Historical Context

UPL’s roots are deeply embedded in the rich soils of ancient wisdom and modern thought. From the monotheistic clarity of Islam’s Tawhid to the broad vistas of pantheism and the ethical teachings of Jesus as understood through Socinianism, this spiritual synthesis draws on the strengths of each tradition to form a cohesive whole. Socinianism, named after the theologian Faustus Socinus, was a Christian movement that flourished in Poland until 1660; it held that the Father alone is God and that Jesus was a human being.

The same synthesis draws as deeply on the traditions of Asia. From Hinduism come karma and dharma, and the conviction that the soul is real and does not die. From Buddhism come mindfulness, a disciplined path and the practice of compassion. From Seicho-No-Ie, founded in Japan in 1930 by Masaharu Taniguchi, come the image of the body as the soul’s cocoon, the daily practice of gratitude and the trust in the power of thought.

Judaism stands behind the ethical teaching of Jesus, who was quoting the Torah when he taught the love of neighbour. Taoism, Sikhism, the Hawaiian practice of hoʻoponopono and the teachings of indigenous peoples have each given UPL something it could not have found alone.