Summa Universae Theologiae Christianae secundum Unitarios
Encyclopedia
Summa Universae Theologiae Christianae secundum Unitarios (English A Digest of Christian Theology according to the Unitarians) is a statement of faith of the Unitarian Church of Transylvania
officially recognised by Joseph II
in 1782.
The subtitle is in Usum Auditorum Theologiae concinnata et edita (English compiled and published for the use of students of theology).
The work is traditionally ascribed to Mihály Lombard de Szentábrahám
(1737–1758), who revitalized the church after a period of persecution during the 1700s. It remains the official statement of faith of the Unitarian Church in Transylvania, though since the 19th Century subscription to it is no longer required.
) with Arminian modifications.
The characteristic Christology of Laelio Sozzini, denying the pre-existence of Christ
but accepting the virgin birth, distinguishes the document from the more progressive Unitarianism of Joseph Priestley
(after Institutes of natural and revealed religion 1772) and Thomas Belsham
.
Unitarian Church of Transylvania
The Unitarian Church of Transylvania is a church of the Unitarian denomination, based in the city of Cluj in the Principality of Transylvania, present day in Romania...
officially recognised by Joseph II
Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
Joseph II was Holy Roman Emperor from 1765 to 1790 and ruler of the Habsburg lands from 1780 to 1790. He was the eldest son of Empress Maria Theresa and her husband, Francis I...
in 1782.
The subtitle is in Usum Auditorum Theologiae concinnata et edita (English compiled and published for the use of students of theology).
The work is traditionally ascribed to Mihály Lombard de Szentábrahám
Mihály Lombard de Szentábrahám
Mihály Lombard de Szentábrahám was a Hungarian Unitarian bishop. He re-laid the foundations of the Unitarian Church in Transylvania during a period of harassment until the accession of Joseph II and the return of an era of tolerance.During the period 1718-1720 the settlements were struck by famine...
(1737–1758), who revitalized the church after a period of persecution during the 1700s. It remains the official statement of faith of the Unitarian Church in Transylvania, though since the 19th Century subscription to it is no longer required.
Theology
The document is basically Socinian (as the Racovian CatechismRacovian Catechism
The Racovian Catechism is a nontrinitarian statement of faith from the 16th century. The title Racovian comes from the publishers, the Polish Brethren, who had founded a sizeable town in Raków, Kielce County, where the Racovian Academy and printing press was founded by Jakub Sienieński in...
) with Arminian modifications.
The characteristic Christology of Laelio Sozzini, denying the pre-existence of Christ
Pre-existence of Christ
The pre-existence of Christ refers to the doctrine of the ontological or personal existence of Christ before his conception. One of the relevant Bible passages is where, in the Trinitarian view, Christ is identified with a pre-existent divine hypostasis called the Logos or Word...
but accepting the virgin birth, distinguishes the document from the more progressive Unitarianism of Joseph Priestley
Joseph Priestley
Joseph Priestley, FRS was an 18th-century English theologian, Dissenting clergyman, natural philosopher, chemist, educator, and political theorist who published over 150 works...
(after Institutes of natural and revealed religion 1772) and Thomas Belsham
Thomas Belsham
Thomas Belsham was an English Unitarian minister- Life :Belsham was born in Bedford, England, and was the elder brother of William Belsham, the English political writer and historian. He was educated at the dissenting academy at Daventry, where for seven years he acted as assistant tutor...
.