Theology Thursday: Charles Simeon

I recently read Paul A. Carr’s Churchman article, “Are the Priorities and Concerns of Charles Simeon Relevant for Today?”, and found there some helpful reminders of the legacy of Simeon for today’s church.

Carr reminds us first of Simeon’s own personal evangelical faith. The fruit of that faith was evident in the transformation in Simeon’s character that took place during his life. Simeon in his youth was haughty and impatient, yet by the end of his life he was known for his humility. He had realised early on that empty religion had no power for this kind of personal transformation, and this drove him to Christ. Strategic and political work in the wider church was rooted first in this deep spirituality; for Simeon there were no shortcuts.

A further hallmark of Simeon’s ministry was his total commitment to the Bible above all theological systems. We might quibble with whether there is such a thing as “system-free” Christianity, but Simeon was a preacher who was determined to listen properly to the text in front of him and to sit under its authority. As a preacher, in the context of busy church life, I know the temptations to cut corners in preparation and to rely on my own theological framework. Simeon’s instruction to the preacher remains relevant: “Let him get his text into him in his study, and then get into his text in the pulpit.”

Finally, Simeon was committed to the reform of the Church of England from within, during a time of great hostility to evangelicalism and doctrinal weakness in the church. Despite his own boldness and courage, he had little time for belligerence for its own sake, pointing out that triumphal language and behaviour weakened the evangelical cause rather than strengthening it.

The Church of England commemorates Charles Simeon with a lesser festival tomorrow (13th November). Far more significant would be the commemoration of his legacy through a continued commitment to personal evangelical faith in Christ, the centrality and supremacy of the Bible, and the reform of the Church of England beginning in its parishes.

Carr, Paul A. “Are the Priorities and Concerns of Charles Simeon Relevant for Today?” Churchman 114/2 (2000): 153–66.