The Mystical Theology of Jessie Penn-Lewis (1861-1927)
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Durham E-Theses The mystical theology of Jessie Penn-Lewis (1861-1927) Haddad, M.R. How to cite: Haddad, M.R. (2005) The mystical theology of Jessie Penn-Lewis (1861-1927), Durham theses, Durham University. Available at Durham E-Theses Online: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/2708/ Use policy The full-text may be used and/or reproduced, and given to third parties in any format or medium, without prior permission or charge, for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-prot purposes provided that: • a full bibliographic reference is made to the original source • a link is made to the metadata record in Durham E-Theses • the full-text is not changed in any way The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders. Please consult the full Durham E-Theses policy for further details. Academic Support Oce, Durham University, University Oce, Old Elvet, Durham DH1 3HP e-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 0191 334 6107 http://etheses.dur.ac.uk M.R. Haddad Ph.D. thesis, University of Durham, 2005 The Mystical Theology of Jessie Penn-Lewis (1861-1927) Acknowledeements I am the grateful recipient of the sacrificial and loving support of many. First I want to thank my supervisor, Professor Ann Loades, whose critical analysis, encouragement, and understanding of theology opened sky above my head and a universe within my heart. I wish to also thank Margaret Parkinson whose smile, wisdom and practical assistance made this journey so very pleasant. The idea to write on the life and feminism of Jessie Penn-Lewis was inspired by Professor Richard Lovelace, a creative feminist and a profound Church Historian. The search for primary documents was made fruitful thanks to the gracious service of many, including the Wheaton College Archives, the British Christian Literature Crusade, Biola University, Fuller Theological Seminary, Asbury Theological Seminary, Moody Bible Institute, and Michael Metcalfe, whose father (J.c. Metcalfe) worked beside Penn- Lewis in the Overcomer Crusade. Metcalfe allowed me to search the remains of the Overcomer Book Room, and I am indeed grateful. Thanks go also to the Donald Gee Center for Pentecostal Studies at Mattersey Hall, Doncaster. Special thanks are due to two individuals whose selflessness I will always treasure. First let me thank Dr. Keiichi Hirano, a Japanese scholar whom I met at the Wheaton University library. Dr. Hirano traveled a great distance to spend one precious day at the Wheaton Archives. Arriving one hour earlier than I， Keiichi suiTounded himself with every Penn-Lewis document the library held. When I arrived and was told the documents had been checked out for the day, my spirits sank until I realized the man at the table next to me was reading every document I required. The meeting proved providential. Upon returning to Japan, Keiichi sent me documents unavailable in the us. The momentary inconvenience proved the beginnings of a rich exchange. Second, I wish to thank the late Brynmor Pierce Jones and his wife who welcomed me to their home in Wales where 1 consumed Penn-Lewis'ร diary շ and letters Brynmor had collected over the years. I will always be grateful for his wise advice, and their gracious hospitality. I wish to thank my family and friends whose love and prayers kept my fingers going late into the night. You permitted me to disappear from your lives for months on end without resentment. Thank you Mom, Dad, Pam, Baba, Julie, Danny, Gabby, Jeremy, Daniel and Xander. Gratitude is due also to the staff and Board of Directors of Christians for Biblical Equality, for providing me with regular sabbatical leave, so I might fulfill this dream. Many have said that completing a thesis is often lonely and joyless. I confess to an experience quite the opposite. The more I read the greater was my delight. Had it not been for Professor Ann Loades who prodded me to completion, I might still be reading and rewriting to this day. As one said of Penn-Lewis: "It is difficult to explain the influence of your teaching has on my mind, but somehow it is teaching that teaches, and I find that few do that now."' Mary Gerrard, Mrs. Jessie Penn-Lewis: A Memoir. (London: The Overcomer Book Room, 1930), p. 197. ABSTRACT M. R. Haddad The Mystical Theology of Jessie Penn-Lewis (1861-1927) Ph.D. Thesis, University of Durham, 2005 This thesis examines the life and mystical theology of Jessie Penn-Lewis (1861-1927). While Penn-Lewis has been the subject of historical research, particularly by scholars of the evangelical movement of the late 19^*^ century, yet her theology has not received adequate assessment from the academic community. Therefore, this thesis undertakes an analysis of the mystical theology of Jessie Penn-Lewis whereby I demonstrate that Penn- Lewis was part of the classical mystical tradition, over and against the Quietism operative within the Keswick Conventions of her day. Following a brief summary of her life, international ministry, and mystical writings, I show that Penn-Lewis'ร mysd path engaged suffering in the soul's ascent to union with the Divine and this separated her from the Quietists who insisted upon the one-act of passivity in reaching the highest mystical states. I trace the Quietism within the early Keswick Conventions to a mishandling of the Prayer of Simple Regard by Quietists such as Madame Guyon and Thomas Upham. Upham'ร reshaping of Guyon's Quietism was readily assimilated by leaders within the early Keswick Conventions, excluding Mrs. Jessie Penn-Lewis who could not tolerate the passivity and аЬБОфїіоп of the will demanded by Quietism. Penn- Lewis'ร mystical theology, also called Cross Theology, was nurtured by the Romantic mood of the day, and was thus rooted in personal religious experiences, including the experience of suffering. In this way Cross Theology combines the apophatic tradition of Bonaventure with an experience of suffering, in the soul's ascent, such that Cross Theology opposes the shallow mysticism of Keswick՝ร Quietists who rejected effort and suffering in the path toward the unitive state. Penn-Lewis''ร mysticism also advances an egalitarian theology that challenged leaders within the Keswick Movement to consider the social ramifications of women'ร union with Christ. According to Penn-Lewis, women 4 who aie united with Christ bear the fruits and responsibilities of the highest mystical state, just as men. Cross Theology therefore had social consequences manifest in women's equal service beside men in Christian work. Penn-Lewis'ร mysticism was central to her ministry, her interpretation of scripture and her activism on behalf of women. Thus, Penn-Lewis was a Protestant mystic whose mysticism gave shape to an egalitarian agenda that challenged the gender bias of the Church at the turn of the century. The Mystical Theology of Jessie Penn-Lewis (1861 - 1927) The copyright of this thesis rests with the author or the university to which it was submitted. N๐ quotation from it, or Infonnatíon derived from it may be published without the prior written consent of the author or university, and any information derived from It should be acknowledged. M.R. Haddad 0 9 JUN 2006 Ph.D. thesis University of Durham Department of Theology 2005 TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgements 1 Abstract 3 Title Page Contents Preface 11 Chapter One: Setting the Scene I. Christian Mysticism: A Brief History 14 II. Stages of Mysticism 17 III. Jessie Penn-Lewis: An Introduction 22 Climate of the Times 24 The Holiness Movement: A Desire for Power 27 IV. Building Momentum 30 The Oxford Movement, 1833 31 London YMCA, 1873 32 Broadlands Convention, 17-24 July, 1874 33 The Oxford Convention, August 29- September 7, 1874 34 The Brighton Convention: May 29-June 7， 1875 37 The First Keswick Convention, June 1875 39 V. Higher Life Luminaries 40 Robert Pearsall Smith 40 Hannah Whitall Smith 42 Early Keswick Leaders 43 VI. Keswick'ร Milieu 44 The Mood 45 The Method 46 The Music 47 VII. Keswick Markets the Message 58 Failure of the Church 63 Faith Overshadows Effort 65 VIII. The Women of Keswick 7] Summary Remarks 79 Chanter Two ะ An Introduction to Jessie Penn-Lewis I. Introduction 81 Childhood 83 Marriage 84 II. Called to be Crucified: A Mystical Path 86 III. Domestic and Foreign Evangelism 91 Russia & Scandinavia 92 North America & India 96 Keswick and the Llandrindod Wells Conventions 97 IV. Publications 100 V. Gender Prejudice 103 VI. Introduction to Cross Theology 107 Power Through Death 108 Quietism and Cross Theology 113 The Role of the Holy Spirit 118 Overcoming Satan 120 The Crucicentrism of Penn-Lewis 121 Summary Remarks 128 Chapter Three: Keswick's Shorter Path I. Introduction 130 II. In Christ Twice 131 III. Opposition to the Higher Life Message 139 J.c. Ryle 140 B.B. Warfield( 1851 ― 1921) & D142 Henry Α. Boardman 143 The Pentecostal Complaint 145 Summary Remarks 147 Chanter Four: Theolosical Antecedents to Keswick; Phoebe Palmer, Madame Guvon and Thomas Upham I. Introduction 149 II. Palmer'ร Altar Theology 152 III. Quietism 153 IV. The Prayer of Simple Regard 156 V. Quietism and Madame Guyon (1648- 1717) 159 VI. The Quietism of Thomas Upham (1799 ֊ 1872) 169 VII. A Critique by Ronald Knox 181 Summary Remarks 184 Chapter Five: Mv_รticism & Jessie Penn-Lewis I. Introduction 186 II. The Development of Christian Mysticism: From the Early Church through the Modern Era 187 III. The Soul's Ascent: The Stages of Mysticism 195 Awakening 198 Purgation 198 Illumination 199 The Dark Night 199 Union 200 IV. Jessie Penn-Lewis: Conversion and the Mystical Path 200 Introduction 200 Breaking Through: A Mystical Call 202 Summary Remarks 224 Chaņter Six: The Mystical Literature of Jessie Penn-Lewis I.