Questions tagged [unitarianism]
Unitarianism is a Christian theological movement that believes that the God in Christianity is one entity, as opposed to a Trinity (tri- from Latin tres "three"). Most other branches of Christianity define God as one being in three persons: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Unitarian Christians, therefore, believe that Jesus was inspired by God in his moral teachings, and he is a savior, but he was not a deity or God incarnate.
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How do Biblical Unitarians reconcile Deuteronomy 33:26, where there is 'none like God' in the clouds, and Daniel 7:13, with the son of man in clouds?
Deuteronomy 33:26 is
"There is none like the God of Jeshurun, who rides the heavens to your
aid, and the clouds in His majesty."
Biblical Unitarians take Daniel 7:13 to be a Messianic ...
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Is the Unitarian Universalist Association really creedless?
My understanding is that the Unitarian Universalist Association has no creed, but its name suggests otherwise.
As a Unitarian church, are its members expected to deny the Trinity or Jesus' status as ...
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How do Biblical Unitarians, who deny the Son's pre-existence, understand Hebrews 1:2's "through whom He made the universe"?
Hebrews 1:1-2 is
1 On many past occasions and in many different ways, God spoke to our
fathers through the prophets. 2 But in these last days He has spoken
to us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of ...
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How do Unitarian see the Problem of sharing YHWHs Honor with the Son? Isaiah 48:11 and John 5:23
In Isaiah 48:11 we see that the Father YHWH does not share his Glory/Honor with anybody.
For mine own sake, even for mine own sake, will I do it: for how should my name be polluted? and I will not ...
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What is the difference between the way Catholics view The Blessed Virgin Mary and Unitarians view Jesus?
Reading chats and posts and such here with our BU friends I've noticed a thread that seems similar to the way Catholics view The Blessed Virgin Mary and Unitarians view Jesus. It seems like in both ...
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For Unitarians! Is the being at Genesis 16:10 who multiplied Hagar's descendants the same being who multiplied Abram's descendanst at Genesis 17:1-2?
Genesis 16:10, "Moreover, the angel of the Lord said to her, "I will greatly multiply your descendants so that they shall be too many to count." Vs11, "The angel of the Lord said ...
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This question is for Biblical Unitarians. Why does the "Shema" at Deuteronomy 6:4 use the Hebrew word "echad" instead of the Hebrew word, "yachid?"
Deuteronomy 6:4, "Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God, the Lord is one." If this all refers to a singularity than isn't it interesting that the Shema makes such a redundant statement?
I mean ...
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How do Biblical Unitarians interpret Isaiah 9:6?
Unlike Jehovah's Witnesses, BUs don't have a conception of lesser "gods". Given this, how do they interpret Isaiah 9:6, which calls Jesus the following titles:
For a child will be born for ...
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Do Unitarian Universalist churches acknowledge the possibility that the Quran may be the inspired Word of God?
Do Unitarian Universalist churches acknowledge the possibility that the Quran may be the inspired Word of God?
Wikipedia states the following, but I desire to know if Unitarians nowadays hold the Qur’...
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Was a Unitarian understanding of God present in the Early Church prior to 400 AD?
As we know, the Trinity is a doctrine that is not explicitly contained in the Bible. Of course Trinitarians would say it is present, but nevertheless it does require a lens of interpretation, so that ...
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Since Biblical Unitarians deny the deity of Jesus Christ how do they understand or explain 1 John 3:2?
1 John 3:2 from the NASB. "Beloved, now we are the children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him ...
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How do Unitarians understand the argument from God and love?
In this video from YouTuber Apologetics Squared (who has a fantastic channel, strongly encourage y'all to check it out), he makes this argument (I've reduced the video into a deductive argument):
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Biblically Unitarians claim "the Bible does not teach that Jesus is God." Then by what means do you know or have any experience with Jesus Christ?
The key to salvation is to "know" Jesus, "the Lord" of Matthew 7:21-23 and "the master of the house" of Luke 13:25-27. Apparently even calling him "Lord" and ...
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Is there a name for the position that Trinitarianism isn't necessarily wrong, but is theological speculation?
Although I think Unitarianism is a much more elegant explanation of what is happening in scripture, at the same time I'm sympathetic to Trinitarian claims that ultimately the nature of God is ...
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Does Unitarianism - as a whole - worship God as a Person?
Wikipedia - Unitarianism seems to suggest that there is no core belief regarding Deity, within what is called 'Unitarianism' :
Worship within the Unitarian tradition accommodates a wide range of ...
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According to Trinitarians, why didn't Jesus correct the scribe's use of 'Him' at Mark 12:32-33?
Mark 12:28-34 contains a back-and-forth between Jesus and a scribe.
28 Now one of the scribes had come up and heard their debate. Noticing
how well Jesus had answered them, he asked Him, “Which ...
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How do Unitarians interpret Zechariah 12:10?
I have poured on the house of David [...] And they have looked unto Me whom they pierced
Zechariah 12:10 (YLT)
(See also the Interlinear.)
Contextually, it is clear that these verses are God speaking ...
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Are there published testimonies from Unitarians about their experiences with the presence of the Holy Spirit?
Have any Unitarians experienced the presence of the Holy Spirit, possibly in a dramatic, life-changing way, and published a testimony in which they recount their experiences?
Note: this question has ...
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What is the Biblical basis for the belief that Trinitarian belief is “not” required for salvation?
What is the Biblical basis for the belief that Trinitarian belief is not required for salvation?
The Athanasian Creed states
"And in this Trinity, no one is before or after, greater or less than
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What is the standard term for views that aren't Unitarian?
When talking about views that aren't Trinitarian (such as LDS, JW, Christian Science, and so on) people often use the term 'Non-Trinitarian'.
Is there a standard term for views that are 'Non-Unitarian'...
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According to those who deny a pre-incarnate personhood of Christ, who or what considered/thought/accounted in Philippians 2:5-6?
Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: - Philippians 2:5-6
Various translations render "hegeomai&...
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How do Biblical Unitarians respond to translations of Hebrews 1:8 which have God calling the Son 'God'?
A typical translation of Hebrews 1:8 is
"But about the Son He says: “Your throne, O God, endures forever and
ever, and justice is the scepter of Your kingdom." (Berean Study Bible)
The 'He'...
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How do Biblical Unitarians respond to passages like 2 Peter 1:1 and Titus 2:13, which seem to call Jesus 'God'?
2 Peter 1:1 says
"Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who
through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have
received a faith as precious as ours" (...
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How do Trinitarians interpret Acts 2:22 in terms of St. Peter's beliefs?
Acts 2:22 quotes St. Peter saying
"Men of Israel, listen to this message: Jesus of Nazareth was a man
certified by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs, which God did
among you through Him,...
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According to Biblical Unitarians, who resurrected Jesus - the Father or the Son?
In John 2:19-22 Jesus tells the Jews that he will perform a miraculous sign by raising the temple of his body in three days.
"Jesus answered, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise
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How do Unitarians respond to quotations from Ignatius of Antioch that seem to show Ignatius believes Jesus is God?
Ignatius of Antioch is one of the Apostolic Church Fathers - one of 4 from whom we have significant writings (along with Pope Clement I, Polycarp of Smyrna, and Papias of Hierapolis).
Of the 4, the ...
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How would believers in Jesus' deity paraphrase 1 Clement 59:4, "Let all the Gentiles know that Thou art the God alone, and Jesus Christ is Thy Son"? [closed]
1 Clement is the only extant uncontested writing of Pope Clement I. It is generally dated to the 1st Century. Along with the Didache and Old Roman Creed, it is an early Christian 'dog that didn't bark'...
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How do Biblical Unitarians contextually explain Thomas' exclamation at John 20:28?
John 20:28 has Thomas saying
"My Lord and my God!"
For Trinitarians, this line is fairly straightforward - Thomas is recognizing that Jesus is not just Lord but also God.
How do Biblical ...
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How do Trinitarians understand Peter's response to Jesus at Matthew 16:16?
At Matthew 16:15-17, Jesus asks his disciples who they think he is, and Peter responds.
"“Who do you say I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ,
the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus ...
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According to Jehovah's Witnesses and Unitarians and all who deny that Jesus is the Almighty God, how can He be in you and live in you?
Colossians 1:26-27: "the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations; but has now been manifested to His saints. To who God willed to make known what is the riches of the ...
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How do Biblical Unitarians interpret Malachi 3:1-5?
Malachi 3:1-5 (ESV):
“Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you ...
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According to Trinitarians, why does Jesus glorifying himself amount to nothing?
John 8:54-55 has Jesus saying
"“If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who
glorifies me, he of whom you say, ‘He is our God,’ though you do not
know him. But I know him; if I ...
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What are the main differences between Jehovah's Witnesses and Biblical Unitarians?
What are the main differences between the two? I know that both reject the trinity and the divinity of Jesus, but that's about it. I'm particularly interested in knowing their doctrinal differences (...
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How do Biblical Unitarians understand what some theologians refer as the Kenosis in Philippians 2?
Philippians 2:5-9 describes the attitude of humility, love, and service which Christ Jesus possessed while on earth:
Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he ...
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How can Jesus be both root and offspring of David if he was only a man and did not pre-exist his incarnation?
There is a related question here: hermeneutics.stackexchange.com/questions/56196/…
We are told in various imagery that Messiah would come in the line of David and be a branch or rod that sprouts ...
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How do Biblical Unitarians interpret 1 Corinthians 2:10-14 with regard to God and the Spirit of God?
1 Corinthians 2:10-14 (ESV):
10 these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. 11 For who knows a person's thoughts except the ...
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Do Biblical Unitarians consider worshiping Jesus and/or the Holy Spirit as God to be idolatry?
Many Christians believe that Jesus is God (it's just a matter of realizing how widespread trinitarianism is, for example). However, there are Christians that go one step further and act on this belief,...
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How do Biblical Unitarians understand verses that appear to identify God (the Father) and the Holy Spirit as different beings/entities?
Here are a few notable passages (the list is probably not exhaustive - edits are welcome):
13 So if you, despite being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your ...
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According to Biblical Unitarians, is it theoretically possible for God to incarnate as a human and live a holy and humble life?
For Biblical Unitarians, and from a theoretical standpoint, can God make use of His omnipotence and free will to take on human form and teach us by way of example what it is to live a holy and humble ...
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How do Unitarians interpret the Great Commission (Matthew 28:16-20)
When Jesus told His disciples to baptize in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, I think that those who believe that God is a Trinity of Divine Persons see this as one God and ...
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According to Biblical Unitarianism does belief in the Trinity disqualify one from salvation?
According to Biblical Unitarianism does belief in the Trinity disqualify one from salvation?
*Note: this is not asking whether non-trinitarianism is true or whether a trinitarian baptism is valid but ...
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How do Unitarians explain Hebrews 1:10-12?
How do Unitarians explain Hebrews 1:10-12?
10 And,
“In the beginning, Lord, you founded the earth,
and the heavens are the work of your hands;
11 they will perish, but you remain;
they will all wear ...
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Is there a link between Socinianism and Sir Isaac Newton's conclusion to his Principia Mathematica (1687) where he attacks the Trinity doctrine?
This linked question What was Isaac Newton's view of the Trinity? was useful with the answer giving one quote from John Byl's article 'Newton and the Trinity' where Newton said that the great ...
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What bible translation did the Unitarians use in 19th century America?
I have been recently reading a lot of Emerson and through this reading I came to know something about William Ellery Channing (the Elder), who was the main voice of American Unitarianism in the 19th ...
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Why don’t Unitarians believe that Jesus Christ pre-existed before incarnation?
I want to ask this again but in a different context. In the context of unitarianism.
Why Unitarians do not believe that Jesus Christ is God
And why Unitarians do not believe in the pre-existence of ...
user6120
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What does Unitarianism think about Judaism?
As Christians know, the Christian sect called Unitarianism is very interesting. For example, Unitarians believe in one G-d, rejecting the Trinity. They stress the oneness and unity of G-d. Famous ...
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If the Holy Trinity is defined as three distinct faces, people or persons of God, does this not directly contradict the first commandment? [closed]
THOU SHALT HAVE NO OTHER GODS ON MY FACE.
One of the most common explanations I've seen floating around in the Internet is a picture:
It denotes the 'Godhead'. In my understanding, heads, and ...
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How do Unitarians understand these verses which seem to say that all created things were created by Jesus?
John 1:1-3: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has ...
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Are there any Unitarian Catholic Churches?
Preface to Question:
Weird question, I know that Catholicism's orthodox teachings are trinity, so this question is strange to me also.
Growing up, I was not raised catholic and believed that Jesus ...
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Do Unitarians believe in the same number of books? Do they reject certain verses?
I'm trying to understand how Unitarians view the Bible and specifically the NT.
Do Unitarians generally believe in the same # of books as Catholics/Protestants?
Do they simply re-interpret verses in ...
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