Unitarian Universalist History Quiz

Answer: Transylvania

Ferenc David (also called Francis or Frances David) first used this name in 1568. (See the "Unitarian Universalist History in 8 Minutes" link at the bottom of the page.)

Answer: The Trinity

Unitarians rejected the belief that God was the father, the son and the holy ghost. Interestingly, this wasn't a required Christian belief until 325 CE when the Nicene Creed was adopted.

Answer: Hungary

Ferenc David was John Sigismund's court preacher, who influenced his conversion from Catholicism to Lutheranism to Calvinism and then to Unitarianism. This last change occurred in 1568, during his second reign as King of Hungary. In 1570 he assumed the title of Prince of Transylvania, the first to bear that title.
Unfortunately, after Sigismund died his successor rejected Unitarianism and David was thrown in a dungeon where he died a year later.

Answer: Boston & Philadelphia

Joseph Priestley helped found the Philadelphia church in 1796. Boston's Kings Chapel wasn't a Unitarian Church in name but in 1785 James Freeman convinced the powers that be to adopt Unitarian changes to their prayer book.

Answer: All people are saved.

Unlike most branches of Christianity, Universalists believed that all people would go to heaven. Universalism developed in the United States and from the beginning has reached out to marginalized members of society, which is reflected in modern U.U. churches' commitment to social justice.

Answer: 1961

Because "Unitarian-Universalist" is a mouthful, many people just call themselves "U.U.s" which can lead to some "funny" puns and acronyms.

Answer: Curtis Richards

John Dietrich was from the 20th century and encouraged an embrace of non-theistic religions. William Ellery Channing was a 19th century theologian who encouraged embracing other philosophies and religions. Joseph Priestley was one of the founders of the Philadelphia church in the 18th century. I made up the name Curtis Richards.

Answer: Spain

Neither Catholic nor Protestant churches liked his questions about the trinity. Servetus and Calvin corresponded until they argued over this topic. Calvin turned in Servetus (living under an assumed name) to the Catholic Inquisition in Vienna. After Servetus was convicted of antitrinitarianism and opposition to child baptism, Calvin requested that Servetus be beheaded as it was seen as a more humane death.

This request was turned down and some sources say the executioner used green wood - which would burn more slowly - to torture him longer before he died.

Answer: Boston

While "Cleveland rocks", it was not an early hotbed of Unitarianism.

Answer: Benjamin Rush

All of these men signed the document. Button Gwennett (great name!) was from Georgia, Rush from Pennsylvania, Hancock from Massachusetts, McKean (or M'Kean) from Delaware.

Answer: Olympia Brown

Molly Pitcher was a camp follower in the American Revolutionary War who took up arms when her husband was killed, while Deborah Sampson disguised herself as a man and fought in that same war. Edith Quails is a figment of my imagination (though she sounds as if she would make a nice English nanny).

Answer: False

The Universalists spread throughout the United States and Canada with Hosea Ballou leading the way.

Answer: Thomas Starr King

Starr King School for the Ministry in Berkeley, California is one of the few Unitarian Universalist Seminaries in the United States. Charles Spear worked for prison reform, Hosea Ballou spread Universalism in the United States and Edith Quails remains a figment of my imagination.

Answer: George Halprin

George Halprin is a figment of my imagination. Clara Barton was the founder of the American Red Cross. Samuel Gridley Howe worked to educate the blind. Dorothea Dix helped reform treatment for the mentally ill.

Answer: James Reeb

According to the UUA's website, "twenty percent of the denomination's ministers responded to Martin Luther King's call to march for justice."

Answer: 1996

Considering the number of same-sex couples in UU congregations, this affirmation happened a bit later than I had thought it did.

Answer: Henry Kissinger

Check out beaconunitarian.org for a huge list of famous UUs.

Answer: 1984-85

There is no Unitarian Universalist Bible or prayer book, but most U.U. churches have adopted these seven Principles and teach them to their youth.

Answer: "Service to organizations promoting social and economic justice"

The other principles are: "The inherent worth and dignity of every person"; "Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations"; "The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large"; and "Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part".

Answer: The chalice

The UUA tells the story of the chalice's creation. See the following link.