Charles Finney
Charles G. Finney (1792-August, 1875), often called "America's foremost revivalist," was a major leader of the Second Great Awakening in America that had a profound impact on the history of the United States.
He was a lawyer in Adams, New York and became a minister in 1821 shortly after being converted. Finney moved to New York City in 1832. Finney's logical, clear presentation of the Gospel reached thousands with the renewing power and love of Jesus Christ. His writings continue to challenge many to live a life holy and pleasing to God. His most famous work is the "Lectures on Revivals of Religion." The Christian singer Keith Green was heavily influced by Finney. Although Finney was originally a Presbyterian, he eventually became a congregationalist and often bears much criticism from conservative Presbyterians.
Theologically, Finney drew heavily from the eighteenth century American preacher, Jonathan Edwards and the New Divinity Calvinists. His teachings also resembled that of Nathaniel William Taylor, a professor at Yale University. He was known for his innovations in preaching and conducting religious meetings, such as allowing women to pray in public and the development of the "anxious bench," a place where those considering become Christians could come to receive prayer.
In addition to being a successful Christian evangelist, Finney was involved with the abolitionist movement and frequently denounced slavery from the pulpit. Beginning in the 1830s, he denied communion to slaveholders in his churches.
In 1835, he moved to Ohio where he would become a professor, and later President of Oberlin College. Oberlin was a major cultivation ground for the early movement to end slavery. Oberlin was also the first American university that allowed blacks and women into the same classrooms as white men.
Many modern theologians have pointed out that Finney's theology is more akin to Pelagianism than to modern Evangelical belief. Conservative theologians at the time were also concerned with Finney's belief. Charles Hodge, principal of Princeton (a Presbyterian seminary), was at the forefront of conservative criticism.
According to conservative theologians, Finney's doctrine of Justification repudiated the penal substitutionary atonement of Christ as the means by which God acts to forgive his people. He also did not hold the more Reformed and Orthodox view that all people are sinful (original sin) and are unable to respond to God's grace. Finney also rejected historic Calvinism and embraced Arminianism.
As a result of these conservative theologians, a growing number of evangelicals are of the opinion that Finney was not only heterodox in his theology, but also "unsaved" because of it.
External Links:
Finney's entire Systematic Theology online
Charles Hodge's Critique of Finney
Michael Horton's Calvinist critique of Finney
'How Charles Finney's Theology Ravaged the Evangelical Movement' (Philip R. Johnson)
Referenced By
Oberlin College | Theodore Dwight Weld
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