Methodism: Empire of the Spirit (review)

Abstract

Methodism: Empire of Spirit. By David Hempton (New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2005. Pp. 278. Cloth, $30.00.)At start of his new book on rise and global expansion of Methodist movement, David Hempton writes that the two things that can be said with certainty about Methodism are that it grew prodigiously . . . and that historians will continue to disagree vigorously about why such growth took place and what were its consequences (10). Building upon his vigorous work on early British Methodism and popular religion, Hempton's study takes long view both chronologically and geographically and, unlike most other treatments, provides reader with a sweeping survey of impact of John Wesley's movement from an Oxford study circle in 1730s to enduring international phenomenon it had become by late-nineteenth century. ' As such, Methodism is best synthesis available on vast reach of church and many elements that went into establishing its popularity. At same time, it suggests that social history of religion, including in early republic, may be approaching a crossroads.Hempton's book assesses varied aspects of what he describes as rise and fall of Methodist empire. His best chapters-Enlightenment and Enthusiasm, Money and Power, and Mapping and Mission-analyze ideological origins of Methodism and material means by which church and its missionary extensions became so large, both in membership and ambition, literally extending into all inhabited continents. Hempton emphasizes influence of E. P. Thompson's The Making of English Working Class, especially its extraordinary exposition of impact of Methodism on English workers in Age of Revolution. A major and refreshing distinction of this new volume is its recognition that Methodist history is riddled with conflict, both within movement and between its adherents and opponents. But Hempton draws especially upon increasingly rich historiography of early American Methodism and evangelicalism-readers of Journal of Early Republic will be familiar with works by Nathan O. Hatch, A. Gregory Schneider, Susan Juster, Cynthia Lynn Lyerly, Christine Leigh Heyrman, John H. Wigger, Catherine Brekus, Mark Noll, and me. Hempton concludes that Methodism was a transnational missionary movement of tremendous spiritual power and organizational capacity, that it engaged attention of an enormous variety of people of all conditions and backgrounds, that it was propelled forward by a vanguard of preachers who made severe sacrifices to bring souls to Christ, that it rose with unprecedented speed, especially in United States, and that it then sailed too complacently into twentieth century.Hempton's main point, however, is harder to pin down. Methodism has many compelling points, but no one single argument. The reason for this clearly does not lie in a lack of erudition. Hempton is an extraordinarily learned scholar and often profound historical observer. Rather, problem may derive from his all-inclusive but not entirely critical methodology.Two examples will suffice. First, like many social histories of religion, and especially European religion, Hempton's discussion is driven by overarching assumption that secularization was widespread, rapid, and inevitable in Europe and United States after 1900. Yet Hempton's own numbers tell a different story. In brief, proportion of Methodists within overall United States population reached its peak between 1920 and 1930, when it stood at 6.5 percent. By comparison, Methodism formed just 3.9 percent of population in 1830, and in 1860-customarily assumed to be high water mark of Methodist growth-it had reached 5.7 percent, not only below 1920 but also 1960. …