This book develops the theological method implicit in the theology of John Wesley. The four normative sources for doing theology have been described as the Wesleyan quadrilateral--Scripture, tradition, reason, and experience. The author shows that for Wesley the Protestant concept of "Scripture alone" entails the view that the Scriptures are the primary source, not the only source, of theology. He proposes that Wesley's theological method is the basis for a catholic evangelicalism and ecumenism that is faithful to the Scriptures, to the Early Church Fathers, to a responsible use of reason, and Christian experience enlightened by the Holy Spirit.

A plain account of John Wesley's life and work. Wesley, an ordained priest and English religious leader, was prompted by an experience at a prayer meeting in London to accept the principle of justification by faith and abandoned the ecclesiastical and High Church views. He preached rejection of the doctrine of election and is the author of educational treatises, hymns, ecclesiastical history, biblical commentaries and a variety of other books and essays. Handsomely illustrated with over 100 portraits, views and facsimiles.

After John Wesley's death in 1791, schisms from Wesleyan Methodism occurred regularly. These events were not unexpected and the authorities often accepted them with little obvious regret, even if they did not actually encourage them. The first major split occurred in 1797 when the Methodist New Connexion was formed, and in the following twenty years further significant schisms led to the establishment of the Primitive Methodists and the Bible Christians. Other offshoots arose that lasted for shorter periods. One of these was the Tent Methodists, a group that has been largely ignored by historians probably because it did not become a major national or regional body. Its significance has not, however, been sufficiently recognized. One tent, then two, capable of accommodating congregations of over 500, were used extensively by preachers in the Bristol Wesleyan circuit and further afield from 1814, in addition to their preaching plan commitments. They received varying degrees of support and hostility from the circuit hierarchy, and in late 1819 attempts were made to bring the work under the authority of the circuit superintendent. The local preachers involved refused to relinquish control of the tents, and a bitter dispute began which led to the effective expulsion of three leading local preachers. They, and others, formed the Tent Methodist sect that, for several years, made considerable progress in several parts of England and one small area of South Wales. Decline set in at the beginning of 1826, and by 1832 the tents had been disposed of, and all the chapels acquired by the sect had been sold. Soon afterwards the leaders had either rejoined the Wesleyans, had become ministers in the Congregational or Baptist denominations, or emigrated to North America.

Helps users understand and use United Methodist belief and tradition to function as a Christian in a multicultural society. Sessions covers the post-modern world philosophy and its failure to provide value outside of Christian faith by studying a variety of Wesleyan essentials from original sin to holy. 13 sessions.1. The Challenge of Multiculturalism2. Biblical Authority in a Relativist World3. The Divine Trinity in a Multicultural Age4. Is Jesus the Only Way to God?5. The Holy Spirit and the Spirit of the Age6. Does Humanity Need God?7. More than a Casual Relationship: Saving Grace8. Holiness of Heart and Life: Sanctification9. What's the Point of Worship?10. Christian Behavior in a World Where "Anything Goes"11. "What New Creation?": Christian Social Responsibility12. Mission in a Multicultural Society13. Marketplace Christianity: Living Authentically

This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the original. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions that are true to the original work.

John and Charles Wesley led the Methodist revival that swept eighteenth-century England and America and changed the face of Christianity forever. Their spirituality synthesized a unique blend of elements from the church fathers, Catholic mystics, and Protestant Reformers. This selection includes John's incisive writings on the spiritual life as well as the famous hymns of Charles, giving vibrant expression to the faith of the Wesleys.

"About a quarter before nine, while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone for salvation; and an assurance was given me that he had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death." -- John Wesley

A new Wesley biography published at the tricentennial of his birth.

The aim of this book is simple: it is an attempt to get to know the real John Wesley. The author explains why getting to know the real Wesley seems so difficult and describes the principles of such a quest. The first part contains material written by Wesley himself. The second part contains material written by Wesley's contemporaries, who describe, defend, and/or attack him on a number of points. The third part describes Wesley's fate at the hands of biographers and other writers since his day, starting with the eulogists and tracing the main currents of Wesley studies into the twenty-first century.

This book describes Wesley as he saw himself and as he was seen by both admirers and detractors. It gives a history of the biographies written about Wesley and provides a distillation of the primary documents written by and about Wesley. It includes an index and a bibliography.

The thoughts and beliefs of John Wesley and the Early Methodist traditions are frequently related to recent progressive tendencies in theology. There are numerous parallels between contemporary interests in people at the margins and Wesley's concern for poor people and his commitments to the sick and imprisoned. In this volume, contributors from diverse backgrounds in the United States and around the globe reflect on radical and liberation traditions in Methodism in their own context. In conversation with contemporary Methodism and the Wesleyan heritage, each chapter focuses on the question of how radical and liberation traditions provide new visions for the present and future of the church.

Contributors: Jose Miguez Bonino, Rebecca S. Chopp, Stephen G. Hatcher, Jione Havea, Theodore Jennings, Jr., Cedric Mayson, Mercy Amba Oduyoye, Andrew Sung Park, Jong Chun Park, Harold J. Recinos, Joerg Rieger, John J. Vincent, and Josiah U. Young, III.

1923. An encyclopedic account of the work of a denomination throughout the world, presented region by region. Diffendorfer was assisted by Paul Hutchinson, Foreign Section and William F. McDermott, American Section.

Or rifle, axe and saddle bags, and other lectures. The author was a lecturer and this was his first attempt at publishing his work. When it is remembered that this is the author's first appearance before the public in print, and that he now appears with a volume announced as a collection of spoken lectures, the reader will only have cause to wonder at the degree of refinement of style and elegance of manner, which the pages of the book display. Twelve pages of the original we reproduced have ink spots which we were unable to repair.

Hell Without Fire has been nominated in the Creative Nonfiction Historical Division category of the 39th Annual Georgia Author of the Year Awards. Abingdon Press would like to congratulate Henry Whelchel on this honor.

Conversion is one of the most significant motifs in American church history. From the First and Second Great Awakenings to early twentieth century Pentecostal revivals and contemporary Evangelical movements, conversion in all its extravagant forms is important to the story of religion in America.

L. Henry Whelchel takes up this motif of conversion as it relates particularly to enslaved Africans and Black Americans. He explains the role of conversion in the complex interaction between blacks and whites in America. Beginning with the differences between European and African forms of slavery and the importance of the motif of conversion to white legitimization of the Atlantic slave trade, Whelchel describes the process of slave conversion as one in which slaves were separated from African religion and culture. He counters the myth that Africans had no history and that African religion was entirely effaced in its American context. He demonstrates the contradictory relationship between Afro-American and Euro-American religion: on the one hand whites prohibited demonstrations of African religion and on the other hand they embraced and adopted these demonstrations of religion in transformed modes with their revivalist Christianity. According to Whelchel, "as African religion and culture were exposed to western Christianity," there was forged "a new Afro-American religion."

Whelchel's exposure of the contradiction between the propaganda used to defend slavery and the actual, historical circumstances of slaves in America is most compelling in his treatment of the role of education as an adjunct to conversion. He highlights the emergence of laws prohibiting the teaching of slaves and he explores the emergence of the plantation missions--sponsored by mainline southern denominations--to implement an oral method of religious training. He continues with the role of conversion in post-emancipation relations between black and white religion in America, in both the North and South. Finally, Whelchel chronicles the rise of the CME and the distinctions between the AME and CME, concluding with the seating of the first black CME bishops.

Written completely in Spanish, this book on United Methodist polity, while it follows the structure and content of The Book of Discipline for teaching purposes, also seeks to interpret borader themes of church practice in their cultural and ecclesial contexts. The author addresses issues that are critical for the future of United Methodism, especially its movement toward becoming a more global, ecumenical church. Excellent for both student and church leaders.

This resource is a summary study of the eight life-enriching practices that are part of the series--prayer, Bible study, evangelism, community, worship and the sacraments, outreach, justice and others. Questions for discussion are included with each chapter.

Living Grace is the most comprehensive expression of systematic theology for United Methodism to appear in the 1990's. Its authors, Bishop Walter Klaiber and Dr. Manfred Marquardt, are leading theologians of continental European United Methodism. Their work meets the long-felt need to provide partners in ecumenical dialog a clearer exposition of Methodism's theology, as founded upon biblical witness, apostolic heritage, the Protestant Reformation, and the Wesleyan Revival.

The authors concede that Methodists are often regarded more as specialists in evangelization, ecclesial organization, or social engagement, than as representatives of a cogently articulated theology. Further, United Methodists today are frequently at the forefront of facilitating interchurch cooperation in worship and social outreach. It is the authors' hope that a clearer exposition of our common understanding could offer a foundation upon which the "vital Wesleyan accent" could better direct the Christian witness we are offering in the world. Their response to the challenge has produced a thoughtful attempt to find a solid theological basis for our identity as a church that will not only accent our distinctiveness but will also assist other faith communities to articulate their profiles of faith.

In this first English edition, the work has been adapted for the American historical and social milieu. As such, it becomes a pathbreaking effort to articulate for our American constituency the global dimensions of a United Methodist theology, in which the American church is increasingly called to participate. Four emphases of the book are: Responsible Proclamation, Basics of a UMC theology; Universal Salvation; Personal Faith; and, Fullness of Christian Life and the Reality of Love.

The essays in this volume all share a common assumption: in order to know where you're going, you have to understand where you've been. If the spiritual and theological descendents of John Wesley are to meet the challenges of spreading scriptural holiness in an increasingly complex world, then they will need to grasp the core beliefs and values that have always guided their tradition. In this important volume, a distinguished group of interpreters of Wesleyan tradition, all of whom are John Wesley Scholars of A Fund for Theological Education, identify the central convictions and practices of the Methodist movement. Their purpose in making this identification is two-fold. First, they insist that these convictions and practices lie at the heart of what the Wesleyan/Methodist family is, and has been. Second, and more important, they claim that in these distinctive beliefs lies the future of the "people called Methodist." If renewal and growth in witness and mission is to occur, the authors argue, it will come through a reclamation and reinterpretation of such cental beliefs as salvation by grace through faith, the authority of Scripture, disciple-making within community, the vocation of Christian holiness, and the church's mission to the world.

John Wesley s Life & Ethics offers a comprehensive analysis of John Wesley s personal and social ethical thought. Ronald Stone places Wesley in a social location and examines his ethical thought biographically. He argues that in the case of John Wesley, the Christian traditions provide a biblically informed deontological ethic of love. This ethic is grounded in the Christian community to form the individual and in social reform to transform the nation within the limits of Christian realism concerning human nature and social order.

The volume covers Wesley s complete ethical reflection and teaching and, at appropriate points, places them in comparative perspective to other 18th century ethics and social thought contributors. Ethical topics addressed include abortion, vocation, family, money, social nature of humanity, politics, economics, imperial relations, and war and peace.

This book will be a supplementary text in Ethics classes, primarily in United Methodist schools. It will also be a useful text in Methodist history classes. Methodist scholars and pastors interested in a social biography of Wesley will want to own this book."

Just as Roots told the story of the African-American experience in the United States, Breaking the Barriers illustrates the experience of African Americans within United Methodism, and the important roles that faith, the church, and family played in molding the character and work of numerous individuals throughout the denomination.

On July 19, 1984, Leontine Current Kelly was elected bishop of The United Methodist Church, making her the first African-American woman to become a bishop within a major American religious denomination. Breaking the Barriers recounts the story of her journey and that historic achievement

This new collection of essays explores the subject of conversion in the Wesleyan tradition from biblical, historical, theological, and practical points of view. Written by leading Wesleyan scholars, the essays reinvoke the notion of conversion as an identifiable experience in the Christian's life. The contributors, drawn from a diversity of backgrounds, rightly call for a much needed, and inclusive, balance: process and instantaneousness, nurture and regeneration, holy living and vibrant faith. The recovery of conversion as an illuminating paradigm of saving grace promises both renewal and revitalization in the Wesleyan tradition.

How is it that we come to know ourselves as Christians? What were the elements of John Wesley s work that contributed to spiritual formation for a Christian life, and how did these elements interrelate? Focusing on matters of formation and transformation in faith, Sondra Matthaei answers such questions in light of early Methodist practices of formation. Through research and dialogue with Wesleyan scholarship and constructive proposals related to the life of the church, this insightful study encourages faithful and imaginative approaches to spiritual formation in churches today.

The focus of this book is on matters of formation and transformation in faith. The book answers the question "How do we come to know ourselves as Christian?" and analyzes this question in light of early Methodist practices of formation and an ecology of education within the Methodist movement. The reader will come to understand John Wesley's idea of character formation and moral transformation. The reader will understand how Christian and vocation are shaped through spiritual formation and will understand the role of structures and relationships (family, school, church, etc.) in spiritual formation. "

Belief matters This book is written for two purposes. The first is to reminds us that what we believe does matter. The second is to explain the doctrinal standards of The United Methodist Church--matters of our belief. Intended for use by both laypersons and clergy, this book describes and exposits the four official Doctrinal Standards of The United Methodist Church. The standards will be explored in the following order: Explanatory Notes, Sermons, Articles of Religion, Confession of Faith. The book also includes a study guide, a glossary, and suggestions for further reading.

In volume offers insight and guidance regarding this new ministerial order both to those who are called into the diaconate, and those among whom they will minister. The book begins by locating the office of deacon within the larger United Methodist understanding the ministry of all God's people and of ordained ministers. Drawing on the stories of those whom God has called and ordained to the ministry of deacon, the authors portray the crucial link between the worship of the church and service to the world that is central to the office of deacon. The book concludes with answers to common questions asked by deacons and the churches in which their ministry takes place: Who pays for insurance? What about pensions? What responsibilities do deacons have to the congregations that hire them, and what to the conferences of which they are members?

This volume in the United Methodist Studies series challenges United Methodists to engage in life-transforming practices. The author explains a theme and underscores major emphases within the United Methodist denomination. This adult study is divided into four sections with suggestions for group discussion, and can be completed in 4 to 8 sessions. No leader s guide is needed. The sections are: Living from the Heart - This chapter examines the essence of prayer and devotional life for United Methodists: holiness of heart and life. The chapter is divided into two sections to enable this examination: Communion (heart) and Compassion (life). Read and Pray Daily - Exploring these two central disciplines in Christian formation and the Wesleyan Tradition guides readers into practical expressions of what it means to read devotionally (lection divina) and pray continually (the life of prayer). Get Connected! - The idea of "connectionalism" is a significant part of our tradition. This chapter examines this idea from two vantage points of classic formation principles and the concrete structures Wesley used in early-Methodism, which still contain implications for today. Go On! - The cultivation of prayer and devotional life in United Methodism is not about "attainment" but rather about "journey." This chapter examines the pilgrimage motif through the two lenses of the biblical doctrine of Christian perfection, and the practical development of that message through an action/reflection model of Christian formation. "

Commissioned by the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry for use in United Methodist doctrine/polity/history courses.

From a Sunday school teacher's account of a typical Sunday morning to letters from presidents, from architects' opinions for and against the Akron Plan to impassioned speeches demanding full rights for African Americans, women, homosexuals, and laity in the Church, this riveting collection of documents will interest scholars, clergy, and laity alike. This Sourcebook, part of the two-volume set The Methodist Experience in America, contains documents from between 1760 and 1998 pertaining to the movements constitutive of American United Methodism. The editors identify over two hundred documents by date, primary agent, and central theme or important action. The documents are organized on a strictly chronological basis, by the date of the significant action in the excerpt. Charts, graphs, timelines, and graphics are also included. The Sourcebook has been constructed to be used with the Narrative volume in which the interpretation of individual documents, discussions of context, details about events and individuals, and treatment of the larger developments can be found.