American Unitarian Association

American Unitarian Association
ClassificationUnitarian
PolityCongregational
RegionCanada, United States and Japan
HeadquartersBoston, Massachusetts, United States
OriginMay 26, 1825
Separated fromCongregational churches
Merged intoUnitarian Universalist Association (1961)

The American Unitarian Association (AUA) was a religious denomination in the United States and Canada, formed by associated Unitarian congregations in 1825. In 1961, it consolidated with the Universalist Church of America to form the Unitarian Universalist Association.[1]

The AUA was formed in 1825 in the aftermath of a split within New England's Congregational churches between those congregations that embraced Unitarian doctrines and those that maintained Calvinist theology.[2]

According to Mortimer Rowe, the Secretary (i.e. chief executive) of the British Unitarians for 20 years, the AUA was founded on the same day as the British and Foreign Unitarian Association: "By a happy coincidence, in those days of slow posts, no transatlantic telegraph, telephone or wireless, our American cousins, in complete ignorance as to the details of what was afoot, though moving towards a similar goal, founded the American Unitarian Association on precisely the same day—May 26, 1825."[3]

The AUA's official journal was The Christian Register (1821–1961).

Beginning in 1825 the AUA published "tracts" for free distribution[4][5] and in the 20th century "pamphlets" for free distribution.[6] The AUA also published books and several book series including The Devotional Library,[7] The Theological Library,[8] Memorable Sermons[9] and The Beacon Series: A Graded Course of Study for the Sunday School.[10][11]

Notable member congregations

See also

Citations

  1. ^ "Timeline of Significant Events in the Merger of the Unitarian and Universalist Churches During the 1900s". Harvard Divinity School Library. Harvard Divinity School. Retrieved 1 July 2014.
  2. ^ Youngs, J. William T. (1998). The Congregationalists. Denominations in America. Vol. 4 (Student ed.). Westport, Connecticut: Praeger. p. 127. ISBN 9780275964412.
  3. ^ (Rowe 1959, Chapter 3)
  4. ^ Search results: Tracts of the American Unitarian Association, archive.org. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
  5. ^ Tracts of the American Unitarian Association, Boston: American Unitarian Association, 1826. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
  6. ^ A List of the Free Pamphlets issued by the American Unitarian Association, Boston: American Unitarian Association, 1913. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
  7. ^ The harp and the cross : a collection of religious poetry, worldcat.org. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
  8. ^ The Altar at Home: Prayers for the Family and the Closet, Boston: Walker, Wise and Company, publishers for the American Unitarian Association, 1859, publisher's catalogue. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
  9. ^ se:Memorable Sermons, worldcat.org. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
  10. ^ se:Beacon Series: A Graded Course of Study for the Sunday School, worldcat.org. Retrieved 22 September 2021.
  11. ^ Edna H. Stebbing, Hebrew Beginnings: Old Testament Narratives, Part I, Boston: American Unitarian Association, 1909. archive.org. Retrieved 23 September 2023.

General and cited references

  • Rowe, Mortimer (1959). The History of Essex Hall. London: Lindsey Press. Archived from the original on 2012-01-16.
  • Wright, Conrad, ed. (1989) [1975]. A Stream of Light: A Short History of American Unitarianism (2nd ed.). Boston: Skinner House Books.

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