You're welcome. You're trying to understand what other people believe, which is something I always try to encourage.
1.) I thought unitarian christians believe jesus to be human not divine in anyway, also what would be a good bible for unitarian christians. I heard the Jefferson bible is sometimes used.
1a. Most unitarian christians would say that Jesus was human, and not necessarily any more divine than Moses, Elijah, Peter, Paul or any other person who dedicated their life to god. Jesus is definitely seen as a person whose teachings are held in high regard.
Unitarians reject the doctrine of the trinity (by definition). But some still see Jesus as containing divinity within him ... but just not being an equal to god.
However, unitarians do not have creeds (like the apostolic or nicene creeds). We recognize that different unitarians hold different beliefs. It isn't essential to believe dozens of different things in order to be a unitarian. It certainly is
not essential to hold specific, metaphysical beliefs about the nature of Jesus in order to be a christian. We also encourage
tolerance in a wide range of beliefs. We don't all have to agree on the same definition of "unitarian."
Therefore, you're going to have a hard time finding a unitarian who will tell you, "This is what unitarians believe." We are much more comfortable discussing our own individual beliefs, while recognizing that other unitarians may not agree with us.
1b.) All bibles are unitarian. There is
no mention of the trinity in the canonical scriptures. The doctrine of the trinity is supported by a handful of scriptures, which are widely separated, and which have to be heavily interpreted before you can conclude that a trinity exists. (That doesn't mean that the doctrine of the trinity is incorrect, but it does mean that it's rather
poorly supported.)
In my opinion, the holy spirit is not separate from, independent of and equal to god. Claiming so would be like someone claiming that my arm is separate from, independent of and equal to me. (Obviously, my arm is part of, dependent upon and subordinate to me.) Try finding any scripture which
refutes my opinion.
There is at least a little scriptural basis for the divine nature of Jesus ("I and my father are one,") but the
same scripture could be interpreted as pantheistic.
A pantheistic perspective:
Each person is part of the universe. The universe is part of god. Therefore, each person is part of god. Because of that we can say, each person is one with god, and god is one with each person.
Other parts of the new testament appear to
contradict the doctrine of the trinity. Look at what Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane:
O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.
Does that sound like a statement made between two
equal persons in a
triune godhead? Jesus' statement sounds like a subordinate addressing a superior.
Instead of blindly accepting the doctrine of the trinity, I encourage people to look at the passages which appear to support it, to look at the passages which appear to refute it, and then make
their own decision about what they believe.
Regarding bibles:
I personally prefer any bible which provides a great deal of additional commentary and historical context. While Jesus' teachings have intrinsic value, we gain far more from them if we understand them within their historical context. Since I do not have the time to become a historian of the biblical period, I appreciate having that provided alongside the actual text.
The Jeffersonian Bible:
This bible is a product of Thomas Jefferson's rationalist beliefs. It contains the life and teachings of Jesus. None of Jesus' miracles are mentioned. Most other supernatural elements are excluded.
This is a good bible for deists, rationalists, and any others who dislike miracles or other supernatural elements of the bible. It is a poor bible for people who believe in miracles, people who believe that the miracles were allegorical, but provide important lessons, or people who want to read more of the bible than just excerpts from three of the gospels.
There are unitarians who don't believe in miracles, and there are ones who do. There are put off by stories of miracles, and those who seek deeper meaning in them.
For
any unitarian (and anyone else), I would recommend the bible they can learn the most from. But that won't be the same bible for everyone.
