The Genevan Réveil

In this episode we welcome Dr. Jean Decorvet and Dr. Kenneth Stewart to explore The Geneva Réveil, a significant yet often overlooked nineteenth-century evangelical revival that reshaped French-speaking Protestantism and left a lasting global impact. We discuss the origins, theological dynamics, and international reach of this movement, featured in the new volume, The Geneva Réveil in International Perspective.

Dr. Decorvet shares personal insights, including his family’s connection to Adolphe Monod—known as “the voice of the revival”—while Dr. Stewart highlights the fascinating transatlantic ties between the Réveil and American Presbyterianism. The conversation considers the blend of warm piety and Reformed orthodoxy that fueled the movement, its influence on hymnody, social reform (including the founding of the Red Cross), and the broader currents of nineteenth-century evangelicalism.

Kennneth J. Stewart is a fellow of the Royal Historical Society. Until 2019, he was professor of theological studies in Covenant College, Lookout Mountain, Georgia.

Jean Decorvet is president and professor of theological studies at the Haute école de théologie, St-Légier, Switzerland. He is also a visiting professor in historical studies at the Faculté Jean Calvin.

Listen to discover how the Geneva Réveil not only revitalized Francophone Protestantism but also shaped the course of global missions, theological education, and the enduring legacy of Reformed thought.

Links

• Haute-École Editions
• Le Réveil de Genève Perspectives internationales
• French edition of the book

Watch on YouTube and Vimeo.

Chapters

• 00:00:07 Introduction
• 00:05:32 Familiarity with the Genevan Reveil
• 00:11:31 European Roots of the Evangelical Free Church
• 00:12:50 Historical Background and Context
• 00:17:52 Unique Aspects of the Genevan Reveil
• 00:22:02 Pietism and Calvinist Orthodoxy
• 00:28:53 The Reveil and Theological Liberalism
• 00:31:33 The Far-Reaching Effects of the Reveil
• 00:38:12 Roman Catholicism and the Reveil
• 00:44:17 American Presbyterian Influence on the Reveil
• 00:50:41 Louis Gaussen’s Influence
• 00:58:49 Looking to the Future
• 01:01:59 Conclusion

Participants: Camden Bucey, Jean Decorvet, Kenneth J. Stewart, Ryan Noha

Mentioned in this episode:

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