Later Unitarians in Christiani-ty 233William Ellery Channing (1780-1842)
William Channing was born in 1780. At the age of twenty-three he
came to Boston and began his ministry which was to have a great
influence on Unitarian thought. Channing had never accepted the
doctrine of Trinity, but it was then not considered safe to openly
denounce il. Along with other Unitarian ministers, he was accused
of secretly spreading his views against the doctrine of Trinity.
Channing replied that their views on Trinity were not concealed,
but that they preached as if this doctrine had never been known.
Channing said that they had adopted this approach so as not to
divide the Christians against each other. Thus, at this stage, the
Unitarian movement had not yet come out fully into the open.
In 1819,Channinggavea discourseat the ordinationof theRev
erend Iared Sparks. In his inimitable way, he outlined the salient
features of Unitarian belief. He asserted that the Neto Testament was
based on the Old Testament, and that the teaching which had been
dispensed to the Christians was a continuation of the Jewish one.
It was the completion of a vast scheme of Providence which re
quired a vast perspective to be understood.
(Clearly Channing had not been granted access to a reliable
translation of the Qur'an - which not only confirms the link be
tween and continuity of the teachings of Moses and Jesus, but also
confirms that the teachings of Muhammad are in turn a continua
tion of their teachings, may the blessings and peace of God he on
him and them, and in fact the completion of the Prophetie tradi
tion within God's'vast scherne of Providence', which does indeed
require a vast perspective to be understood.)
Keeping this in mind, said Channing, he affirmed the belief that
God never contradicts in one part of the Scripture what He teaches
in the other, and that He 'never contradicts in revelation, what He
teaches in His works and providence. And we therefore distrust
every interpretation, which, after deliberate attention, seems re
pugnant to any established truth.' Channing was insistent that man
should make use of his reason:
God has given us a rational nature, and will calI us to
account for il. We may let it sleep, but we do 50 at our
peril. Revelation is addressed to us as rational beings.