Jessie Penn-Lewis

Jessie Penn-Lewis (1861-1927) was an English evangelical speaker and author of a number of Christian evangelical works. Her father was a Calvinist Methodist minister. She was married to William Penn-Lewis. She was involved in the 1904-1905 Welsh Revival, one of the largest Christian revivals ever held, although the revival was abruptly shortened with the mental and physical collapse of one of the leaders, Evan Roberts. [cite web
last = Fisher
first = G. Richard
title = Pressing Truth to the Extreme: The Errors of Jessie Penn-Lewis
publisher = Personal Freedom Outreach
date = 2000
url = http://www.pfo.org/pennlews.htm
accessdate = 2007-06-16] Penn-Lewis traveled internationally to take her message to audiences in Russia, Scandinavia, Canada, the U.S., and India. She is a controversial figure among Christians today due to the nature of her writings.

Penn-Lewis was close to Evan Roberts and there is some controversy associated with her influence over the minister. After the breakdown by Roberts cut the revival short, he stayed with the Penn-Lewis's for a couple of years, but never fully recovered. Ultimately, Penn-Lewis declared the failure of the Welsh Revival to be the work of Satan. Penn-Lewis, along with Roberts, wrote a work on spiritual warfare called "War on the Saints", which purports to show the work of demons on Christians, the theme for which Penn-Lewis is most known.

Penn-Lewis was influenced by the reformed South African writer Andrew Murray among others, and her books contain quotes from him and references to his works. Frank Buchman credits Penn-Lewis with helping him to turn his life around from depression when he heard her speak at a Keswick Convention. [cite book
last = Selby
first = Saul
title = Twelve Step Christianity: The Christian Roots & Application of the Twelve Steps
publisher = Hazelden
date = September 15, 2000
pages = 208
isbn = 1568385617] Buchman was the founder of the Oxford Group.

Works

* "War on The Saints"
* "The Awakening in Wales & Some of the Hidden Springs"
* "The Spiritual Man"
* "The Centrality of the Cross"
* "Thy Hidden Ones"
* "Dying to Live"
* "Conquest of Canaan"
* "All Things New"
* "Face to Face"
* "All Things New"
* "Story of Job"
* "Fruitful Living"
* "Life in the Spirit"
* "Opened Heavens"

References

Further reading

*Orr, James Edwin (1975). The Flaming Tongue: The Impact of Early 20th Century Revivals; 2nd rev edition. Moody Press, 238. ISBN 0802428029.
*Garrard, Mary N. (June 2002). Jessie Penn-Lewis: A Memoir (paperback). Sentinel Publications, 320. ISBN 0965651932

ee also

*Margaret E. Barber
*Watchman Nee
*David Morrieson Panton