This is the sixth volume of Wesley's Journal to appear in the critical edition of The Works of John Wesley. Covering the decade from 1776 to the end of 1786, it contains three full "Extracts" of Wesley's Journal (18-20) and the beginning of his last (21). These materials describe--in Wesley's own words--a crucial period that helps define the shape of Methodist theology and organization. The issues surrounding the manner of John Wesley's leadership and the authority of the Conference within Methodism furnish the framework for this period. Wesley begins working with new leaders such as Thomas Coke and Francis Asbury and makes several crucial decisions regarding Methodism in America, including the matter of ordination. He also faces several continuing points of contention in Great Britain that threaten to disrupt the progress of the revival, such as the problems associated with the building of preaching houses and "fixing" them on the Methodist plan. At the same time, he describes examples of strong local revivals that continue to appear throughout the connection and he fulfills his plans for a new chapel on City Road in London. Several crucial events in 1784 define the continuing nature of Methodist organization, especially the legal establishment of the Conference.

The United Methodist Church has been in conflict over lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender inclusion issues since 1972. That year, in response to the gay liberation and gay rights movements, wording was added to the UMC Book of Discipline (the compilation of denominational policies and doctrines) characterizing homosexuality as "incompatible with Christian teaching." Since then, United Methodist ministers have been forbidden to perform same-sex commitment ceremonies (and United Methodist churches forbidden to host them), a rule has been passed that non-heterosexual United Methodist ministers must be celibate, and the UMC has forbidden the funding of any program or organization "supporting" homosexuality. These policies have been met with significant resistance by those fighting for GLBT inclusion. In this groundbreaking book, Udis-Kessler examines this struggle, analyzing both sides of this divisive debate among one of the most prominent religious organizations in the United States.

This is the fourth volume of Wesley's Journal to appear in the critical edition of The Works of John Wesley. Covering the decade from early 1755 to the middle of 1765, it contains four "Extracts" from Wesley's Journal (10-13) that document--in Wesley's own words--a significant period of consolidation in the Wesleyan revival. He describes in vivid detail the growth of the Methodist movement, especially in the central portions of northern England as well as the spread into Ireland and Scotland.

This period contains several interesting controversies that help define the shape of Methodism and the nature of its relationship to the Church of England. Differences of opinion over the questions of lay preaching, ordination, sacraments, and doctrinal standards arise within the Methodist societies and represent the issues at the heart of a maturing organization that is stretching the limits of its self-conscious role within the Established Church. The doctrine of Christian perfection also provides the focus of another challenge to unity within the people called Methodists and increases the strain upon their relationship with the Church. The nature and manner of John Wesley's authority and leadership within the movement continues to be a controversial issue as the annual conferences become an important feature within the movement.

Features footnotes to quotations, key themes, and background information.

This is the third volume of Wesley's Journal to appear in the critical edition of The Works of John Wesley. Covering the period from late 1743 through 1754, it contains four "Extracts" from Wesley's Journal (6-9) which document, in Wesley's own words, an important period of expansion and organization in the Wesleyan revival. He describes in vivid detail the spread of the Methodist movement in the north and west of England, as well as its beginnings in Ireland and Scotland. This period of growing social and political tension is marked also by Wesley's theological controversies with leading figures in the Established Church and his physical confrontations with riotous mobs in the countryside. His yearly schedule included extensive travel to visit the societies, and held the first conferences of Methodist preachers in England and Ireland to settle important matters of doctrine and discipline. He produced several key writings during that time, including three volumes of Sermons and two volumes of Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament. His writings in medicine were matched by the opening of a free public dispensary, and he continued to develop other social programs in education, child care, and finance for the poor. Features footnotes to quotations, key themes, and background information.

This is the second volume of Wesley's Journal to appear in the critical edition of The Works of John Wesley. Covering the period from late 1783 to 1743, it documents--in Wesley's own words--the formative years of the Methodist revival in Great Britain. Previously unpublished material from Wesley's private diaries supplements the account in the published Journal of such key events as Wesley's first adventure in "field preaching," the growing breach between Wesley and the Moravians, the formation of the first Methodist Societies, the establishment of the New Room in Bristol and the Foundery in London, and the emergence of the "lay preachers" or "circuit riders."

Each volume in the series is rich with footnotes that identify quotations, provide references, trace key themes, and offer vital background information.

This is the fourth in an eagerly awaited series of four volumes of John Wesley's sermons. This volume contains 18 sermons that were published in the Arminian Magazine from 1789 to 1792. It also contains 19 sermons that were taken from Wesley's manuscripts.

Of all the genres in Wesley's prodigious output, his sermons most clearly focus and expound his understanding of Christian existence. Outler's introduction in the first volume concentrates two decades of painstaking research and thought on Wesley. From this he ably sets the stage for a fuller understanding and appreciation of a major Christian heritage, a heritage which can at last be seen as a whole against the background of its sources.

The four volumes contain 151 sermons, including a number recovered from Wesley's manuscripts. These constitute the core of Wesley's doctrinal teachings upon which his own evangelical movement was founded. Following Wesley's own ordering, Dr. Outler begins with the familiar Sermons on Several Occasions, which present Wesley's basic teachings on salvation and form the bulk of the first two volumes in the series. Outler masterfully demonstrates the significance of all the subsequent sermons since they exhibit Wesley's entire approach to the Christian life. Each volume is rich with footnotes that include the identification of quotations, elucidation of references, the tracing of key themes, and vital background information on each sermon. Representing the culmination of twenty years of exhaustive research, it is the purpose of these conclusive volumes to keep alive the growing interest in Wesleyan studies for the entire Christian church.

The Introduction to this edition discusses the nature of Wesley's Journal, places it in the context of autobiography as a genre, examines its construction, and discusses Wesley's frame of mind during its writings. One of the major functions of this scholarly edition is to reveal John Wesley "in the light of his involvement in the crowded forum of eighteenth century theological debate." Wesley's writings are saturated with references to Scripture, the Latin and Greek classics, the early Church Fathers, his theological predecessors, English poets and playwrights, and those "natural philosophers" exploring the wonder of God in creation.

This is the third in an eagerly awaited series of four volumes of John Wesley's sermons. This volume contains sermons 71-114 from Sermons on Several Occasions, as well as 6 additional sermons.

Of all the genres in Wesley's prodigious output, his sermons most clearly focus and expound his understanding of Christian existence. Outler's introduction in the first volume concentrates two decades of painstaking research and thought on Wesley. From this he ably sets the stage for a fuller understanding and appreciation of a major Christian heritage, a heritage which can at last be seen as a whole against the background of its sources.

The four volumes contain 151 sermons, including a number recovered from Wesley's manuscripts. These constitute the core of Wesley's doctrinal teachings upon which his own evangelical movement was founded. Following Wesley's own ordering, Dr. Outler begins with the familiar Sermons on Several Occasions, which present Wesley's basic teachings on salvation and form the bulk of the first two volumes in the series. Outler masterfully demonstrates the significance of all the subsequent sermons since they exhibit Wesley's entire approach to the Christian life. Each volume is rich with footnotes that include the identification of quotations, elucidation of references, the tracing of key themes, and vital background information on each sermon. Representing the culmination of twenty years of exhaustive research, it is the purpose of these conclusive volumes to keep alive the growing interest in Wesleyan studies for the entire Christian church.

We Must Speak: Rethinking How We Communicate About Faith in the 21st Century "Pray that I may declare (the message) boldly, as I must speak." - Ephesians 6:20 In "We Must Speak," Larry Hollon addresses the communications crisis in mainline denominations and sounds a call to action for the church: Speak out in today's digital culture or risk irrelevance. Communications technology is connecting people in unprecedented ways, yet many mainline churches have been slow to adapt - and have continued to lose members and status. Other voices and messages are filling the void, offering superficial entertainment and consumerism as poor substitutes for the good news of the church. By embracing communications ministry, churches can transform their communities, change lives and be the presence of Christ for a hurting world. Hollon shares success stories, a theologically grounded vision, and specific steps for local congregations and denominations to tap the power of communications. "Larry Hollon sets out the case for why we need to maintain our voice ... in a world crowded with competing messages and often destructive values." - Mike McCurry, former White House press secretary

This is the second in an eagerly awaited series of four volumes of John Wesley's sermons. This volume contains sermons 34-70 from Sermons on Several Occasions.

Of all the genres in Wesley's prodigious output, his sermons most clearly focus and expound his understanding of Christian existence. Outler's introduction in the first volume concentrates two decades of painstaking research and thought on Wesley. From this he ably sets the stage for a fuller understanding and appreciation of a major Christian heritage, a heritage which can at last be seen as a whole against the background of its sources.

The four volumes contain 151 sermons, including a number recovered from Wesley's manuscripts. These constitute the core of Wesley's doctrinal teachings upon which his own evangelical movement was founded. Following Wesley's own ordering, Dr. Outler begins with the familiar Sermons on Several Occasions, which present Wesley's basic teachings on salvation and form the bulk of the first two volumes in the series. Outler masterfully demonstrates the significance of all the subsequent sermons since they exhibit Wesley's entire approach to the Christian life. Each volume is rich with footnotes that include the identification of quotations, elucidation of references, the tracing of key themes, and vital background information on each sermon. Representing the culmination of twenty years of exhaustive research, it is the purpose of these conclusive volumes to keep alive the growing interest in Wesleyan studies for the entire Christian church.

This is the official history of Asbury Theological Seminary, beginning with its founder, Henry Clay Morrison, who established the seminary in 1923. It continues to the present president, Timothy Tennant. This history is written by one of the retired faculty members who is Professor of Church History and Historical Theology, Emeritus.He was authorized by the seminary administration to write a faithful and accurate account of the seminary's history.

This is the first ever full-scale biography of John Cennick, who was an outstandingly successful eighteenth-century preacher. He was the first layman to be used as a Methodist preacher by John Wesley and was a significant contributor to the success of Methodism in the Bristol area, especially Kingswood. Charles Wesley encouraged him to also become a hymnwriter, editing his early hymns. Cennick then became the right-hand man of the Calvinist Methodist, George Whitefield, becoming not only 'the apostle of Wiltshire' but the main leader of the work of that branch of Methodism in London and a close friend of the Welsh evangelist Howell Harris. Upset by the dissensions within Methodism, he became first a member and then an ordained deacon within the Moravian Church and their chief evangelist - working across parts of England and Wales, but mainly in northern Ireland, where he established fifteen chapels, over forty religious societies and over two hundred preaching places. It is estimated that between 1739 and his early death at the age of just 35 in 1755 he preached on between eight and nine thousand occasions, sometimes in the face of appalling mob violence.His story - and why John Wesley sought to erase his contribution - provides a real insight into the religious revival initiated by the Methodists and Moravians.

A product of trans-Atlantic revivalism and awakening, Methodism initially took root in America in the eighteenth century. In the mid-nineteenth century, Methodism exploded to become the largest religious body in the United States and the quintessential form of American religion. This Cambridge Companion offers a general, comprehensive introduction to various forms of American Methodism, including the African-American, German Evangelical Pietist, holiness and Methodist Episcopal traditions. Written from various disciplinary perspectives, including history, literature, theology and religious studies, this volume explores the beliefs and practices around which the lives of American Methodist churches have revolved, as well as the many ways in which Methodism has both adapted to and shaped American culture. This volume will be an invaluable resource to scholars and students alike, including those who are exploring American Methodism for the first time.

This book introduces four journals that Henry Foxall (1758-1823) kept during a trip to the British Isles in 1816-1817. It provides unique primary source material, extensively annotated for clarity and context. Foxall's journals offer an eyewitness account of Methodist embourgeoisement and institutionalization as they were occurring. They also provide some insight into the developing differences between American and British Methodism. The journals contain information on recent technological innovations of the British Industrial Revolution and recount Foxall's interactions with a number of prominent persons, both in British Methodism and outside it. Because of Foxall's close relationship with Francis Asbury, his status as an insider at the highest levels of American Methodism, and his clear understanding of the British Methodism in which he was raised, converted, and first licensed as a local preacher, his perspective is well-informed and unique.

John Wesley (1703-1791) is the chief architect and source of inspiration to the teaching commonly referred to as Christian perfection. Among his many publications, the book that best summarizes his teachings on holiness is A Plain Account of Christian Perfection, as believed and taught by the Reverend Mr. John Wesley, from the year 1725 to the year 1777. For many years this timeless classic has been reproduced in various formats. Now, for the first time, John Wesley's 'A Plain Account of Christian Perfection' is being offered in a definitive Annotated Edition by Mark K. Olson. This edition is volume one in a projected three volume series. The Annotated Edition offers the following: The entire text has been divided into chapters and verses for detailed study and cross-referencing. The introduction examines in detail when and why Wesley wrote A Plain Account. The verse by verse commentary discusses the history and background behind the text, offering unsurpassed explanation of Wesley's doctrine of perfect love. Five end notes address Wesley's early doctrinal development, the impact of Aldersgate on his perfection doctrine, many testimonies of attaining perfection, and other relevant material from early Methodism. Over 150 quotations from Wesley's sermons, writings, and letters offer unlimited clarification to his views on perfection. The insights of many Wesley scholars are included: Albert Outler, Randy Maddox, Kenneth Collins, William Greathouse, Thomas Oden, Harold Lindstrom, Stephen Gunter, H. Ray Dunning, Theodore Runyon, plus many others. A timeline details every event in Wesley's lifetime corresponding to A Plain Account. Several exhaustive indexes are included: scripture, annotation, subject, author, Wesley quotations, and two synonym indexes from Wesley's Journal and A Plain Account. The Essential Reading Section further empowers the study of Wesley's theology of perfection. Included are: o Twenty key sermons, along with their dates and locations in Wesley's Works (both the Jackson and Bicentennial editions). o Wesley's most important writings on perfection, listing their date and location in his Works. o 250 letters relevant to his theology of perfection. The index includes their date and location in Wesley's Works, with a brief description of their contents. Two additional volumes are planned in the series. John Wesley's Theology of Perfection will offer specialized studies for those wanting to dig deeper into Wesley's theology of perfection. The third volume, John Wesley's Doctrine of Christian Perfection, will present in systematic format every facet of Wesley's views on perfection. The projected release for both volumes is 2006 and 2007. Together, these three volumes will present one of the most thorough and exhaustive studies ever done on Wesley's most beloved, yet, most controversial doctrine.