Samuel Rutherford of Anwoth: A Study in Pastoral Care

by Bruce McLennan

Samuel Rutherford (ca.1600–1661) was an accomplished man―university scholar, defender of the Reformed faith, prolific author, astute political theorist, formidable defender of Presbyterian church government, Scottish commissioner at the Westminster Assembly from 1643 to 1647. However, Bruce McLennan introduces us to the life and times of Rutherford with a particular view to his pastoral labors. While Rutherford was highly regarded by contemporaries for his contribution to various aspects of Scottish church life, Rutherford made it abundantly clear that his first love, and that to which he believed he was clearly called, was preaching the gospel and shepherding the Lord’s people.

Table of
PART ONE
1. Church and Crown in conflict in the late 16th and early 17th century
2. Two somewhat contrasting parts of Scotland in the early 17th century
3. A brief survey of the life of Samuel Rutherford
4. The growth of a the “banished minister” in Aberdeen
PART TWO
5. Key Emphases in Rutherford’s Writings
6. Pastoral Advice to his Flock at Anwoth
7. Reasoning with souls – making salvation sure
8. Pressing the need for Sanctification and Mortification
9. Counselling some who had doubts about their standing with God
10. Rutherford’s Pastoral Concern for children and youth
11. Counsel to the bereaved
12. Counselling the dying
13. Conclusion
Appendix 1: The source of early Protestant teachings in Aberdeen
Appendix 2: How the Reformers coped with the shortage of ministers in the early years

184 pages, Paperback

Published November 24, 2022

About the author

Bruce McLennan holds degrees from Edinburgh University, the University of Guelph, Ontaria, the University of Aberdeen and Dundee University. Specialising in Church History, particularly the Reformation in the North-east of Scotland he has contributed to a number of journal articles and has spent most of his career in secondary education in England, Scotland and Western Australia.

Reviews

[Ethan McCarter]

I hovered between 3 and 4 stars, but settled with 4 because of my love and affection for Samuel Rutherford and his writings. The book is mainly two halves. The first centres on Samuel Rutherford's historical background including biography, his ministry at Anwoth, and his contribution to the Westminster Assembly. The second delves in Rutherford's pastoral work at Anwoth. It's a difficult challenge to gather a lot about his pastoral work in the church since Rutherford is remembered more for his theological works and polemical works. However, it's true that his first love was as a minister and pastor indicated by his letters. The second halve is good, but it really is a focused look at his letters corresponding with parishioners in Anwoth regarding counselling, ministry to the dying or bereaved, and to the young. Mostly McLennan takes the information from his letters. I'll say it's not a ground-breaking read nor is it for everyone. If you enjoy Rutherford and are a pastor you'd enjoy it since it walks you through his letters again. I've stood in the old church at Anwoth and pondered Rutherford's work there before and would gladly do so again.

[Joshua Sunderland]

Overall it shows Rutherford's ministry and focuses. I assume we don't have much from his time actually as a pastor at Anwoth, being a rural church, so while the title makes one assume it's focused on that season of his life, the book talks more on the letters of Rutherford to his congregation while in Aberdeen, during the Westminster Assembly, or at St. Andrews.

[Cameron Barham]

“No matter what the subject of a particular piece of correspondence was, Rutherford expressed his love for the Lord Jesus and his desire to continually praise Him, extol Him to others, and enter more deeply into the knowledge of Him.”, p. 73