The Rise of Moralism: The Proclamation of the Gospel from Hooker to Baxter

by C. FitzSimons Allison

During the seventeenth century, a remarkable change took place in Anglican theology. FitzSimons Allison describes a unique consensus that emerged in the century's early years through the labors of such seminal theologians as Hooker, Andrewes, Donne, and Davanant. Their difficult task was to outline an English theology to be distinguished from Trent on the one hand, and the increasingly aggressive Reformed continental theologies on the other. That they managed a clear, creative, and comprehensive outlook while avoiding the excesses of Roman and Puritan theologies is no small accomplishment. With the later Carolines, notably Jeremy Taylor and Richard Baxter, there arose a theology whose generating principle was morality, quite unlike their immediate predecessors. This decisive transition, Allison argues, led to the Deism of the eighteenth century, and secularism of the twentieth. First published in 1966, this eloquent and level study provides a basis for understanding many modern dilemmas. The Rt. Rev. C. FitzSimons Allison is retired Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina. His other books include Guilt, Anger, and God and Fear, Love, and Worship.

Genres: Church History, Theology

264 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1966

About the author

The Rt. Rev. C. FitzSimons Allison is retired Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina. He has also served as a pastoral bishop for churches in the Anglican Communion Network, a network of orthodox churches in the Episcopal Church in the United States of America.

Reviews

[Tim Wilder · Rating 5 out of 5]

This classic work details the teaching on the nature of justification by the early Anglican divines, and traces the abandonment of this teaching by later theologians (the rise of moralism).
The topic is still highly relevant. As Allison cites the words of the early, orthodox, theologians ones sees the refutation and rejection of one Federal Vision teaching after another. If the content of even the first few pages of this book had been taught at Westminster Seminary the Federal Vision heresy could not have arisen.
It is when I read this book years ago that I got really clear on the matter. I have now obtained another copy and am reading it again.
Unfortunately the book is out of print. Why this is so when print on demand publication makes it possible to maintain the availability of this and other vital books is a mystery.

[Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful book! The basic thesis of the book is that the first generation of Anglican divines believed in justification by faith and then following the Revolution they adopted Arminianism and a theology of Holy Living in which your sins were not totally totally forgiven. You were just given a more "lenient" covenant to obey.

Here's some quotes:
"Christ's righteousness is not imputed to us for justification directly and immediately; neither can we be justified by our own righteousness: but our faith and sincere endeavors are, through Christ, accepted instead of legal righteousness: that is we are justified through Christ, by imputation not of Christ's, nor our own righteousness, but of our faith and endeavors of righteousness, as if they were perfect: and we are justified by a non-imputation, vix., of our past sins, and present unavoidable imperfections: that is, we are handled as if we were persons and no sinners." ~Jeremy Taylor (cited p. 66)
"The issue of all is, that God will not pardon till we in heart reform and amend." ~Henry Hammond
"Faith is imputed for Righteousness ... because it is an Act of Obedience to God ... Faith is so reputed as it is the performance of the Condition of the Justifying Covenant or Donation." ~Richard Baxter (cited p. 156)

There's more that could be said, but suffice it to say that Allison saw this give rise to moralism in the Church of England, because it watered down the Gospel of free grace. Read the conclusion: it's very moving and I read it aloud to my Dad over Christmas because it was so good.