Cults

Lesson 8The Church of Unitarian Universalism

Unitarian Universalism

In this lesson, we move from "mind over matter" to Spock-like logic as we study the Church of Unitarian Universalism. (Can you say existentialism?) Originally based on an extreme Christian Theology, it drifted even further to the extreme, based purely on man’s thinking. This church, which once saw its numbers dramatically grow—then dramatically shrink—is once again on the rise. Appealing to the intellect and reason side of mankind, it will introduce a new twist to our study of the cults and world religions.

Get your research tools handy, and you might find the Internet extremely helpful, as well as Dr. Martin’s book, "The Kingdom of the Cults", and answer the questions below -- you may even have to do a Vulcan mind meld!

  1. Define the word Universalism.
  2. Who is most usually credited with founding the Unitarian Movement?
  3. What was John Biddle’s (1615-1662) contribution?
  4. What impact did Ralph Waldo Emerson and Transcendentalism have on the movement?
  5. What is "Humanism" and why is so important in the UU history?
  6. How many U.S. Presidents have professed being a Unitarian Universalist (UU)?
  7. How many U.S. Supreme Court Justices have been UUs?
  8. Does the Unitarian Universalist Church believe in the Bible and in the authority of the Bible?
  9. What does the UU Church teach about God?
  10. What does the UU Church teach about Christ?
  11. What does the UU Church teach about the Trinity?
  12. How is salvation achieved through the teachings of the UUs?

So, in this lesson, we have examined a religion that offers its followers the right to be their own god, to create their own definition of god, along with the "ability" to save themselves based on logical reason and religious tolerance. Man does not need God to be saved, as man can save himself. Furthermore, man does not have to limit himself to just one path to salvation; many are available—all of which of course runs completely counter to what God’s Holy Word and Christ teaches us.

Again, we see a focus on mankind’s actions in achieving salvation through "the mind," and a message that replaces God’s Holy Word with man’s fiction.

This church takes a unique approach, in that it appeals to intellectual people on the basis of logic and reason; and it teaches that man can develop a logical path to salvation based on his own intuition.

As Bible-believing Christians, we are challenged at every turn to know the truth and to guard the truth with all diligence. Christ tells us that He is the Truth, believe in Him and the Truth will set you free. I pray that our lessons in this study have helped you in this quest, and in the daily battle to keep God’s Word pure and in our hearts.

Please continue to pray that God will lead us to take what we’ve learned from these studies and use it to witness to the millions of lost and dying all around us. May He help us grow each day, as we continue together studying and working in His Kingdom.

Thanks again for studying with us.

In Christ,

Wes

[2019]

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