Charles Chauncy (clergyman, 1705)

Charles Chauncy (born January 1, 1705 in Boston , † February 10, 1787 ibid.) Was an English-American congregational pastor and one of the most influential figures of his time in New England . He was an avowed opponent of Jonathan Edwards and the revival movement of the First Great Awakening supported by him .

Life

Chauncy was born into the elite class of Puritan merchants who ruled Boston. His great-grandfather Charles Chauncy (1592–1671), after whom he was named, was the second president of Harvard . His father was a successful Boston businessman. Chauncy was educated at the Boston Latin School and Harvard College . At the age of 19 he received his master’s degree. Later in life he received an honorary doctorate from the University of Edinburgh . He was a founding member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences .

When Pastor Benjamin Wadsworth assumed the presidency of Harvard College in 1727, Charles Chauncy was called to serve as Thomas Foxcroft's assistant in the service of the First Church , known as the "Old Brick ." At 22, he was the youngest pastor called to serve in this oldest and most important church in Boston. Initially, he continued the tradition from the early days of the church, preaching piety and disciplined faith, using the Bible as the sole authority. Harvard's humanistic upbringing, however, was to influence his evolving theological, social, and political views. In 1762 Foxcroft suffered a stroke and Chauncy took over the leadership of the First Church . Altogether he stood on the pulpit of this church for 60 years.

Act

Alongside Jonathan Edwards , his great opponent, Chauncy was probably the most influential clergyman of his time in New England . Unlike Edwards turned Chauncy against the revival ( Great Awakening ), the detected British colonies of North America 1739-1745. As a scholar, Chauncy mistrusted all emotion. Accordingly, he opposed the awakening style of preaching of the revival movement, which is particularly evident in his 1743 published Seasonable Thoughts on the State of Religion in New England (for example: "Treatises on the state of religion in New England"). In the theological disputes that followed the revival movement, he became the leader of the liberal theologians known as " Old Lights ".

He also became the leader of the opposition to the establishment of an Anglican diocese in the American colonies. He dedicated various writings to this topic, the most important of which appeared in 1771 under the title Compleat View of Episcopacy . As a staunch supporter of the independence movement of the American colonies, he clearly expressed the political views of the American Revolution in sermons and pamphlets during this period.

Towards the end of his life, Chauncy published various writings through which, probably unintentionally, he founded a new liberal theological tradition in America: American Unitarianism . He had already completed the manuscript for The Mystery Hid from Ages and Generations , published in 1784, two decades earlier. However, he had withheld publication because he had recognized the consistent logic of his arguments. He argued for an innate moral sense in man, the free will of man, universal salvation and thus the spiritual equality of all people. Chauncy was aware that these claims undermined both the teachings of his own Calvinist faith tradition and the social hierarchy to which he had valued so much throughout his life.

Not least because of Chauncy's life and work, a liberal Christian view was predominant in Boston from 1804. The liberal beliefs shaped by Chauncy combined a rational foundation based on the Enlightenment with theologically progressive and at the same time deeply rooted socially conservative attitudes.

reception

Biographer Charles H. Lippy wrote, "Chauncy was primarily a traditional Puritan cleric ... As a rule, Chauncy supported those clergy throughout his life who upheld traditional New England etiquette [of the ruling elite]." Although this Puritan tribe was dissident in England (i.e. the liberals), in America they were the ruling elite and thus the conservatives against other religious groups such as the Baptists and Quakers. Chauncy was therefore a staunch and loyal supporter of the status quo of the political, social, religious and economic merchant class.

In his book Old Brick: Charles Chauncy of Boston, 1705–1787 , Edward M. Griffin presents a brief summary of Chauncy's life and work:

“Chauncy not only played a role in the great events of his time and the Great Awakening , but also in the French and Indian Wars, the controversy over the planned establishment of the Anglican episcopate in America, political events from the stamp law through the revolution, the rise the Enlightenment, the growth of 'liberal Protestantism ', the social changes in Boston and the development of Unitarianism. "

Chauncy organized the American clergy and corresponded with the dissenting English clergy to protest and prevent the Church of England from encroaching on their colonies. Though his efforts to unify the clergy failed, Chauncy received an honorary doctorate from the University of Edinburgh . He was a founding member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (1780) and was recognized by the Massachusetts Historical Society (when his portrait was hung there) as 'outstanding for his talents, erudition, and lover of freedom' and religious. 'In short, he was honored as one of the leading intellectuals of the 18th century in America. He was also an uncomfortable elitist. Biographer Lippy wrote that Chauncy believed 'that the laity should simply follow the lead of the clergy who were, after all, theological professionals.

Fonts

1742: The Wonderful Narrative: Or A Faithful Account Of The French Prophets, Their Agitations, Ecstasies, And Inspirations (1742)
1743: Seasonable thoughts on the state of religion in New England
1755: A letter to a friend giving a concise but just, account, according to the advices hitherto
1770: A reply to Dr. Chandler's' appeal defended
1771: Compleat View of Episcopacy
1773: Christian Love, as Exemplified by the First Christian Church, a Sermon
1782: Salvation for All Men
1784: The Mystery Hid from Ages and Generations
1784: The Benevolence of the Deity
1784: Five Dissertations on the Scripture Account of the Fall

literature

Edward M. Griffin: Old Brick: Charles Chauncy of Boston, 1705-1787. University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis 1980, ISBN 978-0816657773
Charles H. Lippy: Seasonable Revolutionary: The Mind of Charles Chauncy. Nelson Hall, Chicago 1981, ISBN 978-0882296258

Web links

Individual evidence

↑ Charles Chauncy, 'Old Brick', Fights Revivalists, Damnation and a War at firstchurchbostonhistory.org, accessed January 2, 2019.
^ Unitarian Universalist Association: Introducing Charles Chauncy . Accessed February 11, 2019 at uua.org.
↑ Charles H. Lippy: Seasonable Revolutionary: The Mind of Charles Chauncy. Nelson Hall, Chicago 1981, p. 12. - In the original: “Chauncy was first and foremost a traditional Puritan cleric .... As a rule, Chauncy throughout his life supported the clergy who observed the traditional decorum of the New England [ruling elite] way. "
^ Edward M. Griffin: Old Brick: Charles Chauncy of Boston, 1705–1787. University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis 1980, p. Viii ( Google Books ) - Originally: “[Chauncy] played a role in the major events of his time: not only the Great Awakening, but also the French and Indian wars, the controversy over the proposed establishment of the Anglican episcopacy in America, political events from the Stamp Act through the Revolution, the rise of the Enlightenment, the growth of "liberal Protestantism," social changes in Boston, and the development of Unitarianism. "
↑ Chauncy organized American clergy and corresponded with English dissenting clergy to protest and prevent the encroachment of the Church of England in its colonies. Although his effort to unify the clergy ultimately failed, Chauncy received an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from the University of Edinburgh. He was a charter member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (1780) [1] and was recognized by the Massachusetts Historical Society (when his portrait was hung there) as "eminent for his talents, learning, and lover of liberty, civil and religious. " He was, in short, honored as one of the leading intellects of 18th-century America. Hey what about unapologetic elitist. Biographer Lippy wrote that Chauncy believed "the laymen should simply follow the lead of the clergy who were, after all, the theological professionals.

personal data
SURNAME	Chauncy, Charles
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	English-American congregational pastor
DATE OF BIRTH	January 1, 1705
PLACE OF BIRTH	Boston
DATE OF DEATH	February 10, 1787
Place of death	Boston

[1] Charles Chauncy, 'Old Brick', Fights Revivalists, Damnation and a War at firstchurchbostonhistory.org, accessed January 2, 2019.

[2] Unitarian Universalist Association: Introducing Charles Chauncy . Accessed February 11, 2019 at uua.org.

[3] Charles H. Lippy: Seasonable Revolutionary: The Mind of Charles Chauncy. Nelson Hall, Chicago 1981, p. 12. - In the original: “Chauncy was first and foremost a traditional Puritan cleric .... As a rule, Chauncy throughout his life supported the clergy who observed the traditional decorum of the New England [ruling elite] way. "

[4] Edward M. Griffin: Old Brick: Charles Chauncy of Boston, 1705–1787. University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis 1980, p. Viii ( Google Books ) - Originally: “[Chauncy] played a role in the major events of his time: not only the Great Awakening, but also the French and Indian wars, the controversy over the proposed establishment of the Anglican episcopacy in America, political events from the Stamp Act through the Revolution, the rise of the Enlightenment, the growth of "liberal Protestantism," social changes in Boston, and the development of Unitarianism. "

[5] Chauncy organized American clergy and corresponded with English dissenting clergy to protest and prevent the encroachment of the Church of England in its colonies. Although his effort to unify the clergy ultimately failed, Chauncy received an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from the University of Edinburgh. He was a charter member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (1780) [1] and was recognized by the Massachusetts Historical Society (when his portrait was hung there) as "eminent for his talents, learning, and lover of liberty, civil and religious. " He was, in short, honored as one of the leading intellects of 18th-century America. Hey what about unapologetic elitist. Biographer Lippy wrote that Chauncy believed "the laymen should simply follow the lead of the clergy who were, after all, the theological professionals.