| dc.description.abstract | This dissertation argues that the driving force behind Charles Simeon’s storied ministry was a robust pastoral theology. While due attention has been given to Simeon’s preaching, his pulpit formed only one feature of a broader perspective of the pastorate. A survey of scholarship reveals a need for a careful study of Simeon’s pastoral theology, the part of his ministry which gave it such impact. Simeon tirelessly gave his life to training young ordinands in a period when the vast majority of England’s ministers were educated in Cambridge and Oxford. As a mammoth figure in evangelicalism, the breadth of Simeon’s impact was not only profound, but also distinct in quality from fellow peers in the long eighteenth century. By staying local and exemplifying an extraordinary commitment to ordinary ministry, he marshalled a multitude of zealous men ready to follow his model. Thus, he indelibly marked the Church of England and the world. In order to reach people outside his parish, he molded pastors––and in order to train pastors, he cared for the people within his parish.
After introducing my topic, chapter 2 will show how Simeon endowed a generation of evangelical ministers with his particular pastoral theology. This chapter will highlight lives and ministries of several of Simeon’s prominent followers, including Patrick Brontë (1777–1861), Henry Martyn (1781–1812), Francis Close (1797–1882), Thomas Thomason (1774–1809), William Carus (1804–1891), and Charles Bridges (1794–1869). From then on, I will expound the core areas of Simeon’s pastoral theology. Chapter 3 will present Simeon as a devoted son of England’s established church. Throughout his life, he evidenced an unwavering devotion to the Anglican way. Chapter 4 will describe the character of Simeon’s spirituality, and how his brand of piety shaped his pastoral theology. Chapter 5 will examine Simeon’s approach to parochial ministry. This chapter will survey his ecclesiology, relationship to Nonconformity, and general strategy of caring for his flock. Chapter 6 will treat Simeon’s pulpit philosophy, locating it in his broader pastoral theology. According to the “Old Apostle” of Cambridge, true preaching was God’s Word delivered through God’s man directed toward God’s people. The final chapter will restate the thesis, reviewing the chapters and major conclusions. Ultimately, this dissertation will show how the unquenchable flame of his gospel convictions inspired an army of pastors who advanced his view of ministry to every corner of the British Empire. | en_US |
