Jenkin Lloyd Jones

Jenkin Lloyd Jones – Life, Ministry, and Legacy

Explore the life of Jenkin Lloyd Jones (1843–1918), American Unitarian minister, pacifist, and social reformer. Learn about his theological innovation, activism, writings, and his impact on liberal religion.

Introduction

Jenkin Lloyd Jones was a pivotal figure in American liberal religion at the turn of the 20th century. As a Unitarian minister, publisher, and social reformer, he sought to transform religious institutions: moving them from creedal Christianity toward an ethical, inclusive vision of faith. He founded All Souls Unitarian Church in Chicago and the Abraham Lincoln Centre, edited Unity magazine, and tirelessly advocated for peace, social justice, and universal religious understanding.

Born November 14, 1843, and passing September 12, 1918, Jones’s life spanned war, rapid social change, and the rise of new religious and philosophical currents in America. His legacy continues in liberal religious movements that emphasize ethics, dialogue, and social engagement.

Early Life and Formative Years

Birth and Immigration

Jenkin Lloyd Jones was born near Llandysul, in Cardiganshire (Wales), on November 14, 1843.

In 1844, when he was still an infant, his family emigrated to the United States, settling first in Ixonia, Wisconsin. Spring Green, Wisconsin.

Growing up in rural Wisconsin, young Jones contributed to farm work but had intellectual ambitions. He read widely—including newspapers and journals—and developed a hunger for broader ideas.

Civil War and its Influence

In August 1862, Jones enlisted in the Union Army, joining the 6th Battery, Wisconsin Volunteer Artillery. He saw action in major campaigns: Vicksburg, Missionary Ridge, Chattanooga, Lookout Mountain, and Atlanta.

At Missionary Ridge he sustained a foot injury that caused him to walk with a cane thereafter.

His wartime experience left a deep mark: although he supported the cause of ending slavery, the horrors of war turned him into a committed pacifist. He later wrote and preached passionately against war as a means to resolve human conflicts.

After the war, he returned to Wisconsin, taught school for a time, and then followed what he considered a religious calling.

Ministry, Theology & Innovations

Seminary and ordination

In 1866, Jones entered Meadville Theological Seminary (a Unitarian institution) in Pennsylvania to train for the ministry.

His seminary work included writing on how evolutionary theory might impact theological understanding.

Early pastorates & missionary work

He first served a brief pastorate in Winnetka, Illinois (1870–71), but resigned because he felt constrained by conventional expectations.

He next served in Janesville, Wisconsin (1871–80) as minister of a Unitarian congregation.

Concurrently, he became active as a missionary secretary for the Western Unitarian Conference (1875–1884), traveling to build and support new congregations across the Midwest.

During this period, he also helped launch Unity magazine (in 1878) with a mission of liberal religious discourse; he took over as its editor in 1879 and held that role until his death.

Founding All Souls and the Abraham Lincoln Centre

In 1882–1884, Jones shifted his work to Chicago. He reorganized a flagging Unitarian congregation (the Fourth Unitarian) into All Souls Church.

He gradually removed the denominational label “Unitarian” from the church’s identity, emphasizing that religion should not be fenced in by creed but grounded in ethical basis and open inclusivity.

Under his leadership, in 1905 the Abraham Lincoln Centre was established alongside the church. This was a social and civic outreach hub, housing gymnasiums, classrooms, libraries, study rooms, and lecture halls—integrating social welfare with spiritual life.

Social Reform, Pacifism & Public Engagement

Ethical liberalism & non-sectarian religion

Jones was a leading figure in the movement to shift Unitarianism (and liberal religion) away from strictly Christian doctrine to a more open, ethical religion—grounded in universal moral values rather than dogmas.

His editorship of Unity often championed this view. He advocated ethical unanimity—agreement on values—rather than theological uniformity among diverse religious thinkers.

This stance caused some division: conservative Unitarian churches sometimes withdrew from associations over such theological shifts.

Social justice & reform causes

In Chicago, Jones engaged in progressive causes: he lectured at Hull House, supported immigrant education and cultural programs, spoke out against child labor, and backed early labor union movements.

He believed religion must not be insulated from society but must engage actively in social betterment. His Abraham Lincoln Centre was a physical embodiment of that conviction.

Pacifism & opposition to war

Though he had once fought in war, Jones became a vocal pacifist. He publicly opposed the Spanish-American War and the U.S. intervention in the Philippines.

In 1915, he joined Henry Ford’s “Peace Ship” mission—aiming to broker a peaceful resolution during World War I by sending a delegation to Europe.

During the war, the U.S. government suppressed some editions of Unity (citing wartime mail censorship); Jones challenged this, and eventually had the suppression lifted.

Later Years and Death

Jones’s wife, Susan Charlotte Barber, had suffered health problems; she died in 1911 of appendicitis.

In 1915 he married h Lackersteen, a longtime associate in his work.

He died on September 12, 1918 in Tower Hill, Wisconsin, of complications following an operation. Unity Chapel, the congregational church site near Spring Green.

Key Works & Writings

• The Faith That Makes Faithful (1886) — co-author

• A Search for an Infidel (1901) — exploration of belief and doubt

• Countless sermons, articles, and editorials in Unity magazine (as editor 1880–1918)

His magazine and writing platform gave him broad influence in liberal religious and reform circles.

Legacy and Influence

• Liberal religion & ethics: Jones’s vision of a religion grounded in universal ethics rather than narrow orthodoxy influenced subsequent liberal Christian and Unitarian movements.

• Social/religious integration: His model of combining church and social services (via the Abraham Lincoln Centre) anticipated modern religious-social institutions.

• Peace advocacy tradition: His pacifism and public interventions in war debates positioned him as a moral counterpoint in turbulent times.

• Publishing and religious journalism: Under his stewardship, Unity became a voice for progressive theological and social ideas across the U.S.

• Cultural bridge: He attempted to reach beyond denominational confines, promote interreligious understanding, and foster an inclusive religious culture.

Many liberal congregations and religious thinkers still draw from Jones’s articulation of ethical religion and his model of faith in action.

Selected Quote

“The human soul finds its saddest imprisonment when it is helpless in the presence of cruelty, when it cannot right a wrong. It finds its highest freedom when it can secure justice to others.”
— Jenkin Lloyd Jones

This quote captures his core belief: moral action and justice are ultimate spiritual liberation.

Lessons from His Life

1. Faith must evolve. Jones showed that religious traditions can shift from dogma to deeper ethical core without losing vitality.

2. Religion + social work = religious relevance. He lived out the conviction that belief must manifest in social deeds.

3. Wounds can become witnesses. His wartime injury and trauma became part of his calling toward peace.

4. Public voice matters. He used journalism, editing, preaching, and institutional models to shape public religious discourse.

5. Inclusive vision endures. His emphasis on nonsectarian, universal principles allowed his work to outlast doctrinal divides.