Jesus as Intelligent Interpreter and Societal Savior William Ellery Channing's Chistology

Date of Award

2003

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

Department

Humanities

First Advisor

Michalson, Gordon

Keywords

American Religion, Unitarianism, Channing, William Ellery, Liberal Christianity

Area of Concentration

Religion

Abstract

William Ellery Channing was an early American Unitarian who brought about a new conception of liberal faith. He promoted a Christianity that could be logically understood, proved, and defended. The logical aspect of Christianity was important to him because his idea of God was a Creator merciful enough to be understandable to anyone who sought the truth. This is important to look at because it gives Christianity accessibility, and presents the Christian God as dynamic and forgiving. Another important aspect is the distinctly Unitarian, as opposed to Trinitarian, component to his theology. This also accentuates God's forgiveness, in that it treats the life and death of Christ less as an appeasement of an angry God, but instead proof of a caring creator God who sent a dynamic human being to interpret His laws. The human, rather than divine, nature of Christ gives more weight to his life in other ways as well. Another aspect of Charming's theology is the weight he gave Christ's moral teachings. Channing believed that these teachings were the most important thing to come from Christ's life, rather than any supernatural divine salvation. This changed emphasis broadens both what Christianity can be, what it can do, and who can be considered a Christian. This helps in making Christianity more dynamic and progressive, rather than something a progressive community necessarily needs to move past.

Rights

This bibliographic record is available under the Creative Commons CC0 public domain dedication. The New College of Florida, as creator of this bibliographic record, has waived all rights to it worldwide under copyright law, including all related and neighboring rights, to the extent allowed by law.

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