In Britain, the term Free Christian refers specifically to individual members and whole congregations within the

General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches The General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches (GAUFCC or colloquially British Unitarians) is the umbrella organisation for Unitarian, Free Christians, and other liberal religious congregations in the United Kingdom and Irelan ...

. These Free Christians do not subscribe to any official doctrines or creeds, as found in other churches. Because of their historical connections with Unitarianism, they are known particularly for allowing dissent from Trinitarian doctrine (the belief that God exists as a

Trinity The Christian doctrine of the Trinity (, from 'threefold') is the central dogma concerning the nature of God in most Christian churches, which defines one God existing in three coequal, coeternal, consubstantial divine persons: God th ...

). However, these Free Christian groups also welcome people who adhere to more orthodox beliefs, as the emphasis is on theological inclusivity rather than non-conformity ''per se''.

History

In Britain the term "Free Christian" can be traced back to the ministry of

James Martineau James Martineau (; 21 April 1805 – 11 January 1900) was a British religious philosopher influential in the history of Unitarianism. For 45 years he was Professor of Mental and Moral Philosophy and Political Economy in Manchester New College ( ...

in the late 19th century. Martineau was an advocate of theological inclusivity, arguing that explicitly Unitarian churches would lead to "a different doxy" from orthodoxy. He urged churches within the Unitarian denomination not to use the name "Unitarian," and suggested "Free Christian" as a more inclusive alternative. In 1868 he went further, forming the Free Christian Union, which he hoped would unite Christians of various beliefs who were opposed to officially imposed doctrine or creeds.

Today

In today's Britain, Free Christians are aligned denominationally within the ranks of the

, and more specifically, the

Unitarian Christian Association The Unitarian Christian Association (UCA) is a relatively small, though growing fellowship of Christians who feel an affinity with traditional Unitarianism and Free Christians (Britain), Free Christianity. The association is based in the United Ki ...

. The leadership of the Church is made up of Professional Ministers and Accredited Lay Preachers. In

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

, similar congregations are called "Non-Subscribing Presbyterians". The Non-subscribing Presbyterian Church of Ireland, an independent denomination in its own right, no longer has any institutional link with the GAUFCC and UCA (the NSPCI disaffiliated from the UCA in 2015); although some NSPCI ministers trained through their theological and ministry training colleges.See "About the College" ''Unitarian College Manchester'',http://www.unitarian-college.org.uk/college.htm They would also consider themselves to have a shared heritage. As such, they could be viewed as connected to the same 'Free Christian' current, at least in historical terms. The NSPCI retains a non-creedal, Christian identity.

References

{{Unitarian, Universalist, and Unitarian Universalist topics Christian movements English Reformation Protestantism in the United Kingdom Christian terminology

History

Today

See also

References