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Belief in one God may be traced far back into history. During historical times
Unitarianism has its roots in the lives of Francis David of Transylvania and Dr. Michael Servetus of Spain. Both
died in the 1500's at the hands of men who were religiously intolerant.
Our congregational polity places responsibility for our religion on the shoulders of its members through democratic
votes. We have traditionally been 'liberals' with a passion for seeking ways to further the causes of dignity and
worth for individuals, with a need to pass ideas through the fires of reason, and a love of discovering the richness
in our likenesses and in our differences rather than exposing and holding on to differences in a ways which can
divide.
As a movement we are nearly 500 years old, part of the Protestant Revolution. The first Unitarian church in North
America was started in Philadelphia in 1796, though we can trace longer roots to the church of the pilgrims who
settled in Plymouth in 1620. The church they founded is a Unitarian church. The first Unitarian congregation in
Canada was in Montreal in the 1830's with Toronto not far behind.
Unitarians and Universalsits merged in 1960. The Universalists had long believed in the basic goodness of both
people and God. For the two religions, the marriage has brought growth and challenge as, together, we work to expand
access to dignity and worth in this world.
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See also:
Eight Minute History
Online UU Document Library
Famous UUs Bios, Essays, and Letters
Notable Canadian Unitarians
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