Spurgeon’s homiletical splendor captured the hearts of countless people all over the world, earning him titles such as “The Prince of Preachers,” “The People’s Preacher,” and “The World’s Greatest Preacher.” However, rarely have scholars considered him as a theologian. In fact, some have explicitly stated that Spurgeon lacks theological nuances. One recent example is Stephen Holmes, who claims that Spurgeon neglected some of the finer points of theology (Baptist Theology [Doing Theology; New York: T&T Clark, 2012], 55). Hence, this most recent work by Tom Nettles, a historical theologian at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, makes a bold claim by arguing Spurgeon possessed a developed pastoral theology.

Living by Revealed Truth is an extensive intellectual biography. At 683 pages it is only exceeded in length by Lewis Drummond’s more traditional biography, Spurgeon: Prince of Preachers (Grand Rapids: Kregel, 1992), which has come under recent scrutiny by other Spurgeon scholars for its factual inaccuracies. Most Spurgeon biographies focus on the facts of the preacher’s life rather than his pastoral theology. Even with the recent interest in Spurgeon scholarship, outlining his theology pushes the boundaries of traditional biographies. In Living by Revealed Truth, Nettles argues for specific theological tendencies supported by examples from Spurgeon’s life and ministry. The amount of subjects covered in this work are extensive, thus this review will focus on a few areas that represent Nettle’s overarching methodology. This book is divided into eighteen chapters plus a preface, introduction, Scripture index, and subject index.

The first chapter, “Birth to New Birth,” describes the preacher’s birth, conversion, and baptism. This section highlights seven observable characteristics that become the skeleton on which the rest of this work fleshes out. Unlike many Spurgeon biographies that lean towards hagiography, not all of the qualities of the preacher are treated as positive. These seven elements give a balanced view of Spurgeon as a preacher, public figure, and a human being.

The thirteenth chapter, “Theology and Controversy,” may be Nettles’s most convincing case for Spurgeon’s pastoral theology. Nettles contends that Spurgeon intentionally fought his battles by using theological controversies as opportunities to defend biblical truth for the glory of God. Spurgeon’s controversies fell into three areas: 1) conflict on scriptural teachings; 2) conflict with hypocrites; 3) conflict with publications. These three categories help the reader understand and interpret the thrust behind the battles that developed through the course of the preacher’s life. An example of a theological controversy common to Spurgeon’s life is Calvinism. Because of Spurgeon’s strong desire to evangelize, the preacher was warm towards Arminians relating to their zeal for conversion and scolded hyper-Calvinists because of their idleness in evangelism. Additionally preachers who publically confessed one doctrine while ignoring it privately were not spared critique in his publications. This chapter naturally leads into an extensive section on the Downgrade Controversy.

While reading this biography, the reader will notice a clear attempt to be comprehensive in supporting claims using mostly primary source material. Nettles also highlights Spurgeon’s Baptist roots. He is portrayed as completely convinced of being a Baptist through his reading of the New Testament. However, the book balances Spurgeon’s appreciation for his denomination with a demonstration of willingness to change if a more biblical one was to be found. Perhaps the most intriguing part of Nettles’s work is how he categorizes and systematizes theological stances, thus making it easier for readers to follow and allowing for interaction. Although the preacher may not have had an explicitly stated theology, this work makes a convincing argument that Spurgeon had a coherent pastoral theology that drove all of his actions.

I offer slight critiques in three areas. First, this biography has the tendency to praise Spurgeon’s decisions. One area where this occurs is in the explanation of Spurgeon’s lack of formal education. Nettles ultimately concludes that young Charles made his decision not to go to college because of his love for God and his cause. While plausible, there maybe other factors that played into the decision. Decisions are generally not quite that simplistic. Perhaps the unfortunate incident in which Spurgeon missed an important meeting with a college principal may have disheartened him. Secondly, there has been a recent resurgence in Spurgeon research that has led to significant findings in regards to the preacher’s life and thought. Nettles’s preface acknowledges Peter Morden, Arnold Dallimore, Lewis Drummond, Patricia Kruppa, and Ian Murray, but not Christian George. More importantly, the author does not significantly interact with these recent resources.

Living By Revealed Truth is an essential biography for any student of Spurgeon. Not many historians have acknowledged that he had a distinct developed theology; even fewer have attempted to organize it. Whether or not one believes in a Spurgeonic theology, serious scholars must interact with this work. Nettles’s tome attempts to cover a vast amount of Spurgeon’s theological tendencies and seriously engage with the preacher’s life and theological beliefs, yet this work remains easily accessible for all. Biographers have seldom ventured to describe Spurgeon’s theological influences in nineteenth-century Victorian England, and a minority of biographers account for his North American influence. In addressing an area that is rarely touched, this latest research unearths a significant gem from the trove that is Charles Spurgeon.

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