UU Faithworks

This is a "TV News" script reporting on Rev. William Ellery Channing's historic 1819 sermon in Baltimore, Maryland. The approach is to have TV reporters "go back in time" to the event as well as report on earlier and later events to provide context. The intent is to have kids play the parts, both as an outlet for their energy and to involve them in the material.

Alicia: Good Morning from the UU-Span Broadcasting Network. We're coming to you today from our studios in New Brunswick, NJ. We have an exciting show for you today about a most important figure in UU History. Here's Brian to tell you more about it.

Brian: Thank you Alicia. Today's report is about William Ellery Channing, an American minister who preached a most important Sermon in 1819.

Brian: Glad you asked. To answer that question, we now switch to Casey, our Roving Time Reporter. Casey, can you hear me?

Casey: Yes, I can Brian. I'm reporting from 1815 in Boston, Massachusetts. James Monroe is president of the United States. Practical steamships were developed in 1807 but wind power is still the best way for people to travel across the Atlantic. The U.S. is only 30 years old and is still recovering from the War of 1812 with Britain. Just ten short years ago Lewis and Clark made their famous trip to the Pacific.

Besides politics, religion is a major topic. Just a few years ago, Harvard Divinity School began teaching about one God with less emphasis on the Trinity. This so angered many congregations that many withdrew their financial support of Harvard and founded Andover.

Alicia: Trinity. Correct me if I'm wrong, Casey, but isn't that the Christian belief that God is three persons—the Father—God of the Old Testament, the Son—Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost—the spirit that people experienced after Jesus' Crucifixion.

Casey: Right you are, Alicia. With all of the differences that separate Baptists, Episcopalians, Catholics, etc. one thing they all agreed on was the Trinity.

Brian: Thank you for that background, Casey. We now take you to Diane in 1819. Is that a church behind you Diane?

Diane: Yes, it is. It is the First Independent Church of Baltimore in Baltimore, Maryland, where, on this fine day, Jared Sparks is being ordained as a new minister. William Ellery Channing is preaching the sermon to a packed church. Ministers from as far away as Boston, Massachusetts and Richmond, Virginia, have come to attend the service. Word has it that Rev. Channing will break new ground this morning, but unfortunately we do not have an advance copy of his sermon. Also attending are a number of ministers from local congregations—Episcopalians, Methodists, Baptists, Congregationalists.

Alicia: I see that some people are now leaving the church behind you—the service must be over. Try to get people to talk about what they heard this morning.

Diane: You, kind sir, can you tell us who you are, where you are from and what you thought of the ordination this morning?

Edwards: My name is Rev. Edwards from Washington DC. This was a beautiful ceremony for Rev. Sparks and I'm sure he will remember it his whole life.

Edwards: Most remarkable! Rev. Channing called for a new denomination, breaking away entirely from the Trinitarian Congregationalists. Rev. Channing finds the doctrines of this new faith inspiring and challenges us to spread the word to others.

Diane: Thank you. And you madam, tell us your name and what you thought of the sermon.

Felicia: My name is Felicia Demming, wife of Rev. Demming in Philadelphia. I found the sermon inspiring, a breath of fresh air. I particularly liked what was said about reason: "God has given us a rational nature, and will call us to account for it. We may let it sleep, but we do so at our peril."

Jenny: If I may add, I also like what he said about the Bible: "The Bible is a book written for men, in the language of men, and that its meaning is to be sought in the same manner as that of other books." There are so many who believe the Bible to be literally true, without question, even though it was written thousands of years ago.

Gregory: I am Gregory Hancock from Baltimore. I am the pastor of the Episcopal church, just a few blocks away and I am appalled! Rev. Channing broke from all of Christianity by denying the Trinity and affirming the Unity of God. Who is Jesus? Just a human being?

Harriet: I'm Harriet Snowe. To be honest, I heard very little of it. I was in the back and he spoke with such a quiet voice.

Ian: I'm Ian Lancaster from New Brunswick. I think Rev. Channing has started a firestorm. He has angered many God-fearing people with his words, "Much stubble is yet to be burned; much rubbish to be removed; many gaudy decorations, which a false taste has hung around Christianity, must be swept away; and the earth-born fogs, which have long shrouded it, must be scattered, before this divine fabric will rise before us in its native and awful majesty…"

Alicia: Diane, your last speaker spoke the truth. We return now to Casey, our Roving Time Reporter.

Casey: I'm here in Boston in 1825. We just got word that another church nearby has voted whether or not to be Unitarian or Trinitarian. There was much heated debate over many months as nearby churches voted one way or another. These votes have split congregations, separated friends and families. After the vote, no matter who "wins" a group of disgusted parishioners leaves and begins another congregation.

There are now 125 new Unitarian congregations following Rev. Channing's historic speech. Rev. Channing just started today the American Unitarian Association.

Brian: Thank you, Casey. That's all the news we have for this morning. This is Brian...

This was put together rather quickly by Bob Munson of the Unitarian Society of New Brunswick, NJ, USA. This is just a first draft so feel free to adapt, add, cut, improve, etc. No claim is made to historical accuracy, though the quotes attributed to the sermon are taken from what I had as a copy. Also Harriet's remarks about Channing being inaudible I had heard in a sermon about the event.

You'll note that the characters names range alphabetically from A to J. Feel free to change them, as well as the location to your home church.


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