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John Woolman's (1720-1772) Apocalyptic Theology

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John Woolman's (1720-1772) Apocalyptic Theology 'THE GOVERNMENT OF CHRIST': JOHN WOOLMAN'S (1720-1772) APOCALYPTIC THEOLOGY JONATHAN RYAN KERSHNER A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Centre for Postgraduate Quaker Studies Department of Religion and Theology University of Birmingham University of Birmingham Research Archive e-theses repository This unpublished thesis/dissertation is copyright of the author and/or third parties. The intellectual property rights of the author or third parties in respect of this work are as defined by The Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988 or as modified by any successor legislation. Any use made of information contained in this thesis/dissertation must be in accordance with that legislation and must be properly acknowledged. Further distribution or reproduction in any format is prohibited without the permission of the copyright holder. April 2013 ABSTRACT Previous approaches to colonial New Jersey Quaker tailor, John Woolman (1720-1772), have failed to address the centrality of theology to his social reforms. This thesis comprises an original contribution to Woolman studies and 18th century Quaker theology through a demonstration of a heretofore unrecognised apocalyptic theology which encompassed a practical and comprehensive vision of God's kingdom on earth. Based on an analysis of Woolman's entire body of writing, this thesis argues that Woolman's theology is best understood as apocalyptic because it was centred on a vision of Christ's immediate presence governing all aspects of human affairs. Woolman's apocalypticism is analysed around three main theological themes: divine revelation, propheticism and eschatology. These themes are evident in Woolman's belief that, 1) God intervened in world affairs to reveal God's will for humanity on earth in a way unavailable to the senses and natural faculties; 2) God's will made claims on society and God commissioned human agents to confront apostasy and be God's spokespeople; and, 3) the faithful embodied the kingdom and pointed to the transformation of all things to establish the 'government of Christ'. To my dear wife, Jessica, without whose support and companionship this project would have been impossible. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I am deeply grateful for the caring friendship and wise counsel I have received from my Ph.D. supervisors, 'Ben' Pink Dandelion and Edwina Newman. They were a constant breath of fresh air throughout this project, and their critical engagement with my work has saved me from many blunders. All the remaining blunders are mine alone. Many people have aided me with perspective, theological insight, confidence and inspiration. Of these, I want to thank particularly Irv Brendlinger, who first taught me to be a theologian; Doug Gwyn, whose research provided a framework for my study and who graciously read a draft of this thesis; and, my family, who have been supportive of my efforts. I would also like to thank the staff at Friends Historical Library, Swarthmore College, the Special Collections at Haverford College, the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, and Friends House Library, London, for the research assistance I have received. John Andries at Haverford has helped me identify documents on a number of occasions, and Josef Keith at Friends House, London, resolved for me what had been a multi-year search for a document. I am deeply grateful for the hospitality and encouragement I received while staying at Woodbrooke Quaker Study Centre in Birmingham, UK, and the friendship of North Seattle Friends Church, who lent me office space for long hours of writing. My sincere appreciation goes out to the Woolman scholars in whose steps I follow. I am especially grateful to Mike Heller, Geoffrey Plank, Michael Birkel, and James Proud. Their research, guidance and listening ears are an inspiration. TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER ONE: 'THE GOVERNMENT OF CHRIST': JOHN WOOLMAN'S (1720- 1772) APOCALYPTIC THEOLOGY...............................................................................1 1.1 17th Century Quaker Origins.......................................................................................3 1.1.1 George Fox (1624-1691) and the Apocalypse in 17th Century Quakerism..........4 1.2.1 The 'Holy Experiment': Quakers and Power..........................................................6 1.2.2 The 'Quaker Reformation'......................................................................................8 1.2.3 The Seven Years' War and the Crisis of 1756......................................................10 1.2.4 Cultural Forces in Colonial America...................................................................15 a) The Transatlantic Marketplace...............................................................................15 b) The Great Awakening.............................................................................................20 c) The Enlightenment..................................................................................................21 d) Quietism.................................................................................................................22 1.3 Biographical Sketch of John Woolman......................................................................27 1.4 Defining Apocalyptic Theology.................................................................................32 1.5 Sources and Method..................................................................................................46 a) Essays.....................................................................................................................46 b) The Journal.............................................................................................................49 c) Correspondence, Official Records and Ephemera..................................................51 1.5.1 Micro-theology as a Method of Analysis.............................................................53 1.6 Literature Review......................................................................................................56 1.7 Woolman and Apocalypticism...................................................................................61 1.8 Thesis Outline............................................................................................................70 1.9 Chapter Summary......................................................................................................71 CHAPTER TWO: THE 'PRINCIPLE THAT PROCEEDS FROM GOD':REVELATION AND JOHN WOOLMAN'S THEOLOGICO-SOCIAL VISION...................................72 2.1 The Mystical Connection to God...............................................................................74 2.1.1 Epistemology: 'Resignation', Discernment and Submission................................76 a) 'Resignation' ...........................................................................................................77 b) Participation in God's will......................................................................................85 c) Experience..............................................................................................................93 2.1.2 Dreams.................................................................................................................95 2.1.3 Summary............................................................................................................100 2.2 The Opening of the Theologico-Social Vision........................................................101 2.2.1 'I Felt the Power of Christ Prevail': Conversion and the Governance of God's 'Principle'.......................................................................................................................104 2.2.2 Alternative Societal Organisation......................................................................108 2.2.3 Section Summary...............................................................................................110 2.3 Chapter Summary....................................................................................................111 CHAPTER THREE: 'HIS WORD WAS IN MY HEART': JOHN WOOLMAN'S PROPHETIC COMMISSION.......................................................................................113 3.1 A 'Trumpet' for the Lord: Woolman's Prophetic Self-Identification........................116 3.1.2 'A Friendship Exceeding the Friendship of Men': Conflict and Suffering in Woolman's Prophetic Self-identification.......................................................................119 3.2 The Proclamation of the Theologico-Social Vision.................................................124 3.2.1 Embodying God's Kingdom..............................................................................126 3.2.2 Evangelisation: The Prophet's Life and the Power of 'Example'.......................131 3.2.3 Simplicity: 'Singleness of Heart'........................................................................139 3.2.4 The Chaotic State of Sin: 'to Alienate the Minds of People from their Truest Interest'...........................................................................................................................146 3.3 Chapter Summary....................................................................................................153 CHAPTER FOUR: JOHN WOOLMAN'S REALISING ESCHATOLOGY................155 4.1 Amillennialism: 'On Earth as it is in Heaven'..........................................................155 a) The Kingdom of God............................................................................................160
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