The growth of evangelicalism in the Church of Scotland, 1793-1843
This thesis examines Evangelicalism as a broadly-based intellectual and social movement which sought to shape the overall thought and life of the Church of Scotland during the first half of the nineteenth century. A set of distinctive organisations --religious periodicals, voluntary societies, education, and corporate prayer-- provided its institutional structure. They represented the practical response to a general concern for revitalising the Church, for evangelism, and for social morality. 'Evangelicals' are defined as those who combined participation in these institutions with a fundamental commitment to the Church of Scotland as an established, national church. The development of each of these institutions is explored as a means of tracing the growth of the movement as a whole. Religious periodicals helped to unite scattered individuals within the Established Church who shared a desire to spread experiential Christianity. By providing a forum for discussing issues related to this concern, these publications communicated Evangelical ideas throughout the Kirk, giving Evangelicals far greater influence than their relative lack of power in the ecclesiastical courts around the turn of the century suggested
Currie, David Alan
BX9072.E8C9 ; Church of Scotland--History ; Church of Scotland--History--19th century
The growth of evangelicalism in the Church of Scotland, 1793-1843. This thesis examines Evangelicalism as a broadly-based intellectual and social movement which sought to shape the overall thought and life of the Church of Scotland during the first half of the nineteenth century. A set of distinctive organisations --religious periodicals, voluntary societies, education, and corporate prayer-- provided its institutional structure. They represented the practical response to a general concern for revitalising the Church, for evangelism, and for social morality. 'Evangelicals' are defined as those who combined participation in these institutions with a fundamental commitment to the Church of Scotland as an established, national church. The development of each of these institutions is explored as a means of tracing the growth of the movement as a whole. Religious periodicals helped to unite scattered individuals within the Established Church who shared a desire to spread experiential Christianity. By providing a forum for discussing issues related to this concern, these publications communicated Evangelical ideas throughout the Kirk, giving Evangelicals far greater influence than their relative lack of power in the ecclesiastical courts around the turn of the century suggested
growth evangelicalism church_scotland examines evangelicalism broadly based intellectual social_movement seek shape overall think life church_scotland first_half nineteenth_century set distinctive organisation religious periodical voluntary society education corporate prayer provide institutional_structure represent practical response general concern church evangelism social morality evangelicals define combined participation institution fundamental commitment church_scotland establish national church development institution explore mean trace growth movement whole religious periodical help unite scattered individual_within established_church share desire spread experiential christianity provide forum discuss issue related concern publication communicate evangelical idea throughout kirk give evangelicals far_great influence relative lack power ecclesiastical_court suggest