History of New Thought and Unity

Archive letter shines light on social change within Unity. by Rev. Eric Page

Rev. Page writes about the history of social justice within Unity, starting with racial tensions within Erik Butterworth’s Unity congregation in the year 1956. A white congregant wrote a letter to Rev. Butterworth proposing that the Black congregants have their own Unity center, where "they can more efficiently and wisely serve their own people in their own enlightened way." Many whites in his community felt the same way. During these times, black congregants sat together in the back of the church or in the balcony. Butterworth disagreed with the letter writer and wrote back, "A segregated Unity Center is a paradox…Unity, as the name implies, stands for oneness—one God, one creator, one creation." It took years, decades for the segregation of seating within Unity Centers to end. In 2003, Unity CEO, Tom Zender, apologized for past discrimination.

Rev. Page writes of Unity’s way of serving social justice, not being a social activism, such as the Unitarian Universalists and the Quakers, but instead emphasizes education and prayer as means to social justice.

Rev. Page writes that today it is sexual orientation and gender identity, that challenge Unity’s inclusive accepting way that embraces diversity. He tells us that Butterworth’s words still stand strong “A segregated Unity Center is a paradox.”

This was a pertinent article as a facilitator of Love in Action UFC, which is about education and action. As Jim says, these are unprecedented times. Perhaps in these times of profound threat to social justice, Unity might evolve how it approaches social justice, continuing to educate and pray, but stepping forward, in our alignment with the Infinite Mind within each us and all of us, to work together to heal justice in the world.