So Great Salvation: The History and Message of the Keswick Convention

by Steven Barabas

From the "Every year, during the month of July, thousands of Christians from all parts of the world gather for a Convention for the deepening of the spiritual life, lasting one week, in the little town of Keswick, which nestles at the foot of Skiddaw mountain and beside beautiful Lake Derwentwater, in the Lake District of northern England, a region famous by association with the Lake poets - Wordsworth, Coleridge, and Southey - and for picturesque and fascinating scenery unsurpassed in all England, if not in all Europe. "Since 1875, when the first of these Conventions was held, the influence of what is taught there has been increasingly felt in the Christian world, until Keswick teaching has come to be regarded as one of the most potent spiritual forces in recent Church history. The 'Keswick movement' has become historic.... Here, then, we have the teaching of Keswick, one of the most interesting religious phenomena of our time."

210 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2005

Reviews

[Norman Bennett Jr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book giving the overview of the major tenets and works produced by the Keswick convention. Many works cited that I have begun to look into. This was the first book I had read on the Keswick convention and the Welsh revival, so I really appreciated the broad yet thorough perspective it gave of the movement and the motivation behind it.

I highly recommend this book for anyone beginning to study the Welsh revival and Keswick’s methodology.

[Jeremy Utley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thought this was a very solid — and sometimes excellent (especially the chapters on consecration and the Spirit-filled life) — book, until the end. The biographical sketches in the last chapter really pushed it over the top for me.

Some of the book is a little academic / dry for my taste, but he does enough letting the speakers speak for themselves to combat this.

Highly recommended.

Not consistently great enough to warrant a 5-star, but many great sections, especially the 3 mentioned above.

[Barry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Steven Barabas provides a clear expression of the teaching of the Keswick Convention on the dynamics of "the overcoming life." Keswick teaching emphasizes that sanctification, as well as justification, is centered in the work of Christ redeeming humanity from sin through His death and resurrection. “Man cannot become holy without the cross,” he says. Keswick has had a strong influence on evangelicals who yearn for revival and spiritual awakening and a deeper life with Christ. Barabas does a superb job of describing the history and thought of the movement.