Did the English Presbyterians become Unitarian?

JStor ^ | 1973 | Russell E Richby

[Cronos]

Among the problems posed to one interested in Unitarianism is to explain why it was that Unitarianism evolved out of Presbyterianism in England while it emerged out of Congregationalism in the United States. The problem of the origins of Unitarianism is in this way fashioned into denominational questions. Why did English presbyterianism become Unitarian? What explains the appearance of Unitarianism in New England Congregationalism? The purpose of this essay is to examine the denominational understanding of the genesis of English Unitarianism.

In abbreviated form the denominationa argument holds that after the passage of the Toleration Act and the close of any real hope for being comprehended in the established church, and either during the Happy Union with the Congregationalists (1691-1695) or soon afterwards, the English Presbyterians began a slow drift into rational or liberal sentiments. The extent of Presbyterian departure from Calvinism became first apparent in the Salter's Hall controversy (1719). Then a case of Arianism in Exeter, referred to the London Dissenters meeting at Salter's Hall, disturbed the accord among Dissenters. In the decades after Salter's Hall, Arianism and rationalism spread rapidly among Presbyterians. During this same period Presbyterianism experienced a nationwide decline in numbers. in the final quarter of the century heretical Presbyterians came to avow Unitarianism openly. English Presbyterianism had become Unitarian

[Cronos]

A fascinating insight into the spread of Unitarianism in England

[rman04554]

Having attended a few Unitarian services here in the US, it is all about homosexuality. They also are not Christian anymore. Brought a bible with me and got those condescending looks that combine pity and hatred that you get from those who believe themselves to be morally superior

[Cronos]

From Unitarian.org.uk

The word Unitarian first appeared in Britain in 1673. Protest against the Trinity arose as soon as this view of the Christian God became a creed in the early centuries of the Church. However it was the upheaval created by the Reformation which made Unitarian thinking into a movement in Italy, Poland and Transylvania (modern Romania and Hungary). Apart from Transylvania it went under the name of Socinianism, after one of its early leaders, Faustus Socinus, a 16th century Italian. Many who insisted on maintaining radical religious views suffered persecution and even death, like Michael Servetus, a Spanish doctor, burnt at the stake in 1553.

The Unitarian approach to looking at God as one became widespread in the Church of England in the 17th century. John Biddle, a Gloucester school-master often called the father of English Unitarianism, wrote and spoke extensively on his views and died in prison in 1662. Samuel Clarke, Rector of St James' Piccadilly, came under severe censure when his book, The Scripture Doctrine of the Trinity, appeared in 1712 in which he argued that supreme honour should be given only to God, the Father

For the rest of the century Unitarianism spread, not only in the Church of England but most significantly amongst the dissenters from the Established Church, later known as nonconformists. They refused to accept Anglican practice though their churches had hitherto been orthodox in theology. It was then that Unitarian thinking in this country began to express itself in a church organisation. Some English Presbyterians, whose churches were amongst the oldest in dissent, adopted Unitarianism in the second half of the 18th century, to be followed by the old General Baptists, whose Assembly had been formed in 1653. Not that it was called Unitarianism, as this belief was specifically proscribed by the Toleration Act of 1689; Unitarianism did not become legal until 1813. The term applied to erstwhile Unitarians at this time was Rational Dissenters.

[Cronos]

That is very interesting. I went to a UUA place in Brighton, England to see what it was all about and I must admit, I was puzzled. There didn’t really seem to be anything religious at all.

[stripes1776]

Brought a bible with me and got those condescending looks that combine pity and hatred that you get from those who believe themselves to be morally superior

I have never been to a Unitarian service, so I found your observation interesting. But I do have a question. Did you consider yourself morally superior to the unitarians?

[MayfairFly]

They also are not Christian anymore.

Never were. How can you be "Christian" when you deny Christ's divinity?

I was always told that a great many modern-day Unitarians were really just liberal Jews who didn't want to be Jewish anymore.

[zerosix]

Actually, from all that I’ve read, the Arians never were Christian, as they denied the deity of Jesus Christ (one of the basic tenets of Christianity.)

[kaehurowing]

The Unitarian church here is basically a hang out for swingers and promoting multiple sexual relationships (both sexes). Their cause is “polyamory,” having gone beyond just promoting boring homosexual acts which is so 20th century.

http://palipaths.org/

http://palipaths.org/documents/E9F5AB1758BF8BA6717E7DFF4CB77691741B7829.html

http://www.uupa.org/

[Salvation]

THE RITES OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH -- There are many!
How Did the Catholic Church Get Her Name?
Catholics, Protestants, and History (the faith of the early church)
Organization of the Catholic Church
How Old Is Your Church?

[Cronos]

How can you be "Christian" when you deny Christ's divinity?

that's a very tricky question. Unitarians say Jesus wasn't God (as do the Muslims), Mormons say he became god and was created while JWs say that Jesus was/is the Archangel Michael (i.e. he was created)

I think the best definition remains in the Creed:

We believe in One God, the Father the Almightly, creator of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen. We believe in One Lord, Jesus Christ, only begotten Son of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, True God from True God, begotten, not made, of one being with the Father, through Him all things were made....

[Cronos]

And yet the Arians followed the same scripture as we do, only they concluded differently that Jesus was a created being, a demiurge.

[Cronos]

One troubling thing is that Eisenhower was a Unitarian.

[kosciusko51]

One troubling thing is that Eisenhower was a Unitarian.

If true, it is probably more troubling to Eisenhower than to us.

[iowamark]

Ike’s parents were Mennonite, later Jehovah’s Witnesses. He became Presbyterian as an adult. He was never Unitarian.

[iowamark]

Do you have a link to the whole article beyond the first page?

[rman04554]

No, I’m not morally superior to anyone except maybe Micheal Moore and Sean Penn

[Cronos]

No,sorry — it’s not available online.

[Cronos]

This is interesting...

[Cronos]

modern day Unitarianism history.

[Cronos]

A congregation of religious liberals in Ainsworth. The church was originally Presbyterian but for many years now Unitarian.