Few Unitarian Universalists, ordained or not, know much about Universalist theology. A related problem is that few UUs know much about Universalist history or culture, which is relevant because Universalist theology was shaped by Universalist experience.

With the loss of Universalist perspective, our combined Unitarian Universalist religious movement is being impoverished. Universalism was different from Unitarianism. It originated among laypeople, not clergy. It drew on the experience of a less privileged social class. Its message was more radical, its scope was larger, and its taproot went deeper into the heart.

This book presents all of Universalism’s distinctive ideas and makes clear their relationships to each other. It uses a variety of approaches—essays, details from the author’s biography, anecdotes, laments, meditations, excerpts from other writers, even jokes.