Prophecy and Revivalism in the Transatlantic World, 1734-1745

This article investigates how prophecy functions as a key theme in the thinking of major leaders during the evangelical revivals in Britain and America in the early eighteenth century. It examines firstly how writers and preachers such as Jonathan Edwards, George Whitefield and John Wesley dealt with evangelical converts who claimed, as a result of their experiences, to have gained prophetic insight. Secondly, it argues that the early revivalist leaders frequently saw their growing transatlantic network of believers as the fulfilment of key biblical eschatological promises. Finally, I argue that aspects of Wesley's, Whitefield's and Edwards's behaviour and writings betray the fact that they saw themselves as prophetic figures in their own right.