GEORGE WHITEFIELD:
The first transatlantic revivalist
By Nigel Scotland
Lion Hudson. 336 Pages. £12.99
ISBN 978 0 745 980 287
When I received the review copy of this book, my first thought was: ‘Do we really need another biography of George Whitefield?’
Many readers of en will be familiar with the classic evangelical works by Arnold Dallimore and John Pollock (although both were written, I was surprised to learn, almost 50 years ago).
Nigel Scotland is himself familiar with these works and indeed, it seems, everything that has ever been written by or about Whitefield. In his preface he gives a very helpful survey of previous biographies with their differing estimations of the great preacher. He intends his book to be a survey of Whitefield’s life and thought rather than a straight retelling of his story. The book is well written in a ‘popular’ style, but Scotland has clearly done a huge amount of reading in both the primary and secondary literature with enough quotes and footnotes to satisfy an academic reader. The closest parallel I could think of would be one of Ian Murray’s biographies.
The upshot of this research is that familiar scenes in Whitefield’s life appear ‘fresh’ as we see them through contemporary eyes. The chapter ‘Trapped in the Homeland’ really vividly portrays Whitefield against his 18th-century backdrop, reminding us that he was one of the most prominent public figures of his day – popular with both rich and poor but also one of the most persecuted, with satirical plays even being written and performed about him!
The book has an important focus upon his 13 transatlantic journeys and his impact upon North America where he enjoyed huge celebrity. Scotland also asks us to revise our estimation of Whitefield as a leader and organiser, particularly with reference to the Calvinistic Methodists. Although primarily remembered as a preacher and evangelist, he argues that it was Whitefield and not just Wesley who oversaw the transformation of the ‘Holy Club’ into the international ‘Methodist’ movement.
Other chapters survey Whitefield’s role as a philanthropist, writer, controversialist and theologian. The final two chapters draw together these numerous threads and remind us of lessons to be learnt, and mistakes to be avoided, from the study of this remarkable life. Though Scotland writes in an objective manner, he is clearly sympathetic to Whitfield’s theology and ministry and these chapters have much that is helpful for evangelicals to hear today.
I was particularly struck by Whitfield’s humility as a leader and his willingness to seek forgiveness from those he felt he had wronged. I found his willingness to work across denominations also exemplary. He was a fully persuaded Anglican, but laboured freely with fellow workers in other churches. Although widely denounced by the bishops of his own church, he ‘gave as good as he got’ in defending his ministry. He argued for the evangelical faith as found in Scripture and in The Thirty-nine Articles.
On one occasion, after hearing that six students had been ‘sent down’ from Oxford University for praying extempore prayers, he fired off a broadside to the vice-chancellor pointing out that students were swearing and blaspheming extempore without penalty but those who prayed in that fashion were being expelled! Do we need another biography of Whitefield? We certainly need another Whitefield! Yet in this book, Scotland reminds us what God did with one consecrated man and leaves us expectant as to what He might do with those who follow his example as they follow Whitefield’s God. For this reason this book comes highly recommended.
