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This book explores the life and spirituality of John Cennick (1718-1755) and argues for a new appreciation of the contradictions and complexities in early evangelicalism. It explores Cennick's evangelistic work in Ireland, his relationship with Count Zinzendorf and the creative tension between the Moravian and Methodist elements of his participation in the eighteenth-century revivals. The chapters draw on extensive unpublished correspondence between Cennick and Zinzendorf, as well as Cennick's unique diary of his first stay in the continental Moravian centres of Marienborn, Herrnhaag and Lindheim. A maverick personality, John Cennick is seen at the centre of some of the principal controversies of the time. The trajectory of his emergence as a prominent figure in the revivals is remarkable in its intensity and hybridity and brings into focus a number of themes in the landscape of early evangelicalism: the eclectic nature of its inspirations, the religious enthusiasm nurtured in Anglican societies, the expansion of the pool of preaching talent, the social tensions unleashed by religious innovations, and the particular nature of the Moravian contribution during the 1740s and 1750s. Offering a major re-evaluation of Cennick's spirituality, the book will be of interest to scholars of evangelical and church history.
List of contents
Introduction; 1 Cennick in England: Methodist lay preacher; 2 Cennick in Germany: The Marienborn Diary 1745-6; 3 Cennick in Ireland: How 'the preacher' became the 'apostle of Ireland'; 4 Christocentrism: the theology and practice of heart religion; 5 Eschatology: Cennick's view of the end times; 6 Ecumenism: Cennick's quest for unity; Conclusion
About the author
Robert Cotter is a Church of Ireland minister and independent scholar, who holds doctorates in German Literature and History from Oxford and Belfast universities.
Summary
This book explores the life and spirituality of John Cennick (1718-55) and argues for a new appreciation of the contradictions and complexities in early evangelicalism.
Report
"Cotter brings to life the person of John Cennick in a fresh and insightful way. The book is well structured, well conceived, and well written. Cennick is a significant, yet under-explored, character in both social and religious history." - Jared Stephens in Journal of European Baptist Studies (JEBS)
"Cotter offers an excellent account of Cennick as a Moravian. His doctorate in German literature, theological expertise, and insightfulness into personal character all contribute significantly to the book's success. ...[The book] both revolutionises our understanding of a significant figure in the English Revival and makes an important contribution to Moravian history." - Colin Podmore in Proceedings of the Wesley Historical Society
