The General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches (GAUFCC or colloquially British Unitarians) is the

umbrella organisation An umbrella organization is an association of (often related, industry-specific) institutions who work together formally to coordinate activities and/or pool resources. In business, political, and other environments, it provides resources and iden ...

for Unitarian, Free Christians, and other liberal religious congregations in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

and

Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...

. It was formed in 1928, with denominational roots going back to the

Great Ejection The Great Ejection followed the Act of Uniformity 1662 in England. Several thousand Puritan ministers were forced out of their positions in the Church of England following the Restoration of Charles II. It was a consequence (not necessarily ...

of 1662. Its headquarters is Essex Hall in

central London Central London is the innermost part of London, in England, spanning the City of London and several boroughs. Over time, a number of definitions have been used to define the scope of Central London for statistics, urban planning and local gove ...

, on the site of the first avowedly Unitarian chapel in England, set up in 1774. The GAUFCC brought together various strands and traditions besides

Unitarianism Unitarianism () is a Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian sect of Christianity. Unitarian Christians affirm the wikt:unitary, unitary God in Christianity, nature of God as the singular and unique Creator deity, creator of the universe, believe that ...

, including

English Presbyterianism Presbyterianism in England is practised by followers of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism who practise the Presbyterian form of church government. Dating in England as a movement from 1588, it is distinct from Continental and Scotti ...

General Baptist General Baptists, also called Arminian Baptists, are Baptists that hold to the doctrine of general atonement (belief that Jesus Christ died for all humanity and not only for the elect). General Baptist soteriology initially was not Arminian, bu ...

Methodism Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a Protestant Christianity, Christian Christian tradition, tradition whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's brother ...

Liberal Christianity Liberal Christianity, also known as liberal theology and historically as Christian modernism (see Catholic modernism and fundamentalist–modernist controversy), is a movement that interprets Christian teaching by prioritizing modern knowle ...

Christian Universalism Christian universalism is a school of Christian theology focused around the doctrine of universal reconciliation – the view that all human beings will ultimately be saved and restored to a right relationship with God. "Christian universalism" ...

, Religious Humanism, and

Unitarian Universalism Unitarian Universalism (abbreviated UUism or UU) is a liberal religious tradition characterized by its commitment to theological diversity, inclusivity, and social justice. Unitarian Universalists do not adhere to a single creed or doctrine. I ...

. Unitarians are now an open-faith community celebrating diverse beliefs; some of its members would describe themselves as Buddhists, Pagans, or Jewish, while many others are humanists, agnostics, or atheists.

History

Early Modern Britain

Christopher Hill states that ideas such as anti-Trinitarianism, which scholars trace back to ancient times, were an integral part of "the lower-class heretical culture which burst into the open in the 16th century". The cornerstones of this culture were

anti-clericalism Anti-clericalism is opposition to clergy, religious authority, typically in social or political matters. Historically, anti-clericalism in Christian traditions has been opposed to the influence of Catholicism. Anti-clericalism is related to secul ...

(opposition to the power of the Church) and a strong emphasis on biblical study, but there were specific heretical doctrines that had "an uncanny persistence". In addition to anti-Trinitarianism, there was a rejection of

predestination Predestination, in theology, is the doctrine that all events have been willed by God, usually with reference to the eventual fate of the individual soul. Explanations of predestination often seek to address the paradox of free will, whereby Go ...

and an embrace of

millenarianism Millenarianism or millenarism () is the belief by a religious, social, or political group or movement in a coming fundamental transformation of society, after which "all things will be changed". Millenarianism exists in various cultures and re ...

, mortalism, and

hermeticism Hermeticism, or Hermetism, is a philosophical and religious tradition rooted in the teachings attributed to Hermes Trismegistus, a syncretism, syncretic figure combining elements of the Greek god Hermes and the Egyptian god Thoth. This system e ...

. Such ideas became "commonplace to 17th century Baptists,

Levellers The Levellers were a political movement active during the English Civil War who were committed to popular sovereignty, extended suffrage, equality before the law and religious tolerance. The hallmark of Leveller thought was its populism, as sh ...

Diggers The Diggers were a group of religious and political dissidents in England, associated with a political ideology and programme resembling what would later be called agrarian socialism.; ; ; Gerrard Winstanley and William Everard (Digger), Will ...

, Seekers, … early

Quakers Quakers are people who belong to the Religious Society of Friends, a historically Protestantism, Protestant Christian set of Christian denomination, denominations. Members refer to each other as Friends after in the Bible, and originally ...

and other radical groupings which took part in the free-for-all discussions of the

English Revolution The English Revolution is a term that has been used to describe two separate events in English history. Prior to the 20th century, it was generally applied to the 1688 Glorious Revolution, when James II was deposed and a constitutional monarc ...

". After the restoration of the Stuart monarchy and the resulting

Act of Uniformity 1662 The Act of Uniformity 1662 ( 14 Cha. 2. c. 4) is an act of the Parliament of England. (It was formerly cited as 13 & 14 Cha. 2. c. 4, by reference to the regnal year when it was passed on 19 May 1662.) It prescribed the form of public prayer ...

, about 2,000 ministers left the established

Church of England The Church of England (C of E) is the State religion#State churches, established List of Christian denominations, Christian church in England and the Crown Dependencies. It is the mother church of the Anglicanism, Anglican Christian tradition, ...

(the

). Following the

Act of Toleration 1689 The Toleration Act 1688 ( 1 Will. & Mar. c. 18), also referred to as the Act of Toleration or the Toleration Act 1689, was an act of the Parliament of England. Passed in the aftermath of the Glorious Revolution, it received royal assent on 24 ...

, many of these ministers preached in non-conforming congregations. The modern Unitarian denomination's origins lay within this group of Protestants, the English Presbyterians, who were reluctant to become

Dissenters A dissenter (from the Latin , 'to disagree') is one who dissents (disagrees) in matters of opinion, belief, etc. Dissent may include political opposition to decrees, ideas or doctrines and it may include opposition to those things or the fiat of ...

. However, by the late 18th century, the influx of

congregations to the denomination established a direct lineage to this radical milieu—although by now, much of the heretical culture stigma no longer existed.

19th century

Until the passing of the Unitarian Relief Act in 1813, it was a criminal offence to deny the doctrine of the Trinity. By 1825 a new body, the British and Foreign Unitarian Association, itself an amalgamation of three previous societies, was set up to co-ordinate denominational activities. However, there was a setback in 1837 when "the Presbyterian / Unitarian members were forced to withdraw from the General Body of Protestant Ministers which, for over a century, had represented the joint interests of the old established nonconformist groups in and around London". Around this time Presbyterian / Unitarian opinion was once again divided about how far the denomination should be associated with the label 'Unitarian'.

James Martineau James Martineau (; 21 April 1805 – 11 January 1900) was a British Christian philosophy, religious philosopher influential in the history of Unitarianism. He was the brother of the atheist social theory, social theorist, abolitionist Harriet M ...

, a Presbyterian minister formerly based in

Liverpool Liverpool is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. It is situated on the eastern side of the River Mersey, Mersey Estuary, near the Irish Sea, north-west of London. With a population ...

, pleaded for a 'warmer' religion than the 'critical, cold and untrusting' Unitarianism of his day. In 1881 he helped to found the National Conference of Unitarian, Liberal Christian, Free Christian, Presbyterian and other Non-Subscribing or Kindred Congregations—"a triumph, one might say, of Victorian verbosity. But the length of the name reflected the breadth of Martineau's vision".Goring, J & R (1984), ''The Unitarians'', p. 24 Thus, from 1881 to the establishment of the GAUFCC, the denomination consisted of "two overlapping circles, one labelled 'Unitarian' and eager for organisation and propaganda, the other rejecting labels and treasuring comprehensiveness. Each side had its own college, its own newspaper and its own hymn book".

Present day

By 1928 these two "overlapping circles" had been reconciled in the same organisation: the GAUFCC. Over time the organisation has come to embrace a wider theological and philosophical diversity. "At one extreme are the 'Free Christians' who wish to remain part of the Church Universal; at the other are those who wish to move beyond Christianity''. The congregations of GAUFCC contain members who hold diverse opinions. Indeed, Unitarians are able to embrace and gain insights from the great world religions, philosophies, arts and modern sciences. The Unitarian Church does not follow one particular set of rules; owing to this, most Protestant denominations and Catholic dioceses do not recognise the baptisms or marriages it performs. The official name is used on formal occasions, but in general use the organisation refers to itself and its members simply as Unitarian; the website URL is unitarian.org.uk, and the BBC religion page reflects this. The denomination supports same sex marriage.

Member churches

Many churches are architecturally significant and are

listed building In the United Kingdom, a listed building is a structure of particular architectural or historic interest deserving of special protection. Such buildings are placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Hi ...

s, often in the style known as Dissenting Gothic. Other churches have made a mark on public life, with historically significant members of the congregation or ministers. Either of these types may have a Wikipedia article.

Current churches

The General Assembly counts about 182 churches as members, including: * Billingshurst Unitarian Chapel, 1754, West Sussex * Brighton Unitarian Church, 1820, built by

Amon Henry Wilds Amon Henry Wilds (1784 or 1790 – 13 July 1857) was an English architect. He was part of a team of three architects and builders who—working together or independently at different times—were almost solely responsible for a surge in resi ...

* Brixton Unitarian Church * Brook Street Chapel, Knutsford, Cheshire * Brookfield Unitarian Church, Gorton, Manchester * Bury Unitarian Church, in

Bury, Greater Manchester Bury (, ) is a market town on the River Irwell in the Metropolitan Borough of Bury, Greater Manchester, England. which had a population of 81,101 in 2021 while the wider borough had a population of 193,846. The town was originally part of the ...

* Chowbent Chapel, in

Atherton, Greater Manchester Atherton () is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan in Greater Manchester, England and Historic counties of England, historically part of Lancashire. The town, including Hindsford, Howe Bridge and Hag Fold railway station, Hag Fold, is ...

* Cross Street Chapel, Manchester * Cambridge Unitarian Church (Memorial Church), Cambridgeshire * Croydon Unitarian Church * Dean Row Chapel, Wilmslow, Cheshire * Essex Church, the first Unitarian church in England, moved in 1880s from central London to Kensington * Frenchay Chapel, Frenchay Common, Frenchay Bristol * Fulwood Old Chapel, in Sheffield * Gellionnen Chapel, near Swansea * Great Meeting Unitarian Chapel, Leicester * Hastings Unitarian Church * Horsham Unitarian Church * Kendal Unitarian Chapel, Cumbria * King Edward Street Chapel, Macclesfield, Cheshire * Meadrow Unitarian Chapel, Godalming * Mill Hill Chapel, on

Leeds City Square City Square is a paved area north of Leeds railway station at the junction of Park Row, Leeds, Park Row to the east and Wellington Street to the south. It is a triangular area where six roads meet: Infirmary Street and Park Row to the north, Boa ...

* New Chapel, Denton * Unitarian Meeting House, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire *

Newington Green Unitarian Church Newington Green Unitarian Church is one of England's oldest Unitarian churches, located on Newington Green, north London. The site has maintained strong ties to progressive political and religious causes for over 300 years, and is London's old ...

, North London * Norcliffe Chapel, Styal, Cheshire * Nottage General Baptist & Unitarian Church near

Porthcawl Porthcawl () is a town and community in the Bridgend County Borough of Wales. It is located on the south coast, west of Cardiff and south-east of Swansea. Historically part of Glamorgan and situated on a low limestone headland on the South ...

* Octagon Chapel, Norwich * Richmond and Putney Unitarian Church * Rivington Unitarian Chapel, in Lancashire *

Rosslyn Hill Unitarian Chapel The Rosslyn Hill Unitarian Chapel is a place of worship in Hampstead, London. It is a member of the General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches, the umbrella organisation for British Unitarians. It is also a Grade II Listed buildin ...

, Hampstead, North London; one of the biggest congregations nationally * Shrewsbury Unitarian Church * Taunton Unitarian Chapel * Todmorden Unitarian Church, in

West Yorkshire West Yorkshire is a Metropolitan counties of England, metropolitan and Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It borders North Yorkshire to the north and east, South Yorkshire and De ...

* Toxteth Unitarian Chapel, in Liverpool * UMB (Unitarian Meeting Bristol) Brunswick Square, Cabot Circus, Bristol City Centre, Bristol * Underbank Chapel, Sheffield * Ullet Road Unitarian Church, Liverpool * Unitarian Meeting House, Ipswich * Upper Chapel, Sheffield * Westgate Unitarian Chapel, Wakefield *

York Unitarian Chapel York Unitarian Chapel is a building on St. Saviourgate, York, England. It is a member of the General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches, the umbrella organisation for British Unitarians. It is in the form of a Greek cross and ...

Previous churches

Some Unitarian church buildings are now used for other purposes: * Wallasey Memorial Unitarian Church, on the

Wirral Peninsula The Wirral Peninsula (), known locally as the Wirral, is a peninsula in North West England. The roughly rectangular peninsula is about long and wide, and is bounded by the Dee Estuary to the west, the Mersey Estuary to the east, and Liverpo ...

, now under the care of the Historic Chapels Trust * Upper Brook Street Chapel, Manchester, as of 2017

student accommodation A dormitory (originated from the Latin word ''dormitorium'', often abbreviated to dorm), also known as a hall of residence, a residence hall (often abbreviated to halls), or a hostel, is a building primarily providing sleeping and residential qu ...

* Lewin's Mead Unitarian meeting house in Bristol, converted to offices in 1987 * New Meeting House, Moor Street, Birmingham, (rebuilt after the Priestley Riots burned down the old one), since 1862 St Michael's Catholic Church * High Pavement Chapel, Nottingham, now a pub * Platt Chapel, in

Fallowfield Fallowfield is a bustling area of Manchester with a population of 14,869 at the United Kingdom Census 2021, 2021 census. Historic counties of England, Historically in Lancashire, it lies south of Manchester city centre and is bisected east&n ...

, Manchester Other church buildings have gone, but their congregations moved or merged with neighbours: * Church of the Saviour, Birmingham, which launched the political career of

Joseph Chamberlain Joseph Chamberlain (8 July 1836 – 2 July 1914) was a British statesman who was first a radical Liberal Party (UK), Liberal, then a Liberal Unionist after opposing home rule for Ireland, and eventually was a leading New Imperialism, imperial ...

* Church of the Messiah, Birmingham, built over a canal * Hope Street Unitarian Chapel, halfway between the Anglican and Catholic Cathedrals of Liverpool; demolished 1962 * Octagon Chapel, Liverpool * Renshaw Street Unitarian Chapel, Liverpool

Those mentioned in articles

The following place articles mention the presence of their Unitarian churches: *

Belper Belper () is a town and civil parish in the local government district of Amber Valley in Derbyshire, England, located about north of Derby on the River Derwent. Along with Belper, the parish includes the village of Milford and the hamlets ...

, Derbyshire (1788) * Bessels Green, in Sevenoaks, Kent * Crewkerne, in Somerset *

Gateacre Gateacre (; ) is a suburb of Liverpool, England, located approximately south of the city centre. It is bordered by the suburbs of Belle Vale, Childwall, and Woolton. The area is noted for its Tudor Revival architecture and contains over 100 l ...

, Liverpool (1700) *

Little Horton Little Horton (population 17,368 – United Kingdom Census 2001, 2001 UK census) is a Ward (politics), ward in the City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council in the county of West Yorkshire, England, named after the de Horton family, who ...

, in Bradford *Monton Unitarian Church in

Eccles, Greater Manchester Eccles () is a market town in the City of Salford in Greater Manchester, England, west of Salford, Greater Manchester, Salford and west of Manchester, split by the M602 motorway and bordered by the Manchester Ship Canal to the south. The t ...

** Grade II* listed buildings in Greater Manchester lists Brookfield, Monton, and Chowbent *

Stalybridge Stalybridge () is a town in Tameside, Greater Manchester, England. At the 2021 United Kingdom census, 2021 census, it had a population of 26,830. Historic counties of England, Historically divided between Cheshire and Lancashire, it is east o ...

, near Manchester * Trim Street, Bath, 1795 *Westgate Chapel, in

Lewes Lewes () is the county town of East Sussex, England. The town is the administrative centre of the wider Lewes (district), district of the same name. It lies on the River Ouse, Sussex, River Ouse at the point where the river cuts through the Sou ...

, East Sussex

Affiliations

The British Unitarians are a member of the

International Council of Unitarians and Universalists The International Council of Unitarians and Universalists (ICUU) was an umbrella organization founded in 1995 comprising many Unitarian, Universalist, and Unitarian Universalist organizations. It was dissolved in 2021 along with the Unitaria ...

and of the European Liberal Protestant Network. The

Non-subscribing Presbyterian Church of Ireland The Non-subscribing Presbyterian Church of Ireland is a non-creedal Christian denomination, which maintains a great emphasis on individual conscience in matters of Christian faith. Today, the denomination has thirty-four congregations (thirty-thre ...

maintains an Accord with the GAUFCC. In addition to the approximately 170 congregations that are affiliated with the General Assembly, there are also groups within it. Some of these represent interests (history, music, international development, etc.), while others are of religious beliefs, most notably the Unitarian Christian Association and the Unitarian Earth Spirit Network.

Officers

The national structure of British Unitarians is headed by an elected president, who holds office for one year. This officer is the figurehead leader of the organisation. Day-to-day administration is in the hands of an Executive Committee, which is led by a Convenor, assisted by an Honorary Treasurer, a General Secretary (sometimes called Chief Officer), and other Executive Committee members. At the regional level, British Unitarianism is grouped into Districts. There are currently 13 Districts in England, two in Wales, and one in Scotland. Each District has a similar structure to that at national level, with a President and a District Executive Committee. Some Districts appoint a District Minister. Local congregations vary in size, structure, and practice, but there is a requirement for each congregation to have some form of established and formal leadership. In most cases this will include a local Council and usually also a Unitarian minister.

Notable British Unitarians

* Sir Tim Berners Lee, inventor of the World Wide Web * Sir John Brunner, businessman ( ICI), politician and great-grandfather of the Duchess of Kent *

Austen Chamberlain Sir Joseph Austen Chamberlain (16 October 1863 – 16 March 1937) was a British statesman, son of Joseph Chamberlain and older half-brother of Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain. He served as a Member of Parliament (United Kingdom), Member of ...

Nobel Peace Prize The Nobel Peace Prize (Swedish language, Swedish and ) is one of the five Nobel Prizes established by the Will and testament, will of Sweden, Swedish industrialist, inventor, and armaments manufacturer Alfred Nobel, along with the prizes in Nobe ...

winner *

, businessman ( GKN), politician and statesman *

Neville Chamberlain Arthur Neville Chamberlain (; 18 March 18699 November 1940) was a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from May 1937 to May 1940 and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of the Conservative Party from ...

, prime minister * Sir Philip Colfox, politician *

James Chuter Ede James Chuter Chuter-Ede, Baron Chuter-Ede, (; 11 September 1882 – 11 November 1965), was a British teacher, trade unionist and Labour Party politician. He was a Member of Parliament (MP) for 32 years, and served as the sole Home Secretary u ...

, politician, Home Secretary *

Elizabeth Gaskell Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell (''née'' Stevenson; 29 September 1810 – 12 November 1865), often referred to as Mrs Gaskell, was an English novelist, biographer, and short story writer. Her novels offer detailed studies of Victorian era, Victoria ...

, novelist * the

Lupton family The Lupton family in Yorkshire achieved prominence in ecclesiastical and academic circles in England in the Tudor period, Tudor era through the fame of Roger Lupton, provost of Eton College and chaplain to Henry VII of England, Henry VII and H ...

of Leeds, prosperous merchants and civic leaders * John Sutton Nettlefold, industrialist *

Sir Isaac Newton Sir Isaac Newton () was an English polymath active as a mathematician, physicist, astronomer, alchemist, theologian, and author. Newton was a key figure in the Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment that followed. His book (''Mathe ...

, physicist *

Joseph Priestley Joseph Priestley (; 24 March 1733 – 6 February 1804) was an English chemist, Unitarian, Natural philosophy, natural philosopher, English Separatist, separatist theologian, Linguist, grammarian, multi-subject educator and Classical libera ...

, chemist and Unitarian clergyman * Andrew Pritchard, microscope maker *

Cyril Smith Sir Cyril Richard Smith (28 June 1928 – 3 September 2010) was a British Liberal Party and Liberal Democrat politician who served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Rochdale from 1972 to 1992. Smith was first active in local politics as ...

, member of parliament and alleged serial sex offender *

Mary Wollstonecraft Mary Wollstonecraft ( , ; 27 April 175910 September 1797) was an English writer and philosopher best known for her advocacy of women's rights. Until the late 20th century, Wollstonecraft's life, which encompassed several unconventional ...

,Mary on the Green: feminist

References

External links

Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:General Assembly of Unitarian And Free Christian Churches Christian organisations based in the United Kingdom Christian denominations in the United Kingdom English Reformation Unitarianism in the United Kingdom Christian organizations established in 1928 1928 establishments in the United Kingdom Affirming Christian denominations in Europe