Previous studies of revival have tended to approach these remarkable
moments in history from either a strictly local or a sweeping national
perspective. In so doing they have dealt with either the detailed
circumstances of a particular situation or the broader course of events.
These approaches, however, have given the incorrect impression that
religious awakenings are uniform movements. As a result, revivals have
been misunderstood as homogeneous campaigns. This is the first study of
the 1859 revival from a regional level in a comprehensive manner. It
examines this movement, arguably the most significant and far-reaching
awakening in modern times, as it appeared in the city of Aberdeen, the
rural hinterland of northeast Scotland, and among the fishing villages
and towns that stretch along the Moray Firth. It reveals how, far from
being unvarying, the 1859 revival was richly diverse. It uncovers the
important influence that local contexts brought to bear upon the timing
and manifestation of this awakening. Above all, it has established the
heterogeneous nature of simultaneous revival movements that appeared in
the same vicinity. This is an original and thorough investigation which
demonstrates the importance of local context in forming the character of
Christian revivals -- a thoughtful and valuable addition to our current
understanding. -- Emma Macleod, University of Stirling Dr. Jeffrey has
provided a first-rate analysis of the 1858-62 revival of northeast
Scotland. His conclusions are of great value in helping us to understand
the dynamism of spiritual awakening in the community. -- Donald E. Meek,
University of Edinburgh At a time when there has been a great deal of
interest in the place of revival in the contemporary Church, there is
considerable need for religious movements to be seen in their historical
context. Ken Jeffrey does this admirably, in his splendid study of the
1859 revival in the north east of Scotland. His detailed and insightful
analysis will repay careful reading and should serve as a stimulus to
further investigation of this important topic. -- Ian Randall,
Spurgeon's College, London Kenneth S. Jeffrey was born in Northern
Ireland and studied history at Stirling University. After two years
teaching in Malawi, he returned to Aberdeen to read theology where he
gained a first-class honors degree. He continued his studies by
researching the thesis that is the subject matter of this book. He is
currently the minister of Cupar Old and St. Michael of Tarvit Parish
Church in Fife.
