Editing Unitarian Universalism (section)

====Great Britain====
{{Main|History of Unitarianism}}
{{Further|English Dissenters|History of Christianity in the United Kingdom}}

Influenced by the [[Socinianism|Socinian doctrine]] of the [[Polish Brethren]], the Unitarian minister [[Samuel Clarke]] (1675–1729) revised the ''[[Book of Common Prayer]]'', removing the Trinitarian [[Nicene Creed]] and references to [[Divinity of Jesus|Jesus as God]].<ref name=Clarke>{{cite web |url=http://www.americanunitarian.org/fisherhistory.htm |title=Chris Fisher, ''A Brief History of Unitarian Christianity'', retrieved July 18, 2008 |publisher=Americanunitarian.org |access-date=2011-02-27 |archive-date=7 March 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110307032858/http://www.americanunitarian.org/fisherhistory.htm }}</ref> [[Theophilus Lindsey]] also revised the ''Book of Common Prayer'' to allow a more tolerant, free Unitarian interpretation. Neither cleric was charged under the [[Blasphemy Act 1697]] that made it an "offense for any person, educated in or having made profession of the Christian religion, by writing, preaching, teaching or advised speaking, to deny the [[Holy Trinity]]". The [[Toleration Act 1688|Act of Toleration (1689)]] gave relief to [[English Dissenters]], but excluded Unitarians. The efforts of Clarke and Lindsey met with substantial criticism from the more conservative clergy and laity of the [[Church of England]]. In response, in 1774, Lindsey applied for registration of the [[Essex Street Chapel|Essex House]] as a "Dissenting place of worship" with the assistance of [[barrister]] [[John Lee (Attorney-General)|John Lee]].<ref>{{cite news|title=1959_StoryEssexHall.pdf|first1=Mortimer|last1=Rowe|location=London|publisher=Lindsey Press}}</ref>  On the Sunday following the registration—April 17, 1774—the first true Unitarian congregation discreetly convened in the provisional Essex Street Chapel. In attendance were Lee, [[Joseph Priestley]] and the agent of the Massachusetts Colony, [[Benjamin Franklin]].<ref>{{cite web
|url= http://www.unitarian.org.uk/support/doc-EssexHall2.shtml
|title= The History of Essex Hall
|last1= Rowe |first1= Mortimer
|year= 1959
|work=  Chapter 2&nbsp;– Lindsey's Chapel
|publisher= Lindsey Press
|quote= ...&nbsp;in the early months of 1774 a little group of persons – Lindsey and his chiefpledged supporters – turned the corner out of the Strand into Essex Street and stood looking at a building near the top of the street, a building which alone kept alive the proud name 'Essex House'
|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120307014023/http://www.unitarian.org.uk/support/doc-EssexHall2.shtml
|archive-date= March 7, 2012}}</ref> Priestley also founded a reform congregation, but, after his home was burned down in the [[Priestley Riots]], fled with his wife to America, where he became a leading figure in the founding of the church on American soil.<ref>{{cite web
|url= http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt?open=512&objID=4277&&PageID=443569&level=4&css=L4&mode=2
|title= Joseph Priestley
|access-date= 2011-09-24
|last1=Silverman
|first1=  Sharon Hernes
|date= September 24, 2011
|publisher= [[Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission]]
|quote= ...eleven homes and two chapels in Birmingham were destroyed ... on April 8, 1794, Joseph and Mary Priestley set sail for America ... his 1796 lectures on "Evidences of Revelation" led to the formation of the First Unitarian Church in Philadelphia
}}</ref>

Once laity and clergy relaxed their vehement opposition to the [[Doctrine of the Trinity Act 1813]], which finally allowed for protections of dissenting religions, the [[British and Foreign Unitarian Association]] was founded in 1825. It has its headquarters in Essex Hall, successor to Lindsey's Essex House.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.unitarian.org.uk/sites/default/files/1959_StoryEssexHall.pdf|title=The Story of Essex Hall|first1=Mortimer|last1=Rowe|date=1959|publisher=Lindsey Press|access-date=2017-12-25}}</ref>  Two that have been significant in national life are the [[Cross Street Chapel]] in Manchester and,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cross-street-chapel.org.uk/about/unitarian/members-theology/|title=Theology of Unitarianism|access-date=2017-12-25|archive-date=2017-12-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171226073900/http://cross-street-chapel.org.uk/about/unitarian/members-theology/}}</ref> [[Newington Green Unitarian Church]] in [[north London]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cross-street-chapel.org.uk/about/unitarian/members-theology/|title=Newington Green Chapel under threat after 300 years?|date=2016-10-25|access-date=2017-12-25|archive-date=2017-12-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171226073900/http://cross-street-chapel.org.uk/about/unitarian/members-theology/}}</ref> Unitarian congregations in Britain meet under the auspices of the [[General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches]]. There are 170 communities of Unitarians across Britain.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.unitarian.org.uk/pages/unitarianism-explained|access-date=2017-12-25|title=Community Without Creed|archive-date=26 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171226130513/https://www.unitarian.org.uk/pages/unitarianism-explained}}</ref> The Chief Officer of the British Unitarians was Liz Slade as of 2024.<ref>{{cite web|title=Staff {{!}} Unitarians|url=https://www.unitarian.org.uk/pages/staff|access-date=2024-09-09|website=www.unitarian.org.uk}}</ref>