WiseReader

A version of this article first appeared in ChristianWeek (Vol 22 No 15 - October 15, 2008). 

From Scotland to Canada: The life of pioneer missionary Alexander Stewart
Glenn Tomlinson
Joshua Press, 2008
ISBN: 9781894400299
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When Glenn Tomlinson began searching out the origins of his childhood church, he didn’t have in mind writing a historical biography of the founder of Toronto’s first Baptist Church. But his ten year quest, demanding work on both sides of the Atlantic, has produced a meticulously researched and well-written biography of a fiery, determined Scottish Baptist preacher.

As he pursued the origins of what became Jarvis St. Baptist Church (Toronto), Tomlinson realized he needed to learn more about its founding pastor. As he sought that information, he found his interests were changing: “The desire to discover the birth date of a church was supplanted by the challenge and spiritual benefit of reconstructing a life that was devoted to the cause of Christ.”

Fresh off the presses, From Scotland to Canada: The life of pioneer missionary Alexander Stewart is a fascinating account of God’s providence in saving, calling and using an unknown Scottish Highlander to plant a church in what would become Canada’s leading city - a church that would eventually impact the face of Baptist witness in Canada and give birth to a seminary that to this day continues to train individuals for worldwide gospel ministry.

Born in Perthshire, Scotland, the youngest of eight children, Alexander Stewart was born again during the great revival in the Scottish Highland community of Moulin, just a few miles from his birthplace. Shortly after, sensing God’s call on his life, Stewart was providentially brought under the influence of James and Robert Haldane, attending the theological seminary being operated by Robert.

Following those formative years, Stewart began a life of vocational ministry that included years of evangelistic church planting in Scotland and eventual emigration to Canada with his young family in 1818. During his Canadian years, Stewart planted the first Baptist congregation in York, now Toronto. That fledgling 19^th century congregation would become Jarvis Street Baptist Church, arguably one of the Dominion’s most influential Baptist congregations during the early to mid 20^th century.

In recent conversation with the author, I asked him what surprised he had encountered while researching his book. “What surprised me as I was doing my research”, he said, “was Alexander Stewart’s connections. It was neat to see his life intersect, in very close and intimate ways, the lives of prominent Scotsmen and Canadians of the time. Robert and James Haldane and William Lyon Mackenzie are two prime examples.” Readers will be delighted that, along with eight appendices and a bibliography of sources, the book includes a biographical glossary of fifty-four people whose lives were in some way connected with Alexander Stewart.

One reason many find biographies an interesting read is that they give context and perspective for why things are as they are. They provide important insights and lessons. Tomlinson shared two lessons he learned while writing this book:

Lessons learned

“The first lesson: Stewart’s persistent zeal to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Despite familial heartache, despite inner-church squabbling, despite pioneer hardships etc., he continually proclaimed to all the Gospel of God’s saving grace through Jesus Christ. This, I am convinced he did, because he was so aware of God’s mercy to his own soul. He embraced the truth that God makes things grow and it was for him to simply spread the Good News. This he faithfully did, never being the instrument of a revival and never pastoring a mega church. The subsequent history of his field of labor demonstrates that his ministry was not in vain.”

As for why this story needs to be told, Tomlinson says, “This work is important because it tells a story of how God has worked in Canada. Unfortunately, there are too few books being written that accomplish this. We Canadians are a self-effacing lot and are so prone to look for ‘heroes of the faith’ outside our own country not recognizing that God has worked in this land as well.”

This is Glenn Tomlinson’s first book, but hopefully not his last. When I inquired about that, he confessed: “I’m getting the research and writing ‘bug’ again. I’m in the process of doing some preliminary research on a prominent 19^th century Canadian pastor who was much revered by the congregation and denomination in which he served. I won’t reveal his name but I’m thinking of entitling the work …. ”

Ok, we can wait, but please don’t make it ten years.
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This book is available for online purchase at amazon.ca.

Rapture Ready! Adventures in the Parallel Universe of Christian Pop Culture
Daniel Radosh
Scribner, 2008
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Daniel Radosh, a secular liberal Jewish writer who can be read in The New Yorker and The Week magazine has provided an outsider’s perspective on America’s Christian pop culture. Rapture Ready! Adventures in the Parallel Universe of Christian Pop Culture is both hilarious and tragic. Hilarious because he uncovers the odd and eccentric (bizarre?) world on the edges of American Christianity - edges that threaten to become the center - and tragic because too much of what he says is pathetically true. A discouraging number of American evangelicals - if we can apply that term as broadly as he does - have created a travesty that masquerades as biblical Christianity.

 The following comments, taken from the review section of Amazon, provide a window into how others view his work:

“Radosh’s entertaining, often enlightening guide to a $7 billion industry cruises through the complex, diverse world of Christian pop culture…He takes his role of reporter in an unfamiliar land seriously, yet he isn’t afraid to use his well-honed wit to good advantage.”– Booklist

“Goes beyond mockery to engage seriously with Christian believers who make, consume, and even criticize Christian pop culture.”– TheAtlantic.com

“As an outsider, he sees things that all of us who grew up in this little world either slide past, choose to ignore or shrug off.”– Relevant Magazine

“Radosh has discovered a world that is hilarious, unpredictable, and lucrative! It seems there’s a foreign country in America and it’s right down the street…and now I’m not so sure that I’m not the foreigner.”– Sam Seder, Air America Radio

“What happens when a secular liberal enters the conservative Christian subculture? Yes, he’s grossed out at times, appalled at least once, amused sometimes and cussin-mad at others — and maybe even a little scared on occasion. But in the end, he offers evaluations and insights that might be considered downright prophetic and compassionate too. No evangelical insider could have done as good a job as Daniel Radosh. He’s a witty, energetic, and insightful writer who grabs your attention and interest on page one and won’t let go until he’s escorted you to a powerful conclusion in the final paragraphs.” — Brian McLaren, author of A New Kind of Christian and Everything Must Change

For the most part, I agree with the comments above. However, I’m not so sure I would go quite as far as Brian McLaren in saying that “No evangelical insider could have done as good a job”. As any careful evangelical reader will observe, Radosh does not always get it right, and he certainly does not provide a wide enough picture of American evangelicalism. But given the stature of those reviewing Radosh positively, we must accept that the largely secular readership of this book will have a disturbingly truncated view of evangelicals.

Radosh describes his aim in writing the book:

“This is a book about popular culture. It’s about entertainment, leisure, and shopping. It’s also about politics and the culture war that engulfs America. And it’s a little bit - but not as much as you might think - about religion. True, it is by definition impossible to draw a distinction between evangelical faith and the consumer lifestyle of evangelicals, but I drew one anyway. From the beginning of my research, I made a decision not to set foot in a church, mega or otherwise, unless it was to attend an event that any neutral observer would describe as performance rather that worship (even if the people hosting it might beg to differ). While you’ll hear a fair amount about Christian faith and Christian values, both with and without scare quotes, this book is not primarily intended to be a critique of either.” [pp.2-3].

I think Radosh has been fair in setting out his parameters. I’m also pretty sure that evangelicals will be dismayed to see how they are perceived by at least one outsider. If Radosh has it anywhere near right, we are self-absorbed consumers, with little discernment. But Radosh does not always get it right.

 For example, when critiquing the work of that “Caped Christian” known as “Bibleman” (pp118-132), Radosh laments the “common evangelical notion that feelings are to be trusted above rational discernment” (p.121). I certainly do not fit into that notion, nor do any of the evangelicals with whom I associate. It may be true of the more erratic wing of evangelicalism’s charismatic branch, or say the prosperity gospel cohort, but it certainly fails to describe the mainstream evangelical world.

While likely to be long forgotten by the end of the book, Radosh’s own disclaimer is critical to keep in mind when reading. He says his book is

“intended to be personal and idiosyncratic rather than comprehensive … a series of adventures, each one investigating some broad aspect of Christian pop culture by focusing on one or two particular events or a a handful of interesting people … some of the people … are at the center of Christian culture and some are on its fringes … I do not pretend to offer a definitive overview or history of this entire subculture … ” [pp.5-6].

Though written from an eclectic, personal point of view, given the profile of the author, as well as the mainly secular readership the book will garner, it should be read by the Christian community. Radosh portrays Christian rockers, tatoo artists, comics, creationists and a host of others who exert an influence on the Christian public. Some of that influence is positive, but far too much is less that complimentary.

Read and laugh, then weep and repent for the travesty too many of us have created within our evangelical subculture.

The most dangerous thing we can do is to return to spiritual worship. It would mean the end of the personality cults that have invaded the church. It would also mean the end of the “Christian consumerism” that has so twisted our sense of spiritual values. I have no doubt that the church that returned to true worship would lose people - “important people” - and probably have to make drastic cuts in the budget. But then - something would happen! A beautiful new sense of spiritual reality would result, with people glorifying God instead of praising men.

- Warren Wiersbe [Real Worship, BakerBooks, 2000]