Revivalism

The term denotes the deliberate organizing or planning for a revival of religion. Success was not assured, but during the century after John Wesley's death such efforts, predominantly but not exclusively Methodist and often under American influences, did lead to large periodic increases of membership in Cornwall and many parts of the North and Midlands. Associated with such WM figures as William Bramwell, John Smith, Hodgson Casson and Thomas Collins, and William Booth in the Methodist New Connexion, revivalism penetrated all branches of Methodism. The WM, PM and MNC sought to diminish the influence of revivalists, and the WM interdict on James Caughey was a secondary factor in the WR agitation.

Sources
  • John Kent, Holding the Fort: Studies in Victorian Revivalism (1978)
  • Charles H. Goodwin, Cries of Anguish, Shouts of Praise: the development of Methodist revivalism 1739-1918 (Cannock, 1994)
  • Charles H. Goodwin, The Methodist Pentecost: the Wesleyan holiness revival of 1758-1763 (Cannock, 1996)
  • Janice Holmes, Religious Revivals in Britain and Ireland, 1859-1905 (Dublin, 2000)
  • Andrew Walker and Kristin Aune (eds.), On Revival: a critical examination (Carlisle, 2003)

See also

Entry written by: WP
Category: Subject
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