|
"Gathering to His Name"
The Story of Open Brethren in Britain and Ireland written by Tim Grass Published in 2006 by Paternoster A brief review of this book appears in the December 2006 issue of the NSW Assemblies Outreach magazine. The following List of Contents is reproduced from the book in order to help readers appreciate the breadth and depth of the material covered in this 589 page 'treasure'. |
|||||||||
ContentsList of Illustrations..................................................................................... xii List of Tables............................................................................................... xiv Forward by David Bebbington................................................................... xv Acknowledgements................................................................................... xvii Abbreviations............................................................................................ xix Chapter 1 Introduction................................................................................................. 1
Part 1: 1825–1849: A United Testimony
Chapter 2 The Earliest Days......................................................................................... 9 2.1 Background............................................................................................... 9 2.2 Beginnings in Ireland............................................................................... 12 2.3 Radical Evangelicals at Oxford.................................................................. 29 2.4 ‘The Brethren from Plymouth’: Beginnings in the South-West...................... 32 2.5 The Partnership of Craik and Müller at Bristol............................................. 43
Chapter 3 The Movement Spreads............................................................................. 49 3.1 Wiltshire and Bath................................................................................... 50 3.2 Hereford.................................................................................................. 51 3.3 London................................................................................................... 53 3.4 East Anglia............................................................................................. 54 3.5 The Midlands.......................................................................................... 56 3.6 Northern England.................................................................................... 57 3.7 Scotland................................................................................................. 60 Chapter 4 The Parting of the Brethren....................................................................... 63 4.1 Light or Life?............................................................................................ 63 4.2 Darby and Switzerland.............................................................................. 67 4.3 Division at Plymouth................................................................................ 68 4.4 Controversy over the Sufferings of Christ...................................................... 77 4.5 The ‘Bethesda Question’............................................................................ 79 Chapter 5 Distinctive Principles of the Early Brethren............................................ 84 5.1 Separation from the World........................................................................ 85 5.1.1 The Social Make-up and Social Teaching of Early Brethren..................... 86 5.1.2 Brethren and the Civil Order............................................................... 88 5.2 The Doctrine of the Church...................................................................... 89 5.2.1 The Spirit and the Church.................................................................... 90 5.2.2 The Church as a Heavenly Entity......................................................... 92 5.2.3 Unity and Separation......................................................................... 92 5.2.4 The Ruin of the Church........................................................................ 95 5.3 Church Order......................................................................................... 96 5.3.1 The Emergence of Distinctive Patterns of Worship................................ 98 5.3.2 Leadership and Growth...................................................................... 99 5.4 The Study of Biblical Prophecy................................................................ 101 5.4.1 The Adoption of Dispensationalism................................................... 104 5.4.2 The ‘Secret Rapture’......................................................................... 106 5.5 The Centrality of Mission?..................................................................... 108 5.5.1 The Brethren – A Missionary Movement?........................................... 108 5.5.2 Motives for Mission......................................................................... 109 5.5.3 Thinking Radically About Mission.................................................... 110
Part 2: 1850–1914: A Maturing Movement
Chapter 6 Evangelism and Expansion.................................................................. 115 6.1 The Extent of Growth........................................................................... 115 6.1.1 The Overall Picture......................................................................... 115 6.1.2 Growth Amid Opposition in Scotland and Ireland............................ 120 6.1.3 Success in England and Wales........................................................ 128 6.2 Evangelistic Strategies........................................................................ 131 6.2.1 Planting New Assemblies............................................................... 131 6.2.2 Evangelistic Methods.................................................................... 134 6.3 Evangelistic Agencies........................................................................ 140 6.3.1 Full-time Evangelists.................................................................... 140 6.3.2 Evangelistic Organisations........................................................... 144
Chapter 7 The Development of the Open Brethren Identity.............................. 147 7.1 Means to the Development of a ‘Brethren’ Identity................................ 148 7.1.1 Publishers.................................................................................... 148 7.1.2 Periodicals................................................................................... 151 7.1.3 Hymnody.................................................................................... 155 7.1.4 Conferences................................................................................. 156 7.1.5 Letters and Lists.......................................................................... 160 7.2 Doctrinal Distinctives....................................................................... 161 7.2.1 The Person and Work of Christ..................................................... 163 7.2.2 ‘Justification in the Risen Christ’.................................................. 164 7.2.3 Sanctification............................................................................. 165 7.2.4 The Law of God........................................................................... 167 7.2.5 The Last Things.......................................................................... 167 7.2.6 Brethren and Scripture................................................................ 171 7.3 The Emergence of Settled Patterns of Assembly Life and Worship......... 174 7.3.1 Joining the Assembly.................................................................. 174 7.3.2 A Typical Sunday....................................................................... 175 7.3.3 Other Assembly Activities........................................................... 177 7.3.4 Music........................................................................................ 177 7.3.5 Leadership and Office................................................................. 178 7.3.6 The Changing Role Played by Women........................................... 181 7.3.7 Property................................................................................... 184 7.4 Reception, Fellowship, and the ‘Needed Truth’ Division.................... 186 Chapter 8 Open and Exclusive.......................................................................... 195 8.1 Looking Across the Fence................................................................. 195 8.1.1 Exclusive Critics of Open Brethrenism.......................................... 195 8.1.2 Open Critics of Exclusivism......................................................... 197 8.2 Developments within Exclusivism...................................................... 199 8.2.1 Further Controversy over Christ’s Sufferings................................ 200 8.2.2 ‘The Ramsgate Sorrow’: Darby and Kelly part Company................ 201 8.2.3 Controversies over Christian Experience: Grant, Stuart, and Raven.. 204 8.2.4 Glanton: Local and Central Responsibility................................... 205 8.3 The Growth of Concern for Reunion.................................................. 206 8.3.1 The Plain Field Conference of 1892............................................... 206 8.3.2 The Reunion Meetings of 1906-7.................................................. 207 8.4 Exclusive Accessions to Open Brethren............................................... 210
Chapter 9 Brethren and their Critics............................................................... 213 9.1 The Critics...................................................................................... 213 9.2 The Issues Raised........................................................................... 217 9.2.1 Theological Issues...................................................................... 217 9.2.2 The Church, its Ministry and Order............................................ 219 9.2.3 Proselytism.............................................................................. 220 9.2.4 Schism...................................................................................... 221 9.2.5 Lack of Outreach....................................................................... 223 9.2.6 Christian Experience................................................................. 224 9.3 The Impact of Criticism.................................................................. 226
Chapter 10 Brethren and the Wider Religious World.................................... 229 10.1 Responses to Evangelicalism....................................................... 229 10.1.1 Maintaining Separation......................................................... 229 10.1.2 Brethren and 'Holiness' Teaching............................................. 234 10.1.3 Brethren, Revival, and Revivalism.......................................... 236 10.1.4 The Appearance of Pentecostalism.......................................... 239 10.2 Responses to other Theological Developments.............................. 241
Chapter 11 Brethren and Society................................................................... 244 11.1 Social Concern.......................................................................... 244 11.2 Education................................................................................. 247 11.3 Involvement in Society............................................................... 249 11.3.1 Separation........................................................................... 249 11.3.2 Brethren in Business............................................................ 252 11.3.3 Pacificism and War............................................................. 254 11.4 Science................................................................................... 254 11.5 Culture and Leisure.................................................................. 258
Chapter 12 The Brethren Movement as a Missionary Agency...................... 262 12.1 Maintaining Interest and Channelling Support............................ 262 12.1.1 The Emergence of Facilitating Bodies..................................... 262 12.1.2 Missionary Conference and House-parties.............................. 266 12.1.3 The Missionary Study Classes............................................... 267 12.2 The Impact of Brethren Missiological Thinking.......................... 270
Part 3: 1914–1945: Holding the Torch for Evangelicalism
Chapter 13 Growth and Decline..................................................................... 277 13.1 The Impact of Post-War Social Change....................................... 277 13.2 Effective Evangelism................................................................. 278 13.3 ‘Two by Two’: Brethren Evangelists............................................ 285 13.4 Where Did the Movement Grow?................................................ 287 13.4.1 Growth.............................................................................. 288 13.4.2 Decline............................................................................... 290
Chapter 14 ‘Whither Are We Drifting?’: Changes in the Brethren Ethos.... 293 14.1 Open and Exclusive.................................................................. 293 14.2 The Influence of Trends in Evangelicalism.................................. 295 14.3 Involvement in Interdenominational Agencies............................ 301 14.4 Cohesion, Separation, and the Beginnings of an Identity Crisis..... 303 14.4.1 Challenges to the Tradition................................................... 303 14.4.2 Centralising Tendencies....................................................... 307 14.4.3 Conferences and Holidays.................................................... 309 14.4.4 Magazines........................................................................... 311
Chapter 15 Brethren and the World............................................................. 315 15.1 Social and Economic Thinking Among Brethren......................... 315 15.2 Some Brethren Businessmen..................................................... 318 15.3 Practical Action....................................................................... 319 15.4 Political Involvement............................................................... 320 15.5 Cultural Engagement............................................................... 321
Chapter 16 Brethren in Two World Wars................................................... 324 16.1 Brethren in World War I.......................................................... 324 16.1.1 Periodical Coverage........................................................... 324 16.1.2 Debates over Pacifism........................................................ 327 16.1.3 The Impact on Assemblies.................................................. 330 16.2 Brethren in World War II........................................................ 332 16.2.1 Preparation for War.......................................................... 333 16.2.2 After War Broke Out.......................................................... 334 16.2.3 The Impact on Assemblies.................................................. 335 16.2.4 Planning and Questioning................................................. 340 Chapter 17 Overseas Mission and Home Identity...................................... 342 17.1 The Growth of the Work.......................................................... 342 17.2 Maintaining Interest.............................................................. 343 17.3 Missionary Study Classes........................................................ 344 17.4 The Fear of Centralisation....................................................... 345 17.5 Involvement with Other Missions............................................ 349
Part 4: 1945 Onwards: Change — and Decay?
Chapter 18 Responding to Social Change.................................................... 353 18.1 The Fast-Changing Social Context............................................ 353 18.2 The Growth of Social Concern and Involvement 18.3 The Burning Issues................................................................. 356 18.3.1 Politics and Trades Unions................................................. 356 18.3.2 Care of the Needy............................................................... 359 18.3.3 Fiction and Football.......................................................... 361
Chapter 19 Open Brethren and the Religious World................................. 364 19.1 Open Brethren Involvement in 19.1.1 The Impact of Billy Graham................................................ 364 19.1.2 Para-Church Agencies....................................................... 367 19.1.3 Biblical Scholarship.......................................................... 370 19.2 The Impact of Wider Evangelicalism on Open Brethren............. 376 19.2.1 The Reformed Resurgence of the 1950s and 1960s................ 376 19.2.2 Longing for Revival.......................................................... 381 19.2.3 The Charismatic and Restoration Movements.................... 385 19.2.4 Changing Thinking on Ecumenism.................................... 394
Chapter 20 Re-inventing Open Brethren Identity...................................... 399 20.1 Open Brethren Agencies......................................................... 399 20.1.1 Publishers and Periodicals................................................. 399 20.1.2 Conferences..................................................................... 406 20.2 The Various Strands of Contemporary Open Brethren............... 414 20.2.1 Increasing Polarisation.................................................... 414 20.2.2 Conservatives................................................................. 418 20.2.3 Progressives................................................................... 420 20.2.4 What’s in a Name?.......................................................... 425 20.3 The Open Brethren Identity Crisis.......................................... 431 20.4 Exclusive Brethren and the Churches of God since 1914........... 434 20.4.1 Exclusive Developments.................................................. 434 20.4.2 The Churches of God........................................................ 438
Chapter 21 Internal Change....................................................................... 440 21.1 The Growth of Systematic Biblical Teaching............................. 441 21.2 Styles of Worship.................................................................. 444 21.3 New Patterns of Leadership.................................................... 448 21.3.1 Reinventing the Full-time Worker..................................... 449 21.3.2 Attitudes towards Training.............................................. 454 21.4 The Roles of Women............................................................. 455 21.5 Changing Patterns of Evangelism........................................... 457 21.5.1 What Happened to the Gospel Service?.............................. 458 21.5.2 Developments in Work among Children and Young People.. 459 21.5.3 New Methods of Outreach................................................. 462 21.5.4 Growth and Change in Regional Work............................... 465 21.5.5 Attitudes to Mass Evangelism........................................... 467
Chapter 22 Decline – and Growth?........................................................... 469 22.1 The Overall Picture.............................................................. 469 22.2 Why Did People Leave?....................................................... 478 22.3 Responses to Decline.......................................................... 480
Chapter 23 The Open Brethren: Still a Missionary Movement............... 486 23.1 The Globalisation of Assembly Mission................................. 486 23.2 Fluctuating Interest............................................................. 486 23.3 Changing Patterns of Support and Service.............................. 489 23.4 Mission at Home................................................................. 495
Part 5: Conclusion
Chapter 24 Conclusion: Open Brethren Today – and Tomorrow?......... 501 24.1 What has Happened to the Original Principles?..................... 501 24.2 The Scope for Further Research............................................ 504 24.3 Afterword: An Unfinished Story........................................... 506
Appendix 1 Early Conferences................................................................... 508 Appendix 2 A Brethren Family Tree.......................................................... 510 Appendix 3 Relative Strength of Different Types of Brethren, by Region Appendix 4 Number of Open Brethren Assemblies, 1887–2005.............. 518 Appendix 5 Clerical Seceders in Britain................................................... 520 Appendix 6 Writing your Assembly’s History.......................................... 526
Bibliography............................................................................. 529
General Index........................................................................... 573 |
|||||||||
| Back to Index of Extra Material Back to Assemblies Outreach Magazine OVERVIEW | |||||||||
|
|||||||||
|
This page last updated – 31 December 2006
Copyright of this material belongs to the author, Tim Grass |
|||||||||