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Three Prophets of Religious Liberalism: Channing, Emerson, Parker

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"Three Prophets of Religious Liberalism: Channing -- Emerson -- Parker" is a powerful collection of speeches. The book also contains a substantial introduction by Conrad Wright. The three historic pieces contained in the book are as follows: William Ellery Channing's "Unitarian Christianity" (delivered in 1819), Ralph Waldo Emerson's "Divinity School Address" (1838), and Theodore Parker's "The Transient and Permanent in Christianity" (1841). In his introduction, Wright notes that all three orations caused "widespread controversy." Indeed, all these decades later, I think that these men still have some bold ideas.

These speeches reflect conflicts that are still active in United States Christianity. Channing warns against the practice of selectively reading certain parts of the Judeo-Christian Bible in a literal way. He warns, "The ambitious continue to find doctrines in the Bible, which favor their love of dominion." Emerson looks forward to a new revelation, complementary to the Bible, to emerge in the Western world. Parker warns against turning the Judeo-Christian Bible into a sort of "idol."

These speeches are fascinating to read, and the ideas expressed in them remain relevant. This is an excellent book for those with an interest in U.S. religious history, or for those who want to hear voices that express an alternative to the soul-killing doctrines of the "religious right."