The Rise and Fall of Unitarianism in America 

6:00 that's supposed to say "his home"

Reminds me of an old joke. Someone in a town was burning down churches. When the Protestant church was on fire, the pastor ran in and saved the Bible. When the Catholic church was on fire, the priest ran in and saved the Eucharist. When the Unitarian church was on fire, Bob ran in and saved the coffee maker.

I was also raised Unitarian, and the lessons I learned about religion, philosophy, politics, sexuality, and community stick with me. I left because my particular church had a power vacuum after our minister left, and lots of the higher up members scrambling to get as much influence as possible. It definitely wasn’t the church I was raised in, but I still believe in its values of truth, justice and fairness.

Never get a Unitarian Universalist angry at you-- they might burn a question mark on your yard.

Can't resist sharing at least one Unitarian joke as explained by a Unitarian: Unitarians initially united on the faith that "We believe in one God." Later, to incorporate the increasing number of atheists, it became "We believe in no more than one God." With the rise of neo-pagan beliefs, the appreciation of ancient goddesses and such, it became "We believe in One God, more or less."

My greatest fear is becoming stupid in my old age . As long as you keep posting I will try and keep up .Thanks for posting your sources , I have reading to do .

Thank you for this remarkable video, nuanced, rich in information, well documented and illustrated. Really a great work ...the kind of work we can expect from a fair and serious historian! And this deserve a salary! I did not know that Unitarians had had such an influence in the United States and, all in all, a very positive one. You made my day because I really learn something.

I'm a former minister with a conservative Christian denomination. After being kicked to the curb for "teaching liberal and anti-Christian doctrine", I discovered the UU denomination. They welcomed me with the proverbial "open arms" and I've been happy and comfortable ever since.

Cynical Historian - "hey you got a pre civil war american who you think is cool?" Everyone - "yes" Cynical Historian - "want to know what religion they were?" Everyone - "but i havn't even told you thei... Cynical Historian - "unitarian"

I started following your videos a few months back, and really appreciated your style and the depth at which you tackled topics. I'm also a longtime UU who occasionally worries that most UU Churches and Fellowships don't spend enough time studying our own history. Thank you for doing this - I'll probably find a way to show it in our Fellowship someday!

Hey there! Just so you know, the standard term for a Jewish house of worship is "synagogue" not "temple". The liberal Jewish denominations (the concept of denominations don't make sense in actual Jewish texts, but that's a research rabbit hole in of itself) use the term "temple" due to 19th century assimilationist politics, but in actuality there was only one Temple, that existed in Jersualem prior to the Diaspora.

What do you get when you cross a Unitarian with a Jehovah's Witness? A knock on the door for no apparent reason.

Lisa, listing the ice creams at Rev. Lovejoy’s table: “Wow, look at all these flavors! Blessed Virgin Berry, Commandmint, Bible Gum…” Rev. Lovejoy, handing her a bowl: “Or, if you prefer, we also have Unitarian ice cream!” Lisa, peering into the bowl: “There’s nothing here.” Rev. Lovejoy, crossing his arms smugly: “Exactly.” I first learned about Unitarians from the Simpsons. lol

As someone who wasn't forced into a church, I will always find it interesting to listen to the views of those who where. I think my mother would have liked this group, she encouraged her children to find and walk their own religious paths.

Unitarian universalist were a later adaptation of unitarianism. Early unitarians were closer to biblical unitarian movement.

As a gay man who survived an early life in evangelicalism I find UU an incredible congregation of individual spiritual development.

Very interesting and very informative. I've recently been reading up a lot on Unitarian belief and history (mostly out of interest in the Transcendentalists and Newton's Unitarian beliefs) and it's much more complicated than I expected. Thanks for this video.

This really is a great video. One thing that you seem to underplay is the continued influence of the Unitarians. Even as the organization dwindles, their ideas continue to dominate. Much of our national conversation regarding racial and sexual issues are largely framed in terms that the Unitarians set. Your video is truly thought provoking in the most honest sense of the terms "thought" and "provoking." Congratulations.

Universalism was more of a "working class" religious movement than Unitarianism, but both Unitarians and Universalists were heavily involved in liberal activist movements in the 19th century (like abolitionism, women's suffrage, free education in public schools, etc.). Unitarians began allowing non-Christian and nontheistic beliefs in the 1890s, and many Universalist churches were very liberal and religiously pluralist by the 1950s before the merger. In 1913, the largest Congregational church association adopted the Kansas City Statement of Faith, which allows Unitarian theology, does not mention predestination or original sin or substitutional atonement, and says the will of God is in the Bible without saying the Bible is inerrant. My guess is that there are lots of liberal Unitarian Christians in the United Church of Christ, which is a larger denomination than the Unitarian Universalist Association.

Wow, Hippies go way back.....

Fun fact:The only unitarian king from history was John Zapolya,king of Transylvania

My family is Wiccan but we still went to a UU church for years when I was a kid. Some of the chillest group of people I've ever met really, they knew what we were and didn't really seem to care lol. My folks wanted me to see how other religions worked instead of insisting theirs was the only good one, and they got to socialize

Love the one second of x-files -intro-music. Perfect timing! And very interesting video. Thnx a lot :)

I really enjoyed this video. Thank you

I was a Unitarian for 20 years and while I’m no longer active I still respect its tenets. It’s just not a cohesive organization.

Dude, I really wanted to learn about this myself! Thank you for this, your work is always solid

Starting to love Unitarians

I always wondered what happened to all the Unitarians in the States after reading a list of Presidents' religious affiliations. I was blown away to see how big it was. Side note: the whole reason I looked that info up was because our National Cathedral is Episcopalian; which I always found weird since so many settlers in the new world were fleeing religious intolerance and the fact that the Episcopalian church is a branch of the Church of England.

Thank you. I grew up in Texas UU churches. My experience was very much like yours in relationship to learning about most religions and visiting other churches. All were welcomed to our churches and many many ideas were presented in our church. However, my mother did teach me the history of the church. I was persecuted in school for being a Unitarian and called a devil worshiper by the so called girls counselor.

I have watched again. And will warch again. I have also watched the one on Lutherinism. Dont worry, I also have watched others of yours. Thanks and Thanks again.

I actually grew up Unitarian and I really enjoyed this history of the religion. I remember going to all the different churches and temples as a kid as well and found it very neat. I ended up leaving when I was 18 for personal reasons, but also because I felt that the others in my age group had become influenced by a negative liberalism that I found very detrimental. But I still remember my time there mostly with fondness.

Along with the Milwaukee atheist your my favorite history channel! Great content 👍

Thanks. Really interesting. My dad was a Unitarian minister, and my great grandparents were congregationalist missionaries. Learned a lot from the video.

Fun fact: Unitarian refugees went to Ottoman empire to escape persecution.

This was very fascinating! thank you for posting this

I live in lansdale PA. New in America. I just today knew about Unitarian beliefs. Now I feel interest in it. So I should know it exactly. For this may I've your help ,please.

Do you know what always amused me? We talk about religious tolerance in that period (XV-XIX) as if non-Christians were tolerated

One reason Unitarianism has flagged was best said by J. Gresham Machen about 100 years ago (though he was talking about mainstream liberals): "They have set about the difficult task of calling the righteous to repentance."

Your subscriber counts increasing I feel like this time next year you'll be at 500k

An interesting video. Currently there are about 200,000 Unitarian members in the U.S. Like most religious Faith's, the membership is in long-term decline. Another interesting topic would be the political influence of Quakers in colonial America. Once Quakers were no longer allowed to hold political office, and restrictions were made based on personal habits, their numbers plummeted.

Yes, Mohammed did not believe in the trinity. But at the same time, he thought the Virgin Mary was apart of the Trinity. Clearly Mohammed was pretty ignorant on what any of this was.

I think it was pretty brave of you to discuss religion so publicly. Especially on the internet, where you can almost guarantee at least some disrespectful push-back. I salute you

Back in my student days I had a born and bred Unitarian friend who complained that her congregation was being infiltrated by "seekers" searching for a spiritual home. "They don't stay long, they consider Unitarianism a way station on the road from Judaism to atheism."

Great presenter! Genuine charisma. Came up on my recommends.

Man I hope this video doesn't get demonetized.

"Pismo beach and all the clams we can eat."

Very informative, as always, Cypher. I do find it ironic that so many try to emphasize the Christian roots of the founding of America, and--while significant--they seem quite silent about the Unitarians. Even Deists get more coverage. And when I hear people quoting John Adam's quote about the necessity of a "religious people" for our government to succeed--which were accurate--they forget that for him, "religious" included "Unitarian", and not the orthodox Trinitarian groups that Evangelicals and other conservative Christians belong to today. Of course, the Unitarians today aren't what they were in Adams' day (as you point out), but they still would be considered arch-heretics by any conservative Christian theological measures (I mean, the Trinity and the Incarnation are just about the most essential marks of orthodoxy today).

Before the advent of the "Rural Cemetery" movement; that allowed all members of a community to be buried in the same cemetery.*** each church had its own cemetery. In New England, New York, Northeastern Pennsylvania and some areas of the Old Northwest (Ohio, Indiana, Michigan and Illinois); if you got to small towns that had been thriving until the end of WW1 (when those places began to decline) one can still find the old Unitarian cemeteries. Often times, the church itself is no longer there; but you can see the more elaborate grave markers above the wildflowers and grass. (The local historian can help you find those places) ***Some community "rural" cemeteries might have a Jewish or a Catholic section; However, most Catholic churches had (and still do have) their own cemeteries; as do the Orthodox churches.

Interesting topic. Did you find in your research any information about the Polish Brethren and their influence on Unitarianism?

Well, I was raised Unitarian. I've got to say, I enjoy the lack of dogma and guilt.

I got him! Nah you just winged him and made him a Unitarian. Sorry I had to, the Simpsons is where I heard for the first time. Great video, I honestly knew nothing about Unitarianism.

Very interesting... One mild complaint: I definitely wanted to read all of the material in the various quotations and charts etc. that appeared on screen, but not infrequently they were whisked away before I could finish. (And yes, I went on to watch the Lutheran video, which was likewise quite engaging.)

Well done videos, I have been enjoying your channel. Could you do (or have you done?) a video on how evangelicalism lead to post modernism? You made a passing comment, I wish you could have expounded on.

Thanks for posting your sources

Thanks for info on Unitarianism. 4 times I jumped into Unitarianism, at widely different times in my life, each time eventually leaving with greater conviction of leaving.

3:24 I'm interested in learning more about this "Holy Goat."

Are you still in Burque? If so, then Hello! I grew up UU too, though this was in Wisconsin.

Nice reference to 3 minute philosophy. Almost forgot he existed.

When I was a kid, in the 70s, many, but not all Unitarian ministers were willing to conduct marriages of same sex couples.

Hey. Great video. I just want to add that aside from the Unitarian church there are some other groups that are also unitarian and that have no further connection to the Unitarian body discussed in the video. E.g.: Jehovas Witnesses for one. What these churches don't have in common with the Universalist Unitarian is that they are often a bit more exclusive and less universalist and probably not so progressive/politically involved. Obviously, all these other groups also use the same history of unitarian persecution in their historical narratives. I found the above video interesting because I was not aware of any of it (easy I guess if you're not American). I was only aware of the other unitarian groups such as the JW's, Christadelphians and such like (who also had their start in the US). I thoroughly enjoyed the historical video!

Regarding Lutherans, I was listening to a Lutheran sermon and the minister admitted that there has never been a Lutheran President yet.

The official at my first wedding (1967) was a Unitarian minister, who explained that Unitarians were Christians, but with some differencs. Nowadays, it seems like Unitarians aren’t necessarily Christian, or even Deist, at all. I don’t see the point of a sect that has no continuity in its core beliefs. Why pretend it’s a church if it is no longer?

I was also raised UU, and I found this fascinating. I recently learned that contemporaries Isaac Newton and John Milton were both anti-Trinitarians.

Fellow UU. Had very similar experience at Sunday school that you did. I also think that it was a hugely positive influence on my life, and am super grateful to have been exposed to so many different belief systems. I've thought about going back to a u.u church as an adult, but havent made it yet. I think if I had kids I would start attending again. I really do think exposure to different beliefs as a child is so important. Great video!

Good video. I learned a lot.

I think that there is a tendency for churches to drift from a centrist appeal to progressively more extreme views, losing membership all the way. Once a politically and theologically mainstream church drifts even slightly, it loses members opposed to the change, and attracts members with preexisting proclivity to the new direction. This causes progressively more extreme drift, and a decline in membership due to the smaller numbers at the tails of the bell curve. The ultimate fate may well be a church with extreme creeds and a membership of one.

6:00 "... his hime."? Yeah, I guess if a bunch of dudes was going after my princess, I'd be out too.

UU do not have shared religious beliefs but they do share common values, such as humanism.

@4:26 that's Christ Church Cathedral in Montreal! yeah I know you probably found stock footage, but still, just a few miles or so from where I live :P

Unitarians were big in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth from ~1560s to 1650s, when after the swedish deluge all protestants started to be persecuted.

The problem with unitarianism is that it doesn't inspire devotion, which makes being in that religion redundant.

Great historical video. But I found the cartoons distracting, except for the one about the Hubble telescope and the image of the bearded guy in the clouds. I liked that one.

People ask me what Unitarianism is, and the only good answer that I have been able to come up with is "the only dogma is that there is no dogma". Which of course is inaccurate, but it does sum up some of the core characteristics.

Excellent video.

I wish Jefferson had been right, at least in the sense that he intended at the time.

Can anyone explain what the motivation is for being a devout Unitarian Universalist is? If it's theologically empty, why organize? Why take time out of your week for it? Why pay tithes? Is it a social group? Or a political power disguised as a religious group?

Another great video by Cipher. Anyone know how I can get my own Cynical historian T?

Modern Unitarianism is about giving yuppies a place to go on Sundays...

Thanks! I'm a CUUPS member, and I never thought of the irony before. I see, though, that one God can be represented by various religions, under the leadership of what we perceive as multiple gods. The UU church must have wanted to provide a place to make all free-thinkers (making a journey from traditional ​(calvinism) feel welcome.

seriously, bugs needs to stay out of albuquerque. he always makes the wrong turn there. why's he go there so much anyways? what is he, on meth or something?

This is excellent. We're still here. (Rev Matt Smith, Unitarian minister, Suffolk, UK)

My family attended a Unitarian fellowship when I was a kid in the 1960s and early 70s. I hated it. Thank God, my parents didn't participate in the wife swapping. It was the hub for anti-war activism in our California town so it served that good purpose but it was certainly not centered around God. My mother, who taught Sunday school was told she could not mention God. As a young child I learned this important lesson from the experience: intellectuals are not always wise and parents are not always right

I know this is about America but the Transylvania connection is interesting and many UUs are aware of it. I'm a Quaker and regard UUs as on a somewhat parallel track. I've embraced Bucky Fuller as a Transcendentalist for the future and for our time. His great aunt Magaret Fuller was a prominent Transcendentalist.

Universalism started from the first century on through the 5th Century, the Apostle Paul was one of the main Church fathers who was a Universalist along with Origen. Five out of six schools of thought in the first five centuries were all Universalist.

Hey my dude I grew up in Atascadero/San Luis Obispo! I would go to my friends house in Grover at least once a week! That's crazy!

John 17:3 English Standard Version (ESV) 3 And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, AND Jesus Christ whom you have sent.

Proud to be UU! Proud to stand for human rights! Striving to be better person for living by UU principals.

It's a shame that in Germany Liberal Protestant Religion has never gained so much influence. We had Free-religous Congregations - only some have survived or transformed into Humanist Communities. Thank you for this Video!

Not to be a huge nit picker, but Muhammad’s dismissal of the trinity was predicated on the erroneous view that Christians considered Mary, God and Jesus as a single God head. He wasn’t invalidating the trinity under traditional Nicene doctrine

I have been a UU member for just over a year now. Learning about all of this was fascinating. Thank you!

I was UU too. Too progressive. It was like a political rally. No thanks!

this sect lives by the creed love thy neighbour out of most christianity bar the Quakers

I believe you're forgetting the early 1930s when many Unitarians decided to embrace humanism, which was then a new religion that discarded "superstition" (i.e. beliefs in the Virgin Mary and the Resurrection), sought to be rooted in science and more relevant to the times by emphasizing (liberal) social activism.

With the advent of the King James Version, the bible became more accessible to the common man in England. But despite this, it was the educated who took advantage of it and made it a point to read and study more deeply into it. As a result, it was discovered that the trinity doctrine was not something to be found in the bible. Many learned men came to appreciate this point and rejected it. This is why it was considered a growing idea among intellectuals in the late 1600s. Sir Isaac Newton was among these. Joseph Priestly was a chemist who began writing on the subject. He also rejected the idea of an inherent immortal human soul and believed that the first century Christians had to true faith and that any deviation from it was a corruption. His writings sparked huge debates not only in the church but even in the government. In 1791 a mob destroyed his home and lab causing him to eventually flee to America. He was followed by many others such as a man named Henry Grew. He was a Baptist Minister who was considered an intellectual who took time to study the bible as well on his own. After 4 years, we withdrew from the church along with many others. He went on to write many papers dealing with the unitarian ideas as well as on the immortality of the soul, and the false idea of a fiery Hell. This all came about because some honest men decided to actually examine the bible for themselves rather than listen to a preacher tell them the common idea's that supported a church. As time went on, more people, as you say, unitarian thought grew, became convinced that what they were learning was true. One group that didn't actually grow out of the unitarian idea's but was influenced by the idea of deep study of the scriptures, came into existence in the later half of the 19th century. Today you know them as Jehovah's Witnesses. They refute the trinity doctrine as well as the inherent immortal soul and hellfire. And unlike unitarians, they refuse to become politically involved in any way. While Unitarianism is mostly considered an English and later American patron, Jehovah's Witnesses have become an international organization with adherents in every country on Earth with the exception of 3. So in a way, Unitarianism, the idea of one God and one son as separate person, is still very much alive. Unfortunately the unitarian church known now as the Universalist Church has rejected the original idea's of study of the bible and it's teachings and now has become a very liberal movement advocating things that the bible condemns. by the way, I love your video's. Very informative and right on the money.

This is a very cool video. I was raised Unitarean Universalist. My great grandfather EW Marshall, was raised as the son of a Bapist minister. He went to Worchester Polytech, then went to work for Otis elevator to be the chief engineer for the construction of the original elevator for the Eiffel tower. my grandfather got his Phd at University of Florida to become a professor of Oceanography/Marine Biology. My aunt Terry met her husband at Harvard. He is a physissit named David Griffiths. A lot of the teachings of Unitarean Universalism is based on the idea of vortex based mathamatics. Nickolia Tesla stated if you understand the relationship between 3 6 and 9, you understand the foundations of the universe. This is the foundation of everything.

This was a great summary and very informative, thank you. Is there any particular reason that the Unitarian movement just kind of started losing adherents? The only reason I heard was that "spiritualism" was on the rise, but maybe I missed something else?

Great video. Interesting that I’m writing a novel about a Lutheran minister who is losing his faith and finds more meaning with the Unitarians. My novel’s tentative title is “Numinous”. How do I find Grant’s video??

I’m a proud Unitarian Universalism

I was extremely confused as to why you were talking about religion until I realized the title says "unitarianism," not "unicameralism"

So, if Unitarians don't really have a set belief system, how do they ordain ministers/chaplains/ or priests? Also, what is the difference between someone who is only a Unitarian, and someone who is only a universalist?