We need not think alike to love alike.

Francis Dávid (Ferenc Dávid), the 16th-century Transylvanian religious reformer associated with the rise of Unitarianism, is commonly linked to the ideal of religious tolerance in a region marked by intense confessional conflict. The line is frequently invoked in modern Unitarian and interfaith settings as a succinct expression of convivencia: that doctrinal agreement is not a prerequisite for mutual care and civic peace. Although it is widely attributed to Dávid in denominational memory and later Unitarian tradition, it is typically presented as a retrospective motto rather than a securely documented sentence from a specific surviving work or speech of his.

The line asserts that shared humanity and mutual care do not require intellectual or theological agreement. It separates love—understood as ethical commitment, compassion, and solidarity—from assent to the same propositions. In doing so, it challenges the idea that community must be built on uniform doctrine, and it reframes disagreement as compatible with fellowship. The quote’s enduring appeal lies in its practical moral claim: pluralism is not merely tolerating difference but sustaining relationships across it. As a Unitarian maxim, it also implies a critique of religious coercion, suggesting that attempts to force sameness of belief betray the very spirit of love that faith traditions often profess.

1) "We do not need to think alike to love alike."
2) "We need not think alike, to love alike."