One may look into themselves to find compassion and strength, but those qualities must come from God if one views themselves as having what Chirban (1996) refers to as a "vertical relationship with God" (p. 3). It seems agreed on "universally" among Unitarians that all are one and all human beings are interrelated with each other; whereas within the Orthodox faith all human beings are linked less by spiritual consciousness than they are by their relationship with God. Orthodox services thus focus more on worshipping and giving recognition to all that God has done and can do for humankind. This contrasts with a typical Unitarian view and Universalist service, which would encourage one to tap into their spiritual consciousness by engaging others and identifying how their being relates to others, and what they can learn from others to better understand their "self" and their relationship to the higher power they worship, whether that is God, Buddha, or some other representation of the great "being."

Analysis/Conclusions

After interviewing a member of the Universalist church and attending a session, I can say that while outwardly these two religions emphasize many of the same principles, the manners in which they carry out their beliefs and practice their faith are very different. The Orthodox faith in and of itself is much more complex in nature than the Universalist approach to religion, spirituality and faith. A child participating in Sunday school as a Unitarian would participate in classes that teach about the "universal" good, or the idea of human beings as kindred spirits, and the need for human beings as kindred spirits to accept each other as they are and for their faith, rather than rely on strict creed or doctrine to dictate who they are as a person and how they should live their life and conduct business with others.

This contrasts sharply with what a child might experience in an Orthodox Sunday school or religious class, where one might expect to learn that there is only one faith, that the belief in the Holy Trinity is necessary...

This embodies the concept of one's divine purpose. Rather than focus on God, the Universalist faith encourages members to look internally and within nature to discover who they are and how they came to be, and what their relationship is to others, as well as how their relationships and interactions with others impact their life "purpose." A member of the Universalist faith has more control or more say over their destiny and over their divine spirituality, as they might consider themselves walking "gods" in their own right.
Despite these differences, it is important to note that while on the surface there are many differences, the Universalist faith shares with the Orthodox many of the same principles regarding what is "right" when it comes to our relationships with other human beings. Each church and members of the church are brought to believe they have an obligation to treat their peers and other members of the world with respect, grace and dignity. Each is taught not to judge others, but to welcome others for who they are. It is true however, that a Unitarian has more freedoms than someone would as a member of the Orthodox faith. A Unitarian would look to others and define who they are by their interactions with others and recognize that their purpose is somehow intermingled with their relationships with those around them and with their self. There is much less emphasis in the Universalist church on God and actions directed by God than there is in the Orthodox faith, whether one practices Greek, Russian or other forms of Orthodoxy common to society today.

References

Chirban, J.T. (1996). Orthodox Christianity and the connection between the body, mind, and soul. Westport: Bergin & Garvey.

Foothills Unitarian Universalist Church. (2006). (online). Retrieved 15, May, 2007, from Foothills Unitarian Church: http://www.foothillsuu.org/

Unitarian Universalist belief structure. (S.K. Maroney, personal email and interview.…