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The Epic of Unitarianism
s/t: original writings from the history of liberal religion
This collection of writings spanning 400 years provides a rich portrait of early Unitarian thought.
This collection of writings spanning 400 years provides a rich portrait of early Unitarian thought.
176 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1957
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
August 10, 2024
A MARVELOUS COLLECTION OF WRITINGS OF UNITARIAN AND ANTI-TRINITARIAN WRITINGS,
Editor David B. Parke write in the Foreword to this 1957 collection, "This book is based on three premises about history---that it is exciting, that it is important for an understanding of the present, and that it is best told in the ORIGINAL WORDS of those who made it... what is more stirring in any age than the surge of freedom in a man when new truth breaks through or when conscience shows a more excellent way? It is my aim in this book to record these 'surges of freedom' in the original writings which they inspired." (Pg. xi)
He quotes 17th century antitrinitarian Faustus Socinus, "Q. Shew me how [the divine/human nature of Jesus] is repugnant to sound Reason, but also to the holy Scriptures. A. First, because two substances indued with opposite properties, cannot combine into one Person, and such properties are mortality and immortality; to have beginning, and to be without beginning; to be mutable, and immutable. Again, two Natures, each whereof is apt to constitute a several person, cannot be huddled into one Person. For instead of one, there must of necessity arise two persons, & consequently become two Christs, whom all men without controversies acknowledge to be one, and his Person one." (Pg. 26)
18th century Unitarian Charles Chauncy wrote of George Whitefield's evangelistic preaching, "Among the bad Things attending this Work, I shall first mention Itinerant Preaching. This had its Rise... from Mr. Whitefield; though I could never see, I own, upon what Warrant, either from Scripture or Reason, he went about Preaching from one Province and parish to another, where the Gospel was already preach'd, and by Persons as well qualified for the Work, as he can pretend to be..." (Pg. 52)
19th Century Unitarian Jabez Sunderland wrote, " All names that divide 'religion' are to us of little consequence compared with religion itself. Whoever loves Truth and lives the Good is, in a broad sense, of our religious fellowship; whoever loves the one or lives the other better than ourselves is our teacher, whatever church or age he may belong to." (Pg. 130)
This is an excellent, very broad and diversified collection, and will be of considerable interest to anyone interested in liberal/progressive forms of religion.
Editor David B. Parke write in the Foreword to this 1957 collection, "This book is based on three premises about history---that it is exciting, that it is important for an understanding of the present, and that it is best told in the ORIGINAL WORDS of those who made it... what is more stirring in any age than the surge of freedom in a man when new truth breaks through or when conscience shows a more excellent way? It is my aim in this book to record these 'surges of freedom' in the original writings which they inspired." (Pg. xi)
He quotes 17th century antitrinitarian Faustus Socinus, "Q. Shew me how [the divine/human nature of Jesus] is repugnant to sound Reason, but also to the holy Scriptures. A. First, because two substances indued with opposite properties, cannot combine into one Person, and such properties are mortality and immortality; to have beginning, and to be without beginning; to be mutable, and immutable. Again, two Natures, each whereof is apt to constitute a several person, cannot be huddled into one Person. For instead of one, there must of necessity arise two persons, & consequently become two Christs, whom all men without controversies acknowledge to be one, and his Person one." (Pg. 26)
18th century Unitarian Charles Chauncy wrote of George Whitefield's evangelistic preaching, "Among the bad Things attending this Work, I shall first mention Itinerant Preaching. This had its Rise... from Mr. Whitefield; though I could never see, I own, upon what Warrant, either from Scripture or Reason, he went about Preaching from one Province and parish to another, where the Gospel was already preach'd, and by Persons as well qualified for the Work, as he can pretend to be..." (Pg. 52)
19th Century Unitarian Jabez Sunderland wrote, " All names that divide 'religion' are to us of little consequence compared with religion itself. Whoever loves Truth and lives the Good is, in a broad sense, of our religious fellowship; whoever loves the one or lives the other better than ourselves is our teacher, whatever church or age he may belong to." (Pg. 130)
This is an excellent, very broad and diversified collection, and will be of considerable interest to anyone interested in liberal/progressive forms of religion.
March 5, 2012
This book is made up of small snippets of UU writings from ancient times forward. I found it generally unsatisfying, as the pieces were so small that there wasn't much substance to them. I would much prefer a large, multi-volume set of books that cover a wide range of thinkers that have influenced the UU faith to this short collection.
January 21, 2009
Required reading for Jon Luopa's UU History course at Seattle University.
July 30, 2011
The series of essays that makes up the Epic of Unitarianism is an easy read for the studious and those with great curiosity about the Unitarian tradition.
February 10, 2014
Nobody primary sources like the Unitarians primary source.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews