.

Unitarianism is a congregation of people who felt the need for a church unfiltered by traditional doctrines. Adherents are open to advances of modern knowledge and receptive to new spiritual insight.

The movement has no special dogma for members but is viewed as a way of life with spiritual dimension.

Governance And Polity

The congregational structures of the body are self-governing to each Church without much dependency to hierarchical authority.

In Hungarian speaking territories, the movement held a governance system that combined synodal and Episcopal models.

The movement is friendly to Protestantism for their joint hatred to Catholicism. Some theological Unitarians move along with universalists by ecumenism but they are abused for such standing.

The movement has numerous accomplished persons on science, philosophy and arts.  It boasts of producing some presidents of United States of America and many noble prize winners.

Conclusion

Unitarianism is one of the numerous traditions that seek to be adherents of Yahoshea Meshiyach and to follow his way (Yahosheanism).

Although, the movement rejects many dogmas of main-line Christianity but is hooked in the later's numerous adulterated doctrines.

As a movement that claim to represent  Yahoshea, it must have been led by the appointed comforter as promised by Yahoshea Meshiyach and since it is led by reasons and philosophy of mere mortal in the capacity of scholars and scientists, it is entirely inappropriate to claim to apostolic succession.

The way to Yahweh and Yahoshea is not by speculations but through revelations and inspiration of Yahweh. So in the midst of such struggle, scientists and secular scholars might not be proper guiders.

Again, the Yahoshea's ministry was wholly Hebrew traditional belief.  The Unitarianism is much about Greek and Roman tradition and such can not be an adequate channel to Yahweh or Yahoshea.

We have appreciated all good efforts of the movement to support on religious liberalism, enhancement of social values and enrichment of the earth with scientific values but it is never the way to Yahoshea.

So, seekers of Yahoshea from the angle of Unitarianism must take note of this piece of advice.