Pre-existence of Christ

Classical Unitarianism explicitly denied the pre-existence of Christ as a divine being, regarding it as a Platonic and Hellenistic overlay on the simple monotheistic teaching of Jesus himself. Jesus was a human being born in the ordinary way, who was not a pre-existent divine person become flesh. This historical Unitarian position is still the predominant view among those UU members who engage with Christology at all.

The contemporary UUA does not formally address the pre-existence of Christ in its governing documents, as it makes no binding doctrinal claims. However, the movement's historical trajectory — from liberal Christian Unitarianism toward broad religious pluralism and humanism — means that the pre-existence of Christ is even less central to UU identity today than it was in the classical period.

Among the minority of self-identified Christian UUs, some may personally hold views approaching a high Christology, but these are minority positions within the movement. The overwhelming majority of UU members who engage the question at all would deny the pre-existence of Christ as a divine being.