The Center for the Study of World Christian Revitalization Movements

Internet Resources

Nashotah House -
Link: http://www.nashotah.edu/

The Oxford Institute of Methodist Theological Studies -
Link: http://oxford-institute.org/

Center for Pietist Research – Martin Luther Universität -
Link: http://www.pietismus.uni-halle.de/index.htm

Moravian Archives -
Link: http://www.moravianchurcharchives.org/

The Center for Evangelical United Brethren Heritage -
Link: http://www.united.edu/eubcenter/index.shtml

Young Center for Pietist and Anabaptist Studies – Elizabethtown College -
Link: http://www.etown.edu/YoungCenter.aspx

International Pentecostal Holiness Church Archives and Research Center -
Link: http://arc.iphc.org

Methodist Archives and Research Centre – John Rylands University Library -
Link: http://www.library.manchester.ac.uk/specialcollections/collections/methodist/

Sider Institute for Anabaptist, Pietist, and Wesleyan Studies – Messiah College -
Link: http://www.messiah.edu/siderinstitute/

Center for Methodist Studies at Bridwell Library -
Link: http://smu.edu/bridwell/methodiststudies/methodiststudies.htm

Center for the Study of Wesley and Society – Marston Memorial Historical Center -
Link: http://www.freemethodistchurch.org/~marston/center.htm

Korea Evangelical Holiness Church Historical Research Center -
Link: http://kehchrc.kehc.org/

United Methodist Archives Center - Drew University -
Link: http://depts.drew.edu/lib/methodist/

Wesley Center for Applied Theology -
Link: http://wesley.nnu.edu/

Asbury Theological Seminary -
Link: http://www.asburyseminary.edu

Other Publications

"Revitalization Movements: Some Theoretical Considerations for their Comparative Study"

Anthony Wallace

American Anthropologist 58:264-281

Wallace helps correct the one-sided tendency to think of renewal in purely spiritual terms, divorced from the cultural and political. It is in that sense a corrective term, that helps us move the discussion to rigorous interdisciplinary work on specific revitalization movements found locally and globally.

“Anti-Government Movements and the Revitalization Process: An Examination of Anthony F.C. Wallace's Theory of Revitalization as Applied to Domestic Terrorist and Extremist Groups”

Bradley C. Whitsel

In, Journal of Conflict Studies, 25(1): 72-101, 2005.

The Logic of Renewal

William Abraham

Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2003.

Abraham presents an insightful exposition and evaluation of major approaches to renewal.

Reassessing Revitalization Movements: Perspectives from North America and the Pacific Islands

Michael E. Harkin, ed.

Lincoln, NB: University of Nebraska Press, 2004.

Several case studies from different parts of the world evaluate the applicability of Anthony Wallace’s theory of revitalization movements. Cases include Indian revolts in California, cargo cults in New Guinea, conversion among the Cherokee, the Wasitay religion of Hudson Bay, identity in Tahiti, and the Warm House cult of western Oregon.

“Native Americans and Alcoholism Therapy: The Example of Handsome Lake as a Tool of Recovery”

Alf Walle

In, Journal of Ethnicity in Substance Abuse, 3(2): 55-79, 2004.

Examines the case of Handsome Lake, a charismatic leader who overcame alcoholism and led a revitalization movement among the Iroquois. Focuses on the affect of revitalization on substance abuse recovery among Native Americans.

“Elite Reform and Popular Heresy in c. 1000: `Revitalization Movements' as a Model for Understanding Religious Dissidence Historically”

C. Taylor

In, Studies in Church History, 42: 41-53, 2006.

“Reconciling America's Divided Society Through Religious Revitalization”

Alicia Hughes-Jones

In Direction 32(1): 10-20, Spring 2003.

Argues that Wallace’s theory of religious revitalization can be applied in the U.S. case as a way to reconcile the various racial, ethnic, and interest groups with the dominant society.

“Cultural Revitalization Movements in Organization Change Management”

Michael W. Phelan

In, Journal of Change Management, 5(1): 47-56, March 2005.

Applies Wallace’s theory to the analysis of organizational change management. “Applying the psychodynamics of revitalization explains how this procedure of corporate culture change in distressed organizational cultures creates an adaptable culture of new behavioral norms. The driving force of this procedure is the transference of dependency wishes among anxious organization members onto their perceived powerful organization leader. An understanding of how and why organizational cultures change according to this model can guide the values and behavior of organizational leaders in successfully managing organizational change” (from abstract).

“Environmental Decline and the Rise of Religion”

Matthew Orr

In Zygon: Journal of Religion and Science, 38(4): 895-910, December 2003.

"Historically, crises have spawned deliberate, widespread efforts to change a culture's worldviews. Anthropologists have characterized such efforts as "revitalization movements" and speculated that many of the world's religions, including Christianity, arose through revitalization. Some responses to the planet's environmental crisis share the characteristics of both a revitalization movement and an incipient religion. They call for a science-based cosmology and an encompassing reverence for nature, and thus differ from responses to environmental decline offered by traditional religions. As environmental problems deepen, historical precedent suggests that religious shifts in affected cultures may follow."

Dynamics of Spiritual Renewal

Richard Lovelace

Downers Grove: Intervarsity Press, 1979

A now-classic discussion that treats historical models, particularly Puritans and Pietists.