Who are the Unitarians?

The ‘Unitarian’ religion or movement is notoriously difficult to describe. It is a broad movement which encompasses many religious and spiritual paths. And yet it is not a blank space, there is a certain character or spirit which encompasses the Unitarian faith as a whole: a spirit of openness, of inclusivity, of thoughtfulness, and an unwillingness to give over our duty to decide what we believe.

Because what you believe matters. At an individual level your outlook or worldview shapes so much, it determines what you value and what you don’t, it shapes the kind of human being you are, and therefore the kind of world you want to see. Our worldview deserves close attention. If we don’t examine our beliefs, or our prejudices, we do ourselves a great disservice. This task of shaping our worldview is a sacred one, a special and exciting kind of adventure. In Unitarian places of worship we join together with others on that adventure, we enter together into a sense of the sacred, and explore this world of ideas, perspectives and traditions.

In coming to a Unitarian church, or chapel, or meeting house, you are in effect entering into an on-going conversation which has been unfolding in that space for many years, perhaps hundreds of years. Over those many years these conversations have evolved and shifted. This accounts for the various tones and flavours of Unitarianism throughout the country. Some places of worship have a more humanistic tone, some a more Buddhist centred tone, and some a more Christian tone.

If this is the first time you’ve heard of the Unitarians I invite you to come and join us on a Sunday, or dare I say a few Sundays. The only way you can really capture what our movement is about is to come and experience it for yourself. We look forward to welcoming you!