Celestial Lands Library

Unitarian, Universalist, and Related Thought Section

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"What is Man?" and Other Essays  --  Mark Twain  --  1906

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This is a great philosophical work from "Ole Sawbones".  It is an attempt to rationally look at exactly what man is, what our motivations are, and how our minds work.  If you have ever heard of Mark Twain's "Iron Rule" this is the work where he details it.  It is a short and fun philosophical read!

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"Meditations"  --  Marcus Aurelius  --  167 AD

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Deists could do no better than to learn our system of Ethics from the Father of stoicism, Emperor Marcus Aurelius.  This is a work in how to be a virtuous moral human being. 

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"The Writings of Thomas Paine, Vol. IV (theology)"  --  Moncure Daniel Conway  --  1896

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If you ever were interested in learning what was occurring in Thomas Pain's life at the time he wrote "Age of Reason" this is a great essay on that topic, and the opinions the world held of TP at the time of his writings.

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"Section on Religion" Utopia   --   Sir Thomas Moore  --  1510

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This is not a Deistic work, but I think you will find many similarities between the religion described here, and both Unitarianism and Deism....

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"Unitarian Christianity and other Writings"  --  Rev. William Ellery Channing  --  1819

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Rev. Channing was one of the proponents in the "Unitarian Controversy" of the early 1800's, and is considered a forefather of the modern Unitarian Universalist movement.  He was a gifted Theologian and a social reformer.  He was not a Deist, and even argued against Deists of his time, but his ideas of using Reason to understand the Bible will resound with many Deists, as will his views on the Divinity of Jesus, Equality, and Liberty.  This collection of writings was compiled from many different sources. 

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"The Humanist Manifesto I and II"  --  The American Humanist Association  --  1933 and 1973

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This is the worlds two great statements of secular humanism, a theology that many Deists can relate to.  I has been widely read and signed by thousands of humanists throughout the last century.  While it is not a Deist work, there is much in it that rings true with Deists on secular issues. 

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"The Transient and Permanent in Christianity"  --  Theodore Parker  --  1841        

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Of all the Unitarian Ministers of the 1800's, only Theodore Parker came close to being removed from "fellowship" with other Unitarian Ministers for what could only be described as "heresy".  What was his Heresy?  Well, let us just say that in the diatribes against him, he was often accused of being a "Deist".  This essay is an excellent look at Christianity, from a rational perspective.

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"Tao Te Ching"  --  Lao Tzu  --  Approx 500 bce       

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One of the earliest expressions of rational religious thought... that has much in common with Deism is Taoism.  This is "The Book of the Way" one of the first expressions of Taoist thought. 

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"The Gospel of Thomas"  --  Unknown --  Approx 70-120 ce       

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This is a view of Christianity, and the Teachings of Rabbi Jesus of Nazareth, that though it is not Deistic, it certainly contains some ideas that the Deist can find relation to.  If you are looking for a view of the Teachings of Jesus that can speak to the Deist, try this one. 

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"Essays-- First Series" --  Ralph Waldo Emerson --  1841      

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Containing such wonderful Emersonian Essays such as "Self-Reliance", "The Oversoul", and "Love" this is a reasoned look at what it is to be a human being that will speak to almost any Deist. 

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"Martin Luther's Definition of Faith"  --  Martin Luther -- 1522

This short essay was taken from the "Introduction to St. Paul's Letter to the Romans" from Luther's German Bible of 1522.  I put it in the library because it shows an early understanding of Faith as being more directly related to Trust than to Belief.  While I don't agree entirely with Luther's position, I certainly agree with it more than some other definitions of faith out there... and for the Protestant Churches, you can hardly find a better source than Luther other than Jesus and God himself.  Because it is so short, it is not presented in Microsoft Reader.