Hindmarsh, Look Upon Nothing as Separate from God: Evangelicals and the Rise of Science
Lecture Listening Guides
by David Capes
Lecturer: Bruce Hindmarsh
Title: Look Upon Nothing as Separate from God: Evangelicals and the Rise of Science
Date: 02/16/2019
Prepared by Emma Abernathy
- What question did Jonathan Edwards claim was no greater question to human kind? Why
did this question seem urgent in the eighteenth century?
- What modern movement was forming at that time? What terminology did this movement
use to communicate its mission?
- What was the pressing question of the earliest revival of evangelicalism?
- How did evangelicals react to this new science in the beginning?
- What is the connection between John Wesley’s prologue and Charles Wesley’s hymn?
- How did Christian devotion “punch above its weight” at this point in history?
- What were some of Jonathan Edwards’ curious questions about natural law? Are there questions you would add along these lines?
- What is the important distinction between Jonathan Edwards’ understanding of nature
and secular understanding of nature at that time?
- What was John Wesley’s role in communicating new complex scientific ideas? How did
he foster a culture among pastors where scientific literacy was valued?
- What was John Wesley’s central hope in studying medicine?
- To Wesley, why is nature itself not enough for salvation? What is even more dazzling to
him?
- Why did James Harvey change his style mid-way through his literary career?
- What scientific descriptive words did James Harvey use in his definition of the
Christian’s Natural Philosophy?
- Why did James Harvey think it was important for the Christian to read science? Do you
think this is true today? How do you incorporate scientific understandings?
- What are the three elements in Newtonian Cosmology that we see in Harvey’s devotions?
- For Harvey, what did the contemplation of the vastness of the universe lead him to
understand more fully about God?
- Was John Russell generally accepted or rejected by his peers and masters? Why was this
the case?
- What is a way that Russell combined art and science to attain a greater devotion?