Religion: Creeds for the Creedless

For Unitarians (71,419 members) and Universalists (44,349 members), formal creeds have long been an abomination: in matters of faith, every-conscience-for itself is the accepted rule. But last week it seemed as if both churches were feeling the need of a statement of faith—even if it made a creed of creedlessness.

Meeting in Rochester, N.Y. for their week-long Biennial Assembly, 700 delegates of the Universalist Church of America talked about cutting loose once & for all from "supernatural Christianity" and proclaiming a "truly universal faith." The Universalist Church, said the Rev. Brainard Gibbons of...