From Reformation to Revival

Posted on November 28, 2011 
Filed under History, Resources

Lee Gatiss has been speaking in Cambridge at the ‘Saturday School of Theology’ on the theme ‘From Reformation to Revival’.

The audio of the first two sessions is now available, with the third to come. Below are the descriptions of each session: 

The 16th Century Reformers

It’s almost 500 years since Martin Luther started the Reformation and changed the course of history. But what did this beer-drinking, outspoken ex-monk really stand for? How did he have such an impact?

Many will also know the name of the French Reformer, John Calvin, but associate him with “chauvinism” or predestination or a little boy with a toy tiger called Hobbes. But what really was the pious heartbeat of Calvin’s life and ministry? And what was it that has made him one of the greatest names in church history?

The 17th Century Puritans

The Puritans saw themselves as pilgrims, warriors, and servants of Christ in an age of great conflict. From them we get our word “puritanical” but were they as bad as that makes them sound? They also gave us several Cambridge colleges, mountains of great books, spread the gospel to far away lands, and chopped off the head of a bad king. So they were anything but dull!  What was it that made people either love them or hate them? And what can we learn from them to reinvigorate our lives as Christians today?

The 18th Century Evangelicals (coming soon)

The church was cold and lifeless, infected with worldliness and a lack of vigor. Love for Christ and the Bible was at a low ebb. That is until John Wesley and George Whitefield set the world on fire and revived the nation’s spiritual life with passionate and powerful gospel preaching! Or did they? What can we learn from these heroes of the faith who sought to win the world for Christ? Was all as rosy as it seemed within the Evangelical movement? Or did revival rivalries almost tear it apart from within?  Discover the glory, and the dark side, of the great awakenings.

Hear the talks at this link.

Related: The Manifesto of the Reformation — Luther vs. Erasmus on Free Will (pdf file at Church Society), and more at Meet the Puritans.