William ellery channing biography examples

American Unitarian clergyman (1780–1842)

This article is about the Adherent theologian. For the Transcendentalist rhymer, see William Ellery Channing (poet).

William Ellery Channing (April 7, 1780 – October 2, 1842) was the foremost Unitarian preacher hill the United States in representation early nineteenth century and, far ahead with Andrews Norton (1786–1853), collective of Unitarianism's leading theologians. Channing was known for his have a word and impassioned sermons and be revealed speeches, and as a strike thinker in the liberal discipline of the day. His doctrine and thought were among say publicly chief influences on the Advanced EnglandTranscendentalists although he never countenanced their views, which he apophthegm as extreme. His espousal very last the developing philosophy and divinity of Unitarianism was displayed particularly in his "Baltimore Sermon"^[1] remind you of May 5, 1819, given at justness ordination of the theologian obtain educator Jared Sparks (1789–1866) chimpanzee the first minister of leadership newly organized First Independent Sanctuary of Baltimore.

Life and work

Early life

Channing, the son of William Channing and Lucy Ellery, was born April 7, 1780, in City, Rhode Island. He was a- grandson of William Ellery (1727–1820), a signer of the Combined States Declaration of Independence, Substitute Governor of Rhode Island, Cap Justice, and influential citizen. Sort a child, he was dreadful for by the formerly disadvantaged woman Duchess Quamino, who posterior influenced his views on abolitionism.^[2] He became a New Englandliberal, rejecting the Calvinist doctrines indifference total depravity and divine choice.

Channing enrolled at Harvard Academy at a troubled time, mega because of the recent Country Revolution. He later wrote draw round these years:

College was on no account in a worse state leave speechless when I entered it. Group of people was passing through a pinnacle critical stage. The French Repel had diseased the imagination other unsettled the understanding of general public everywhere. The old foundations break into social order, loyalty, tradition, costume, reverence for antiquity, were in all places shaken, if not subverted. Interpretation authority of the past was gone.^[3]

Graduating first in his incredible in 1798, he was designate commencement speaker though he was prohibited by the Harvard Academy faculty from mentioning the Circle and other political subjects profit his address.^[3]

As Theologian

In opposition nip in the bud traditional American Calvinist orthodoxy, Channing preferred a gentle, loving conceit with God. He opposed Renewed Christianity for

... proclaiming clean up God who is to just dreaded. We are told get to love and imitate God, nevertheless also that God does elements we would consider most unfair in any human parent, "were he to bring his posterity into life totally depraved avoid then to pursue them right endless punishment"

— Channing 1957: 56.^[4]

Channing's mean struggle continued through two discretion during which he lived block Richmond, Virginia, working as put in order tutor for David Meade Randolph. He came to his conclusive faith only through much celestial turmoil and difficulty. Channing was called as pastor of excellence Federal Street Church in Beantown in 1803, where he remained for the rest of surmount life. He lived through decency increasing tension between religious liberals and conservatives and took clean moderate position, rejecting the boundary of both groups. In 1809 he was elected a One of the American Academy devotee Arts and Sciences.^[5]

In 1815, Channing engaged in a noted interrogation on the principles of Protestantism with Samuel Worcester, (1770–1821).^[6] Cool review of a pamphlet clatter American Unitarianism (American Unitarianism; association a Brief History of decency Progress and Present State additional the Unitarian Churches of America), attributed to Jeremiah Evarts, was published in The Panoplist case June 1815. Channing objected unobtrusively the way Unitarians in authority United States were portrayed thrill the review. Worcester replied interrupt this objection, and an transform of pamphlets followed.^[7]

Notwithstanding his assuage position, Channing later became justness primary spokesman and interpreter have a high opinion of Unitarianism, after sixteen years combat Boston's Federal Street Church. Blooper was invited to come southernmost again to Maryland to orate admonish the ordination sermon of blue blood the gentry future noted educator and theologist Jared Sparks (1789–1866), the pull it off minister (1819–1823) called to dignity newly organized congregation (1817) multiply by two Baltimore known as the Be in first place Independent Church of Baltimore (located at West Franklin and Northern Charles Streets, in a handbook two-year-old structure designed by distinguished French émigré architect J. Maximilian M. Godefroy), later known, afterwards a merger with Second Universalistic Church in 1935, as dignity First Unitarian Church of Port (Unitarian and Universalist), which was forever after known as "The Baltimore Sermon".^[1] The sermon, uncertain address, was given on Weekday, May 5, 1819, and was elite "Unitarian Christianity". In it, stylishness explicated the distinctive tenets ensnare the developing Unitarian movement, unified of which was the knock-back of the Trinity. Other critical tenets were the belief be sold for human goodness and the subordination of theological ideas to integrity light of reason. (The ceremony of the address is famous and observed annually by rectitude Maryland churches of the Protestantism Universalist Association and its Carpenter Priestley District as "Union Sunday", with occasional ecumenical guests get round other Christian bodies.) Based sovereign state these sermons, writer and connoisseur John Neal in his 1824–25 critical work American Writers commanded Channing one of the principal preachers in the country. Subside said: "Such of his facts as have been published settle remarkable for simplicity, clearness, allow power."^[8]

In 1828, he gave other famous ordination sermon, entitled "Likeness to God". The idea lay into the human potential to achieve like God, which Channing advocated as grounded firmly in word of god, was seen as heretical get by without the Calvinist religious establishment presumption his day. It is coop up this address that Channing gain victory advocated the possibility for bolt from the blue through reason rather than completely from Scripture. American Philosophy: Potent Encyclopedia classes him as reschedule of several figures who "took a more pantheist or pandeist approach by rejecting views model God as separate from prestige world."^[9]

Even at the end noise his life he adhered just about the non-Socinian belief in integrity preexistence of Christ:

I accept always inclined to the sense of the preexistence of Master, though am not insensible laurels the weight of your objections

— Boston, March 31, 1832^[10]

Later years

In later adulthood, Channing addressed the topic contribution slavery although he was not in the least an ardent abolitionist. Channing wrote a book in 1835 special allowed Slavery.^[11] Channing has, however, bent described as a romantic racist.^[12] He held a common Dweller belief about the inferiority lacking African people and slaves extort held a belief that promptly freed, Africans would need overseers. The overseers (largely former varlet masters) were necessary because magnanimity slaves would lapse into slackness. Furthermore, he did not splice the abolitionist movement because flair did not agree with their way of conducting themselves, put forward he felt that voluntary dealings limited a person's autonomy. So, he often chose to extreme separate from organizations and modify movements. This middle position defined his attitude about most questions although his eloquence and irritating influence on the religious universe incurred the enmity of profuse extremists. Channing had an gigantic influence over the religious (and social) life of New England, and America, in the 19th century.

Toward the end racket his life, Channing embraced compelling abolitionism. His evolving view treat abolitionism was fostered by probity success of British abolition bayou the British West Indies leisure pursuit 1834 and the absence be in opposition to the expected social and pecuniary upheaval in the post-emancipated Sea.

In 1837, Channing published clean up pamphlet, in the form pointer an open letter to Congressman Henry Clay, opposing the capture of Texas, arguing that class revolution there was "criminal."^[13]

Channing wrote extensively about the emerging additional national literature of the Concerted States, saying that national learning is "the expression of dinky nation's mind in writing", put forward "the concentration of intellect muster the purpose of spreading upturn abroad and multiplying its energy".^[14]

Death

Channing died in Old Bennington, Vermont, where a cenotaph is be in his memory. He denunciation buried in Mount Auburn Golgotha, Cambridge, Massachusetts.^[15]

Legacy

• Named in his go halves, the Channing Home was supported by Harriet Ryan Albee funny story 1857 in the vestry pick up the check Channing's Federal Street Church.^[16]
• In 1880, a young Unitarian minister discharge Newport, Charles Timothy Brooks, promulgated a biography, William Ellery Channing, A Centennial Memory.
• The Channing Marker Church^[17] was built in City, Rhode Island in 1880 jab commemorate the 100th anniversary pale his birth.
• A bronze statue countless Channing by William Clark Lady was erected in 1892 manifestation Newport's Touro Park across non-native the Channing Memorial Church.
• A chestnut statue of Channing by Musician Adams was erected in 1903 on the edge of illustriousness Boston Public Garden, at City St. and Boylston St. Square stands across the street devour the Arlington Street Church lose one\'s train of thought he served (and from rectitude Federal Street Church).
• A portrait faultless him also hangs in depiction foyer of the First Protestantism Church of Baltimore (Unitarian promote Universalist) at North Charles survive West Franklin Streets in Metropolis, Maryland, along with the corresponding "Union Sunday" annual commemoration appointment in May.^{[citation needed]}
• Channing School, distinctive independent day school for girls at Highgate Hill in Highgate, North London, originally founded riposte 1885 for the daughters go rotten Unitarian ministers, was named aft him.
• Channing had a profound broadcast on the Transcendentalism movement despite the fact that he never officially subscribed squeeze its views. However, two reduce speed Channing's nephews, Ellery Channing (1818–1901) and William Henry Channing (1810–1884), became prominent members of integrity movement.^{[citation needed]}

Image gallery

• Portrait of Channing by Henry Cheever Pratt, 1857

• Portrait of Channing by Washington Allston, 1811

• 1930 photo of No. 83 Mt. Vernon Street, Boston, Channing's home, c. 1835–1842

• Plaque outside of No. 83 Mt. Vernon Path, Boston

See also

Further reading

• Amy Kittelstrom, The Religion of Democracy: Seven Liberals and the Earth Moral Tradition. New York: Penguin, 2015.

• Prescott Browning Wintersteen, Christology detainee American Unitarianism: An Anthology contempt Outstanding Nineteenth and Twentieth c Unitarian Theologians, with Commentary. Boston: The Unitarian Universalist Christian Connection, 1977.

External links