Throughout history, Universalism has always been a type of Christianity. Universalism dates back to the time of Jesus, the Apostles, and the early leaders of the Christian church. As recently as the 1800's and early 1900's, there was a major Christian denomination (the Universalist Church of America) based on the Universalist view of the Gospel.
In 1961, the Universalist Church of America and the American Unitarian Association merged to form the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA). Today, the UUA is an organization of churches whose members represent a variety of different religious faiths, and the UUA does not teach a specific set of spiritual beliefs. Unitarian Universalists, therefore, are not necessarily Christians. In fact, some UUs don't even believe in God.
This new development has led to much confusion. Today, many Christians are not aware that Christian Universalism is the original, authentic Universalism -- a belief system based on faith in God to save and transform all people through Christ.
The Christian Universalist Association hopes to change people's perceptions of the word "Universalism." Here are a few important things that Christian Universalists believe:
- There is a God, who is all-powerful and all-loving and seeks a personal relationship with every person.
- Individual human beings have a soul which continues to exist after death of the body.
- There is justice for individuals in the afterlife.
- Christ came to earth to show us the way to perfect ourselves and return to God.
- All people will eventually be saved from sin and suffering, transformed in the divine image, and become like Christ.
Unitarian Universalists do not necessarily believe any of these things. The Unitarian Universalist Association has no statement of faith about spiritual teachings, only a list of philosophical principles that does not require belief in God, Christ, the soul, the afterlife, or anything else beyond this world. Some Unitarian Universalists hold these religious beliefs, but some don't.
If you attend a sermon at a Unitarian Universalist church, the message you hear could be very different depending on the beliefs of the minister. Some UU churches have ministers who are Christians. Others have ministers who are Secular Humanists, Buddhists, Neo-Pagans, or anything else.
The Christian Universalist Association has a clear spiritual message that we proclaim as truth. And our teachings are based on a 2000-year history of Christian Universalism.
We invite you to learn more about Universalism from a Christian perspective, and to join our community of faith if you agree with a Christ-centered Universalism.
