English nonconformist home missions 1796-1901

Abstract

This thesis examines an important dimension of nineteenth century English Nonconformist life, namely, their missionary endeavours as directed towards the home population. Whilst recognising the significance of other recent studies on the periodic phenomenon of revival, the statistical growth of Nonconformity and its social and political influence, the purpose of this thesis is to investigate the rise and development of Nonconformity's routine attempts to evangelise England over the course of the whole century from the time when their evangelists were persecuted Dissenters, through the days of influential Nonconformity to the waning of their social and spiritual influence at the turn of the century.
The thesis revolves around the twin axes of unity and diversity. Chapter 1 outlines the unified point of departure which gave rise to a new wave of missionary endeavour and illustrates it by reference to some of the early itinerant societies. The following three chapters trace the diverse and individual developments of home missions within the Methodist, Baptist and Congregational churches respectively. Appendix B outlines, more superficially, developments in other Nonconformist bodies. Chapter 5 further recognises the dimension of diversity as it extended beyond the denominations to the organisation of evangelistic societies. Special attention is paid to the way in which they handles the problems implicit in their non-church based inter denominationalism. Chapter 6 returns to the theme of unity and examines evidence of greater theological and methodological coherence as exhibited in the united mission of 1901. It also reflects on the century and suggests that it is possible to, trace a common framework of experience to which all denominations, despite their differences, were ultimately subject.
The final chapter approaches the home missionary endeavour from a theological, not structural, perspective and examines four different theological orientations to the task together with their methodological implications. It concludes with an overall assessment of the movement.