What is Unitarian Universalism? Andre Braugher's religion explored as Brooklyn Nine-Nine star dies aged 61 

American actor Andre Braugher, best known to audiences as the beloved Captain Holt from Brooklyn Nine-Nine, passed away on Monday, December 11, after a "brief illness," as confirmed to multiple sources by his publicist, Jennifer Allen. Braugher, 61, was an exceptional actor, with two Critics Choice Awards and Primetime Emmy Awards, along with 11 nominations.

While the details of Andre Braugher's beliefs are mostly kept secret, one relatively lesser-known fact about him that is lost throughout his remarkable career is that he was a Unitarian Universalist. Unitarian Universalist is a liberal religion heavily associated with liberal ideology. It is a religion that "encompasses many faith traditions."

Andre Braugher's passing came as a shock to many who had praised the actor for his expertise in his craft and fell in love with his iconic roles. Apart from the no-nonsense and deadpan Captain Raymond Holt in Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Braugher was also revered for his turn as unshakeable detective Frank Pembleton in the NBC crime drama Homicide: Life on the Street.

Homicide: Life on the Street, which ran from 1992 to 1998, saw Andre Braugher nominated twice for a Primetime Emmy in the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series category, an award he bagged in the last season of the show. He won his second Primetime Emmy in the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie category for FX's crime miniseries Thief.

---

Andre Braugher was a Unitarian Universalist

Faith-wise, Andre Braugher was a follower of Unitarian Universalism, a liberal religion that, according to the Universalist Unitarian Church of Preora, is a faith that "encompasses many faith traditions."

The belief distances itself from traditional religion by not being centered around "specific theological beliefs." The Church of Preora states:

"Unitarian Universalists are free to search for truth on many paths."

Unitarian Universalism originated from two liberal religions, originally part of the Christian faith, the Unitarians and the Universalists, which merged in 1961 to create the Unitarian Universalist Association. They believe in the "oneness of God" and oppose the Trinity, while also stating that a loving God would not "condemn a person to eternal punishment" for his earthly behavior.

The church states that Unitarian Universalism upholds a set of seven shared principles, despite varying and diverse individual religious beliefs. These are the seven principles that Unitarian Universalists affirm and promote, according to the Church of Preora:

1. The inherent worth and dignity of every person.
2. Justice, equity, and compassion in human relations.
3. Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations.
4. A free and responsible search for truth and meaning.
5. The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large.
6. The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all.
7. Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.

The Church also outlined six sources of faith from which Unitarian Universalists draw. These include the personal experience of "transcending mystery and wonder" affirmed by every culture and the teachings and actions of prophetic men and women that challenge followers to confront evil with justice, compassion, and the power of love.

The sources also include the wisdom gained from world religions, teachings from the Jewish and Christian faiths, humanist teachings guided by reason and science, and earth-centered spiritual teachings. Most congregations begin their services with the lighting of a chalice.