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Scripture focus
O LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy.
Habakkuk 3:2 KJV
At a glance
How did Edwards's view of revival change between the 1730s and the 1740s?
He moved from celebrating extraordinary experiences with little qualification to insisting that lasting, humble fruit in daily life — not dramatic phenomena — is the real test of a genuine work of the Spirit.
Summary of the chapter
Revival was not an occasional interest for Edwards but the defining event of his ministry. He led awakenings at Northampton, assisted revivals from Maine to Pennsylvania, and wrote a sequence of major works interpreting them: Faithful Narrative (1737), Distinguishing Marks (1741), Some Thoughts Concerning the Revival (1743), Religious Affections (1746), and Humble Attempt (1748). Read in order, these writings show real development rather than a single fixed theory of revival.
Faithful Narrative recorded the 1734-35 Northampton awakening with something close to unguarded joy. By 1741, Distinguishing Marks still defended the revivals but urged critics not to reject a genuine work of God merely because of alarming external features such as shouting or falling. Some Thoughts Concerning the Revival (1743) grew more cautious still, warning against spiritual pride and the excesses of untrained lay exhorters, and Religious Affections (1746) devoted itself chiefly to correcting overzealous 'New Lights' rather than skeptical 'Old Lights.'
New research on Edwards's 1741 visit to Suffield suggests he was, at the height of the Awakening, more sympathetic to its most exuberant phenomena than later caricatures allow, moderating his views only that autumn. Humble Attempt (1748), written amid perceived spiritual decline rather than revival itself, called Christians worldwide to unite in concerted prayer for a fresh outpouring — evidence that Edwards's theology of revival was ultimately hopeful rather than merely defensive.
Key points
- Edwards's five major revival writings, read in chronological order, trace a real progression from unguarded rejoicing to increasing caution about counterfeit signs and spiritual pride.
- Faithful Narrative (1737) recorded the 'surprising work of God' at Northampton with unguarded enthusiasm; by Religious Affections (1746) Edwards was chiefly correcting the errors of overzealous 'New Lights.'
- Edwards insisted revivals be tested not by extraordinary bodily manifestations but by their lasting fruit in a transformed life.
- Recent research on Edwards's 1741 visit to Suffield indicates he was, at the height of the Awakening, closer to its most exuberant phenomena than earlier scholarship assumed.
- Humble Attempt (1748), written during a season of decline rather than revival, called Christians worldwide to unite in concerted prayer for a fresh outpouring of the Spirit.
A line worth remembering
To call a religious gathering a revival is to suggest that an intensification of religious experience has occurred.
McClymond & McDermott The Theology of Jonathan Edwards, ch. 27
Related Scripture
- Acts 2:17
- Psalm 85:6
- Isaiah 64:1-2
- Joel 2:28
For reflection and discussion
- What features would you look for today to tell a genuine spiritual awakening from mere emotional excitement?
- Why might a theologian's view of revival grow more cautious the longer he watches one unfold?
- What does Edwards's late call to worldwide concerted prayer suggest about hope during a season of spiritual decline?
These notes are an original UECF.NET study companion and are not a reproduction of the book. Read the full chapter — chapter 27, “Theology of Revival” — in The Theology of Jonathan Edwards by Michael J. McClymond and Gerald R. McDermott (Oxford University Press, 2012).