William Ellery Channing

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This article is about Dr. William Ellery Channing, the Unitarian theologian. For the Transcendentalist poet, see William Ellery Channing (1818–1901).

Dr. William Ellery Channing (April 7, 1780 – October 2, 1842) was the foremost Unitarian preacher in the United States in the early nineteenth century and, along with Andrews Norton, one of Unitarianism's leading theologians. He was known for his articulate and impassioned sermons and public speeches, and as a prominent thinker in the liberal theology of the day. Dr. Channing's religion and thought were among the chief influences on the New England Transcendentalists, though he never countenanced their views, which he saw as extreme.

Channing was born in Newport, Rhode Island. He became a New England liberal, rejecting the Calvinist doctrines of total depravity and divine election.

He graduated from Harvard in 1798. Troubled both by post-revolutionary French radicalism and by American Calvinist orthodoxy, Channing preferred a gentle, loving relationship with God. However, the struggle continued through two years during which Channing lived in Richmond, working as a tutor. He came to his definitive faith only through much spiritual turmoil and difficulty.

In 1803 Channing was called as pastor of what later became known as the Arlington Street Church (Boston), where he remained for the rest of his life. He lived through the increasing tension between religious liberals and conservatives and took a moderate position, rejecting the extremes of both groups.

Nevertheless he became the primary spokesman and interpreter of Unitarianism when he preached the ordination sermon of Jared Sparks in Baltimore in 1819; it was entitled "Unitarian Christianity". In that address he explicated the distinctive tenets of the Unitarian movement, only one of which was the rejection of the Trinity. Other important tenets were the belief in human goodness and the subjection of theological ideas to the light of reason.

A few years later he gave another famous ordination sermon, entitled "Likeness to God". The idea of the human potential to be like God, which Channing advocated as grounded firmly in scripture, was seen as heretical by the Calvinist religious establishment of his day.

In later years Channing often preached against slavery, although he was never an ardent abolitionist. This middle position characterized his attitude about most questions, although his eloquence and strong influence on the religious world incurred the enmity of many extremists. Channing had an enormous influence over the religious (and social) life of New England, and America, in the nineteenth century.

Channing died in Old Bennington, Vermont, where a cenotaph is placed in his memory. He is buried in Mount Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Two of Dr. Channing's nephews were prominent Transcendentalists:

William Ellery Channing (1818–1901), usually known as Ellery Channing, was the son of his brother Walter Channing (1786–1876, a Boston doctor);
William Henry Channing was the son of his brother Francis Dana Channing.

External links

[Online works by Channing, including Self-Culture, Likeness to God, etc.]
[Channing article] from the 1911 Encyclopaedia Britannica
E-texts of his collected works are available at [Making of America]
[An image of Channing] from UUA

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