A New Great Awakening
— by Reuben Coulter
Almost 250 years ago, Europe and the United States were experiencing the beginnings of the First Industrial Revolution. Technological breakthroughs created new industries and produced rapid economic progress. Life for the ordinary person was extremely hard. In the UK, average life expectancy was 45 years, people worked seven days a week and children as young as four worked in the mines.
In response to the crisis of their day, Christian business leaders, investors, and politicians came together to seek God and to lead a Moral Revolution, the legacy of which is still felt today. It began with a grassroots revival of faith, led by preachers such as John Wesley, Charles Whitfield, and Jonathan Edwards, which led to the normalization of the Christian values of hard work and integrity. In many places pubs and taverns shut due to lack of customers. Christians in positions of power, particularly those associated with William Wilberforce and the Clapham Circle, were appalled at working conditions and used their influence to abolish slavery, reduce child labour and legislate for health and safety standards. Christian business leaders were at the forefront of innovation and reform. Quaker businesses such as Cadbury’s and the Lever Brothers (now Unilever) provided healthcare and education for their employees and demonstrated that compassionate capitalism was possible. Many historians believe that the influence of Christianity was so profound in the UK and USA that it averted violent revolution as experienced in France. The church laid the foundations for the social and economical flourishing of the Western World.
At the dawn of the 4th Industrial Revolution, we are entering an analogous period. The growing utilization of new technologies such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing, robotics, 3D printing, the Internet of Things, advanced wireless technologies, and others has ushered in a new era of economic disruption with uncertain socio-economic consequences.
Many of us have benefitted from the fruits of progress but in emerging and frontier markets, two-thirds of the world’s population still live on less than $10 per day. How can we respond to the challenges of our world, share the Gospel and see God’s kingdom advanced in our generation?
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[ Photo by Sebastien Gabriel on Unsplash ]
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