The Institutes of the Christian Religion: The Mercersburg Perspective 1-2

Gerhart’s Institutes was conceived and developed following the American Civil War and Reconstruction. During a time of denominational fragmentation, Gerhart provided a Reformed theological foundation for Christian unity. Apparently, the churches were not ready for Mercersburg theology, which ran counter to most of the theological trends of the time, both Northern and Southern.

I believe that those theological trends are today experiencing their last gasps which have manifested in the sad condition of most churches—and the nation at large—at the current time (2023). We are again in the throes of revival, which means that faithlessness is running rampant in the church(es). The boom and bust of revivalism has fueled the latest attempts to bring new life into the church(es) by furiously pounding the ailing heart of revivalism in the hope of resuscitation. Every revival must be grander than the last in order to gain attention, which worked for a while. But over time dredging up new enthusiasm for the same old established patterns of emotional worship has become increasingly difficult. Most people are just not responding.

The problem with revivalism is that it doesn’t tend to lead people into sanctification, growth, and maturity in Christ. The revival emphasis is on salvation and baptism, and is repeated ad nauseam. There is little incentive to grow in Christ because the action is always on bringing new Christians into the fold. That’s not a bad thing, unless it fails to lead them into continuing growth and maturity in Christ.