The Divine Dramatist Analysis

The Divine Dramatist, written by Harry S. Stout contains an overview of the life of George Whitefield and accounts the rise of modern evangelism. The claim that the author makes is that George Whitefield is rightly labeled Anglo-America’s first modern celebrity. Throughout his book, Stout explains how the genius and passion of Whitefield helped the church. Specifically, in the eighteenth century, as there was a growing desire to see the inherited ideas of sermons come alive in ways that would compel the rapidly changing landscape of America. The book is comprised of an introduction as well as fifteen chapters outlining the life, work, and impact George Whitefield had on evangelicalism. This paper will summarize the contents and provide insight …show more content…
One of those means was through Power of preaching (pg. 36), another was through his imagination (pg.39), and by far the largest means was through the press (pg.45). Chapter 4 explains how Whitefield was an aspiring missionary to be (pg.49). The New World represented as a group Whitefield intended to reach with the gospel. Throughout his voyage he continuously preached to the crew (pg. 58). He provided supplies of food, medicine, encourage the founding of schools and churches and founded a charitable orphan house (pg.63). After this voyage, he soon returned to England still gaining notoriety. Chapter five explains how Whitefield use the outdoors in his preaching to his advantage (pg. 68). With this a bold move, he brought his dramatic preaching to the marketplace (pg. 81). After preaching to thousands and receive new grant for his orphan house he accepted an invitation for a journey towards America to test his calling in and Scotland (pg. 86). Chapter six entails how even in this time Whitefield still saw his endeavor as a Calvinist revival yet his intention was to make it into and international event. In America, news travel rapidly and …show more content…
It further explains that Whitefield confined himself to the theme of the new birth, in doing so his message met with almost universal acceptance (pg. 120). Chapter eight explains that although he was still in competition with Arminian Anglicans his future lay in the providences and colonies (pg. 134). In April 1741 Whitefield visited Scotland. In August, he inaugurated his Scottish campaign (pg. 138). Upon receiving unprecedented enthusiasm and support by the Scottish people Whitefield became convinced that the trans-Atlantic revival had become my reality. Chapter nine explains that while Whitefield was between tours of Scotland he had married the widow Mrs. Elizabeth James (pg. 156). Unfortunately, due to his extensive preaching schedule Elizabeth lives out her marriage as little more than another treasured but distant ally in Whitefield public ministry. This chapter also discusses the historical debates that arose regarding women in ministry (pg. 159). This chapter also explains how Whitefield proved himself a True Methodist in that the passion that brought stunning success in public, remained closed off in private (pg. 173). Chapter ten explains how Whitefield’s body could not hold up to the demands that he placed on it. He was discovering that creating a name