Unitarian Christianity
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Unitarian Christianity - William Ellery Channing
Unitarian Christianity
1 Thes. v. 21: Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
The peculiar circumstances of this occasion not only justify,
but seem to demand a departure from the course generally followed
by preachers at the introduction of a brother into the sacred
office. It is usual to speak of the nature, design, duties, and
advantages of the Christian ministry; and on these topics I should
now be happy to insist, did I not remember that a minister is to be
given this day to a religious society, whose peculiarities of
opinion have drawn upon them much remark, and may I not add, much
reproach. Many good minds, many sincere Christians, I am aware, are
apprehensive that the solemnities of this day are to give a degree
of influence to principles which they deem false and injurious. The
fears and anxieties of such men I respect; and, believing that they
are grounded in part on mistake, I have thought it my duty to lay
before you, as clearly as I can, some of the distinguishing
opinions of that class of Christians in our country, who are known
to sympathize with this religious society. I must ask your
patience, for such a subject is not to be despatched in a narrow
compass. I must also ask you to remember, that it is impossible to
exhibit, in a single discourse, our views of every doctrine of
Revelation, much less the differences of opinion which are known to
subsist among ourselves. I shall confine myself to topics, on which
our sentiments have been misrepresented, or which distinguish us
most widely from others. May I not hope to be heard with candor?
God deliver us all from prejudice and unkindness, and fill us with
the love of truth and virtue.
There are two natural divisions under which my thoughts will
be arranged. I shall endeavour to unfold, 1st, The principles which
we adopt in interpreting the Scriptures. And 2dly, Some of the
doctrines, which the Scriptures, so interpreted, seem to us clearly
to express.
I. We regard the Scriptures as the records of God’s successive
revelations to mankind, and particularly of the last and most
perfect revelation of his will by Jesus Christ. Whatever doctrines
seem to us to be clearly taught in the Scriptures; we receive
without reserve or exception. We do not, however, attach equal
importance to all the books in this collection. Our religion, we
believe, lies chiefly in the New Testament. The dispensation of
Moses, compared with that of Jesus, we consider as adapted to the
childhood of the human race, a preparation for a nobler system, and
chiefly useful now as serving to confirm and illustrate the
Christian Scriptures. Jesus Christ is the only master of
Christians, and whatever he taught, either during his personal
ministry, or by his inspired Apostles, we regard as of divine
authority, and profess to make the rule of our lives.
This authority, which we give to the Scriptures, is a reason,
we conceive, for studying them with peculiar care, and for
inquiring anxiously into the principles of interpretation, by which
their true meaning may be ascertained. The principles adopted by
the class of Christians in whose name I speak, need to be
explained, because they are often misunderstood. We are
particularly accused of making an unwarrantable use of reason in
the interpretation of Scripture. We are said to exalt reason above
revelation, to prefer our own wisdom to God’s. Loose and undefined
charges of this kind are circulated so freely, that we think it due
to ourselves, and to the cause of truth, to express our views with
some particularity.
Our leading principle in interpreting Scripture is this, that
the Bible is a book written for men, in the language of men, and
that its meaning is to be sought