(1888PressRelease)
February 12, 2007 - The Liberal Rite has expressed its support for the mission of the
Universalist Christian Association, an organisation based in the United States and bringing together Christians of many denominations worldwide which witness to Universalism.
Presiding Bishop John Kersey of The Liberal Rite says, “The message of God as a loving parent rather than a jealous tyrant is a vital aspect of building a personal faith. Faith must be based on love, not fear.”
Universalists believe that all souls are ultimately reconciled with God, rather than some being elevated to heaven and others cast down into hell. They usually see the crucifixion of Jesus Christ as securing the salvation of mankind. According to some writers, Universalism was a widely-held belief of the Church between the fourth and sixth centuries until it was suppressed by the Roman Catholic Church.
Since the advent of Enlightenment and liberally-based approaches to the Christian faith in the nineteenth-century, Universalism has attracted many Christians who feel that it reflects their own experience and understanding of God. Although it has formed a distinct branch of Unitarianism, Universalists can be found in many denominations, including both independent Catholics and Protestants.
The website of the Universalist Christian Association is at
http://www.universalistchristians.org/
