&
RELIGION
To laugh often and much,
To win the respect of intelligent people
and the affection of children,
To earn the appreciation of honest critics
and endure the betrayal of false friends,
To appreciate beauty,
To find the best in others,
To leave the world a bit better,
whether by a healthy child,
a garden patch,
or a redeemed social condition;
To know even one life has breathed easier
because you have lived,
This is to have succeeded.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Unitarianism traces its roots to 16th Century Transylvania, a separate
kingdom, where the people were ethnically Hungarian, where the radical
theologian, Francis David, converted the King of Transylvania, John
Sigismund, and much of the population to the idea of one God. Transylvania was a Catholic kingdom, at the beginning of the 16th century, as was most of Europe, but with the invention of the printing press and publication of the Bible, religious reformation came about with leaders like Luther and Calvin. Francis David was a prominent religious leader in Transylvania who was always questioning the established religions. In his lifetime he went from being Catholic, to Lutheran to Calvinist and finally founded Unitarianism when he became convinced that there was no basis for belief in the Trinity. He believed that "God is One" ("Egy Az Isten" in Hungarian) and that Christ should not have divine status. He was fortunate because the young king of Transylvania fostered a policy of toleration and open discussion of all religious viewpoints. After a debate in which Francis David emerged victorious against the established Catholic church, the king adopted Unitarianism as his own religion and issued his famous Edict of Torda, an Act of Religious Toleration and Freedom of Conscience. Unfortunately, the young king died just seven years later, and religious toleration continued only in theory-- Unitarians were allowed to practice their religion only as it was at the time of the king's death, and could not make any changes to the doctrine. In fact, Francis David was convicted of "innovation" and sent to prison where he later died. It is this precious freedom to think for ourselves which all of us UU's treasure, but which we take for granted, which had its origins 500 years ago with this remarkable man in Transylvania. We are his spiritual descendents, along with our Unitarian brothers and sisters in Transylvania and elsewhere.
OF
INSPIRATION
AND
HELL