Revival - Part 12: Revivalism

The New School Theology, a modified form of Calvinism, developed in America in the latter half of the 18th century. One of its teachings was that man had not lost all ability to accept the Gospel but had only lost the desire. This led to the belief that anyone can be persuaded to believe given the right inducements. Preaching became an attempt to make the person want to be saved, to come to a decision at once, and to publicly make a profession of faith. Revivalism was the belief that revival could be created by use of the right means.
In the early 1800s open air camp meetings were held on the American frontier that were characterised by a highly charged atmosphere at which strange emotional and physical phenomena occurred. There were reports of falling, rolling, jerking and dancing. Many converts were claimed and each meeting was hailed as a mini revival. Charles Grandison Finney (1792-1875, pictured right) believed that God had revealed the necessary conditions for the creation of revival and these he detailed in his book “Lectures on Revival”. Finney took the ethos of the camp meetings and started preaching at revival meetings in the North Eastern states. His preaching was aimed at putting pressure on the will of the people to make a decision, and to come to the anxious seat as a public profession of their new faith. The results at first were very encouraging with large numbers professing faith. However, Finney later admitted in “Lessons on Revival” that he had been too optimistic about the results, and that most of his converts were a disgrace.
Following Finney’s example the travelling evangelists emerged such as Sankey and Moody, Billy Sunday, and in our own times Billy Graham. Large crowds were assembled by means of mass advertising and each meeting was carefully planned and executed to bring about the required results. People were prepared by singing to hear the Gospel message, after which they were urged to come to the front and publicly profess their faith. Large numbers of converts have been claimed for these meetings, but they have proved to be only temporary.
Revivalism has been an attempt to create revival by what are mainly psychological means. It is true that genuine converts have been made, but in general the effects are short lived, and the influence on the community minimal.