Charles G. Finney and the Spirit of American Evangelicalism

Charles Grandison Finney was the foremost evangelist in the pre-Civil War United States. His revivals in the cities along the Erie Canal; his well-organized campaigns in Philadelphia, New York City, Boston, and the British Isles; his prominent pastorate at New York's Broadway Tabernacle; and his teaching career at Oberlin College exemplify the evangelical spirit that swept the country following the Second Great Awakening. This lively biography by historian Charles E. Hambrick-Stowe tells the story of Finney's remarkable life and offers fresh insights into the nature of evangelicalism and the nineteenth-century American experience. By using the life of the great revivalist and educator as a window into the soul of American evangelicalism, Hambrick-Stowe shows in striking ways how Finney displayed the characteristics of that broader movement, many of which continue to flourish in twentieth-century religious life. Based on a thorough reading of the Finney Papers, Finney's writings, contemporary sources, and modern historiography, this biography exhibits scholarly depth in a popular narrative that is meant to be read and enjoyed as well as studied. A map of Finney's evangelistic travels, portraits, and other illustrations enhance the text.