Against the Trend: The Spirituality of William Kelly (1821-1906)

William Kelly (1821-1906) was much more than a Brethren theologian who was a leader of the Moderate Exclusive Brethren movement and also much more than an indiscriminate follower of John Nelson Darby (1800-1882). He was highly regarded not only within the Brethren but also by Christian leaders of other denominations. In this book Dr. Critchlow examines Kellys lively and scholarly appraisal of the German School of Higher Criticism and his commentary on a range of works of contemporary Anglican and non-conformist theologians. She argues that Kellys exegesis was meticulous and scholarly and demonstrated his understanding of the whole canon of Scripture. Despite his ecclesiology his theology was nuanced and cannot easily be stereotyped. As an expositor of the controversial topics the Atonement and the After-Life he can be described as a Biblical literalist but in his understanding of Biblical language and literary genre and philosophy he can be seen as a conservative intellectual. While belonging to the evangelical school of thought his theology shows itself to be much more complex than many of his evangelical contemporaries and gives him links with later Christian traditions. Through his deep spirituality Kelly can inspire the readers own spiritual aspirations. This excellent study is the first to take a full view of William Kellys theology. Anne-Louise Critchlow deftly shows how Kelly engaged with as well as disputed some of the mainstream theological developments of his time. She succeeds brilliantly in locating Kelly within the intellectual milieu of his age and in doing so provides a much more nuanced and complex picture of both Kelly and the Christian Brethren movement which he helped to lead for such a long time. --Jeremy Gregory Professor of the History of Christianity Pro-Vice-Chancellor Faculty of Arts The University of Nottingham The value of William Kellys commentaries especially those on the New Testament have long been prized in the Plymouth Brethren. In this pioneering analysis of Kellys theology and hermeneutic Dr. Critchlow demonstrates his place in historical theology as a Victorian conservative evangelical intellectual but also succeeds admirably in showing that Kellys Trinitarian Christocentric affective mysticism is a resource for contemporary global evangelicalism. --Neil Dickson Editor Brethren Historical Review [Against the Trend] is a sympathetic yet scholarly study filling a gap in the historiography of the Brethren and making a significant contribution to and understanding of the complexities of Brethren thought. --Graham Johnson taken from the foreword; Archivist Manchester University Library Anne-Louise Critchlow has been a teacher of English Literature and a full time Christian community worker in France North Africa and Manchester England where she now lives and works. She has researched into the poetry of W. B. Yeats and the history of the Algerian church and her work on William Kelly led her to receive a doctorate at Manchester University England. She is married with four adult children.