Unitarianism - School Paper

7/21/2019 Unitarianism - School Paper

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AL-AZHAR UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF LANGUAGES & TRANSLATION

DEPARTMENT OF ISLAMIC STUDIES IN ENGLISH

By: Yusuf Muhammad Abu-Aaliyah [class of

2016]

An Attempt toUndert!nd

Un"t!r"

!n"mPreented to# Pro$%M'!mm!d !(-L!)*!'


2/21

A(tr!+t#

The purpose of this research paper is to briey ide!tify the early

ori"i!s of #!itaria!ism$ its history$ decade!ce a!d re%i%al& The paperdisi!terestedly sheds li"ht o! the thesis of Muslim i!ue!ce upo! its

16th-ce!tury re%i%al as 'ell as the other mai! factors me!tio!ed i!

the literatures of medie%al (urope& The paper also discusses$ i! a

!utshell$ the beliefs #!itaria!s embrace a!d co!clusio!s they poi!t

to$ particularly from a! )slamic perspecti%e&

T'e Term "n ,r"e$

The term *#!itaria!ism* o!ce referred$ speci+cally a!d e,clusi%ely$

to a hristia! de!omi!atio! or a hristia! theolo"ical mo%eme!t& )t

'as populari.ed i! late 16/0s (!"la!d as a less peorati%e a!d

more descripti%e term tha! 3oci!ia!14 for hristia!s 'ho hold 5od

to be ide!tical to o!e a!d o!ly o!e di%i!e self$ the ather& 27%er the

last ce!tury$ ho'e%er$ particularly si!ce the ad%e!t of the #!itaria!

#!i%ersalist Associatio! i! 1861$ the mo%eme!t has tra!sformed

i!to a di%erse body i! 'hich there is "reat %aria!ce i! theolo"ical

opi!io!$ i!cludi!" !o!-hristia! theists a!d e%e! huma!ist4

atheists&9

3ome scholars 'ho belie%e i! Tri!ity reect calli!" !o!-Tri!itaria!s

as #!itaria!s because it alludes to a polytheist feature of their o'!

1So+"n"!n dero!tor"*) re$er to ! (od) o$ !nt"-Tr"n"t!r"!n C'r"t"!n "n Po*!nd$o**o.ed t'e $or+e$* It!*"!n t'eo*o"!n F!t So+"n /0123405678%

2St!n$ord En+)+*oped"! o$ P'"*oop')'ttp#99p*!to%t!n$ord%ed9entr"e9tr"n"t)9n"t!r"!n"m%'tm*:Ter

9An E;p*!n!t"on o$ Un"t!r"!n C'r"t"!n"t) 4 D!


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belief&Tri!itaria!s fre;ue!tly assert$ i! all co!tro%ersies about

Tri!ity$ that their doctri!e belie%es i! o!e 5odhead$ althou"h of

bei!" i! three separate a!d They e%e! cou!ter-attac?ed !o!-

Tri!itaria!s a!d accused Aria!s$ for i!sta!ce$ of polytheism$ as they

co!sider the Aria!6belief i! a lo'er deity of @esus tha! ather as a

separatio! 'hich !ecessarily carries the polytheistic mea!i!"& Thus$

they i!sist that$ despite bei!" three i! some se!se$ the di%i!e erso!s are

someho' also the same "od& By far the most popular strate"y$ ho'e%er$

i!%ol%es de!yi!" that ather$ 3o!$ a!d oly 3pirit are the same "od a!d

the! ar"ui!" that mo!otheism is secured by the special relatio!ship that

obtai!s amo!" the di%i!e erso!s&C

The term #!itaria!ism ca!!ot be i!tercha!"eably used 'ith !o!-

Tri!itaria!ism or a!ti-Tri!itaria!ism$ because it may lead to

co!fusio! 'ith sila!thropism$ 'hich additio!ally de!ies the %ir"i!

birth of @esus/$ a!d orn!* o$ T'eo*o"+!* Std"e= NS= Vo*% 1?= Pt 0= Apr"* @665 4 Po*)t'e"m !ndC'r"t"!n ,e*"e$%

/In fact, most of modern Unitarians and Unitarian Universalists do not believeeven in the virgin birth. But in classic forms in Unitarian movements, the virgin

birth was admitted by most Christian Unitarians%

8(%a!"elical aith a!d the halle!"e of istorical riticism D ays D hapter of Eir"i!Birth&


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T'e E!r*) Or""n o$ Un"t!r"!n Do+tr"ne

The doctri!e of Tri!ity 'as !e%er completely safe of harsh critics&(%e! a! absurd +lm cre' 'ould !ot mi!d deridi!" it rece!tly a!d

resembli!" the co!cept of *Three erso!s i! 7!e 5odhead* as a

*Feapolita! ice cream*10& But those critics also based o! dece!t

?!o'led"e a!d i!formed a!alysis throu"hout history& A!d the

#!itaria!ism had$ i! fact$ deeper roots i! the hristia! soil& 3ome of

these roots belo!" to the +rst ce!turies of hristia! history$ a!d 'e

are "oi!" to me!tio! them briey i! the follo'i!" passa"es&

irst of all$ there 'as (bio!ites$ 'hich 'as a@e'ish

hristia!mo%eme!t that e,isted duri!" the early ce!turies of the

hristia! (ra$ re"arded @esus of Fa.areth as the Messiah$ a!d

simulta!eously reected his di%i!ity$ a!d declared aul the Apostle

a! apostate11& Gater$ the follo'ers of Theodotus of By.a!tium$ a!

early hristia! 'riter$ embraced the same mai! doctri!es of @esuss

!o!-di%i!ity$ yet their beliefs 'ere co!dem!ed as heresy12i! the

early church& These thou"hts preceded comparable hypotheses

held$ later$ by Artemo!19of Home$ a!d aul of 3amosata i! the 9 rd

ce!tury&

10T'" " t'e End 4 Amer"+!n Mo

(e*"ee .! not God "%e% o$ t'e !me (t!n+e *"e

F!t'er= ! "n Tr"n"t) pr"n+"p*e or ! od "%e% ! e+ond "ndependent

od ! "n t'e d"t'e"m% In Adopt"on"m= >e .! t !dopted !

God on e"t'er !t '" (!pt"m= '" rerre+t"on= or '" !+en"on%See# ""ped"! 'ttp#99en%.""ped"!%or9.""9Adopt"on"m
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_Christianhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_Christianhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_Christianityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_Christianityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adoptionismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_Christianhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_Christianhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_Christianityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_Christianityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adoptionismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adoptionism


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Till the 9rdce!tury$ there 'as !o room for i!tra-faith di%isio!s

bet'ee! hristia!s& All of them 'ere oppressed by the pa"a!

Homa! (mpire& )t is the co!%ersio! of the Homa! (mperor tohristia!ity i! 912 'hich 'as 'a turning point in the history of

the Church's own development as in that of her relations

with the State.'1

By the thce!tury$ the cou!cil of Ficaea had to co!dem! some !o!-

Tri!itaria! !otio!s adopted by Arius 1>& Accordi!" to the latter$ @esus

'as created out of !othi!" before the 'orld be"a! a!d thus is !ot

a! eter!al bei!"& @esus$ accordi!"ly$ must ha%e had a be"i!!i!"$

a!d i! co!se;ue!ce he could !ot ha%e possessed the same di%i!e

esse!ce or substa!ce as the father16& Ariuss !otio!s established a

!o!-Tri!itaria! teachi!" ?!o'! subse;ue!tly as Aria!ism&

)! his Master de"ree thesis$ adel 3oleyma! i!troduces briey that

Aria!s$ some historia!s admit$ i!itially o%er-!umbered 7rthodo,

hristia!s& o'e%er$ this circulatio! could !ot sur%i%e for a lo!"

time& Ar" .! ! pre()ter "n t'e A*e;!ndr"ne +'r+'= .'o


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Fe%ertheless$ the Aria!s temporarily sur%i%ed$ held debates later$

a!d more tha! that they succeeded i! co!%erti!" o!sta!ti!e to

Aria!ism& % N% D% Ke**) 4 p% @2?
http://www.fromdeathtolife.org/chistory/trinity2.html#arianismhttp://www.fromdeathtolife.org/chistory/trinity2.html#arianism


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whenever he had the means in possession'1+.

)! spite of all these forms of suppressio!$ Aria!s later succeeded i!

carryi!" their doctri!es i!to se%eral re"io!s arou!d the old 'orld& '%heir

doctrines were carried into !frica in the fth century, under the

-andals* and into !sia under the oths, and also into Italy, aul

and Spain. In the commencement of the si(th century, !rianism

was triumphant in many parts of !sia, )urope, and !frica&.Yet$'

when the -andals were driven out of !frica, and the oths out of

Italy, by the arms of /ustinian, it sun$ almost at once.'10

Med"e

As a! or"a!i.ed church$ #!itaria!ism "re' out of the rotesta!t

Heformatio! of the 16th ce!tury (& )t 'as de+!ed a!d de%eloped$

%ariously$ i! +%e cou!tries: ola!d$ Tra!syl%a!ia$ (!"la!d$ Jales a!d

America& )! each of these re"io!s a!d i! spite of "ro'i!"

i!depe!de!tly from each other at the be"i!!i!"$ the churches later

i!ue!ced o!e a!other a!d accumulated more similarities&

)!itially a!d because of their !o!-Tri!itaria! set of beliefs$ ma!y

#!itaria!s had "o!e throu"h reli"ious persecutio! from both the

rotesta!t a!d the Homa! atholic authorities u!til 'ell i!to the

ei"htee!th ce!tury& Alo!"side 'ith other heretical mo%eme!ts$

#!itaria!ism$ e%e! i! its early phases$ 'as co!sidered a form oftreaso!& )t seriously challe!"ed the claim of rulers that their

authority came from 5od a!d tore at bo!ds of societal u!ity& )! the

12thce!tury$ they 'e!t throu"h rederic? ))s le"islatio! 'hich states

1/An A++ont o$ t'e Mot Import!nt !nd Interet"n Re*""o Eo'n!rner ,!r(er 4 p% ?

18A! Accou!t of the Most )mporta!t a!d )!teresti!" Heli"ious (%e!ts D @oh! Jar!er Barber

D p& /6


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as follo'i!":

&!nyone who has been manifestly convicted of heresy by

the bishop of his diocese shall at the bishop's reuest besei2ed immediately by the secular authorities of the place

and delivered to the sta$e. If the 3udges thin$ his life should

be preserved, particularly to convict other heretics, they

shall cut out the tongue of the one who has not hesitated to

balspheme against the Catholic faith and the name of

od.&45

A! i!famous case of this occurred i! 1>>9$ 'he! Michael 3er%etus$ a

3pa!ish physicia! 'ho ;uestio!ed tri!ity a!d belie%ed the u!ity of

5od$ 'as captured a!d$ o! orders of @oh! al%i!$ bur!ed at the

sta?e for heresy&21The moti%atio! of this i!;uisitorial cruelty 'as the

fear of letti!" heresy proceed u!chec?ed a!d that heretics 'ould

bri!" do'! o! the faithful a *di%i!e 'rath*$ 'hich could ta?e the

form of 'ar$ fami!e or pla"ue&

The later history of these "roups$ 'hich sou"ht to re%ise or reect

Tri!ity theories duri!" the Heformatio! era$ is ;uite comple,& )!

ola!d there 'ere 3oci!ia!s22$ austus 3oci!uss follo'ers$ 'ho

ourished u!til 1660 'he! its members 'ere forced by

"o%er!me!tal persecutio! to ee the cou!try& )! Tra!syl%a!ia$ the

#!itaria! reli"io! has also ourished till the death of Tra!syl%a!ia!

ri!ce @oh! Kapolia$ i! the 16thce!tury$ a!d "o!e throu"h a series

of co!ict 'ith other hristia! de!omi!atio!s29& )! (!"la!d$ later )!

mid-1Cthce!tury$ the (!"lish tutor @oh! Biddle$ 'ho 'as i!ue!ced

20T'e O;$ord H!nd(oo o$ Re*""on !nd V"o*en+e "n C'r"t"!n Tr!d"t"on 4 p% 002

21Ren!"!n+e !nd Re$orm!t"on= 0166-05@6# A ,"or!p'"+!* D"+t"on!r) - >oE*dr"de C!rne) 4 @660 4 p% 2@0

22A+t!**)= t'e) .ere d((ed So+"n"!n () t'e"r opponent%


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by his readi!" of the Fe' Testame!t a!d the! by some Gati!

'riti!"s of the olish #!itaria! diaspora2$ i!troduced 3oci!ia!ism to

(!"la!d& 7!e of his publicatio!s i! the subect 'as e!titled$

*o!fessio! of aith*& )ts 'orthy to me!tio! that he ear!ed$ due tohis %ie's$ oLcial parliame!tary co!dem!atio! a!d a decade-stay i!

priso!& 2>


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estimated to be C&000 adhere!ts2/& 3ome scholars try to "i%e a

pro%e! thesis about the #!itaria! rise i! the Heformatio! (ra& Jilbur

%ie's that the demo"raphic distributio! 'ould help e,plai!i!" it& e

states$ &6hen the 7rotestant 8eformation arose in )urope,the three free 'nations9 :as they later called themselves;,

the cial

arrangements were made for religious coe(istence # and

indeed, the east outdid the raubunden, most spectacularly in

the principality of %ransylvania which emerged from the

wrec$ of the old =ungarian $ingdom. %ransylvanian princes,battling to survive against both =absburgs and ?ttomans,

were an(ious to conciliate as many =ungarian nobility as

possible. @et the nobility were bac$ing a great variety of

religious belief, few of them from the discredited old

Church, and ranging from card#carrying Autheranism to a

startlingly open denial of the %rinity&

)t adds$ *!ccordingly, but e(traordinarily by the standards of the

time, the %ransylvanian iet decided that it was impossible to

reconcile the various factions and instead it would recogni2e their

legal e(istence&.53o a!ti-Tri!itaria! radicals i! their o'! Mi!or or

2/The Mo!thly Miscella!y$ Eolume > - (.ra 3tiles 5a!!ett D p& 29C

28"*(r 4 A H"tor) o$ Un"t!r"!n"m 0371

90Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years- Diarmaid MacCulloch4 p% 752
https://www.google.com.eg/search?es_sm=122&biw=1366&bih=677&q=diarmaid+macculloch&stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAGOovnz8BQMDgyUHnxCPfrq-oVFScU5aWXmeEqd-rr6BaXx2mYmWTHaylX5Sfn62fnlRZklJal58eX5RtlViaUlGflHbj65bV4POaGqvkZacN2FJxfnzj0UBaI-il1YAAAA&sa=X&ei=ZmkUVeb0NoLbaJqNgfgH&ved=0CIwBEJsTKAEwEAhttps://www.google.com.eg/search?es_sm=122&biw=1366&bih=677&q=diarmaid+macculloch&stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAGOovnz8BQMDgyUHnxCPfrq-oVFScU5aWXmeEqd-rr6BaXx2mYmWTHaylX5Sfn62fnlRZklJal58eX5RtlViaUlGflHbj65bV4POaGqvkZacN2FJxfnzj0UBaI-il1YAAAA&sa=X&ei=ZmkUVeb0NoLbaJqNgfgH&ved=0CIwBEJsTKAEwEA


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Aria! hurch e!oyed a more ope! life tha! a!y similar "roup i! (urope$

e,cept for their !ear allies i! Tra!syl%a!ia& Their stre!"th$ the author says$

'as particularly i! the east of the


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doctri!es embraced by #!itaria!s& )! the follo'i!" passa"e 'e 'ill

try to hi"hli"ht the u!commo! beliefs i! #!itaria!ism&

F"rt*)$ Most #!itaria! hristia!s are of the opi!io! that huma!bei!"s do !ot i!herit from Adam a rui!ed !ature$ that there is !o

tra!sfer from his "uilt made to me!$ i!icti!" upo! them a moral

i!ability that me! ha%e !ot bee! co!dem!ed as a race$ but shall be

ud"ed as i!di%iduals&

Se+ond*)$ @esus is !ot prese!ted to people i! scriptures$ #!itaria!

ar"ue$ as the 3upreme 5od or as a fractio!al part of 5odhead& )! a

more detailed 'ay$ #!itaria!s belie%e i! mai! di=ere!ces9bet'ee!

5od a!d @esus& As u!li?e 5od Jho is All-Jise a!d All-I!o'er$ @esus$

#!itaria!s suppose$ ust *"re' i! 'isdom* [Gu?e 2:>2]9>a!d had

limited ?!o'led"e as he did !ot ?!o' 'hat *ather* lo!ely had

?!o'! *about that 0 times i! the Bible$ but !e%er called

9,"(*"+!* Un"t!r"!n .e("te# 'ttp#99...%("(*"+!*n"t!r"!n%+om9!rt"+*e9e-+'r"t9d"eren+e-(et.een-od-e

9>*And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man".

96*But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only theFather".
http://www.biblicalunitarian.com/articles/jesus-christ/differences-between-god-jesushttp://www.biblicalunitarian.com/articles/jesus-christ/differences-between-god-jesushttp://www.biblicalunitarian.com/articles/jesus-christ/differences-between-god-jesushttp://www.biblicalunitarian.com/articles/jesus-christ/differences-between-god-jesushttp://www.biblicalunitarian.com/articles/jesus-christ/differences-between-god-jesushttp://www.biblicalunitarian.com/articles/jesus-christ/differences-between-god-jesushttp://www.biblicalunitarian.com/articles/jesus-christ/differences-between-god-jesus


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5od the 3o!4$ as they su""est&

F"n!**)=the scriptures$ i! their belief$ do !ot lay the emphatic stress

of hrists redeemi!" 'or? upo! his death$ abo%e or apart from hislife$ character$ a!d doctri!e& o!cer!i!" is e=ect of his death for

huma! sal%atio!$ it is throu"h its i!ue!ce o! the heart a!d the life

of ma!$ !ot throu"h its %icarious %alue 'ith 5od&9C

)t is 'orthy to me!tio! that there 'ere ma!y i!tra-#!itaria!

disputes& or i!sta!ce$ a 'ell-?!o'! debate 'as held bet'ee!

austus 3oci!us$ 'hose follo'ers 'ere later called 3oci!ia!s$ a!d

the u!"aria! #!itaria! ere!ic


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applied& A!d #!itaria!$ as ?!o'!$ has a "e!eral mea!i!" a!d sta!ds

opposed to Tri!itaria!& T'e e+ondare 3oci!ia!s 'ho o=er up adoratio!

to hrist& T'e t'"rd +*! o$ Un"t!r"!ncompromises of those 'ho

belie%e i! the pre-e,iste!ce of hrist$ a!d are fre;ue!tly ?!o'! by Aria!s&

Tolera!ce someho' used also to be a promi!e!t feature of

#!itaria!ism i! %ie's of ma!y historia!s a!d thi!?ers& )! his boo?

British #!itaria!s A"ai!st America! 3la%ery$


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and the neighbourhood of Boston'

This ratio!al te!de!cy i! #!itaria!ism e!ded up rece!tly i! a %ery

promi!e!t phe!ome!o!& A co!siderable sectio! of those 'ho claim to be

#!itaria!s are !ot hristia!s$ i! its traditio!al mea!i!"$ a!ymore& Most of

them are huma!ists a!d e%e! atheists& They ust co!sider #!itaria!ism

a!d its medie%al co!tro%ersies formed a seed of ratio!al reformatio!

a"ai!st the 3tereotype of church-ruled Tri!itaria! hristia!ity& This

%ariatio! made ;uestio!i!" 'hat #!itaria!s belie%e a %ery u!a!s'erable

;uestio!& #!itaria!s are less li?ely to ar"ue about such strictly

theolo"ical issues today& They !o' place more stress o! the

importa!ce of liberty of co!scie!ce i! matters of faith& Thus$ theearly theolo"ical mo%eme!t someho' e!ded up 'ith more ethical$

huma! te!de!cy&

M*"m Inen+e !nd Perpe+t"


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ma!y critics aLrm$ 'as i!ue!ced by Hisalat Al-5hufra! by al-

Maarri$ a!d Jasful-@a!!ah by )b! al-Arabi i! his 3o

both directly a!d i!directly$ )slamic ci%ili.atio!$ accordi!" to as-

3ibaaie$ 'as a remar?able factor i! (uropea! re!aissa!ce a!dtheolo"ical reformatio!s&

o'e%er$ co!cer!i!" #!itaria!ism$ 'e actually did !ot meet ma!y boo?s

su""esti!" that Muslims i!ue!ced$ or i!spired$ #!itaria!s i! a direct 'ay&

A sole boo? deali!" 'ith this poi!t is aru! Yahyas *rophet @esus: A

rophet$ !ot A 3o!$ of 5od*& Throu"hout the boo?$ there is a clear thesis

that Muslim co!!ectio! to (urope played a %ital role i! the re%i%al of

#!itaria! mo%eme!ts& Accordi!" to it$ #!itaria! cler"yma! @ac? C"


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and unli$e /udaism was not conned to one people. 6e might

begin any eDort to connect with Islam with thisJ ac$nowledge

that we share common historical ground in this intuition about

and understand of od's singularity. In the e 4 H!rn Y!')! 4 p% @@@


18/21

enemy. %he Christian e8 !"d# O C'"*dren o$ Ir!e*

or'"p A**!'= m) Lord !nd )or Lord Ver"*)= .'ooe


19/21

$or("dden P!r!d"e $or '"m= !nd t'e F"re ."** (e '" !(ode%

Qr!n 1#?@%

)! a!other place$ Qura! me!tio!s this co!%ersatio!:

O >e= Son o$ M!r)= d"d )o !) to t'e peop*e= T!e me

!nd m) mot'er ! de"t"e (e"de A**!' He ."** !)=

E;!*ted !re Yo It .! not $or me to !) t'!t to .'"+' I

'!


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istorically$ )slam$ despite of !ua!ces 'ith #!itaria!s$ has defe!ded them&

adel 3uleyma! me!tio!ed i! his thesis the letter rophet Muhammad had

se!t to aesar 'hich e!ded by the se!te!ce$ If you re3ect Islam, you

will be responsible for the sins of the !reesiyyen.' 3uleyma!

%ie's that the Arabic 'ord *Areesiyyee!* 'as a! e;ui%ale!t of the

'ord *Aria!s* 'hich ma!y oppressed #!itaria!s 'ere called by$ !ot

*peasa!ts* as usually tra!slated& e "a%e a dece!t e,pla!atio! of

Aria!s e,iste!ce i! ("ypt before the )slamic co!;uer$ a!d cited

ma!y ;uotatio!s by 7rthodo, hristia!s about Aria! support to

Muslims the!&The mai! source 'as *T'e C'ron"+*e o$ >o'n

,"'op o$ N""*$ 'hich is curre!tly tau"ht i! the formal 7rthodo,

hurch i! ("ypt&

)! the e!d$ some Muslim scholars still belie%e that hristia!ity$ as a!y

traditio!$ be"a! 'ith the pure teachi!" of 7!e 5od$ a!d the! it 'as

corrupted$ a!d the doctri!e of the Tri!ity came to be accepted&

Muhammad Ata #r-Hahim$ illustrates this corruptio! 'ith ma!y e,amples

cited i! his promi!e!t boo?$ @esus rophet of )slam& e %ie's that the

&many#gods viewpoint of the ree$ which largely contributed to

the formulation of the doctrine of the %rinity, together with the

gradual elevation of /esus by some, notably 7aul of %arsus, from

being a 7rophet of od to somehow being a separate yet

indivisible part of od&M& )! this )slamic perspecti%e$ the traditio!al

hristia! #!itaria!ism is still co!sidered the closest hristia! factio! to

)slamic theolo"y&

>9@esus: rophet of )slam D Muhammad Ata #r-Hahim D p& 2

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