Durham E-Theses The place of the seventh Earl of Shaftesbury within the Evangelical tradition, with particular reference to his understanding of the relationship of evangelistic mission to social reform. Turnbull, Richard Duncan How to cite: Turnbull, Richard Duncan (1996) The place of the seventh Earl of Shaftesbury within the Evangelical tradition, with particular reference to his understanding of the relationship of evangelistic mission to social reform., Durham theses, Durham University. 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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 2 Richard Duncan Turnbull The place of the seventh Earl of Shaftesbury within the Evangelical tradition, with particular reference to his understanding of the relationship of evangelistic mission to social reform. PhD 1996 Abstract This thesis is concerned with the place of the seventh Earl of Shaftesbury within the Evangelical tradition, particularly with the relationship in Shaftesbury's understanding between evangelism and socio-economic reform. Hence it includes extensive investigation of Evangelical attitudes towards economics. The thesis is intended to show that there was a significant theological foundation to the dynamic relationship in Shaftesbury's thought and action of these two aspects of his life. Chapter 1 places the biographical material on Shaftesbury and recent scholarship on Evangelicalism in context, and also introduces the setting of the Victorian age. Chapters 2 and 3 chart the development and emergence of the Evangelical tradition and Chapter 4 seeks to understand the place within Evangelicalism occupied by Shaftesbury. Chapter 5 is an investigation of the various attitudes adopted by Evangelicals to questions of economics, including economic policy. Chapter 6 introduces a discussion of paternalism in Victorian society. Chapter 7 describes Shaftesbury's views on Political Economy and paternalism. Chapter 8 considers the demand for purity made upon Evangelicalism and its implications, especially as it related to the understanding of mission and the millennium. Chapter 9 reviews Shaftesbury involvement with a range of voluntary missionary societies, including discussion of tensions over social welfare. Chapter 10 locates all this discussion in the theological context of the millennial tradition, while chapter 11 develops this theme into an analysis of mission, the millennium and social welfare, including consideration of practical examples of socio-economic disturbance. Chapter 11 also seeks to develop an alternative Evangelical eschatological framework for the improved understanding of nineteenth-century views on evangelism and social welfare. Chapter 12 brings the previous examination together with a review of Shaftesbury's theology and practice of mission. Chapter 13 charts the contraction and decline of Evangelicalism in the later nineteenth-century, with chapter 14 drawing together overall conclusions. Title The place of the seventh Earl of Shaftesbury within the Evangelical tradition, with particular reference to his understanding of the relationship of evangelistic mission to social reform. Richard Duncan Turnbull Submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the University of Durham, Department of Theology, 1996. The copyright of this thesis rests with the author. No quotation from it should be published without the written consent of the author and information derived from it should be acknowledged. L It JUL 1997 Contents 1 Introduction 9 1.1 Shaftesbury 9 1.2 Evangelicalism 12 1.3 The Victorian Age 15 2 The emergence of Evangelicalism 17 2.1 The origins of the Evangelical tradition 17 2.2 The distinctiveness of the Evangelical tradition 18 2.3 Evangelicals and Establishment 22 2.4 The emergence of Evangelical thought 24 2.4.1 Evangelicals and the Bible 27 2.4.2 The doctrine of man 31 2.4.3 The doctrine of atonement 33 2.4.4 The doctrine of God 36 2.4.5 Ministry and Preaching 39 2.4.6 The Christian life 40 2.4.7 Church and Sacraments 41 2.4.8 The missions to the heathen 41 2.5 The marks of Evangelical identity 42 3 The development of Evangelicalism 48 3.1 Evolution in doctrine 48 3.2 National Protestantism 53 3.3 Evangelicals and the Family 54 3.4 Evangelicals and Society 56 3.5 Evangelicalism and changes in cultural thought patterns 60 4 Shaftesbury's place within Evangelicalism 66 4.1 Background and influences 66 4.2 Conversion to Evangelicalism 70 4.3 Shaftesbury and Evangelicalism 77 5 Evangelicals and Political Economy 86 5.1 The Enlightenment, natural theology and Political Economy 86 5.2 Christians and Political Economy 92 5.3 Evangelicals, economics and providence 96 5.4 Political Economy and economic policy 106 5.4.1 The Poor Laws 107 5.4.2 Factory Reform 110 5.4.3 The Corn Laws 113 3 6 Paternalism and Victorian society 120 6.1 The structure of the organic society 121 6.2 The nature of paternalism 123 6.3 The practice of paternalism 125 7 Shaftesbury, Paternalism and Political Economy 132 7.1 Rights and Duties in Society 132 7.2 Paternalism, Sin and Evangelicalism 137 7.3 Shaftesbury and Economic Policy 143 8 Mission, the Millennium and the Evangelical quest for purity 150 8.1 A change in perception 150 8.2 Election and Apostasy 153 8.3 The Apocrypha crisis in the Bible Society 157 8.4 The conflict over doctrinal tests 160 8.5 Purity and unity - implications for later developments 163 9 Shaftesbury and the missionary societies 167 9.1 The place of the voluntary society 168 9.2 Commitment and involvement 171 9.3 Aims and objectives 175 9.4 Theological principles of the societies 177 9.5 The place of social welfare in the missionary societies 182 9.6 Tensions over the place of temporal welfare 189 9.6.1 The development of the tension 189 9.6.2 Theology or social control 191 9.6.3 Shaftesbury, the LCM and the City Missionaries 193 10 Shaftesbury and the Millennial Tradition 203 10.1 History, millennialism and apocalyptic 203 10.2 Advent and the millennium 205 10.3 The Day of Judgement 210 10.4 Historicism and the Signs of the Times 212 10.5 The place of the Jews 220 10.6 The Protestant eschatological tradition 222 10.7 The breadth of the millennial tradition 226 4 11 Mission, the millennium and social welfare 234 11.1 Eschatology and the social order 234 11.2 Economic and social disturbance 239 11.2.1 Adjustments to economic theory and economic policy 239 11.2.2 The Cholera and the wrath of God 241 11.2.3 Judgement and Sin 245 11.2.4 Judgement and Mercy 248 11.3 Shaftesbury and a new eschatological framework 251 11.3.1 The anticipation of the new age 253 11.3.2 The unity of body and soul 258 11.3.3 The redemption of the creation 259 12 Shaftesbury's theology and practice of mission 265 12.1 Principles of mission 265 12.2 The Bible and Protestantism 266 12.3 Catholicity 268 12.4 Lay Agency 270 12.5 Unity of body and soul 273 12.6 Eschatology 278 13 Contraction and decline 287 14 Conclusion 293 15 Bibliography 298 5 Declaration No part of the material contained within this thesis has previously been submitted by me for any degree either in this or any other university. Material from the work of others has been acknowledged and quotations and paraphrases suitably indicated. 6 Statement of Copyright The copyright of this thesis rests with the author. No quotation from it should be published without his prior written consent and information derived from it should be acknowledged. 7 Abbreviations Throughout this thesis that following abbreviations are used for missionary societies: BMS Baptist Missionary Society Bible Society British and Foreign Bible Society CMS Church Missionary Society CPAS Church Pastoral Aid Society LCM London City Mission LMS London Missionary Society London Society London Society for the Promotion of Christianity among the Jews RSU Ragged School Union 8 1 Introduction 1.1 Shaftesbury In its obituary notice, The Times, described Shaftesbury' thus: In Lord Shaftesbury there has passed away the most eminent social reformer of the present century.2 Shaftesbury was 'one of the most honoured figures of our contemporary history,' 3 'the friend of the poor, the degraded, and the outcast:4 The reviews of his life and work also recognised the profound depth of his Evangelical Christianity.5 Narrow as was his theology it was of a sort to inflame his ardour in the cause of his suffering fellow-men. It tinged his efforts without contracting their scope. Nothing is more astonishing in the catalogue of his exploits than their variety and comprehensiveness. He was an accumulator of philanthropic force, prepared for pouring it out in any direction and for any benevolent object. Wherever misery was most despairing, whatever diseases of human nature were most loathsome and degrading, he ever found time and zeal to explore and to try to heal. Lord Shaftesbury fills and will fill a special place in the annals of this century.6 Shaftesbury was born on 28 April, 1801 and died on 1 October, 1885.