|
Unitarianism is a religious movement that was organized in institutional form in Poland, Transylvania, England, and the United States. Its emergence is primarily the result of indigenous factors in each country. The separate movements had common characteristics: affirmations of the unity of God, the humanity of Jesus, and human religious responsibility, and rejections of the doctrines of the Trinity, the divinity of Jesus and human corruption or total depravity.Theological foundations for the view of God as a unity and for the humanity of Jesus are found in 2nd and 3rd century monarchianism and in the teachings of Arius (C. 250-C336) and his followers (Arians) both early groups of Christians whose doctrines were later declared heretical by the church. The modern roots of Unitarianism are traced to the 16th century Protestant Reformation, when certain liberal, radical, and rationalist reformers revived the Platonic emphasis on reason and the unity of God. Many such thinkers fled Italy during the Inquisition. Michael Servetus, a leading Neoplatonic Unitarian, fled to Geneva, where he was burned at the stake in 1553 by Calvinists for his denial of the Trinity. Servetus claimed that he returned to the faith of the apostles and the earliest Fathers of the church, who had never heard of this extraordinary doctrine. Servetus argued that there was nothing in the New Testament to contradict the strict monotheism of the Jewish scriptures. The doctrine of the Trinity was a human fabrication which had alienated the minds of men from the knowledge of the true Christ and presented us with a tripartite God. His beliefs were shared by two Italian reformers- Giorgio Blandrata (1515-1588) and Faustus Socinus (1539-1604). They did not believe that men and women were justified by Christ’s death but simply by their faith or trust in God. They did not even adhere to the traditional Western view of the atonement. In his book Christ the Savior, Socinus repudiated the so-called orthodoxy of Nicaea: the term “Son of God” was not a statement about Jesus’ divine nature but simply meant that he was specially loved by God. He had not died to atone for our sins but was simply a teacher who “showed and taught the way of salvation”. After the execution of Servetus, Blandrata and Socionus both fled to Poland and Transylvania where they established Unitarianism. Later on the movement started in England and U.S.A.The Unitarians believe in the Oneness of God. They honor the ethical leadership of Jesus without considering him to be their final religious authority. They also seek the guidance and inspiration of the great pioneers of religious insight of many cultures and various traditions.They believe that no religion- including their own- has exclusive possession of the truth. All ought to be honored and respected for the truths in them. The following of almost any religion can help a dedicated individual find a better and more meaningful life. They have always favored the study of world religious and have been influential in attempts to bring religious leaders together for dialogue and cooperation.The Bahá'* Faith is an independent world religion. With more than five million adherents residing in over 124,000 localities, the Bahá'* Faith is established in 204 countries across the planet. The spiritual principles of the Bahá'* Faith affirm its overall purpose--to bring about the oneness of humanity. In cooperation with these same principles, Bahá'*s also believe that there is only one Creator and that the spiritual truth of all religions is the same. From a Bahá'* perspective, The Bahá'* Faith is the most recent of the world's great religions. It forms the next link in a chain of important, divine teachings, a progressive revelation that places Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the Bahá'* Faith, as the Messenger of God for this age ------
|
What is the difference between Bahai faith and Unitarianism?
