AHC: Arianist revivalism on the XVIII or XIX centuries?

[GohanLSSJ2]

As the title says...

How it's be possible to have Arianism (or other nontrinitarian views of Christology) to have a widespread "revival" during the XVIII or XIX centuries?

Bonus point if it develops in the New World and influences the course of the soon-to-be created American republics' history.

 

[TimeJockey]

Well, Unitarianism as a non-Trinitarian Christian sect originated in 16th-century Europe and by the 18th century it had taken root in the New World as well. So all you'd really need is on this side of the pond would be for it to attract more adherents and thereby exert a stronger and more widespread influence on the general public. I'm not exactly sure what mechanism might bring that about, but it's interesting to consider.

Notables such as Thomas Jefferson and to some extent George Washington were influenced by Unitarian thought. Unitarian theology comes in a couple of major flavors: Arian and Socinian, which differ according to their views regarding the nature of Jesus. Both variants are present in the New World, as well as in the Old.

 

[Arkenfolm]

You'd have to incorporate it into a Protestant sect's theology. I think that that's doable, just have some popular preacher come to that conclusion based on their reading of the Bible. Then get the sect(s) incorporating the doctrine to spread widely during the First and Second Great Awakenings. Looking at the Bible verses used to support Arianism, I don't think it's too hard to get incorporated into the belief system of some Protestant denominations that came out/benefitted from the Great Awakenings.

 

[Dathi THorfinnsson]

1) as mentioned, Unitarians are definitely non-Trinitarian, and had some major gains some places. Heck, the US Episcopal church in its early days had prominent members wanting to throw out Trinitarian formulae.

2) Jehovah's Witnesses are pretty much Arianists. Get them far more successful, somehow.