William Romaine is a much-neglected figure of eighteenth-century Evangelicalism. This book is the first modern biography of a complex and often bittersweet character. Drawing from original and often little-known sources, Tim Shenton provides a clear, consistent, and remarkably fair portrait of Romaine and the times in which he lived.

From Romaine's early years as a student of Oxford University, to his appointment as a rector in the Church of England, to his profoundly influential ministry in London, to his numerous inspiring relationships (with such figures as John and Charles Wesley, George Whitefield, Lady Huntingdon and Henry Venn), to his final post at Blackfriars, the author guides the reader to a deeper understanding of the eighteenth-century evangelical scene.

But this biography is more than a bare record of events. It is the story of a Christian who, though plagued by his own imperfections, was able to persevere as a shining light in a dark and confusing world.

'If ever we needed "Pillars of Iron" in the church, it is in our own day, when compromise and worldliness are sapping its spiritual power and eroding its influence. May this new biography encourage many, both young preachers and all Christians alike, to be as fearless and faithful for the truth as was William Romaine.' — Faith Cook


Tim Shenton is the author of Christmas Evans and A Cornish Revival, both published by Evangelical Press. He is the head teacher of St Martin's School and an elder at Lansdowne Baptist Church, both in Bournemouth, England. He is married with two daughters.