Benjamin Rush: The Making of an Enlightened Christian

Benjamin Rush: The Making of an Enlightened Christian

On January 4, 1746 (on December 24th, 1745, old style), Rush was born to John and Susanna Harvey Rush in the Township of Byberry of Philadelphia County, which was just about 14 miles away from Philadelphia. Unfortunately, his father John was died when Rush was just six years old, which forced Susanna to afford her son’s early education. As a Presbyterian, Susanna inculcated him with the religious principles of Christianity at home. In order to help Rush to accept well education, Susanna took him to services at Rev. Gilbert Tennent's Second Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia. As one of the most important Great Awakening evangelists in the City of Brotherly Love, Gilbert Tennent nurtured Rush with theological knowledge. When Tennent was died in 1764, Rush wrote a “Funeral Eulogy,” and described his impact on him. In reminiscing him, “Wherever he went,” Rush pointed out, “the Kingdom of Satan trembled.” Besides, Rush believed that “The Rich, and the Poor, Black and White had equally free Access to his Person” and Tennent loved all who loved Christ, “whatever Mode of Worship they professed.” Under the guidance of Tennent, Rush's religious understanding was shaped.


Rush was also sent to his Uncle Samuel Findley’s Nottingham Academy to further his education. As a well-known Presbyterian minister, Findley had a considerable impact on Rush’s religious views. Rush appreciated Finley’s teaching style very much, because he explained Christianity with love, vigor and made them easily to understand. Concerning the instructions of Sunday evening, “some of the most striking and intelligible evidences of the truth of the Christian religion,” Rush argued that Findley usually delivered them “in a plain way.” As for the place of Findley played in his religious education, Rush claimed that he was not having at any time of his life “ever entertained a doubt of the divine original of the Bible.” Nevertheless, he wished “this mode of ratifying the reason of young people in the principles of Christianity were more general.”