The Gospel of Inclusion?

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benbradley

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The "Universal" in the church name appears an appropriate description. This looks like a modern form of Christian Universalism (basically that "all are saved"):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universalism
and especially:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_Universalism

especially as embodied in the early Universalist Church:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universalist_Church_of_America

As they evolved in the 20th Century, Universalist churches put less emphasis what members believed and more on actions to help others ("Deeds, not creeds" is a modern UU statement I've heard) as "social justice." The Unitarian church (believing "one God" as opposed the the mainstream Trinitarian churches' "Father, Son and Holy Spirit") evolved similarly, so they joined to become the UU Association of congregations in 1961.

But this Christ Universal Temple appears to be yet another "liberal" offshoot from mainstream protestant Christian denominations, believing that Christ's love extends to all, even to, as Pearson says, "marginalized" people.

I put liberal in quotes above because Christ Universal is only liberal in relation to mainstream churches. The UU's are much more liberal still in not requiring a belief system about a deity (or deities) to be a member, and welcomes atheists as well as all others.

Pearson is mentioned here in the Christian Universalism article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_Universalism#Hybrid_types
and the article could use an update as he's no longer a minister in the United Church of Christ, perhaps because (among other things) he no longer believes in the existence of Satan.

For full disclosure, I've been attending UU churches since 1995.
 
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