having asked around a bit about this, i was pointed towards dyfed wyn jones over on ynys mon (the isle of angelsea). dyfed was kind enough to meet me for an hour or two in bangor, and basically download as much as he could of his research into my comparatively tiny brain.
For some fantastic blogging and theological and historical research on the Welsh revivals catch up with Dyfed on his blog here
heres something of the ideas i conjured up in note taking. (these are not direct quotes nor any attempt at an organised order, rather a mixture of my musing on the theme, fueled by the conversation):
Historical landscape:
Romans brought Christianity into wales 407ad After they left 6C became the age of the saints 'Two pilgramages to st Davids equaled one to rome' The saints kept the faith alive. The age of the saints in Wales and britian generally, delevoped the faith slightly differently to europe as europe had the pope and the empire. (controlled theology)
They celebrated Easter on a diffent date. In the takeover of ancient church by church in rome, St augustine missionary imposed faith of rome on faith of Britain... Need to separate imperial influences on the true faith. Ie neoplatanism (after plato)
Charles finney 1836
faced 'Sheep stealing' opposition from the calvinists
At the time the Church of England was in Wales, but dispised by the welsh going chapel. Then next biggest org calvanists begun about the same time as the wesley brothers. The baptists had been in wales too since early 1600s not as strong but quite influential (south west wales). Congregationalist's same size as baptist also in wales since 1600, then smallest was the weslian congregations.
Revivals: From 1735/1905 the were some 20-25 revivals in wales national and regional. The most well known was the welsh revival of Evan Roberts 1905 but another revival in 1859 also known as revival as Methodists returned from revivals in america. Since 1905 no revival but something happened in 40s and in the universities in the 70s. Many young leaders were touched in the 70s and now the make up much of the leadership today. Something about welsh church that likes idea of Wales being known as the land of revivals. Especially for the welsh people... Key people and the charismatic liberalists:Martin lloyd jones left medical prof to be presbaterian minister 1940s. Reacted strongly to liberalism. Persuaded folk to leave chapels and form new evangelical movement. Even since the 60s people have been leaving chapels and still evangelicals still don't sit comfortably along the chapels. How do you refer to yourself if evangelically you're already on the back foot. Liberalism - not much life, no young people, dispassionate. Lack of vision? struggling to keep buildings going. A cultural expression of the faith. Personal relationship with Jesus?. lack of local mission? What were the revival triggers?
Concern within the churches about their spiritual condition. Folk getting fired up through prayer which draws people into the churches.
Charles techniques - alter calls. Esp 1859 revival. People have pressures on them: poverty, industrial disasters, disease which generates fear, which drives people to find answers and turn to the church... Social pressures lead people to do different things in different eras. (PESTEL analysis of current pressures??) The prophetic in Wales??Theological and church historians don't have many folk who understand the charismatics. Nobody has questioned the role of the prophet or the apostle in wales. Densil morgan )the span pf the cross) never even looked at the charismatic perhaps even dismissive... But God doesn't leave any generation without a prophetic voice...
Where is the power of prayer What is prayer? Does God change his mind Contemplative prayer/monastic prayerEvangelicalism is influenced imperialism... Need to separate out and see the body.
Andrew perriman blog?
Gwyn williams )evangelical)
Roy godwin faldbrenin new monasticism (retreat)?
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