A God of Wealth: Religion, Modernity, and the Rhetoric of the Christian

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

A God of Wealth: Religion, Modernity, and the Rhetoric of the Christian A God of Wealth: Religion, Modernity, and the Rhetoric of the Christian Prosperity Gospel By Copyright 2011 Michael C. Souders Submitted to the graduate degree program in Communication Studies and the Graduate Faculty of the University of Kansas in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. ________________________________ Co-Chairperson, Beth Innocenti, Ph.D ________________________________ Co-Chairperson, Donn W. Parson, Ph.D ________________________________ Frank Farmer, Ph.D ________________________________ Scott Harris, Ph.D ________________________________ Dave Tell, Ph.D Date Defended: August 29, 2011 The Dissertation Committee for Michael C. Souders certifies that this is the approved version of the following dissertation: A God of Wealth: Religion, Modernity, and the Rhetoric of the Christian Prosperity Gospel ________________________________ Co-Chairperson, Beth Innocenti, Ph.D ________________________________ Co-Chairperson, Donn W. Parson, Ph.D Date approved: August 31, 2011 ii ABSTRACT The Christian Prosperity Gospel (CPG) is a type of Christian preaching which asserts that the right type of Christian faith and practice will deliver wealth and well-being to believers. In an era of stagnating religious belief and distorted cultural symbols, the CPG is gaining adherents in congregations numbering of tens of thousands and media audiences in the millions. In this dissertation I argue that the rhetoric of the CPG operates by altering conventional religious and secular methods of reading texts and the signs of the world in order to give the audience a greater sense of agency in a period of social, economic, and spiritual uncertainty. Individual chapters take up questions of textual hermeneutics, the hermeneutics of lived experience, the use of Christian tropes in new social conditions, the political implications of the CPG, and its method of appealing to the audience. I conclude that the rise of the CPG is not only an attempt to resolve the problems of a fragmented symbolic environment, but is also both a product of, and reliant upon, the erosion of unified frames of religious and secular interpretation. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS A project as large as this does not reach completion without strong support from many people. My parents and sisters know that obtaining a Ph.D was dream of mine since childhood and supported all the wild, strange decisions I made in attaining it. Without the intellectual vitality that was our household I might never have started on this path. My advisers, Drs. Beth Innocenti and Donn Parson deserve more thanks than I can give them. I demanded much, they gave more. They tolerated the scale, the oddity, and stylistic choices of this project with remarkable aplomb. Dr. Anthony Schroeder, my MA adviser, encouraged my efforts to attempt a doctorate. Drs. Dave Tell and Frank Farmer showed admirable tolerance of this projects size and invaluable willingness to intellectually engage the subject. Dr. Scott Harris has had an incredible influence on me. The Department‘s support staff Sandra Drake, Suzanne Grachek, and John Fackler were immense help to me throughout my Ph.D studies. I am in debt to the Bluestem Bistro and its staff in Manhattan, Kansas for allowing me to use their shop as a base of operations daily for three years. My debaters, Cormack, Jon, Lindsey, Andrew, Brett, Nate, Erum, Joel, Ronnie, Dylan, Sean, Jack, Box, Patrick, Melanie, Kyle, CT, Stone and Milkins were a privilege to coach—our mutual love of the activity sustained me. My fellow coaches on the KU, Ben Warner, Phil Samuels, Jan Hovden, Brian Delong, Travis Cram and Kelly Winfrey made my time at KU the time of my life. I suspect I will never again experience such a wonderful, contentious, chaotic, and vibrant intellectual environment. Lindsey Shook, my coaching partner and best friend, deserves special recognition for being forced into reading chapters and listening without complaint to endless moaning and complaining. Finally, I owe so much to my wife Kara Dillard, a Ph.D in her own right and the winner of the race to completion. Without her tolerance of my rants about symbols, religion, politics, gargoyles, Derrida and Burke, this dissertation might never have reached completion, even in second place. Thank you to everyone. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................... 1 Homiletics and the Rhetorical Tradition ..................................................................................... 3 Contemporary Rhetorical Studies in Homiletics ......................................................................... 4 A Preface on Methods ............................................................................................................... 25 Objects of Study ........................................................................................................................ 28 Outline of Study ........................................................................................................................ 46 CHAPTER 2: THE ABSOLUTE HERMENEUTIC AND THE SECRET OF PROSPERITY: . 61 Hermeneutics and The Secret .................................................................................................... 65 Hermeneutical Secrets, Divine Revelation, and the Prosperity Gospel .................................... 78 Rhetorical Moves, Gnosticism and the Absolute Hermeneutic ................................................ 82 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................... 106 CHAPTER 3: CHRISTIAN PROSPERITY AND THE MAGIC WORLD VIEW: .................. 120 Defining the Occult and Magic ............................................................................................... 123 The Occult Tradition ............................................................................................................... 126 Positive Confession and the Power of Words ......................................................................... 138 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................... 161 CHAPTER 4: GOSPELS AND GARGOYLES, PART ONE: .................................................. 177 Poetic Cycles ........................................................................................................................... 179 Symbolic Breakdown .............................................................................................................. 182 Rethinking the Grotesque ........................................................................................................ 193 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................... 198 CHAPTER 5: GOSPELS AND GARGOYLES, PART TWO: ................................................. 206 Gargoyles of Linguistic Resilience ......................................................................................... 209 Victory ..................................................................................................................................... 210 Sowing and Reaping................................................................................................................ 221 Predestination, Covenant and God‘s Plan ............................................................................... 236 Family, Favor, and Blessing .................................................................................................... 247 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................... 256 v CHAPTER 6: THE RHETORIC OF (PROFITABLE) LIBERATION: .................................... 271 Liberation in the Sociology of the Prosperity Gospel ............................................................. 274 Prophecies and Theologies of Liberation ................................................................................ 279 Liberating the Status Quo in the Prosperity Gospel ................................................................ 287 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................... 301 CHAPTER 7: THE RHETORIC OF TIME, POSSIBILITY, AND THE EVENT .................... 309 The Limits of Kairos ............................................................................................................... 312 It‘s Your Time! as Kairo-logos ............................................................................................... 326 Conclusion: The Spirit of Kairos in Rhetorical Criticism....................................................... 343 CHAPTER 8: IDENTIFICATION, NARRATIVE, AND AUDIENCE IN JOEL OSTEEN‘S BECOME A BETTER YOU ......................................................................................................... 354 The Rhetoric of Psychological Pathology ............................................................................... 356 Joel Osteen and the Rhetoric of Psychological Identification................................................. 363 Addressing the Real Problems of the Audience ...................................................................... 374 Christian Myth as Psychotherapeutic Identification ..............................................................
Recommended publications
  • An Analysis of Leadership and Resonance in Two Progressive Young-Adult-Filled Congregations in the Pacific Northwest
    University of San Diego Digital USD Dissertations Theses and Dissertations 2016-1 "Intonations of their Own Language": An Analysis of Leadership and Resonance in Two Progressive Young-Adult-Filled Congregations in the Pacific Northwest. D. Bethan Theunissen University of San Diego Follow this and additional works at: https://digital.sandiego.edu/dissertations Part of the Organizational Behavior and Theory Commons, and the Organization Development Commons Digital USD Citation Theunissen, D. Bethan, ""Intonations of their Own Language": An Analysis of Leadership and Resonance in Two Progressive Young- Adult-Filled Congregations in the Pacific orN thwest." (2016). Dissertations. 26. https://digital.sandiego.edu/dissertations/26 This Dissertation: Open Access is brought to you for free and open access by the Theses and Dissertations at Digital USD. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital USD. For more information, please contact [email protected]. “INTONATIONS OF THEIR OWN LANGUAGE”: AN ANALYSIS OF LEADERSHIP AND RESONANCE IN TWO YOUNG-ADULT-FILLED PROGRESSIVE MAINSTREAM CONGREGATIONS IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST by D. Bethan Theunissen A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy January 2016 Dissertation Committee Robert Donmoyer, Ph.D. Laura Deitrick, Ph.D. Evelyn Kirkley, Ph.D. University of San Diego © Copyright by D. Bethan Theunissen, 2016 All Rights Reserved ABSTRACT Christendom in Canada and the United States is in decline, and young adults are leaving the church in considerable numbers. This exodus is especially noticeable in mainstream religious denominations, although evangelical groups are beginning to experience a similar waning. The fastest-growing “religious” group consists of those who identify with no religion.
    [Show full text]
  • Pounding a Final Stake in the Heart of the Invidiously Discriminatory “Pervasively Sectarian” Test
    Copyright © 2008 Ave Maria Law Review POUNDING A FINAL STAKE IN THE HEART OF THE INVIDIOUSLY DISCRIMINATORY “PERVASIVELY SECTARIAN” TEST James A. Davids † INTRODUCTION An inquiry into an organization’s religious views to determine if it is “pervasively sectarian is not only unnecessary but also offensive.” It is well established, in numerous other contexts, that courts should refrain from trolling through a person’s or institution’s religious beliefs.1 ~ Judge Benton Judge Benton’s scolding in Americans United for Separation of Church & State v. Prison Fellowship Ministries, one of the highest profile Establishment Clause cases of the decade, was the direct result of the district court’s deliberate (actually painstaking) dissection of the beliefs, philosophy, and practices of perhaps the world’s most effective provider of rehabilitation services to prisoners.2 Indeed, through seven pages of an almost eighty-page opinion, the district court trolled through Prison Fellowship Ministries’ mission statement, the Statement of Faith which all Prison Fellowship Ministries employees must sign, Prison Fellowship Ministries’ nature as an † Assistant Professor of Government & Law, Assistant Dean of the Robertson School of Government, Regent University, Virginia Beach, Virginia. A.B., Calvin College; J.D., Duke University School of Law; Candidate for Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration, Regent University. The author served as the first Deputy Director and Counsel of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Task Force for the Faith-Based & Community Initiative from 2001 to 2003. The author gratefully acknowledges the work by Charles Slemp, Charles Misseijer, Erick Poorbaugh, Laura L. Ritchie, and Sherena Arrington on this Article.
    [Show full text]
  • Three Versions of History for Soapstone United Methodist Church the History of Soapstone
    Three versions of History for Soapstone United Methodist Church The History Of Soapstone Soapstone United Methodist Church has an incredible history filled with faith, perseverance, courage, and response to God's call. Ours is a story that forms a foundation as strong as our namesake stone, running rock-solid beneath us. Imagine a conviction as strong as Soapstone. The original Soapstone Church site at 10301 Old Creedmoor Road served as the setting for camp meetings held prior to the church's chartering in 1837. People from miles around made their way on foot or by horse and wagon to enjoy fellowship and gather inspiration from the circuit riders. Early church structures were crafted of wooden logs, and served as a meeting and worship place. But as the years passed, membership declined, and the church was closed around the time of World War II. In 1950, efforts began to reopen Soapstone Church. Electricity, gas heating, two Sunday School rooms were added, and the church officially reopened a year later with students from Duke Divinity School serving as student pastors. In the early 1970's membership declined prompting a handful of families and individuals, small but mighty in their efforts, to organize a community- wide home visitation in the area. Prayers were answered as membership again began to grow. By 1986, thirty-five years after reopening its doors, Soapstone was a thriving church, and grants were given for a full-time pastor to be appointed. Soon membership swelled and the church quickly outgrew its facilities. The 102 members of Soapstone voted in 1988 to purchase 8.77 acres of land on the northwest corner of Norwood and Old Creedmoor Road.
    [Show full text]
  • Church of the Scattered: Navigating Cultural Identity in the Protestant Churches of Senegal
    SIT Graduate Institute/SIT Study Abroad SIT Digital Collections Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection SIT Study Abroad Fall 2019 Church of the Scattered: Navigating Cultural Identity in the Protestant Churches of Senegal Joy Kirkland SIT Study Abroad Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcollections.sit.edu/isp_collection Part of the African Languages and Societies Commons, African Studies Commons, Christian Denominations and Sects Commons, Community-Based Research Commons, History of Religion Commons, International and Intercultural Communication Commons, and the Missions and World Christianity Commons Recommended Citation Kirkland, Joy, "Church of the Scattered: Navigating Cultural Identity in the Protestant Churches of Senegal" (2019). Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection. 3139. https://digitalcollections.sit.edu/isp_collection/3139 This Unpublished Paper is brought to you for free and open access by the SIT Study Abroad at SIT Digital Collections. It has been accepted for inclusion in Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection by an authorized administrator of SIT Digital Collections. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Running head: CHURCH OF THE SCATTERED 1 Church of the Scattered: Navigating Cultural Identity in the Protestant Churches of Senegal Joy Kirkland SIT Study Abroad: Dakar, Senegal CHURCH OF THE SCATTERED 2 Abstract Senegal is a country renowned for its peaceful religious pluralism in the midst of turmoil and demographic change in neighboring West African nations. Though the vast majority of the population adheres to Sufi Islam, they seem to live in peace and cooperation with the prominent Catholic minority. Wedged between these well-established groups, Protestantism struggles to distinguish itself. Protestant missions have been planted in Senegal for over a century, but the church remains small with almost no cultural presence, and up to 80% of its members are non- Senegalese.
    [Show full text]
  • 1892-1992, History, Bethany United Methodist Church
    1892 - 1992 HISTORY 1892 Established ~r. ) . d Methodist Church Bethany Unite N "thCarolina Durham, OJ 1892 - 1992 HISTORY Compiled by Frank & Lois Evans Included are Histories by A.O. Roberts and Mrs. Everette L. Roberts Edited by: Mrs. Janet Ashe Mrs. Mary Sharpe Mrs. Ada Foster Jack Brock Typed by: Mrs. Ila Mae Poe Printed by Durham Printery Histories presented each month in 1992 as follows January Dan Portaro 1892-1902 February Dan Portaro 1903-1910 March Dan Roberts 1911-1922 April Cheryle Takacs 1923-1931 May Bob Fischer 1931-1940 June Ada Foster 1941-1951 July Sue Lindsey 1952-1963 August Pat Crispell 1963-1974 September Mary Sharpe 1974-1983 October Larry Travis 1983-1992 Acknowledgements: This publication is prepared in love, dedication and many hours of research so you may enjoy the history of Bethany United Methodist Church. To all who had a part in the production of this book, we say "Thank you!" Bethany Historical Committee: Mrs. Janet Ashe, Miss Lizzie Grey Chandler, Miss Minnie Chandler, Frank & Lois Evans, and Dan Portaro Ministers that have served at Bethany 1892-1992 Main Street: 1892-1894 *Frank A. Bishop 1895-1896 *William Doub 1897-1899 *George A. Oglesby ) 1899-1903 No Church 1903 *Charles M. Lance Mission Charge: 1904-1907 *Enoch Marvin Hoyle 1908 *John Watson Autry 1909 *Kirby Fonny Duval 1910 *Bernard T. Hurley 1911-1912 *Harry Cleveland Smith 1913 *Baxter Boone Slaughter 1914-1915 *Leon McGowan Hall Durham Circuit 1916-1918 *Harry Cleveland Smith 1919-1922 *John Compton Humble 1923-1926 *Wesley Frank Craven 1927-1929 *Harris Lindsay Hendricks 1930-1931 *Benjamin E.
    [Show full text]
  • Christianity Today, Volume 2, Number 7
    A PRESBYTERIAN JOURNAL DEVOTED TO STATING, DEFENDING III AND FURTHERING THE GOSPEL IN THE M-ODERN WORLD III SAMUEL G. CRAIG, Editor H. McALLISTER GRIFFITHS, Managing Editor Published monthly by THE PRESBYTERIAN AND MID-NOVEMBER, 1931 $1.00 A YEAR EVERYWHERE Entered a•• econd .. la •• maUer May 11, 1931. al REFORMED PUBLISHING CO., Vol. 2 No.7 the. Post Office at Philadelphia. Pl.. urid.. the 501 Witherspoon Bldg., Phila., Pa. Ac! 01 March 3.1879. Christianity as a Way of Life: Its Supernaturalism N a previo~s issue we sought to in­ appearance of Christianity as a way of can produce good fruit as suppose that I dicate the kind and measure of that living as well as a way of thinking. those dead in trespass· and sin can by supernaturalism that Christianity rec­ Some considerations that indicate .the their own will and power set themselves ognizes and demands. On that occasion part the supernatural plays in Chris­ in the path that leads to eternal life. (February, 1931) we dealt with the tianity as a way of life follow: Only as a supernatural power energizes place that the supernatural occupies in (1) We cannot get into the Chris­ within us does this become possible for Christianity as a mode of thought rather tian way of life apart from the super­ us. In other words regeneration, a re­ than with the place that it occupies in natural. When we first discover our birth through the operation of the Holy Christianity as a mode of behaviour. whereabouts we find ourselves in the Spirit is necessary before we can get On this occasion we propose to reverse broad way that leads to death, not in into the Christian way of life.
    [Show full text]
  • A Simple Cup of Coffee: What Starbucks Can Teach the Church About Hospitality in How We Reach Our Neighbors John Austin Hinkle Jr
    Digital Commons @ George Fox University Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations 2-1-2015 A Simple Cup of Coffee: What Starbucks Can Teach the Church About Hospitality In How We Reach Our Neighbors John Austin Hinkle Jr. George Fox University, [email protected] This research is a product of the Doctor of Ministry (DMin) program at George Fox University. Find out more about the program. Recommended Citation Hinkle, John Austin Jr., "A Simple Cup of Coffee: What Starbucks Can Teach the Church About Hospitality In How We Reach Our Neighbors" (2015). Doctor of Ministry. Paper 112. http://digitalcommons.georgefox.edu/dmin/112 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Theses and Dissertations at Digital Commons @ George Fox University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Doctor of Ministry by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ George Fox University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. GEORGE FOX UNIVERSITY A SIMPLE CUP OF COFFEE: WHAT STARBUCKS CAN TEACH THE CHURCH ABOUT HOSPITALITY IN HOW WE REACH OUR NEIGHBORS A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF GEORGE FOX EVANGELICAL SEMINARY IN CANDIDACY FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF MINISTRY BY JOHN AUSTIN HINKLE, JR. PORTLAND, OREGON MARCH 2015 George Fox Evangelical Seminary George Fox University Portland, Oregon CERTIFICATE OF APPROVAL ________________________________ DMin Dissertation ________________________________ This is to certify that the DMin Dissertation of John Austin Hinkle, Jr. has been approved by the Dissertation Committee on February 2, 2015 for the degree of Doctor of Ministry in Semiotics and Future Studies. Dissertation Committee: Primary Advisor: Steve Dangaran, PhD Secondary Advisor: Phil Newell, DMin Lead Mentor: Leonard I.
    [Show full text]
  • Signs of Hope in United Methodism
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
    [Show full text]
  • I. Living Our Faith 1. a Brief History
    I. Living Our Faith 1. A Brief History Quakerism emerged in 17th century England, a period of religious and political upheaval in which the inherent authority of royalty, feudal lords, and the church were all actively questioned. The years had ended in which those who would translate the Bible into English were persecuted. The King James Bible of 1611 made the Scriptures available to more English-speaking people than ever before. Now people could read the Word of God for themselves, one by oneindividually or together, in their native tongue. Many beliefs that became part of Quaker faith and practice were not original with Quakers, who felt and knew the powerful currents of change in their time. A sect called the Levellers stressed human equality. The Puritans sought simpler forms of worship and believed that individuals, reading the Bible, could hear and understand the voice of God. The Seekers, disillusionedDisillusioned with churches altogether, waited for God to be revealed,the Seekers waited, sometimes in silence, for God to be revealed. The Ranters knew that God was indwelling in each soul, though their ways of expressing what they thought was the Spirit included overindulgence in tobacco and alcohol. The phrase “the Inner Light” was not original with Quakers; nor was the belief that there was something of God in each person. Yet Quakers survived when other sects did not, absorbing some members from those other groups. Why? Many answers have been suggested, and there is truth in each one: Quakers had gifted leaders who were committed to ministry and supported each other as “Publishers of Truth.” Committed Quakers, unlike many in other sects, did not recant when called before the authorities.
    [Show full text]
  • Quakers (Pub­ May 15, 1972 Lished by the Seabury Press), the Writing of Which She Volume 18, Number 10 Describes in Her Article
    May 15, 1972 -7 ') G - A t; : II • t\ R I ~~ Tt) ~ - I ~ . H. [~~ qT . ~27 SH~RP~ ~~~~ 19~00 oN(ST CH(SF(R , • Quaker Thought and Life Today The contributors to this issue FRIENDS JANE YOLEN, a member of Acton, Massachusetts, Meet­ ing who attends Mount Toby Meeting, Leverett, Massa­ JOURNAL chusetts, is an author, lecturer, critic, and teacher. She has written twenty books for young readers. The latest is Friend: The Story of George Fox and the Quakers (pub­ May 15, 1972 lished by The Seabury Press), the writing of which she Volume 18, Number 10 describes in her article. She is interested in folk singing Friends Journal is published the first and fifteenth of each month and folk dancing, is active in politics, and is a member of (except in June, July, and August, when it is published monthly) two organizations for kite-fliers. by Friends Publishing Corporation at 152-A North Fifteenth Street, PHILIP NOEL-BAKER, Philadelphia 19102. Telephone: (215) 563-7669. (Temporary winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in office address: 112 South Sixteenth Street, Philadelphia 19102. ) 1959, is 'an educator, has been a member of Parliament, Friends Journal was established in 1955 as the successor to The and has held a number of posts in the British Government. Friend (1827-1955) and Friends Intelligencer (1844-1955). Among his published books are: The League of Nations ALFRED STEFFERUD, Editor JOYCE R. ENNIS, Assistant Editor at Work, The Private Manufacture of Armaments, and DAVID PERRY, Editorial Assistant The Arms Race: A Programme for World Disarmament.
    [Show full text]
  • A Look at the Historical Conversation Between Hip-Hop and Christianity" (2020)
    East Tennessee State University Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University Electronic Theses and Dissertations Student Works 8-2020 Talk This Way: A Look at the Historical Conversation Between Hip- Hop and Christianity Joshua Swanson East Tennessee State University Follow this and additional works at: https://dc.etsu.edu/etd Part of the African American Studies Commons, American Art and Architecture Commons, American Popular Culture Commons, Biblical Studies Commons, Christian Denominations and Sects Commons, Christianity Commons, Cultural History Commons, Ethnic Studies Commons, Ethnomusicology Commons, History of Christianity Commons, History of Religion Commons, Modern Art and Architecture Commons, New Religious Movements Commons, Other American Studies Commons, Other Arts and Humanities Commons, Other History of Art, Architecture, and Archaeology Commons, Other Music Commons, Practical Theology Commons, Public History Commons, Religious Education Commons, Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion Commons, Social History Commons, Sociology of Culture Commons, Sociology of Religion Commons, United States History Commons, and the Urban Studies and Planning Commons Recommended Citation Swanson, Joshua, "Talk This Way: A Look at the Historical Conversation Between Hip-Hop and Christianity" (2020). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 3810. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/3810 This Thesis - unrestricted is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Works at Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University.
    [Show full text]
  • The Development of the Methodist Ministry
    The Development of the Methodist Ministry John Munsey Turner Despite Dr John Walsh’s statement that ‘simple chronology’ disposes of the stereotype of the whole Evangelical Revival as a chain reaction from the ‘Aldersgate Street experience of 24 May 1738 and of John Wesley as a solitary Moses striking the rock of petrified Anglicanism to release a sudden stream of revival’, Methodists still tend to isolate John Wesley and his connexion from much else going on in the trans-continental and trans-Atlantic Evangelical Revival. It was an extraordinary ‘networking’ of endeavour involving the ‘Calvinists of the heart’ every bit as much as ‘Wesley’s Evangelical Arminianism’. Derek Lovegrove has shown the role of itinerancy in Dissent at the beginning of the nineteenth century, and more recently the place of the laity in Evangelical Protestantism with an essay included by Andrew Walls on the relationship of the laity to world mission. Wesley still comes across as the supreme pragmatist and organizer, able to cannibalise smaller revivalist groups like those of William Darney in Rossendale sweeping them into his ‘connexion’. The “Anglo-Calvinists” of various kinds remained outside both in England and especially in Wales, where Howell Harris, Daniel Rowland, William Williams ‘Pantycelyn’ and others had a free land, supported by Selina, Countess of Huntingdon. But we must limit ourselves to Wesley’s itinerants who were at first, preachers, evangelists and soon pastors to the ‘societies’ but NOT as yet ministers or clergy ’You have nothing to do but to save souls’ said Wesley who saw these mainly young unmarried men as his ‘sons in the gospel’ under his direct and strict discipline.
    [Show full text]