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Every Leaf, Line, and Letter: Evangelicals and the Bible from the 1730s to the Present
I was filled with a pining desire to see Christ's own words in the Bible. . . . I got along to the window where my Bible was and I opened it and . . . every leaf, line, and letter smiled in my face. --The Spiritual Travels of Nathan Cole, 1765 From its earliest days, Christians in the movement known as evangelicalism have had a particular regard for the Bible, to borrow a phrase from David Bebbington, the historian who framed its most influential definition. But this biblicism has taken many different forms from the 1730s to the 2020s. How has the eternal Word of God been received across various races, age groups, genders, nations, and eras? This collection of historical studies focuses on evangelicals' defining uses--and abuses--of Scripture, from Great Britain to the Global South, from the high pulpit to the Sunday School classroom, from private devotions to public causes. Contributors:
David Bebbington, University of Stirling Kristina Benham, Baylor University Catherine Brekus, Harvard Divinity School Malcolm Foley, Truett Seminary Bruce Hindmarsh, Regent College, Vancouver Thomas S. Kidd, Baylor University Timothy Larsen, Wheaton College K. Elise Leal, Whitworth University John Maiden, The Open University, UK Mark A. Noll, University of Notre Dame Mary Riso, Gordon College Brian Stanley, University of Edinburgh Jonathan Yeager, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
David Bebbington, University of Stirling Kristina Benham, Baylor University Catherine Brekus, Harvard Divinity School Malcolm Foley, Truett Seminary Bruce Hindmarsh, Regent College, Vancouver Thomas S. Kidd, Baylor University Timothy Larsen, Wheaton College K. Elise Leal, Whitworth University John Maiden, The Open University, UK Mark A. Noll, University of Notre Dame Mary Riso, Gordon College Brian Stanley, University of Edinburgh Jonathan Yeager, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
328 pages, Paperback
Published May 4, 2021
About the author
Timothy Larsen
38 books26 followersTimothy Larsen is McManis Professor of Christian Thought at Wheaton College, Wheaton, Illinois, and an Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
September 24, 2021
The Bible says it. I believe it. And that’s good enough for me. This was a common phrase I heard growing up in the Church of Christ—a staunchly evangelical denomination born out of the Restoration movement that heavily contrasts with Charismatic and Pentecostal strains of faith that rely more on personal revelation. The Bible is God’s Word. It’s simple to understand. It’s incredibly clear. As I grew, I learned to question that phrase. Not in sense of the first question ever asked “Did God really say…?” but in the sense of “Am I hearing God correctly? Am I interpreting the revelation he’s left me in a faithful and accurate way?”
Christians are people of the book, and evangelicals even more so. Every Leaf, Line, and Letter is a historical overview of how evangelicals have treated the Bible—both positively and negatively—since evangelicalism first developed as a distinct form of Christianity in the early 1700s. Under the guidance of editor Timothy Larsen, twelve different highly-respected evangelical scholars working within their academic specialties treat readers to a thorough and robust look at evangelicalism’s relationship with Scripture.
Every Leaf, Line, and Letter is divided into four parts, each covering a particular century. The twentieth century is particularly put into focus with about a third of the book covering that era. While every essay is strong, the three most striking for myself was K. Elise Leal’s chapter on children’s Bible culture in the 19th century, Mary Riso’s sketch of Josephine Butler’s life, and Timothy Larsen’s discussion of liberal evangelicals and their use of Scripture in the 20th century.
Take together, the book covers a wide swath of evangelical identity from the very broad (see Brian Stanley’s chapter on the evangelical mind in global context) to the very narrow (Riso’s chapter on one individual, Josephine Butler). There’s so much that could be written that it’s actually refreshing to see that Every Leaf, Line, and Letter—perhaps ironically—did not attempt to cover every leaf, line, and letter in its historical overview but rather shifts between broad and narrow narratives in an attempt to weave a cohesive theme and bring nuance and depth to the conversation.
Simply for its diversity of perspectives alone, Every Leaf, Line, and Letter can be commended for bringing depth and nuance to a conversation that, at the popular level, hasn’t had much depth. This work is integral to understanding evangelicalism—both its past and its future. Each chapter could well have been worked into a book in its own right. Written to an academic audience, it can be a bit heady at times but the authors remain clear and accessible throughout. Whether as a church history text or simply for the layperson wanting to know more about evangelical history, Larsen and company have provided a text that will undoubtedly prove influential.
Christians are people of the book, and evangelicals even more so. Every Leaf, Line, and Letter is a historical overview of how evangelicals have treated the Bible—both positively and negatively—since evangelicalism first developed as a distinct form of Christianity in the early 1700s. Under the guidance of editor Timothy Larsen, twelve different highly-respected evangelical scholars working within their academic specialties treat readers to a thorough and robust look at evangelicalism’s relationship with Scripture.
Every Leaf, Line, and Letter is divided into four parts, each covering a particular century. The twentieth century is particularly put into focus with about a third of the book covering that era. While every essay is strong, the three most striking for myself was K. Elise Leal’s chapter on children’s Bible culture in the 19th century, Mary Riso’s sketch of Josephine Butler’s life, and Timothy Larsen’s discussion of liberal evangelicals and their use of Scripture in the 20th century.
Take together, the book covers a wide swath of evangelical identity from the very broad (see Brian Stanley’s chapter on the evangelical mind in global context) to the very narrow (Riso’s chapter on one individual, Josephine Butler). There’s so much that could be written that it’s actually refreshing to see that Every Leaf, Line, and Letter—perhaps ironically—did not attempt to cover every leaf, line, and letter in its historical overview but rather shifts between broad and narrow narratives in an attempt to weave a cohesive theme and bring nuance and depth to the conversation.
Simply for its diversity of perspectives alone, Every Leaf, Line, and Letter can be commended for bringing depth and nuance to a conversation that, at the popular level, hasn’t had much depth. This work is integral to understanding evangelicalism—both its past and its future. Each chapter could well have been worked into a book in its own right. Written to an academic audience, it can be a bit heady at times but the authors remain clear and accessible throughout. Whether as a church history text or simply for the layperson wanting to know more about evangelical history, Larsen and company have provided a text that will undoubtedly prove influential.
October 12, 2021
Summary: A collection of articles in honor of historian of evangelicalism, David Bebbington, exploring expressions of the “biblicism,” in Bebbington’s definition of evangelicalism, known as the “Bebbington Quadrilateral.”
Historian David Bebbington is most widely known for his description of the defining characteristics of evangelicalism: conversionism, activism, biblicism, and crucicentrism, which has become known as the “Bebbington Quadrilateral.” This collection of articles focuses on biblicism, an effort to honor Bebbington on his 70th birthday and retirement from his Chair. The articles cover a span of time from the 1730’s to the present and are organized by century. One of the main themes of the books is the variety of uses of the Bible and forms of expression of evangelicalism’s commitment to the Bible. In my review I will summarize the articles by century, noting salient points.
Eighteenth Century
Kristina Benham opens this collection considering American preaching during the Revolutionary War and the widespread invocation of Exodus and Independence as ascent to an American Zion. She notes how the exodus theme will later be used by slaves from within the American system. Bruce Hindmarsh takes some exception with Bebbington’s observation of Enlightenment influence in 18th century evangelicalism by noting the extensive examples of figural reading of the biblical text. Then Jonathan Yeager rounds out this section by contrasting the views of Jonathan Edwards and John Erskine on faith and free will. Yeager exposes Edward’s distinctiveness from the reformers on his views of the place of the will in the exercise of faith, contrasting him with the more traditionally reformed Erskine.
Nineteenth Century
I found K. Elise Leal’s “Young People Are Actually Becoming Accurate Bible Theologians” one of the most interesting essays in the volume. She looks at children’s Bible education, including a heavy emphasis on memory work and the efforts of the Sunday school movement to form children into “Bible Theologians.” I saw echoes of these efforts in my own childhood Sunday school experience. Mark Noll explores the challenge that the debate to slavery posed to the belief in sola scriptura–the reality that pro-slavery and abolitionist preaching both invoked the same Bible. I’m convinced that evangelicalism in the U.S. bears the mark of this crisis down to the present day. I had not previously been acquainted with Josephine Butler, a crusader for women’s rights whose life was animated by her reading of scripture, particularly in its focus on the gospels and an almost mystical love for Jesus. Mary Riso offers a fascinating portrait of her as an example of the expression of biblicism in evangelical piety.
Twentieth Century
This section opens with David Bebbington’s own contribution to this volume: a study of the Bible crisis in British evangelicalism in the 1920’s, the fundamentalist reaction to critical studies that brought significant divides in the U.S. was more muted, in part because of the strong Anglican evangelical presence who refused to denounce or separate. I was fascinated to learn of the significant role the Bible league played in the student movement that became Inter-Varsity Fellowship in the UK, later spreading to Canada and the U.S. Timothy Larson follows up with a study of Liberal Evangelicals in the UK through a study of the ministry of Vernon Faithful Storr, a leader in the Anglican Evangelical Group Movement, the locus of liberal evangelicalism. It was telling that they were defined as much for their stance against Anglo-Catholicism and for the “central” churchman rather than doctrinal views, although Storrs moved to a position of believing neither in the plenary inspiration or final authority of the Bible. Sadly his efforts to be “on the right side of history” led to the eclipse of his movement by the evangelicals led by John Stott, much to his chagrin.
The next essay shifts the focus to the United States and the anti-lynching efforts of Francis Grimke and the biblical arguments he used, the lack of attention he received, and his developing arguments for the legitimacy of defensive resistance in the face of white tyranny and oppression. The section concludes with the rise of the charismatic movement, particularly in New Zealand and Britain, the rift between Michael Harper and John Stott over whether Spirit baptism was a second and distinct work to justification and how the charismatic renewal led to more democratic uses of scripture in personal and public devotion and ministry.
Twenty-first Century
This last part begins with what I thought a chilling study of the Patriot’s Bible, the interweaving of biblical text and American history laying groundwork for a kind of Christian nationalistic fervor and militarism in defense of country. It is interesting to trace how many problems in American Christianity trace to what is in the margins of our Bibles along with the Biblical text from C. I. Scofield to the present. I’ve often warned against treating the notes as inspired and that we may do better to read Bibles without such notes. Finally Brian Stanley, a global church historian considers the variety of forms biblicism takes in global evangelicalism, particularly in context where oral tradition or hymn-singing are important.
While this is a selective treatment of biblicism in evangelical history as any such treatment must be, this festschrift offers rich food for thought. The two articles on early twentieth century evangelicalism remind me of the challenge of avoiding either polemical dogmatism or liberal latitudinarianism. It was fascinating to think about the formation of children, which seems less important in many circles, than even in my youth. More striking is how often evangelicals have appropriated scripture for political ends, from revolution to slavery to making America great. It makes sense to me of the advocacy of some Christians that we need a new revolution. It seems to me instead that we need a better reading of scripture, perhaps one shaped by the other aspects of Bebbington’s Quadrilateral–the centrality of Christ and his cross, the necessity of conversion (rarely talked about these days) and activism like that of Josephine Butler, fueled by the biblical text and the love of Christ.
____________________________
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
Historian David Bebbington is most widely known for his description of the defining characteristics of evangelicalism: conversionism, activism, biblicism, and crucicentrism, which has become known as the “Bebbington Quadrilateral.” This collection of articles focuses on biblicism, an effort to honor Bebbington on his 70th birthday and retirement from his Chair. The articles cover a span of time from the 1730’s to the present and are organized by century. One of the main themes of the books is the variety of uses of the Bible and forms of expression of evangelicalism’s commitment to the Bible. In my review I will summarize the articles by century, noting salient points.
Eighteenth Century
Kristina Benham opens this collection considering American preaching during the Revolutionary War and the widespread invocation of Exodus and Independence as ascent to an American Zion. She notes how the exodus theme will later be used by slaves from within the American system. Bruce Hindmarsh takes some exception with Bebbington’s observation of Enlightenment influence in 18th century evangelicalism by noting the extensive examples of figural reading of the biblical text. Then Jonathan Yeager rounds out this section by contrasting the views of Jonathan Edwards and John Erskine on faith and free will. Yeager exposes Edward’s distinctiveness from the reformers on his views of the place of the will in the exercise of faith, contrasting him with the more traditionally reformed Erskine.
Nineteenth Century
I found K. Elise Leal’s “Young People Are Actually Becoming Accurate Bible Theologians” one of the most interesting essays in the volume. She looks at children’s Bible education, including a heavy emphasis on memory work and the efforts of the Sunday school movement to form children into “Bible Theologians.” I saw echoes of these efforts in my own childhood Sunday school experience. Mark Noll explores the challenge that the debate to slavery posed to the belief in sola scriptura–the reality that pro-slavery and abolitionist preaching both invoked the same Bible. I’m convinced that evangelicalism in the U.S. bears the mark of this crisis down to the present day. I had not previously been acquainted with Josephine Butler, a crusader for women’s rights whose life was animated by her reading of scripture, particularly in its focus on the gospels and an almost mystical love for Jesus. Mary Riso offers a fascinating portrait of her as an example of the expression of biblicism in evangelical piety.
Twentieth Century
This section opens with David Bebbington’s own contribution to this volume: a study of the Bible crisis in British evangelicalism in the 1920’s, the fundamentalist reaction to critical studies that brought significant divides in the U.S. was more muted, in part because of the strong Anglican evangelical presence who refused to denounce or separate. I was fascinated to learn of the significant role the Bible league played in the student movement that became Inter-Varsity Fellowship in the UK, later spreading to Canada and the U.S. Timothy Larson follows up with a study of Liberal Evangelicals in the UK through a study of the ministry of Vernon Faithful Storr, a leader in the Anglican Evangelical Group Movement, the locus of liberal evangelicalism. It was telling that they were defined as much for their stance against Anglo-Catholicism and for the “central” churchman rather than doctrinal views, although Storrs moved to a position of believing neither in the plenary inspiration or final authority of the Bible. Sadly his efforts to be “on the right side of history” led to the eclipse of his movement by the evangelicals led by John Stott, much to his chagrin.
The next essay shifts the focus to the United States and the anti-lynching efforts of Francis Grimke and the biblical arguments he used, the lack of attention he received, and his developing arguments for the legitimacy of defensive resistance in the face of white tyranny and oppression. The section concludes with the rise of the charismatic movement, particularly in New Zealand and Britain, the rift between Michael Harper and John Stott over whether Spirit baptism was a second and distinct work to justification and how the charismatic renewal led to more democratic uses of scripture in personal and public devotion and ministry.
Twenty-first Century
This last part begins with what I thought a chilling study of the Patriot’s Bible, the interweaving of biblical text and American history laying groundwork for a kind of Christian nationalistic fervor and militarism in defense of country. It is interesting to trace how many problems in American Christianity trace to what is in the margins of our Bibles along with the Biblical text from C. I. Scofield to the present. I’ve often warned against treating the notes as inspired and that we may do better to read Bibles without such notes. Finally Brian Stanley, a global church historian considers the variety of forms biblicism takes in global evangelicalism, particularly in context where oral tradition or hymn-singing are important.
While this is a selective treatment of biblicism in evangelical history as any such treatment must be, this festschrift offers rich food for thought. The two articles on early twentieth century evangelicalism remind me of the challenge of avoiding either polemical dogmatism or liberal latitudinarianism. It was fascinating to think about the formation of children, which seems less important in many circles, than even in my youth. More striking is how often evangelicals have appropriated scripture for political ends, from revolution to slavery to making America great. It makes sense to me of the advocacy of some Christians that we need a new revolution. It seems to me instead that we need a better reading of scripture, perhaps one shaped by the other aspects of Bebbington’s Quadrilateral–the centrality of Christ and his cross, the necessity of conversion (rarely talked about these days) and activism like that of Josephine Butler, fueled by the biblical text and the love of Christ.
____________________________
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
July 12, 2021
What is America’s relationship with the Bible? Edited by Timothy Larsen, Every Leaf, Line, and Letter shares the story of evangelicals and the Bible from the 1730s to the present. This is a brilliant academic work of over 300 pages. With essays from David Bebbington, Thomas S. Kidd, Mark A. Noll, Jonathan Yeager and more -- it is an amazing collection of historical studies focused on the intersection of Scripture and America.
The 18th Century
The book is divided into four parts. Part 1 looks at the 18th century, and I saw how early American history and patriotism impacted theology, Bible reading, and application. Hymns and a fascination with figural interpretation brought an interest in typology, with a desire to re-enchant Scripture and the natural world alongside the Enlightenment. The connections between the early American church and patriotism were eye-opening.
The 19th Century
At the start of the 19th century, Part 2 shows how children’s Sunday School culture sought to encourage Biblical independence and literacy. I found this section to be especially captivating as a Sunday School teacher and lover of books. Scripture memorization was particularly important for empowerment. Young women were extremely important to the religious education of children. Anti-slavery intersected with the doctrine of Sola Scriptura and proved to be challenging. The themes of gender and race in this portion are remarkable.
The 20th Century
Part 3 begins the 20th century with polarization between the holiness movement, Pentecostals, and Baptists. Larsen’s chapter on Liberal Evangelicals and the Bible is illuminating, shining light on Canon Storr -- the most important figure in the Anglican Evangelical Group Movement. Malcolm Foley highlights three sermons by Francis Grimke, showing their focus on biblicism, activism, crucicentrism, and conversionism. The charismatic reanimated reading of Scripture is examined against the backdrop of the Cold War and the dawn of a “New Age.” To see these historical movements through their eyes is extremely valuable.
The 21st Century and Beyond
Part 4 and The final chapter launches us into the 21st century, with a look at The American Patriot’s Bible and American nationalism. The scope of this book is an epic undertaking. Each essay is interesting, scholarly, and thought-provoking. This book presents the hard facts, prompting difficult questions about what we have become and who we want to be. We would be wise to understand our history to better know where we are heading. As Evangelicals continue to champion the Bible, we must look at its Author for true spiritual growth.
I received a media copy of Every Leaf, Line, and Letter and this is my honest review.
The 18th Century
The book is divided into four parts. Part 1 looks at the 18th century, and I saw how early American history and patriotism impacted theology, Bible reading, and application. Hymns and a fascination with figural interpretation brought an interest in typology, with a desire to re-enchant Scripture and the natural world alongside the Enlightenment. The connections between the early American church and patriotism were eye-opening.
The 19th Century
At the start of the 19th century, Part 2 shows how children’s Sunday School culture sought to encourage Biblical independence and literacy. I found this section to be especially captivating as a Sunday School teacher and lover of books. Scripture memorization was particularly important for empowerment. Young women were extremely important to the religious education of children. Anti-slavery intersected with the doctrine of Sola Scriptura and proved to be challenging. The themes of gender and race in this portion are remarkable.
The 20th Century
Part 3 begins the 20th century with polarization between the holiness movement, Pentecostals, and Baptists. Larsen’s chapter on Liberal Evangelicals and the Bible is illuminating, shining light on Canon Storr -- the most important figure in the Anglican Evangelical Group Movement. Malcolm Foley highlights three sermons by Francis Grimke, showing their focus on biblicism, activism, crucicentrism, and conversionism. The charismatic reanimated reading of Scripture is examined against the backdrop of the Cold War and the dawn of a “New Age.” To see these historical movements through their eyes is extremely valuable.
The 21st Century and Beyond
Part 4 and The final chapter launches us into the 21st century, with a look at The American Patriot’s Bible and American nationalism. The scope of this book is an epic undertaking. Each essay is interesting, scholarly, and thought-provoking. This book presents the hard facts, prompting difficult questions about what we have become and who we want to be. We would be wise to understand our history to better know where we are heading. As Evangelicals continue to champion the Bible, we must look at its Author for true spiritual growth.
I received a media copy of Every Leaf, Line, and Letter and this is my honest review.
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November 25, 2022Книгата е признателност към заслугите на Дейвод Бебингтън в изследването на евангелското движение. По-специално тя се съсредоточава върху единия от елемнтите на неговият четириъгълник - библицизма. Есетата са много хубави и специално подготвени тайа че да обхванат както различни исторически периоди така и географвко разположение. Понеже доста т тях са специализирани не всеки читател ще се интересува от всички. Но тези, към които има интерес е много вероятно да го възнаградят.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews