Church History 1700-2004 A.D.Church History 1700-2004 A.D.Part 6: Charles Finney, The 3Part 6: Charles Finney, The 3rdrd Great Awakening, & The Civil Great Awakening, & The Civil

WarWarMark HagenMark Hagen

October 17, 2004October 17, 2004

““In the years between 1740 and 1800 the In the years between 1740 and 1800 the theology of the First Great Awakening theology of the First Great Awakening underwent considerable change. . . .underwent considerable change. . . .

. . . the [American] revolution’s assumptions . . . the [American] revolution’s assumptions about human values posed even more about human values posed even more difficulties for traditional Calvinism. The difficulties for traditional Calvinism. The patriotic spirit encouraged more confidence in patriotic spirit encouraged more confidence in human capacities, less willingness to concede human capacities, less willingness to concede an absolute sovereignty to any being, including an absolute sovereignty to any being, including God, and a greater optimism about the human God, and a greater optimism about the human ability to overcome the evils of personal and ability to overcome the evils of personal and public life."public life."

- Mark Noll- Mark Noll

Evangelical Dictionary of TheologyEvangelical Dictionary of Theology, p. 484, p. 484

Total DepravityTotal Depravity: Man’s entire being is : Man’s entire being is corrupt and he will never choose Christ corrupt and he will never choose Christ unless by a supernatural act of God. unless by a supernatural act of God.

John 6:44, Eph. 2:1-9, Rom. 3:10-18John 6:44, Eph. 2:1-9, Rom. 3:10-18

Charles Finney Charles Finney (1792-1875)(1792-1875)

in his later yearsin his later years

““Finney rejected Calvinistic teaching that Finney rejected Calvinistic teaching that human nature was irreparably depraved; he human nature was irreparably depraved; he believed only men’s wills, not their natures, believed only men’s wills, not their natures, needed to be converted. His ‘new measures,’ needed to be converted. His ‘new measures,’ then, set out to make regeneration as easy as then, set out to make regeneration as easy as possible. ‘A revival is not a miracle,’ Finney possible. ‘A revival is not a miracle,’ Finney wrote. ‘It is a purely philosophical result of the wrote. ‘It is a purely philosophical result of the right use of the constituted means.’ In other right use of the constituted means.’ In other words, preachers might create revival if they words, preachers might create revival if they used proven methods, chief of these being the used proven methods, chief of these being the ‘anxious bench’ or ‘seat of decision.’ ‘The ‘anxious bench’ or ‘seat of decision.’ ‘The object of our measures is to gain attention,’ object of our measures is to gain attention,’ Finney said, and for that ‘you must have Finney said, and for that ‘you must have something new.’ ”something new.’ ”

- Steven - Steven GertzGertz

editorial coordinator of Christian editorial coordinator of Christian HistoryHistory

““. . . Under my preaching, judges, and . . . Under my preaching, judges, and lawyers and educated men were converted lawyers and educated men were converted by scores. . . Under their methods, such a by scores. . . Under their methods, such a thing seldom occurred.”thing seldom occurred.”

- Charles Finney- Charles FinneyChristian History,Christian History, p. 29 p. 29

Religious Services on the Deck of theReligious Services on the Deck of theU.S. Monitor Passaic, 1864U.S. Monitor Passaic, 1864

Members of the Christian Commission at their Members of the Christian Commission at their Field Headquarters near Germantown, MD, Field Headquarters near Germantown, MD,

September 1863September 1863