Review(s) of: The God-centred life: Insights from Jonathan Edwards for today, by Josh Moody, Leic... more Review(s) of: The God-centred life: Insights from Jonathan Edwards for today, by Josh Moody, Leicester: IVP, 2006, 176 pp., 8.99 pounds, ISBN: 9781844741311.
George Whitefi eld (1714-1770) demonstrated a keen awareness of his own place in some greater pla... more George Whitefi eld (1714-1770) demonstrated a keen awareness of his own place in some greater plan when he expostulated to his sister while still a youth: 'God intends something for me which we know not of. ' 1 He play-acted being an Anglican vicar long before his own calling to ministry. 2 Indeed, on the day aft er his ordination as deacon in Gloucester Cathedral in 1736, Whitefi eld experienced a calling from God during his daily devotions. In his soul, he heard the words 'Speak out, Paul' , which confi rmed his new identity and ministry as cleric. 3 Consequently, like many Christians in the course of history (e.g. Ignatius of Antioch and Calvin of Geneva), Whitefi eld gave shape to this nascent sense of vocation by constructing his own (early) autobiographical refl ections in his Journals around the experiences of the apostle Paul: his dramatic conversion on the Damascus Road, cross-cultural commitments, itinerancy, imperial travels and dignity in suff ering. 4 Since the dissolution of the monasteries in Reformation England, new justifi cation was necessary for an itinerant evangelistic ministry among clergy beyond the parish, which was provided to Whitefi eld through his Pauline sense of vocation. Th e poet William Cowper confi rmed such a calling in these words from the poem Hope : Paul's love of Christ, and steadiness unbrib' d, Were copied close in him [Whitefi eld], and well transcrib' d.
Review(s) of: The prayer which brought a great revival: A book of documents on the second great a... more Review(s) of: The prayer which brought a great revival: A book of documents on the second great awakening in the USA, by Robert Evans (ed.), Hazelbrook NSW: the author, 2013, ISBN 978-0-9756733-8-6, RRP AUD$20.00.
Eighteenth-century revivalism served both disruption and order. It was disruptive in as far as it... more Eighteenth-century revivalism served both disruption and order. It was disruptive in as far as it acknowledged decentralised authority and gave new religious prominence to human agency, international initiatives, new strategies for ministry, and permitted eschatological, sometimes apocalyptic, agendas to drive experience. Indeed, Winiarski has recently portrayed the movement in New England as dangerously divisive. [1] On the other hand, thinkers like Jonathan Edwards were concerned about the ultimate harmony of both the created and the uncreated spheres, taught systematically about the dignified and unified purposes of history, and sought to cultivate heroic leadership in the church that would function like a tiller, to keep the boat steady and on course. His wig was a sign of his desire for order, though on a good day he was patient of expressions of ardour as well. What, then, was coursing through Edwards’s heart when he prayed these familiar words “Thy Kingdom come”? The phrase can be heard as a plea for the establishment of God’s harmonious rule in the new creation, or for the dissolution of this world’s order, and begs the question which of these might be primary in God’s design. To ask questions of the Kingdom is to ask some of the most fundamental questions in theological inquiry [1] Douglas L. Winiarski, Darkness Falls on the Land of Light: Experiencing Religious Awakenings in Eighteenth-Century New England (Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2017.
This brief coda positions Edwards’s insights into mentoring as valuable contributions to the purs... more This brief coda positions Edwards’s insights into mentoring as valuable contributions to the pursuit of integrative learning in a postmodern and fragmented world. Given the value of the medium and message being mutually reinforcing, a Christian educational agenda should no less conform to this pedagogical assumption. This is supported theologically by appeal to Christ’s incarnation and to the expectation of meeting him face-to-face in the coming age, and calls us to resist pragmatic pressures which prize efficiency over embodiment. The long-term pursuit of wisdom, best acquired through direct encounter, personal negotiation, and contextually driven decision-making, becomes more pressing than ever in an age which encourages rage and unreflective reaction through social media.
This chapter describes and evaluates the actual practices adopted by Edwards in his mentoring min... more This chapter describes and evaluates the actual practices adopted by Edwards in his mentoring ministry. First, shifts in understanding authority in the eighteenth century are expounded, followed by an investigation of the nature of friendship and conversation in Edwards’s world. His dynamic conception of individuals in social contexts provides a base from which to explore mentoring. His own pedagogical assumptions as a modern thinker are outlined, which find their expression in the ways that Edwards conducted his personal correspondence in a familiar manner. Edwards’s ordination sermons of the late 1740s are evidence of his aspirations for mentees and of his frustration that the revivals had not been as effective as he had hoped.
<p>Edwards's understanding of the church drew upon traditional Protestant motifs, but h... more <p>Edwards's understanding of the church drew upon traditional Protestant motifs, but his context was one of secularization, the rise of deism, and the fissiparous impact of revivals. He defined the church from its centre out by highlighting its ministry of Word and sacrament, and he sought to defend the church's distinction from the world while at the same time opposing separatism. The revivals could undermine clerical authority and cause division, but they also promoted the Spirit's power to bind believers locally and internationally. Though Edwards refused to use the language of secondary causation to explain the sacraments, the Lord's Supper was explained as intimate participation in the life of God. Ultimately the world was to be ordered to the church, the focus of God's eschatological design, without neglecting its missiological responsibilities. The church is both rooted in the purposes of God, and responsive to the environment in which it is planted.</p>
It is easy to assume that a small period of time equals a small amount of importance. Consequentl... more It is easy to assume that a small period of time equals a small amount of importance. Consequently, the two years (1735-1737) which John Wesley spent in America, chiefly Georgia, are often reported merely as a preface to later developments, or the capstone of an earlier trajectory. His life was long, spanning the eighteenth century, but his American sojourn brief. Geordan Hammond has corrected the record by giving us one of the few recent monographs on Wesley as missionary in America, and has done so with extraordinary attention to documentary detail and appreciation of Wesley's own distinct goals for the mission: to revive primitive Christianity, which meant for him the church before the Council of Nicea (325 CE). Hammond has utilised diary entries and Wesley's journals, both published and unpublished in his lifetime, to provide layered nuance to many assumptions about Wesley's attitudes to his ministry while he was in America, and he has also accessed colonial records, not frequently used, to fill out the picture. Like Luther before him, Wesley cultivated later in life a distinct image of his earlier self, which might disguise powerful motivators for his mission. The chapters roll out a persuasive argument that John Wesley sought to recreate in a frontier setting, beginning on the voyage to the New World in the Simmonds, a version of the early church, which valued Eucharistic primacy, ascetic lifestyle, penitential discipline, and women's empowerment, even when his vision caused misunderstanding and conflict. Hammond makes Wesley more Anglican than his nineteenth-century biographers would lead us to think, and Methodism more primitivist than scholars blinded by the light of the Enlightenment usually hold. The chapters are roughly chronological, taking us from encounters with migrants aboard the ship (chapter 2), other Christian missions to America led by Moravians and Halle Pietists (chapter 3), then structures of liturgy and the shape of the Methodist societies developed (chapter 4), and finally opposition to his labours and return to England (chapter 5). On the whole, this makes for satisfying reading, though much of the story of Wesley and Methodism is assumed, as are Wesley's theological commitments. Hammond makes clear from the outset that this book will augment the plethora of theological analyses of Wesley's legacy, though some theological engagement along the way would have proved useful. The deist background to eighteenth-century religious debates would suggest the importance of some further systematic reflection upon how Wesley's High Church and rigorist vision for primitive Christianity served as a protest. For instance, he refused permission to William Aglionby to be a godparent because of his deist sympathies (p. 116). Similarly, exploration of Puritan Dissent, which was part of his family's religious heritage on both his mother's and father's side, would have made a valuable contribution to Wesley's desire for a purified primitive church, for the Nonjurors' influence on Wesley is just one part of his story. Much has been written on Puritan primitivism, for example Bozeman's magisterial To Live Ancient Lives, or bs_bs_banner
Part of the intriguing power of Edwards’s mentoring is the legacy he creates during and after the... more Part of the intriguing power of Edwards’s mentoring is the legacy he creates during and after the American Revolution. He trains his mentees to be not mere mimics but rather leaders who can reason from first principles and adapt their proclamation to the particular social context of their ministry. Edwards spawns a school of ministry known subsequently as the New Divinity, which institutionalizes Edwards’s revivalist impulses in founding Andover Seminary in Newton, Massachusetts, in 1808. Their successes in New England in local church settings and their influence on debates of the early republic are dramatic, evidenced in federalist political philosophy as well as the cause of abolition. Edwards takes traditional mentoring practices and retools them to operate in a modern and democratic world.
Review(s) of: The God-centred life: Insights from Jonathan Edwards for today, by Josh Moody, Leic... more Review(s) of: The God-centred life: Insights from Jonathan Edwards for today, by Josh Moody, Leicester: IVP, 2006, 176 pp., 8.99 pounds, ISBN: 9781844741311.
George Whitefi eld (1714-1770) demonstrated a keen awareness of his own place in some greater pla... more George Whitefi eld (1714-1770) demonstrated a keen awareness of his own place in some greater plan when he expostulated to his sister while still a youth: &#39;God intends something for me which we know not of. &#39; 1 He play-acted being an Anglican vicar long before his own calling to ministry. 2 Indeed, on the day aft er his ordination as deacon in Gloucester Cathedral in 1736, Whitefi eld experienced a calling from God during his daily devotions. In his soul, he heard the words &#39;Speak out, Paul&#39; , which confi rmed his new identity and ministry as cleric. 3 Consequently, like many Christians in the course of history (e.g. Ignatius of Antioch and Calvin of Geneva), Whitefi eld gave shape to this nascent sense of vocation by constructing his own (early) autobiographical refl ections in his Journals around the experiences of the apostle Paul: his dramatic conversion on the Damascus Road, cross-cultural commitments, itinerancy, imperial travels and dignity in suff ering. 4 Since the dissolution of the monasteries in Reformation England, new justifi cation was necessary for an itinerant evangelistic ministry among clergy beyond the parish, which was provided to Whitefi eld through his Pauline sense of vocation. Th e poet William Cowper confi rmed such a calling in these words from the poem Hope : Paul&#39;s love of Christ, and steadiness unbrib&#39; d, Were copied close in him [Whitefi eld], and well transcrib&#39; d.
Review(s) of: The prayer which brought a great revival: A book of documents on the second great a... more Review(s) of: The prayer which brought a great revival: A book of documents on the second great awakening in the USA, by Robert Evans (ed.), Hazelbrook NSW: the author, 2013, ISBN 978-0-9756733-8-6, RRP AUD$20.00.
Eighteenth-century revivalism served both disruption and order. It was disruptive in as far as it... more Eighteenth-century revivalism served both disruption and order. It was disruptive in as far as it acknowledged decentralised authority and gave new religious prominence to human agency, international initiatives, new strategies for ministry, and permitted eschatological, sometimes apocalyptic, agendas to drive experience. Indeed, Winiarski has recently portrayed the movement in New England as dangerously divisive. [1] On the other hand, thinkers like Jonathan Edwards were concerned about the ultimate harmony of both the created and the uncreated spheres, taught systematically about the dignified and unified purposes of history, and sought to cultivate heroic leadership in the church that would function like a tiller, to keep the boat steady and on course. His wig was a sign of his desire for order, though on a good day he was patient of expressions of ardour as well. What, then, was coursing through Edwards’s heart when he prayed these familiar words “Thy Kingdom come”? The phrase can be heard as a plea for the establishment of God’s harmonious rule in the new creation, or for the dissolution of this world’s order, and begs the question which of these might be primary in God’s design. To ask questions of the Kingdom is to ask some of the most fundamental questions in theological inquiry [1] Douglas L. Winiarski, Darkness Falls on the Land of Light: Experiencing Religious Awakenings in Eighteenth-Century New England (Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2017.
This brief coda positions Edwards’s insights into mentoring as valuable contributions to the purs... more This brief coda positions Edwards’s insights into mentoring as valuable contributions to the pursuit of integrative learning in a postmodern and fragmented world. Given the value of the medium and message being mutually reinforcing, a Christian educational agenda should no less conform to this pedagogical assumption. This is supported theologically by appeal to Christ’s incarnation and to the expectation of meeting him face-to-face in the coming age, and calls us to resist pragmatic pressures which prize efficiency over embodiment. The long-term pursuit of wisdom, best acquired through direct encounter, personal negotiation, and contextually driven decision-making, becomes more pressing than ever in an age which encourages rage and unreflective reaction through social media.
This chapter describes and evaluates the actual practices adopted by Edwards in his mentoring min... more This chapter describes and evaluates the actual practices adopted by Edwards in his mentoring ministry. First, shifts in understanding authority in the eighteenth century are expounded, followed by an investigation of the nature of friendship and conversation in Edwards’s world. His dynamic conception of individuals in social contexts provides a base from which to explore mentoring. His own pedagogical assumptions as a modern thinker are outlined, which find their expression in the ways that Edwards conducted his personal correspondence in a familiar manner. Edwards’s ordination sermons of the late 1740s are evidence of his aspirations for mentees and of his frustration that the revivals had not been as effective as he had hoped.
<p>Edwards's understanding of the church drew upon traditional Protestant motifs, but h... more <p>Edwards's understanding of the church drew upon traditional Protestant motifs, but his context was one of secularization, the rise of deism, and the fissiparous impact of revivals. He defined the church from its centre out by highlighting its ministry of Word and sacrament, and he sought to defend the church's distinction from the world while at the same time opposing separatism. The revivals could undermine clerical authority and cause division, but they also promoted the Spirit's power to bind believers locally and internationally. Though Edwards refused to use the language of secondary causation to explain the sacraments, the Lord's Supper was explained as intimate participation in the life of God. Ultimately the world was to be ordered to the church, the focus of God's eschatological design, without neglecting its missiological responsibilities. The church is both rooted in the purposes of God, and responsive to the environment in which it is planted.</p>
It is easy to assume that a small period of time equals a small amount of importance. Consequentl... more It is easy to assume that a small period of time equals a small amount of importance. Consequently, the two years (1735-1737) which John Wesley spent in America, chiefly Georgia, are often reported merely as a preface to later developments, or the capstone of an earlier trajectory. His life was long, spanning the eighteenth century, but his American sojourn brief. Geordan Hammond has corrected the record by giving us one of the few recent monographs on Wesley as missionary in America, and has done so with extraordinary attention to documentary detail and appreciation of Wesley's own distinct goals for the mission: to revive primitive Christianity, which meant for him the church before the Council of Nicea (325 CE). Hammond has utilised diary entries and Wesley's journals, both published and unpublished in his lifetime, to provide layered nuance to many assumptions about Wesley's attitudes to his ministry while he was in America, and he has also accessed colonial records, not frequently used, to fill out the picture. Like Luther before him, Wesley cultivated later in life a distinct image of his earlier self, which might disguise powerful motivators for his mission. The chapters roll out a persuasive argument that John Wesley sought to recreate in a frontier setting, beginning on the voyage to the New World in the Simmonds, a version of the early church, which valued Eucharistic primacy, ascetic lifestyle, penitential discipline, and women's empowerment, even when his vision caused misunderstanding and conflict. Hammond makes Wesley more Anglican than his nineteenth-century biographers would lead us to think, and Methodism more primitivist than scholars blinded by the light of the Enlightenment usually hold. The chapters are roughly chronological, taking us from encounters with migrants aboard the ship (chapter 2), other Christian missions to America led by Moravians and Halle Pietists (chapter 3), then structures of liturgy and the shape of the Methodist societies developed (chapter 4), and finally opposition to his labours and return to England (chapter 5). On the whole, this makes for satisfying reading, though much of the story of Wesley and Methodism is assumed, as are Wesley's theological commitments. Hammond makes clear from the outset that this book will augment the plethora of theological analyses of Wesley's legacy, though some theological engagement along the way would have proved useful. The deist background to eighteenth-century religious debates would suggest the importance of some further systematic reflection upon how Wesley's High Church and rigorist vision for primitive Christianity served as a protest. For instance, he refused permission to William Aglionby to be a godparent because of his deist sympathies (p. 116). Similarly, exploration of Puritan Dissent, which was part of his family's religious heritage on both his mother's and father's side, would have made a valuable contribution to Wesley's desire for a purified primitive church, for the Nonjurors' influence on Wesley is just one part of his story. Much has been written on Puritan primitivism, for example Bozeman's magisterial To Live Ancient Lives, or bs_bs_banner
Part of the intriguing power of Edwards’s mentoring is the legacy he creates during and after the... more Part of the intriguing power of Edwards’s mentoring is the legacy he creates during and after the American Revolution. He trains his mentees to be not mere mimics but rather leaders who can reason from first principles and adapt their proclamation to the particular social context of their ministry. Edwards spawns a school of ministry known subsequently as the New Divinity, which institutionalizes Edwards’s revivalist impulses in founding Andover Seminary in Newton, Massachusetts, in 1808. Their successes in New England in local church settings and their influence on debates of the early republic are dramatic, evidenced in federalist political philosophy as well as the cause of abolition. Edwards takes traditional mentoring practices and retools them to operate in a modern and democratic world.
Uploads
Papers by Rhys S Bezzant