The Leader's Guide to Remember Universalism into Life

This publication was made possible through a grant from the New York State Convention of Universalists.

There are basic life questions for which humans seek answers and to which there are religious and ethical dimensions. Religions have posited answers to these questions throughout the centuries, and Unitarian Universalist faith practices have provided us with varying degrees of ability to find our own answers, and enable us to live our lives.

Participants will explore, through the Keynote addresses of the New York State Convention of Universalists, and historic Universalist statements of faith, ways to enable them to better answer these basic life questions.

The program thus offers an opportunity to understand Universalism's contribution to the Unitarian Universalist faith and an opportunity to explore one's own developing personal faith.

Each session is designed for a 2 hour time block. A time for a break and snack is suggested in the first session, and you may choose to include these in each of the sessions.

We suggest a team of leaders as this provides you with a greater ability to work with the different responses to the material, and to enable you to have a continuity of leadership if one leader needs to be away.

We suggest that you go through the entire program, and the reading before the sessions begin to familiarize yourself with all of the dimensions of the program. Newsprint, paper, magic markers, masking tape, a chalice, matches, a candle, pencils and/or chalk and chalkboard will be needed in most every session. We recommend that each participant have a folder in which to keep the handouts and writing from each session.

PARTICIPANTS WILL BE REQUIRED TO PURCHASE THE ADDRESSES AND TO HAVE READ THEM BEFORE THE SESSIONS IN WHICH THEY ARE USED.

Please be as flexible as you need to be in working with the suggested format and structure of the exercises. If you have fewer than 6 participants you may, for example, choose not to break into small groups for sharing. Some find the use of newsprint unhelpful, others find it very helpful; use your judgment after the experience of the first session. We have included several options for readings at the opening Chalice lighting time. Please use others if you choose.

The Participant's Packet is to be distributed at the time of registration for the class. In it we have included a brief history of Universalism, an overview of the program, a diagram of Universalist belief systems that are compared with Orthodox beliefs of the times and this Leader and Participant information page.

INTRODUCTION AND LEADERS INFORMATION ...................... i
OVERVIEW OF DISCUSSION SESSION ........................... iii
UNIVERSALIST HISTORY ...................................... v
BELIEFS-UNIVERSALIST VS ORTHODOXY, EARLY 1900'S ........... ix
SESSION ONE ............................................... 1
    FAITH, HOPE, LOVE: UNIVERSALISM'S RESPONSE TO LIFE
SESSION TWO................................................ 6
    UNIVERSALIST THEOLOGICAL HISTORY
SESSION THREE ............................................. 10
    UNIVERSALIST HISTORY
SESSION FOUR .............................................. 14
    SALVATION: THEN AND NOW
SESSION FIVE .............................................. 18
    EMPOWERMENT & MOTIVATION UNIVERSALIST STYLE
SESSION SIX ............................................... 22
    ETHICS: WHAT IS REQUIRED OF US
SESSION SEVEN ............................................. 26
    CHURCH: INSTITUTION & INDIVIDUAL-ON WHICH DO I RELY
SESSION EIGHT ............................................. 30
    REMEMBER UNIVERSALISM INTO LIFE

HANDOUTS
1. SESSION 1: BASIC LIFE QUESTIONS ....................... 35
2. SESSION 2: UNIVERSALIST STATEMENTS OF FAITH ........... 36
3. SESSION 3: QUESTIONS FOR PARTICIPANTS ................. 40
4. SESSION 3: MATERIAL FOR LEADERS ....................... 41
5. SESSION 4: QUOTES ON SALVATION ........................ 43
6. SESSION 5: QUOTES ON MOTIVATION AND/OR EMPOWERMENT .... 44
7. SESSION 6: STORIES & STATEMENTS OF ETHICAL UNIVERSALISM 47
8. SESSION 6: SYNOPSIS & HIGHLIGHTS OF TWO PAPERS ........ 49
9. SESSION 7: CHURCH/INVDIVIDUAL BACKGROUND MATERIAL ..... 50
10. SESSION 8: A RESPONSIVE READING FROM THE 1982 GEN.ASSY.52

Remember Universalism Into Life by The Revs. Raymond R. Nasemann and Elizabeth M. Strong

"In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries the Universalist view ...made great strides. In Germany many Universalist groups expanded and further defined the Universalist doctrine. In 1759 in England, James Relly published 'Union,' which denied the Calvinistic doctrine of salvation for the few and claimed that all would be saved.

"John Murray, a follower of Relly, helped deliver the Universalist movement safely to the shores of America. In 1779 Murray occupied the pulpit of the Independent Christian Church of Gloucester, Massachusetts, which was the first organized Universalist church in America. Twenty-six years later the movement's greatest exponent, Hosea Ballou, articulated Universalist doctrine in his book, 'A Treatise On Atonement,' which sought to prove the doctrine of the trinity was unscriptural, and argued against miracles and the view of men and women as depraved creatures who would burn in hell.
"In 1785 a Universalist convention adopted a Charter of Compact which eventually evolved into the Universalist Church of America."
by Gary Provost in UUA Pamphlet, A Brief History of Unitarian Universalism

It was during the Great Awakening of the mid to late 1800's that Universalism's message of universal salvation, no hell and belief in a loving God swept across New England out into Ohio and south to Georgia. It grew in response to the Revival Camp meeting theology of preachers like Jonathan Edwards and Charles Chauncey, who sought conversion of depraved sinners dangling over the pits of hell in the hands of an angry God. Universalist preachers declared there was no hell, all were saved, and God was loving and forgiving, not angry, and that humanity was worthy of salvation.

Important Dates in Universalist History
from Universalist Bicentennial Celebration Newsletter #2

225	Origen, one of the Church Fathers, writes On First Principles, advocating a belief in universal salvation.
544	Belief in universal salvation proclaimed as a heresy by church council.
1315	The Lollards maintain a belief in universal salvation.
1637	Samuel Gorton, a pioneer of Christian Universalism, driven out of Massachusetts for his political and religious radicalism.
1703	Birth of George de Benneville, one of the leaders of American Universalism in London, England.
1740	High point of the Great Awakening (whose emotional excesses stimulated a desire for a more rational religion).
1741	John Murray, one of the leaders of American Universalism, born in Alton, England.
1741	de Benneville emigrates to Pennsylvania
1743	Christopher Sower, a Universalist Quaker, with the assistance of George de Benneville, prints the first Bible in America translated into the German language. Passages supporting the universal character of religion published in bold typeface.
1750	In England, James Relly establishes himself as an independent preacher of the doctrine of universal salvation.
1759	Union, a theological treatise on universal salvation by Relly, is published in London.
1770	John Murray arrives at Good Luck on Barnegat Bay, New Jersey. On September 30, Murray preaches his first sermon in America in the meeting house of farmer Thomas Potter.
1771	Birth of Hosea Ballou, great Universalist theologian, in Richmond, New Hampshire
1774	John Murray preaches in Gloucester, Massachusetts.
1778	Caleb Rich organizes the General Society (Universalist) to ordain ministers and issue preaching licenses.
1779	Gloucester Universalists organize the first Universalist Church in America.
1785	The first Universalist convention with delegates from churches held in Oxford, Massachusetts.
1786	Gloucester Universalists win the right not to be taxed by the state to support the established church.
1788	Murray wins the right for Universalists and other dissenting ministers to be recognized as ordained ministers with authority to perform marriages.
1790	The Philadelphia Convention of Universalists adopts a declaration of faith and a set of principles of social reform.
1793	General Convention of Universalists organized on September 4th at Oxford, Massachusetts, which under different names, continued down to the merger with the Unitarians in 1961.
1803	Winchester Profession of Faith adopted by Universalists at Winchester, New Hampshire.
1805	Hosea Ballou writes A Treatise On Atonement, a defense of universal salvation and also the first book published in America openly rejecting the doctrine of the Trinity.
1811	Maria Cook, generally considered the first woman to preach in Universalist pulpits, begins her work.
1819	The Universalists begin publishing a weekly paper under the name of The Universalist Magazine, which later became The Christian Leader. It has been published continuously until succeeded by the UU World.
1841	Adin Ballou founded the utopian Hopedale Community.
1843	A Universalist church established in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
1847	The Universalist General Reform Association is organized.
1852	Tufts College (now University), including Crane Theological School, is founded by Universalists at Medford, Massachusetts.
1856	Saint Lawrence University and Theological School founded by Universalists at Canton, New York.
1856	Children's Sunday started by the Universalist Church in Chelsea, Massachusetts.
1863	Ordination of Olympia Brown, first woman to be ordained by a denomination.
1869	Women's Centenary Association formed, later called the Association of University Women.
1870	Centennial celebration of Universalist church held in Gloucester, Massachusetts.
1884	Richard Eddy publishes his two volume history,
1886	Universalism In America.
1889	Joseph H. Jordan fellowshipped with the Universalists as the first black Universalist minister.
1889	Young People's Christian Union formed (later called the Universalist Youth Fellowship).
1890	Universalists begin a mission to Japan.
1891	Orello Cone became the foremost Universalist Biblical Scholar with the publication of his Gospel-Criticism and Historical Christianity.
1898	Isaac Morgan Atwood became the first General Superintendent of the Universalist Church.
1899	The Boston Declaration adopted at Boston, Massachusetts.
1904	Joseph Fletcher Jordan became the third fellowshipped black minister, and subsequently founded Jordan Neighborhood House in Norfolk, Virginia.
1913	The General Sunday School Association organized in Utica, New York.
1917	The Universalist General Convention adopts a Declaration of Social Principles written by Clarence R. Skinner.
1921	Universalist women acquire Clara Barton homestead and develop it into a camp for diabetic girls.
1935	Statement of Faith adopted by Universalists at Washington, D.C. called Bond of Fellowship
1945	The Universalist Service Committee organized.
1953	Liberal Religious Youth formed from a merger of the Universalist and Unitarian youth organizations.
1955	The Council of Liberal Churches organized merging the departments of publication, education and public relations of the Universalist and Unitarian Denominations.
1956	The Commission on Merger formed to examine feasibility of merging the two denominations.
1961	The Universalist Church of America and the American Unitarian Association officially consolidate and become the Unitarian Universalist Association.

The Leaders Guide to REMEMBER UNIVERSALISM INTO LIFE

The Leaders Guide to
REMEMBER UNIVERSALISM INTO LIFE