Forrest Church

Frank Forrester Church IV (September 23, 1948 – September 24, 2009) was a leading Unitarian Universalist minister, author, and theologian. He was Senior Minister of the Unitarian Church of All Souls in New York City, until late 2006 when he was appointed as Minister of Public Theology. He wrote about Christianity, Gnosticism, religious liberty in the US tradition, and his own father, a US Senator.

Biography

Church was born in Palo Alto, California, while his father, Frank Church, was a student at Stanford Law School. Following graduation in 1950, the family returned to Boise, Idaho. His father was elected to the United States Senate in 1956 and served four terms, until January 1981.

Church was a graduate of Stanford University and Harvard Divinity School. He received a Ph.D. in early church history from Harvard University in 1978.

In 1991, Church's affair with a congregant brought his ability to serve as minister into question, but most of his congregation supported him. He is buried in Morris Hill Cemetery in Boise.

Writings Church is best known as a leader of liberal religion. Between 1985 and his death, he wrote or edited more than 20 books. These include technical studies of Christian and Gnostic literature, as well as over a dozen books addressing a wider audience.

Books authored by Church include: Father and Son: A Personal Biography of Senator Frank Church of Idaho The trilogy A Humane Comedy: The Devil and Dr. Church, Entertaining Angels, and The Seven Deadly Virtues Early Christian Prayer Early Christian Hymns The Essential Tillich God and Other Famous Liberals: Recapturing Bible, Flag, and Family from the Far Right, Walker & Company, 1996 A Chosen Faith: An Introduction to Unitarian Universalism, with John A. Buehrens, Beacon Press, 1998 The American Creed: A Spiritual and Patriotic Primer, 2002 So Help Me God: The Founding Fathers and the First Great Battle Over Church and State, 2007 Freedom From Fear: Finding the Courage to Act, Love and Be Love & Death, Beacon Press, 2008 The Cathedral of the World: A Universalist Theology, Beacon Press, 2009 Books edited by Church: Restoring Faith: America's Religious Leaders Answer Terror with Hope, Walker & Company, 2001 The Separation of Church and State: Writings on a Fundamental Freedom by America's Founders, Beacon Press, 2004

Television appearances Church can be seen offering commentary in the History Channel documentaries Haunted History of Halloween and Christmas Unwrapped: The History of Christmas.