Edward Irving (1792–1834) was an influential and ground-breaking British prelate and theologian and one of the great leaders of the 19th century's Ecclesiological Movement. Irving was born in Annan, Scotland, the son of a house painter and a devoutly religious mother. He was educated at the local school and then at the University of Edinburgh, where he studied both divinity and law. He was ordained as a minister in the United Presbyterian Church after his graduation in 1815 but, despite his strong Calvinist beliefs, began to develop a more open-minded approach to doctrine and interpretation. His evolving views, strong public speaking, and academic scholarship quickly gained him widespread renown, eventually leading to his appointment as a Professor of Divinity at the University of Glasgow in 1820.
In 1825, Irving moved to London, taking up the post of assistant minister at the Caledonian Church, where he quickly began to attract considerable attention. He attained fame among a wider audience in 1827 with the publication of ‘The Mission and Claims of the Letter to the Seven Churches of Asia’.
In it, Irving argued that the promised second coming of Christ was likely to be soon, a hugely influential belief that instantly attracted thousands of followers. From 1828 on, Irving became increasingly involved in the public debates and controversies of the day.
He developed close ties with various non-conformist groups and was a strong advocate for theological reform. He challenged the authority of the established church and worked hard to improve the relationship between religious communities and secular authorities.
In 1828, he was appointed minister of the parish of Haggerston in London, where he quickly became a popular presence in the area. He wrote and preached numerous sermons, which earned him not only fame but also a large salary and a home in fashionable Mayfair.
In the same year, he founded the Roman Catholic Apostolic Church, which became known as the "Irvingites". This church supported non-conformist religious beliefs, championed missionary work, challenged traditional Christian ideas, and generally sought to break with convention.
By the early 1830s, Irving was at the height of his fame and influence, with a devoted following from both within and outside the church. In 1833, he began editing the Morning Watch, a weekly newspaper that featured articles on religion, politics, and morality.
He was also a prolific writer on theology and a wide range of religious subjects, and his lectures and sermons were highly sought-after. Irving's career was tragically cut short in 1834, when he died suddenly of softening of the brain.
He is remembered today as one of the most influential religious figures of his generation, whose work made significant contributions to the development of Anglicism and the reunion of the churches that had split during the Reformation. His legacy also lives on in further developments stemming from his posthumously published writings, including the founding of the Catholic Apostolic Church, which he himself established.
His influence continues in the modern era, especially in the rising trend of "charismatic Christianity," a spiritual movement that shares many fundamental beliefs and practices with Irving’s own body of work.
Edward Irving taught much about the Holy Spirit as a distinct personage within the divine trinity. Irving argued that the Holy Spirit was no mere breath or power of God but was rather a distinct, active individual in direct communication with humanity.
Irving argued that the Holy Spirit existed in a relationship with the Father and the Son and was an active member of the triune Godhead. Irving stated that the Spirit was present in the Old Testament but more fully revealed in the New Testament. He argued that the Spirit was God’s comforter, healer, and teacher and dwelt always in perfect unity with the Father and the Son.
Irving also held that the Spirit was the source of spiritual gifts such as the power to heal, prophecy, and tongues. He argued that these gifts were available to all believers and were necessary for the proper functioning of the church.
He maintained that the manifestations of the gifts depended on faith and were, therefore, available to all regardless of individual giftedness.
Finally, Irving argued that the Holy Spirit enabled true fellowship between believers in Christ. He argued that fellowship with the Spirit constituted a higher and more intimate form of fellowship than that experienced with the members of a church body.
He taught that a true believer was one who experienced a real oneness with the Spirit of God, a oneness that enabled the believer to have direct communion with God. Thus, Edward Irving played an important role in the Church’s understanding of the role of the Holy Spirit in uniting believers, manifesting spiritual gifts, and facilitating communion with the divine. His views had a major impact on the development of the charismatic movement in the twentieth century.
Edward Irving is respected as one of the giants of 19th-century British Christianity and theology. His ideas had particularly far-reaching consequences for the Anglican Church, and he is remembered today as a symbol of religious and political reform in Britain and a truly innovative force in redefining the religious landscape of the time. He exemplified a kind of bold religious thinking and progressivism that still has relevance and resonance in our own time.
Your partner,
(c) Apostle Jonas Clark
www.jonasclark.com
-STAY INFORMED
GET THE FREE JONAS CLARK REVOLUTIONARY REVIEW