New World Now

Thomas Jefferson, third president and author of the Declaration of Independence, once said, "I trust there is not a young American now living who will die a Unitarian." Much like jazz or baseball, Unitarianism is almost wholly a unique American form of expression. Three of the first six American presidents were Unitarians. Many at the fore of 19th-century American Transcendentalism movement called themselves Unitarians. This religion—Unitarianism—once a staple in the American religious diet, is now barely a blip on the screen. What does it share with other New Thought Religions? And is it readying for a comeback? Laura Barrett Bennett and Christopher Naughton examine Unitarianism in its own words ... and share some of the funniest and good natured-jokes about this long-standing American belief system.

Tired of the Jerry Falwells, Pat Robertsons and the James Dobsons? There is an emerging Christianity that calls itself progressive. And while that might seem refreshing, does it fall into the same political trap as conservative Christianity? A recent Pew Research survey indicates that more and more people are leaving the religion of their parents—and many are seeking out New Thought churches or dropping out of religion altogether. Audio clips of Marcus Borg suggest that people are moving in the new direction of “progressive Christianity” or “progressive Spirituality,” but what is that exactly? And are there pitfalls by co-opting the term "progressive?"

If atheism was once the belief system that dare not speak its name, the times they are a-changing. Of late, books by Christopher Hitchens, Sam Harris and Richard Dawkins have sold in the millions ... so this may be the new age of Atheism ... but in the end, could atheism turn out to be spirituality’s best friend? We will listen to audio clips of Bill Maher, Christopher Hitchens and George Carlin extolling the new atheistic populism. But perhaps their worldview is closer to a progressive, metaphysical worldview than they realize.