There is no such thing as 'neutral' history. All history is written from a religious standpoint, reflecting either an awareness of and reverence for God and his purposes and dealings, or an ignorance of the same.
Towards the end of the twentieth century, some Christian historians reacted to 'providentialist' history, that is, history that gives place to God, and sought to deal in strictly naturalistic terms, explaining and conjecturing on the sole basis of biological, social, and economic forces. It was thought that only this approach could make the work of Christian historians appeal to those with no faith. This framework was even brought to bear to 'explain' revival movements and the success of preachers.
In 1994 Iain H. Murray engaged with such a group of scholars in a book review. His critique will continue to resonate while Christian scholars feel the need to operate according to a framework which allows no room for a free, sovereign God to work out his glorious purposes in the world.
We read Mr. Murray's review article this week, alongside the Foreword to his book Heroes, which sets forth some of the blessings history offers to the attentive believer.
Featured Resources
– Iain H. Murray, 'Explaining Evangelical History', Banner of Truth Magazine, Issue 370 (July 1994).
– Iain H. Murray, Foreword to Heroes (Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 2009, 2020), pages ix to xiii.
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