Hello my friends!

With the events happening at places like Asbury University and other campuses across the country, many of you have asked for my thoughts on "revival."

To be honest, with the amount of social media “takes” on revivals, I hesitated even discussing the topic as I didn’t want to add to all the noise. I even put up a post about it only to delete it moments later out of concern that I was yet another person on social media airing their unsolicited opinion about revivals. As you know, my goal is always thoughtful discussion. Posting about a complex topic such as this, especially on social media, can be counter productive to that goal. However, I do think our context within this newsletter is a great place to thoughtfully discuss this topic, so let’s talk about this topic a bit together.

Before we do though, here are some things that have me thinking this week.

RESOURCES TO CONSIDER:

-I want to recommend one of the most impactful books for me that I read during my time in seminary. It is called, "The democratization of Christianity" by Nathan O. Hatch. This is a provocative reassessment of religion and culture in the early days of the American republic. James Turner, from the Journal of Interdisciplinary History says, "The so-called Second Great Awakening was the shaping epoch of American Protestantism, and this book is the most important study of it ever published." I learned so much from this book about how revivals have been defined and their impact on our nation. It's an important book.

-If you have not yet read "Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America," by Ibram X. Kendi, I highly recommend it for this topic, as well as the topic of racism in American history and today as a whole. Kendi devotes a whole section to Cotten Mather, who was one of the most influential Christian clergyman of his day. He not only had a deeply problematic role over the Salem Witch Trials, but he is the first one in American history on record to use the word "revival" to refer to a religious awakening. Understanding the origins of revivals in American life is an important place to start.

-I have recommended this work before, but it bears repeating for this topic. Donal Dayton's book, "Rediscovering an Evangelical Heritage: A Tradition And Trajectory Of Integrating Piety And Justice" not only helps to give vital historical context and contrast to the American Evangelical movement today, but it also shows how revivals played a significant role in such political movements like the abolition of slavery, workers unions, women's suffrage, temperance, and others. It is such a needed (and encouraging) read for our time.

-Lastly, I found one of the recent episodes on the podcast "Hidden Brain" to be really inspiring. It is called "Cultivating Your Purpose." I think understanding our human desire for purpose in a deeper way can really help us to understand the dynamics of spiritual revivals as well. I also think you'll just find this episode insightful in general.

Okay, onto today's content.

What Do We Mean By “Revival?”

Whenever I hear the word “revival” my first thought is, “what is being revived?”

When we say “revival” we are implying that something was in decline or even dead and is now being “revived,” rejuvenated, and brought back to life.

Revival is often used as a religious word, but the word alone is neutral, having both good and bad connotations. A revival of a local music theater is a great thing, while a revival of authoritarian regimes is not.

The English word for revival wasn’t used in a religious sense within the United States until the problematic ministry of Cotton Mather in 1702, who played a controversial role in the Salam Witch Trials, among other things. I highly recommend you reading more about this figure in Kendi’s book, "Stamped from the Beginning," recommended above.

By 1818, the word revival was used to describe enthusiastic religious meetings, often by Methodists, that were meant to inspire a spiritual renewal among people. This is much like the term is used today.

Methodism, my theological tradition, has had a long history of tent revival meetings, where a preacher would come for the sole purpose of stoking a religious revival. It would last days long, even weeks at times. While tent revivals were notably Methodist, other iterations can be seen in American history by those like George Whitefield and Charles Finney, who would preach in open fields and spark revivals in entire towns. There have been many such religious awakenings in American history, each with its own unique complexity and outcomes.

You might be surprised to know that the Greek word for “revive” only shows up once in the New Testament, and it is from Paul in his letter to the Philippians thanking them for “reviving” their concern about him (4:10). This isn’t to say that revival isn’t found in the Bible. It is to say that I think the Bible defines revival as repentance.

Many of the prophets in the Old Testament for example will use the Hebrew verb "שׁוּב" (shub), which means to "turn back, return" in their prophecies to Israel, calling them to "turn back to God." This "turn back to God" wasn't just about a spiritual renewal though, but was always tied to the cause of the poor and most vulnerable in the land. Their call for Israel to revive their relationship with God was also a call to repent from neglecting or oppressing the poor and vulnerable. It was a call to join return and rejoin the ongoing work of God to “lift up the needy” and “bring good news to the poor.”

This call to repentance was a call to turn away from the things that destroyed and turn to the things that brought dignity and life, both for the individual and the community. If this call was answered, it would bring a revival of spirituality and justice for all, but it would be especially positive for the "least among us."

That, to me, is a great way to talk about “revival” among God’s people. Becoming spiritually awake to and returning to the ways God lifts up the most vulnerable among us. For this keeps Christ's primary commandment at the center of revival: "love God and love neighbor." If a "revival" just renews my own concern for God but not my concern for my neighbor, I probably didn't experience a revival at all. My love for God and my love for my neighbor are two boats on the same tide. One cannot be raised without raising the other. If my relationship with God doesn't result in justice and wellbeing for my neighbor, I need to question if I have a deep relationship with God at all.

This is one of the most resounding themes in the entire Bible. Let me just share a few of them with you:

Proverbs 14:31

Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.

Proverbs 29:7

The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern.

Proverbs 31:8-9

Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.

Isaiah 10: 1-2

Woe to those who make unjust laws, to those who issue oppressive decrees, to deprive the poor of their rights and withhold justice from the oppressed of my people, making widows their prey and robbing the orphan.

Isaiah 56:1

This is what the Lord says: “Maintain justice and do what is right, for my salvation is close at hand and my righteousness will soon be revealed.”

Isaiah 58:6

“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?”

Jeremiah 22:3

“This is what the Lord says: Do what is just and right. Rescue from the hand of the oppressor the one who has been robbed. Do no wrong or violence to the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place.”

Amos 5:24

But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!

Micah 6:8

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

Zechariah 7:9

“This is what the Lord Almighty said: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another.’”

20. Matthew 10:42

“And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.” -Jesus

21. Matthew 25:40

“Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’” -Jesus

What We Call a "Revival" and What We Don't.

Where my mind goes in all this is how we commonly use the term revival today. Especially regarding what the broader Christian community calls a “revival” and what it doesn’t.

Of course, many of us, like myself, grew up hearing the term “revival” used in Evangelical circles with deep politically partisan connotations. “We need a revival in this nation, to bring it back to God” it would be often said. Of course, this desire for a “spiritual awakening” had a very particular definition and objective. It was often in reaction to what Evangelicalism deemed as a “sin” it saw our culture committing and so “revival” carried with it the condemnation of our culture and the call for renewal of what “we” thought God needed to do. It carried with it the objective of a particular political party and influence gaining authority within the culture, placing Christians in the halls of power in order to combat this culture of “sin.”

It was a very biased against our culture and had very little to do with the spiritual renewal or repentance among Evangelicals. The spiritual awakening was seen as starting with the repentance of our culture, not among Christians, because the culture was seen as the enemy. We Evangelicals on the other hand, were already "saved."

This experience within Evangelicalism is a prime example of how our definition of “revival” can be deeply biased towards what we believe God approves of and what God doesn’t. It can be a clear indication of how much we believe we speak for God all while neglecting our own deep need for God.

The political context heavily influenced the revivals in American history as well, which I think it always will. Take the first and second great awakenings for example, which are two of the most famous and widespread religious revivals in our nation’s history. I don’t have time to get into all the details that caused these “great awakenings,” but I would highly encourage you to read about them on your own. They are deeply fascinating and give a stark picture of the American religious/political context during that time. Political movements like temperance and slavery abolition grew out from these revivals.

One of the most notable things about these two great awakenings though is that they both happened in the midst of intense national anxiety about the future and right on the cusp of a major national conflict.

The first great awakening happened in the decades leading up to the Revolutionary War and the second great awakening happened in the decades leading to the Civil War. During that time, there was intense corporate anxiety over national and religious identity. Many were wracked with doubt and uncertainty over the collective future of the nation. People were so hungry for meaning, purpose, stability, and to be released from their uncertainty and fear. These revivals met those felt needs in profound ways.

I can’t help but think of how similar our context is today. Look at all we’ve endured and continue to journey through together. A global pandemic. A global reckoning with racial justice. A reckoning with religious and political authorities and ideologies. The war in Ukraine and war in other parts of the world. Relentless gun violence. Natural disasters. Global warming. Artificial intelligence. The rise of authoritarianism. Deep questions about gender and human sexuality. This and so much more adds to our collective hunger for direction, purpose, meaning, and most of all, security for the future, especially for the poor and most vulnerable among us. It doesn’t matter where we fall on the political and theological spectrum, we are all feeling uncertain about the future in one way or another. We are all looking for purpose.

Much like the America of our past, we seem primed for a “revival.” We desperately want our hunger for direction and purpose to be met. This context is why it especially grieves my heart to hear what the broader Christian community calls a "revival" and what it doesn't.

For example, I have spent the last several years dedicating my ministry to those who have been hurt by the church and who are “deconstructing” their faith. People who are doing the daunting work of untangling their theology from destructive ideologies and toxic habits, all while trying to heal from their own religious trauma. These are some of the strongest, most genuine, authentic, and kind people I have had the pleasure of knowing. Some of them have gone on to do some incredible things, with renewed and profoundly changed faith, deeply dedicated to Jesus, which they never thought was possible before. I count so many of you who are reading this newsletter right now within that category. It is an honor to know you.

Yet, instead of calling this incredible movement a “revival.” Instead of seeing it as the world of the Holy Spirit calling the Christian community to repentance and healing, this movement was met with harsh criticism and condemnation by the broader Christian community. The very people that were wounded, struggling, bringing reformation, and renewal within Christianity were marginalized and pushed outside of Christian circles for their questions and critiques.

I and those who are trying to untangle our faith from the problematic theologies and practices of our past seemed more likely to sneered at as “woke” or “heretics” by fellow Christians than we were to be seen as being in the midst of “revival.” This really grieves my heart and tells me we have some deep biases over what we will call “revival” and what we don’t. It seems it really still has a lot to do with political and theological ideologies than it does with the actual movement of God.

I have similar feelings regarding all the movements that have brought repentance and renewal within Christianity in our nation. Like the national reckoning with racial justice, the MeToo movement, climate activism, and many others. These movements have caused deep reflection, repentance, and spiritual awakening for many Christians, renewing their love for their neighbors and their pursuit of justice for them. But, I have yet to hear these movements called a “revival” of Christian values from Christian leaders. It seems that when it is a movement of God that calls for Christians to repent, rather than just our culture, the word revival is seldom used, if at all.

I would certainly hope that wherever there is a revived focus among Christians on justice for the oppressed, good news for the poor, liberation for the captives, love for God’s creation, and compassion for the most vulnerable, on top of a renewed spiritual awareness, it would be known as a “revival” of who we are meant to be as followers of Jesus. However, that doesn’t seem to be how we Christians often prefer to use the term “revival.”

It's too messy to tell “what is being revived” right now.

My personal desire for any “revival” is that hope would be revived for all people and that the cause of the poor and most vulnerable is prioritized, especially among us Christians. We must ask, "if our definition of revival is only about reviving our love for God as Christians and not about reviving our love for our neighbors, is it even a revival?"

However, I honestly think it is too soon to tell with the current revivals happening right now. The first and second great awakenings lasted decades. We are still reflecting on how they impacted our nation. I believe more often than not, we can only know something is a revival in retrospect. After we see what has been “revived.”

The way I have been approaching these current events called "revivals" is by trying to understand them through the perspective of the students experiencing them. While many report about encountering the powerful presence of God, it has been difficult to pin down what they mean by that.

For example, I saw some students tweeting that they were so glad to see their female friends, queer friends, and friends of color leading the revival at Asbury, only to be heavily slammed by others online saying things like “it’s not a real revival if it’s led by women and homosexuals.”

I saw some other students post on Facebook that one of their friends testified at the Asbury revival that God had set her free from lesbianism and witchcraft. The comments section on that post turned into a vitriolic rat's nest, as you might imagine.

I have also read numerous articles on the Asbury Revival, all with so many different perspectives.

All this only serves to confirm what I have been highlighting in this newsletter: the definition and experience of “revival” is going to be different with each person who talks about revival.

As I said at the beginning, my most dominating desire about all this is the hope that God really is doing something powerful! Don't get me wrong, I have my concerns just as everyone else does. I fear it will be co-opted for the sake of someone’s power grab, as many things tend to be these days. I fear it will only remain a worship service, providing only a temporary emotional high that is called “the Holy Spirit,” yet doesn’t result in any real substantive spiritual awakening and hope for people or bear any fruit of real positive change in our world. But, I think it's too soon to say.

I think it is incredibly important to withhold judgment over these current revivals for the time being and just see what unfolds. I think we should watch them with humble curiosity and an authentic hope that something really good will actually result from them. Because the reality is, these things are and will always be messy. It won’t be clean, cut, and dry as we might like them to be. Even if something good comes from them, something bad will most likely arise as well. It will always be a mixed bag. Such is life.

In the midst of all this, I can’t help but think of how the crowd responded to the disciples when they were filled with the Holy Spirit at Pentecost in Acts 2. Much like social media today, the town square was literally filled with people from all over the world watching Pentecost take place and then they all heard the disciples speaking in their native languages. Then Acts 2:12-13 says, “Amazed and perplexed, some of the onlookers asked one another, “What does this mean?” Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”

That is really where my heart is right now on the topic of revival. My desire is that instead of our culture hearing us Christians jumping to quickly dismiss it, make fun, or condemn it, it will witness us being both “amazed and perplexed” and asking “what does this mean?”

My hope, as always, is that we Christians are heard responding with wisdom, integrity, and respect. Celebrating the goodness that we see happening while also being wise and discerning about the things we see that are harmful. I hope that we will do this all with a deep desire that God might yet still revive the heart of Christ among people, especially among the people we call Christians.

Now I would like to hear from you. What are your thoughts on revival? Do you relate to what I've described here or not? What other topics are you thinking about a lot lately? Reply to this and let me know!

Many of you have kindly asked how you can support my work. So, I created a way for you to do so. Simply click here: support.​

If you’d like to invite a friend to join, here is the link you can send them: https://benjamin-cremer.ck.page/​

As always, thank you for reading!

I look forward to talking to you soon.

-Ben

PREVIOUS NEWSLETTERS

​The God of the Bible​

​Not Everything Happens For A Reason​

​The Gun Problem is a Sin Problem​

​Conversations In Conflict​

​What Does It Even Mean To Be Christian Anymore?​