Samuel Worcester (theologian)
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Samuel Worcester (1 November 1770, in
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– 7 June 1821, in Brainerd, Tennessee) was a
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clergyman noted for his participation in a controversy over
Unitarianism Unitarianism () is a Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian sect of Christianity. Unitarian Christians affirm the wikt:unitary, unitary God in Christianity, nature of God as the singular and unique Creator deity, creator of the universe, believe that ...
.


Biography

Against his father's wishes, he decided to educate himself for a profession rather than become a farmer. After attending and then teaching in local schools, he went to New Ipswitch Academy, and then entered
Dartmouth College Dartmouth College ( ) is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. Established in 1769 by Eleazar Wheelock, Dartmouth is one of the nine colonial colleges chartered before the America ...
, where he graduated in 1795. He was licensed to preach in 1796. From 1797 until 1802, he was pastor of the
Congregational Congregationalism (also Congregational Churches or Congregationalist Churches) is a Reformed Christianity, Reformed Christian (Calvinist) tradition of Protestant Christianity in which churches practice Congregationalist polity, congregational ...
Church in
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. Worcester subscribed to Hopkinsian Calvinism, and his views brought him into conflict with some in his parish who favored
Universalism Universalism is the philosophical and theological concept within Christianity that some ideas have universal application or applicability. A belief in one fundamental truth is another important tenet in universalism. The living truth is se ...
and others of liberal views. He was finally forced to resign from his charge. He became pastor of the Tabernacle Church,
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, in 1803, which charge he held until his death. He declined the professorship of theology in Dartmouth in 1804, and became corresponding secretary of the
American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions The American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions (ABCFM) was among the first American Christian mission, Christian missionary organizations. It was created in 1810 by recent graduates of Williams College. In the 19th century it was the l ...
in 1810. He became occupied enough with his missionary work, that in 1819 an associate pastor was appointed at the Tabernacle Church. In 1815, he engaged in a noted controversy on Unitarianism with William E. Channing. A review, attributed to
Jeremiah Evarts Jeremiah F. Evarts (February 3, 1781 – May 10, 1831), also known by the pen name William Penn, was a Christians, Christian missionary, reformer, and activist for the rights of American Indians in the United States, and a leading opponent of the ...
, had been published in ''
The Panoplist ''The Panoplist'' was a religious monthly magazine printed from 1805 until 1820 edited by Jeremiah Evarts Jeremiah F. Evarts (February 3, 1781 – May 10, 1831), also known by the pen name William Penn, was a Christians, Christian missionary, re ...
'' in June 1815 of a pamphlet on American Unitarianism (''American Unitarianism; or a Brief History of the Progress and Present State of the Unitarian Churches of America''). Channing objected to the way Unitarians in the United States were portrayed in the review, Worcester replied to this objection, and an exchange of pamphlets followed. At the time of his death, Worcester was traveling for the benefit of his health.


Publications

* ''Discourses on the Covenant with Abraham'' (Salem, 1805) * ''Three Letters to the Rev. William E. Channing on Unitarianism'' (Boston, 1815) * ''Watts's Entire and Select Hymns'' (1818) He also published single sermons and pamphlets, and reviews and essays in religious periodicals. After his death, a collection of his sermons was published (1823).


Family

Samuel's brother
Noah Noah (; , also Noach) appears as the last of the Antediluvian Patriarchs (Bible), patriarchs in the traditions of Abrahamic religions. His story appears in the Hebrew Bible (Book of Genesis, chapters 5–9), the Quran and Baháʼí literature, ...
was a pioneer of the peace movement in the United States. Another brother Thomas (1768–1831) was also a clergyman. Samuel's son Samuel Melancthon Worcester (4 September 1801, Fitchburg, Massachusetts - 16 August 1866, Boston) graduated from Harvard in 1822, studied for a year at Andover, was a tutor in Amherst from 1823 to 1825, and professor of rhetoric and oratory there from 1825 to 1834. He was pastor of the Tabernacle Church, Salem, from 1834 to 1860, when impaired health caused him to resign. He was a member of the Massachusetts Senate and House of Representatives. He published ''Essays on Slavery, by Vigorinus'' (1826), ''The Memorial of the Old and New Tabernacle'' (Boston, 1855), ''Life and Labors of Rev. Samuel Worcester'' (2 vols., Boston, 1852), and single sermons and discourses, and articles in religious periodicals.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Worcester, Samuel 1770 births 1821 deaths American Calvinist and Reformed ministers People from Hollis, New Hampshire Dartmouth College alumni