Thursday, October 1, 2009

The Theology of the Great Awakenings

My research into the Theology of the Great Awakenings, based upon the writings of Jonathan Edwards, George Whitefield, John Newton, The Minutes of the Philadelphia and Charleston Baptist Associations (including especially their circular letters), the Memoirs of John Gano, John Leland, John Taylor, the Historical Writings of Morgan Edwards, along with the many other writings of the Presbyterians, Episcopalians, Reformed, and Congregational (Puritans), indicates that the salvation which was the main spring of thos Awakenings was what is known as Sovereign Grace or Calvinism or Augutinianism. Even John Wesley made some concessions to that end in his letter effecting a reconciliation in response to Whitefield's appeal. Irresistible Grace was well put by one young lady in the 1960s, when she said in response to a question as to why she responded so readily, "Oh, it was so wonderful that I could not resist it." It seems clear that Dr. John Eusden caught the essence of it, when he wrote in his introdution to his translation of William Ames' Marrow of Divinity that, "Predestination is an invitation to begin one's spiritual pilgrimage...." Could this be the key to the Thrid Great Awakening? I believe it is, and, consequently, it is my prayer that God would begin to open eyes to the doctrines of grace and raise up believers in the same who are willing to pay the price in agonizing prayer and suffering labors to advance to that end. When I entered seminary in 1972, few believed or taught these truths. Now several on the faculty teach the same, and ministers are going out who believe and preach such truths. There is still much to be learned as to how best to set forth this different, this older, this original perspective of the truth. "Getting on together responsibly with compassion and gentleness" is not a method learned in a fortnight nor even over many years without a great deal of hard an unremitting warfare wherein one suffers defeats daily and almost despairs of ever succeeding. Such, however, has been the case in the past, and yet God wrought so wondrously that the participants had to take notice of His intervention. As one said in 1816 that the work during the awakenings was so unusual that while it might be supposed that no miracle did take place yet something remarkably like it did. My researches into the period suggest that the nature of old Sovereign Grace theology made people balanced, flexible, creative, and magnetic, and those so affected were the very people who would make America into a nation that to this day many risk their very lives to enter. We need a return of such a spirit, such creativity, in this day, when there will be no jobs in the future due to automation, computerization, and robotics (not to mention nanotechnology). Already the voices of fear (those who want to conserve their wealth and power) call for the extermination 5.5 billion people (just follow the conspiracy topics on the Net), not knowing they endanger their own future as well. But we expect better things of the Lord Jesus Christ, even the conversion of the whole earth by gentle persuasion, tender love.

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