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Unitarianism (Unitarian Universalist Association)

The Christian Protestant religion of Unitarianism has an estimated 171,000 to 180,000 followers or Unitarians. The Unitarian Universalist Association was formed by merger of the Universalist Church of America (founded circa 1779) and the American Unitarian Association (founded in 1825) in the United States in 1961. Both of the original churches had their roots in independent churches in North America.

Modern Unitarianism emerged during the Protestant Reformation under Faustus Socinus (also, spelled as Fausto Sozzini) in Poland circa 1568. Joseph Priestley, who had fled England under persecution, founded a Unitarian church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1796.

Unitarianism believes in the oneness of God as opposed to the traditional Christian belief in the Trinity of the Father, Son (Jesus Christ) and Holy Spirit. However, Unitarianism does recognize Jesus Christ as a son of God. In this regards, we consider Unitarianism a Christian religion. (NOTE: Unitarianism is similar to Jehovah's Witnesses and Islam with this particular viewpoint.)



The Unitarian Universalist Association is a mainly white and liberal Protestant denomination with over a 1,000 congregations, ruled by a congregational form of government. It has female ministers and is currently led by Rev. William G. Sinkford, its first African American President. In recent years, Unitarian Universalist Association has made headline news when some of its ministers performed same-sex marriages.

The American Unitarian Association had no creed or doctrine. In 2000, the American Unitarian Conference was founded with a creed, one that requires the belief of God. Most other Unitarian churches exist in European countries only.

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