Fellows – Megan Gibson, Visiting Research Fellow 2018-2019

Megan Gibson, visiting research fellow in the Oxford Centre for Methodism and Church History for 2017-18, writes of her research for the year;

During my fellowship, I will be conducting research supporting a chapter from my dissertation: “Celebrity and Devotion in Eighteenth-Century Britain,” which examines the intersections between religious and secular forms of devotion in popular responses to several types of celebrities—the famous actress Sarah Siddons; the literary characters of Pamela and Clarissa, who took on a life of their own outside of their fictional texts; Jacobite hero Bonnie Prince Charlie; and popular preachers George Whitefield and John Wesley—who are the focus of my research here at the Oxford Centre for Methodism and Church History. Looking at Whitefield and Wesley as religious celebrities, I aim to uncover primary evidence of the influence of celebrity on Methodist devotional practices, illustrating how Methodist devotees perceived themselves in relation to their charismatic religious leaders. Though devotion is tied to religion in obvious ways, and many studies have been conducted on Methodist devotional practices, including hymn singing and writing, heart religion, and the practice of keeping spiritual journals, I hope to uncover traces of devotional activities or impulses that slide into the realm of celebrity devotion as distinct from but related to religious devotion—considering Whitefield and Wesley as celebrity figures who inspire fan reactions of pleasure and desire, beyond purely religious fervour.

I am particularly excited to look at the journals, diaries, poems, spiritual accounts, and other sources in the archives collection, where I hope to discover passages that reflect individual or collective attitudes towards the preachers themselves, traces of perceived intimacy and emotional connection with them as a result of their charismatic preaching, expressions of admiration that concentrate on the person rather than the preacher or theological guide, or a sense of group identity surrounding celebrity devotion to Whitefield or Wesley that is distinct from (but related to) Methodist identities. I am extremely thankful for this fellowship which allows me to conduct research amongst a wealth of sources provided at the OCMCH, and to experience the delights of discovery and deeper understanding that such an opportunity affords.