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John Williamson Nevin: High Church Calvinist
This biography, written by a provocative, prolific historian, gives readers insights into Nevin's critique of the revivalist tradition and shows how it applies today. Hart recovers a nearly forgotten nineteenth-century theologian and demonstrates his ongoing relevance. This book is extensively documented, and includes a substantial bibliographical essay and an index. Nevin (1803—1886) taught at Mercersburg Seminary when he wrote The Anxious Bench (1843) and The Mystical Presence (1846), volumes dealing with revivalism and the Lord's Supper, respectively. The last ten years have seen a revival of interest in this theologian, who was a graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary and who substituted for Hodge during his two-year study-leave in Europe.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2005
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78 people want to read
About the author
D.G. Hart
38 books32 followersDarryl G. Hart (Ph.D., Johns Hopkins University) directs the honors programs and faculty development at the Intercollegiate Studies Institute and serves Westminster Seminary California as adjunct professor of church history. He has written or edited more than fifteen books, including Defending the Faith, a biography of J. Gresham Machen. He is coeditor of the American Reformed Biographies series.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
April 28, 2020
Thesis of the book: John Williamson Nevin's high church Calvinism attempted to steer a middle path between the individualism of 19C Presbyterianism while avoiding the tyranny of Rome. His view of the sacraments necessitates a higher view of the church.
Summary and Critical Points: DG Hart's style is straightfoward and the narrative flows smoothly. Given the thesis, he accomplished his task while suggesting that Nevin's sacramentology can provide a more robust ecclesiology for the American Church. I can criticise Hart for only taking us to the edge of the cliff, but no further. I would have liked to see more detail on how Nevin's view of the Supper affects his Calvinist soteriology. Hart also had a few irrelevant and poorly argued comments at the end of the book on why the church shouldn't transform culture. Other than that, a worthy read. Now for the review.
Abstract of Hart's Bio on Nevin
Nevin's life is seen as a tension between the historical claims of the Roman Catholic Church on one hand and the energy of the Protestant Reformation on the other hand. The Incarnation was central to Nevin's Christology and Ecclesiology. His was a sacramental theology that shaped all else: his view of the church, his view of history and most importantly, his view of the Lord's Supper (207). Nevin battled for the recapturing of the Church's past. For Nevin, taking the claims of the early church seriously, and seeking the unity of the church as opposed to sectarianism, raised several problems: what does one do about the Roman Catholic Church?
Nevin on the Church
According to Hart, "The Church, in other words, was the manifestation in the natural world of the resurrected Christ, literally and supernaturally the body of Christ" (75). There was an objective character to the church. Among other things, this precluded revivalism and the use of an "anxious bench." Over against the anxious bench, which constituted Nevin's first foray into polemics (see pp. 88-103), Nevin proposed catechical instruction. Teaching the catechism, unlike the altar call, saw salvation as "new life emanating from union with Christ" (97). The channel of conversion should flow through the family, not the anxious bench.
Nevin on Salvation
Nevin anticipated the debate regarding union with Christ vs. imputation of Christ's righteousness (interestingly, Hart doesn't interact with this debate). Salvation, for Nevin, was corporate and organic and was mediated by the church. Discussion regarding Nevin's soteriology necessarily brings up his sacramentology. Standing in the Calvinian tradition, the sacrament is a sign and a seal embodying the actual presence of grace "and the very life of the Lord Jesus Christ himself" (118). When the believer partakes of the Supper, the body and blood of Christ from heaven is supernaturally communicated to him and he receives life in a new way (119). It is a "mystical union" where Christ communicates his own life and soul substantially to the believer.
Nevin on History
This constituted the crisis in Nevin's life: how to respond to Roman apologetics? To his credit he never became Roman Catholic, but he never gave a credible reason for not doing so. Nevin's argumentation regarding this point often broke down. He resorted, if Hart's representation is accurate, to simplistic generalizations and occasional special pleading in favor of Rome. He saw the Puritans [which Puritans? JBA] as simplistic "me and my bible" Christians ignoring the rich testimony of the Church while Roman Catholics had almost everything right historically, but erred on papal assertions to infallibility. No wonder he nearly went to Rome! Nevin was correct to see the church as a growing, organic body in union with Christ. This point alone, if further developed, should have persuaded him that Rome was not an option. Nevin himself was aware that Rome's position theoretically denied the possibility of improvement within the church. Since the church's teaching is by definition infallible, what's new to learn? The best Nevin did to this arena is urge apologists to incorporate more of the early and Medieval church into their apologetics.
Summary and Critical Points: DG Hart's style is straightfoward and the narrative flows smoothly. Given the thesis, he accomplished his task while suggesting that Nevin's sacramentology can provide a more robust ecclesiology for the American Church. I can criticise Hart for only taking us to the edge of the cliff, but no further. I would have liked to see more detail on how Nevin's view of the Supper affects his Calvinist soteriology. Hart also had a few irrelevant and poorly argued comments at the end of the book on why the church shouldn't transform culture. Other than that, a worthy read. Now for the review.
Abstract of Hart's Bio on Nevin
Nevin's life is seen as a tension between the historical claims of the Roman Catholic Church on one hand and the energy of the Protestant Reformation on the other hand. The Incarnation was central to Nevin's Christology and Ecclesiology. His was a sacramental theology that shaped all else: his view of the church, his view of history and most importantly, his view of the Lord's Supper (207). Nevin battled for the recapturing of the Church's past. For Nevin, taking the claims of the early church seriously, and seeking the unity of the church as opposed to sectarianism, raised several problems: what does one do about the Roman Catholic Church?
Nevin on the Church
According to Hart, "The Church, in other words, was the manifestation in the natural world of the resurrected Christ, literally and supernaturally the body of Christ" (75). There was an objective character to the church. Among other things, this precluded revivalism and the use of an "anxious bench." Over against the anxious bench, which constituted Nevin's first foray into polemics (see pp. 88-103), Nevin proposed catechical instruction. Teaching the catechism, unlike the altar call, saw salvation as "new life emanating from union with Christ" (97). The channel of conversion should flow through the family, not the anxious bench.
Nevin on Salvation
Nevin anticipated the debate regarding union with Christ vs. imputation of Christ's righteousness (interestingly, Hart doesn't interact with this debate). Salvation, for Nevin, was corporate and organic and was mediated by the church. Discussion regarding Nevin's soteriology necessarily brings up his sacramentology. Standing in the Calvinian tradition, the sacrament is a sign and a seal embodying the actual presence of grace "and the very life of the Lord Jesus Christ himself" (118). When the believer partakes of the Supper, the body and blood of Christ from heaven is supernaturally communicated to him and he receives life in a new way (119). It is a "mystical union" where Christ communicates his own life and soul substantially to the believer.
Nevin on History
This constituted the crisis in Nevin's life: how to respond to Roman apologetics? To his credit he never became Roman Catholic, but he never gave a credible reason for not doing so. Nevin's argumentation regarding this point often broke down. He resorted, if Hart's representation is accurate, to simplistic generalizations and occasional special pleading in favor of Rome. He saw the Puritans [which Puritans? JBA] as simplistic "me and my bible" Christians ignoring the rich testimony of the Church while Roman Catholics had almost everything right historically, but erred on papal assertions to infallibility. No wonder he nearly went to Rome! Nevin was correct to see the church as a growing, organic body in union with Christ. This point alone, if further developed, should have persuaded him that Rome was not an option. Nevin himself was aware that Rome's position theoretically denied the possibility of improvement within the church. Since the church's teaching is by definition infallible, what's new to learn? The best Nevin did to this arena is urge apologists to incorporate more of the early and Medieval church into their apologetics.
November 26, 2022
An informative book about a subject who, though hardly recognized by the majority of American Christians and failed to leave much of a substantial legacy, has important lessons to teach the Church today.
Thrust into prominence in a small German Reformed denomination, he was one of the most powerful voices to speak against revivalistic techniques and expose them as psychologically manipulative and wholly inadequate to form genuine, pious disciples. Drawing from the catechetical Presbyterian formation of his youth, he believed that one of the chief failures of the revivalistic Christianity of the 19th century was its inordinate focus on the individual and the subjective nature of the faith rather than recognizing the importance of the church as the organic medium for the strengthening of its members. This led him to devote much of his theological energy to developing a sacramental theology, even extending it to the Church herself.
Hart does an excellent job tracing his thought and the experiences which provide basis for Nevin's efforts as the leader of the so-called Mercersburg theology. I was particularly interested in Nevin's studies of church history to develop a more catholic, high church theology, and was not surprised to read of how Schaff and Nevin both influenced each other in this endeavor. It is unfortunate that there are very few materials to give us any indication of how he kept from crossing the Tiber into Roman Catholicism, because it seems like he was on the precipice of doing so.
For myself, I am not persuaded by Nevin's conclusions, but I appreciate a lot of his emphases and am challenged to think more deeply about the incarnation and how that should inform our doctrine of the church and our understanding of the sacraments, especially in their relation to the formation of disciples.
There's a lot of inside baseball relating the politics of the German Reformed denomination which could be a little dry at times, but this is a book well worth reading if only to expose yourself to one of the leading voices of high church Reformed Protestantism.
Thrust into prominence in a small German Reformed denomination, he was one of the most powerful voices to speak against revivalistic techniques and expose them as psychologically manipulative and wholly inadequate to form genuine, pious disciples. Drawing from the catechetical Presbyterian formation of his youth, he believed that one of the chief failures of the revivalistic Christianity of the 19th century was its inordinate focus on the individual and the subjective nature of the faith rather than recognizing the importance of the church as the organic medium for the strengthening of its members. This led him to devote much of his theological energy to developing a sacramental theology, even extending it to the Church herself.
Hart does an excellent job tracing his thought and the experiences which provide basis for Nevin's efforts as the leader of the so-called Mercersburg theology. I was particularly interested in Nevin's studies of church history to develop a more catholic, high church theology, and was not surprised to read of how Schaff and Nevin both influenced each other in this endeavor. It is unfortunate that there are very few materials to give us any indication of how he kept from crossing the Tiber into Roman Catholicism, because it seems like he was on the precipice of doing so.
For myself, I am not persuaded by Nevin's conclusions, but I appreciate a lot of his emphases and am challenged to think more deeply about the incarnation and how that should inform our doctrine of the church and our understanding of the sacraments, especially in their relation to the formation of disciples.
There's a lot of inside baseball relating the politics of the German Reformed denomination which could be a little dry at times, but this is a book well worth reading if only to expose yourself to one of the leading voices of high church Reformed Protestantism.
July 25, 2023
Hart writes an contemporarally accessible account of a seemingly niche figure in American Reformed History; successfully proving that the subject wasn't so niche after all.
American evangelicals and staunch American Presbyterians, such as myself, should all wrestle with the same concepts that Nevin sought after also.
One could argue that nowadays, American Evangelicals, Reformed in their soteriology, are starting to grasp the necessity of a biblically grounded ecclesiology while the confessionally Reformed are finally sharing Nevin's concerns.
I'd like to echo that I wouldn't adopt every approach and idea the man had but I could say the same about anyone in church history; in fact I believe the sentiment of wrestling with the past in light of scripture is the point of historical theology.
That takes me back to the writing itself, the narrative adopts the ideas to push along and explain the biographical data, making one wish Nevin came up with something more comprehensive, to his questions of catholcity especially, than he did. Just to be caught up in the same thought process as the man was worth the read.
Overall, the focus of the church as the means of salvation (as opposed to MERELY cultural influence) is key; though its when it becomes an overemphasis, is when we fall into the oversacramentalizing tendencies of Nevin.
Doctrine, in practice, is the art of balancing the whole council of God.
American evangelicals and staunch American Presbyterians, such as myself, should all wrestle with the same concepts that Nevin sought after also.
One could argue that nowadays, American Evangelicals, Reformed in their soteriology, are starting to grasp the necessity of a biblically grounded ecclesiology while the confessionally Reformed are finally sharing Nevin's concerns.
I'd like to echo that I wouldn't adopt every approach and idea the man had but I could say the same about anyone in church history; in fact I believe the sentiment of wrestling with the past in light of scripture is the point of historical theology.
That takes me back to the writing itself, the narrative adopts the ideas to push along and explain the biographical data, making one wish Nevin came up with something more comprehensive, to his questions of catholcity especially, than he did. Just to be caught up in the same thought process as the man was worth the read.
Overall, the focus of the church as the means of salvation (as opposed to MERELY cultural influence) is key; though its when it becomes an overemphasis, is when we fall into the oversacramentalizing tendencies of Nevin.
Doctrine, in practice, is the art of balancing the whole council of God.
June 17, 2023
I enjoyed this book, although it could have used more rigorous editing (too many "to-be-sure"s). By far the best chapter was "The Comforting Church," on Nevin's interaction with the revivalism of his day. I wondered how much today's American Presbyterianism would be different if it would have gone more the way of the catechism than the way of the revivalistic "anxious bench."
On the other hand, the later development of Nevin's ecclesiology kind of eluded me. I suppose I would need to read his Mystical Presence to have any hope of it. But the later stages of his career also had a wisp of a cautionary note to me personally. I suspect I have a melancholic streak in common with Nevin, and that this doesn't tend to go easily with an interest in things theologically abstruse. That makes me glad, again, that I didn't persist in academia. I'm not sure it would have gone well for me. I would not have wanted to go through the kind of faith crisis in middle age that Nevin did when his studies made him so depressed about the state of the Protestantism of his context that he almost gave up.
On the other hand, the later development of Nevin's ecclesiology kind of eluded me. I suppose I would need to read his Mystical Presence to have any hope of it. But the later stages of his career also had a wisp of a cautionary note to me personally. I suspect I have a melancholic streak in common with Nevin, and that this doesn't tend to go easily with an interest in things theologically abstruse. That makes me glad, again, that I didn't persist in academia. I'm not sure it would have gone well for me. I would not have wanted to go through the kind of faith crisis in middle age that Nevin did when his studies made him so depressed about the state of the Protestantism of his context that he almost gave up.
April 7, 2020
3.5 stars. While Hart's own perspective does colour his interpretation of Nevin, this is not so much an agenda-driven (reinterpretation) work as Wentz's book. This is a reasonably fair and very accessible and helpful biography of Nevin, a theologian who is unfortunately only little known by Evangelicals (who could really benefit from his challenges and critiques). Hart capably brings out Nevin's key insights on the need to recover the importance of the church as the mediatorial organ of salvation in the world; of the sacraments and church's liturgy as participating in the life of God as given for and lived with his people; of tradition as the inherited wisdom from ages past in which Christ was also at work by his Spirit; and of a strong theology of the incarnation as necessary so as not to slip into viewing the cross as a transactional abstraction which is all about personal salvation individually considered.
December 5, 2016
Good biography of a flawed theologian who still has much to offer to today's church. His critique of revivalism and contrast between historic Protestantism (the system of catechism) and prevailing American church life (the system of the bench) is most helpful. Nevin's flirtation with Roman Catholicism is unsettling, but as Hart narrates, he seemed to have recovered and somewhat discontentedly lived out his life within the German Reformed Church.
"In an effort to recover the church catholic as a means of grace, he had ignored a central feature of the Reformation, which was to make the word and preaching central in worship. The word could have easily supported Nevin's understanding of the church as a mediator of salvation. But his interest in sacramental teaching and practice bordered on obsession and so obscured the prominence of pulpit over table (not altar) in historic Reformed worship." (214)
"The spirit of the Anxious Bench is at war with the spirit of the Catechism. Where it comes decidedly to prevail, catechetical instruction, and the religious training of the young generally, are not likely to be maintained with much effect; and it will not be strange, if they should be openly slighted even, and thrust out of the way as an incumbrance to the Gospel, rather than a help" Nevin in Anxious Bench (96)
"In an effort to recover the church catholic as a means of grace, he had ignored a central feature of the Reformation, which was to make the word and preaching central in worship. The word could have easily supported Nevin's understanding of the church as a mediator of salvation. But his interest in sacramental teaching and practice bordered on obsession and so obscured the prominence of pulpit over table (not altar) in historic Reformed worship." (214)
"The spirit of the Anxious Bench is at war with the spirit of the Catechism. Where it comes decidedly to prevail, catechetical instruction, and the religious training of the young generally, are not likely to be maintained with much effect; and it will not be strange, if they should be openly slighted even, and thrust out of the way as an incumbrance to the Gospel, rather than a help" Nevin in Anxious Bench (96)
August 31, 2012
Well researched and sympathetic. Hart does a fine job of laying before the reader both Nevin's genius and weaknesses.
Nevin himself is intriguing. A truly creative and deeply conservative man. His insistence on the central importance of the incarnation is surely correct, at least in part, but like many who discover or recover something truly helpful he takes it all too far and runs a little wild with it.
His critique of Finney is the best we have. His work on the presence of Christ at the Eucharist is convincing and was genuinely a recovery of the older reformed position. And his evolutionary theory of Church history with its corresponding organic nature as Christ's body is exceptionally helpful. But beside all this is a measure of philosophical speculation, a commitment to German idealism, a theological vagueness on some important points and a tendency to Romanist (or early Church) errors that leaves the reformed reader cautious. Hart does a fine job of navigating through these various pitfalls with a light hand, however, and overall a study of the Mercerburg Theology is highly beneficial and thought-provoking.
Loved it.
Favourite part: the chapter covering Nevin's critique of Finney
Nevin himself is intriguing. A truly creative and deeply conservative man. His insistence on the central importance of the incarnation is surely correct, at least in part, but like many who discover or recover something truly helpful he takes it all too far and runs a little wild with it.
His critique of Finney is the best we have. His work on the presence of Christ at the Eucharist is convincing and was genuinely a recovery of the older reformed position. And his evolutionary theory of Church history with its corresponding organic nature as Christ's body is exceptionally helpful. But beside all this is a measure of philosophical speculation, a commitment to German idealism, a theological vagueness on some important points and a tendency to Romanist (or early Church) errors that leaves the reformed reader cautious. Hart does a fine job of navigating through these various pitfalls with a light hand, however, and overall a study of the Mercerburg Theology is highly beneficial and thought-provoking.
Loved it.
Favourite part: the chapter covering Nevin's critique of Finney
July 12, 2013
Nevin is an important minority voice in American protestant historical theology, and his ideas about ecclesiology and sacramental theology in many ways sound like Vatican II before Vatican II. He represents an alternative option for Reformed theology, even though he himself long debated leaving his Reformed context to convert to Catholicism. The events of his life do not make for a very engrossing biography, but the ideas with which he wrestled are important to consider.
Unfortunately, the book is marred by Hart's poor writing and even poorer editing. He repeats himself often enough to suggest that he did not reread his final draft. He inserts editorializing commentary in odd places, and his tone is therefore incredibly uneven, from colloquial to scholarly and back again with annoying irregularity.
I didn't know anything about Nevin, so this was a good place to start, but I cannot say that I enjoyed the prose for its own sake in any way.
Unfortunately, the book is marred by Hart's poor writing and even poorer editing. He repeats himself often enough to suggest that he did not reread his final draft. He inserts editorializing commentary in odd places, and his tone is therefore incredibly uneven, from colloquial to scholarly and back again with annoying irregularity.
I didn't know anything about Nevin, so this was a good place to start, but I cannot say that I enjoyed the prose for its own sake in any way.
December 9, 2010
Interesting tidbit of history I knew nothing of: Mercersburg theology and the German Reformed Church. Nevin strongly believed in the incarnational aspect of the church being the visible body of Christ on earth. Wrote against "New Measures" a.k.a. The Anxious Bench; the modern day equivalent of an altar call.
June 8, 2012
Decent biography of Nevin, I would have liked to have seen more direct quotations from Nevin in the controversies in which he was engaged. However, it is clear that Hart has done his homework and does a fine job presenting Nevin's biography.
January 23, 2009
I found this book very enjoyable.
Currently Reading
July 24, 2009CREC people need to be reading from him and the Mercersburg theology!
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews