John Wesley Beliefs

The author explaining of John Wesley voted a fellow of Lincoln College. In fact, this honor brought academic status

This paper is centered around Dr. Cobb’s essay, “Wesley the Process Theologian”, and matched with notes on John Wesley from Dr. Hughes lectures in Protestantism in the Modern World. Through the course of this paper, the concept of process theology will be discussed along with how John Wesley’s own thoughts and ideas compare to process theologies conceptions. Through comparing these two’s individual ideas, I will add my own insights and thoughts on the possibility of common ground between the two; from the view of an outsider whose own beliefs have been shaped considerably from my own experiences. Though I am in no way an authority on any of these subjects, I hope that my point of view will be enlightening. Along with this, I’ll strive to support many of my claims about God through scripture, for regardless of man’s interpretation of the bible, it’s one of Christianity’s main sources of authority.

Johnathon Edwards was born on October 5, 1703 to Timothy and Esther Edwards. Timothy Edwards was the pastor of church at East Windsor, Connecticut, while Esther was the pastor of the church at Northampton, Massachusetts. Johnathon grew up in a rather strange environment, being the only son of eleven children. Throughout his childhood, Johnathon was trained and getting prepared for a college level education. In 1716, at an astounding age of just under thirteen, Johnathon began his studies by attending Yale College in New Haven, Connecticut.

As one who came to the Methodist tradition later in her journey, I am very appreciative as to the origins of John Wesley’s practices and beliefs. I am proud of the fact that “we” have been the first tradition to ordain women in the ministry as well as the first to focus on assisting everyday people and those on the margins. But even more importantly, just as the Methodists of old spoke viscerally against slavery the still intact systematic racism needs to be addressed by the church as well. As we read the above text, it states to go out and train everyone, not just some or those who are all white. Again, it is important we learn from our past to create a healthier future.

There are few aspects of our lives more intimately personal than our faith. The foundation of our moral compass, it is painstakingly shaped – chiseled – by our boundless experiences. Rarely absolute, its complexity adds to its fervency. “Salvation” by Langston Hughes speaks of the singular experience that is one’s faith through the eyes of a young boy. As a 12-year-old, he attends a revival at his Auntie Reed’s church. Like most children, he is obligated to participate and, on the last night, is paraded to the front of the church with all the other children. He has repeatedly been told that, “when you [are] saved you [see] a light, and something happen[s] to you inside” (paragraph 2) and, therefore, takes this direction literally, expecting

Traditionally John Mark wrote the Gospel of Mark. He was the traveling companion of Paul and the interpreter for Peter in Rome. As the textbook stated that the writer did not identify himself in the Gospel text, but the scholars were unable to verify the mid-second century tradition of Markan authorship, regard the work as anonymous. Themes such as carrying one’s cross and God’s Son were composed after the Jewish Revolt against Rome had already

Jonathan Edwards was a very influential American preacher; he was also an educator, journalist, philosopher, and theologian. He was born on October 5, 1703 in East Windsor, Connecticut. At the age of 13, Edwards was already admitted into Yale College. In 1720 he graduated as valedictorian of his class. He then studied two more years of theology and then he was invited to preach in New York church for 8 months. After that he became a college tutor at Yale, and at the same time he kept studying for his master’s degree. His grandfather Solomon Stoddard, a pastor, needed assistance in his church at Northampton, Massachusetts Bay Colony, so he called Jonathan. At the age of 26, his grandfather passed away, Jonathan took over as pastor of the church.

John was born on June 17, 1703. John Wesley was the fifthteenth child of Samuel and Susanna Wesley. Out of the nineteen children that Samuel and Susanna they only had ten that survived to adulthood and John Wesley was one of them. John Wesley had a brother named Charles Wesley who also breached fame for religion. When John Wesley was five years old his house burned down. It was said that John Wesley was barely saved from the burning of the house. No one knew what started the fire or how it started, but his father (Samuel Wesley) had the thought that some discontinued members from the church he preached at started the fire and then vanished from the burning house. The Wesley family began to build a house that was finished in the

Responsible Grace was a book that was designed to speak about John Wesley’s sermons and the theologies that he holds. “Wesley’s convictions about revelation appear to be more in line with early Greek perspectives than with later Western theology. They usually assumed that there was a continuing (weakened) influence of the grace of creation even after the Fall” (pg. 28-29). In our group discussion, we talked about this book emphasizing John Wesley’s practical theology and how it applies to life. John Wesley is not a spectating theologian, which brings some ease to reading his work. The practical task of his theology doesn’t make his works scientific of aspects like time or other logistics that theologians speak of. A refreshing insight

In Andrew Murray’s With Christ in the School of Prayer, Murray proposes from the words of John (1 John 2:12-14) that, “In the Christian life there are three great stages of experience: the first is that of the newborn child filled with the assurance and the joy of forgiveness, the second is that of transition, of struggle and growth in knowledge and strength, and is comparable to young men growing strong, and the final stage of maturity and ripeness is that of the fathers, who have entered deeply into the knowledge and fellowship of the Eternal One.” These stages suggest progression and development over a period of time in the life of a Christian. To better understand the manner in which development occurs in the Christian life it is necessary to address the subject of progressive sanctification. This paper will expound upon the meaning of progressive sanctification, how it is manifested in the local church, what the Bible says about moving from spiritual infancy to maturity, and the role of discipleship in the process.

Focusing on the sanctification, it is easy to find a clue in role of the Holy Spirit, and one’s relationship with God. In the book, An Introduction to Ecclesiology, Veli- Matti Karkkainen mentions the sanctification and participation in the sacraments as a way of attaining strength to be the body of Christ. Wesley is also said to have spoken very eloquently that “the church” has been bought with the blood of Christ, and comprises of “whom God hath so called out of the world as to entitle them to the preceding character.” In other words, one needs to be a disciple of Christ, to receive the Holy Spirit. According to 1 John 2:22, one needs to believe in Christ as Son of God, and God as the Father, and only then one can abide in God, the Trinity that is one. This means that it is necessary for one to have faith in God, and that one cannot be a believer having half, or no faith in the knowledge of the existence of God. Speaking of one’s faith in God, Karl Barth writes about the church as one that is “grounded in an eternal election, realized through a divine calling, and alive in faith and obedience through the Holy

He and group of other young adults named the “Holy Group” ministered to many different people on campus. The group was given this name because of their reputation and stricts life guidelines. The guidelines that certainly seemed ridiculous to other people on campus were the acts of strict spiritual discipline and charitable works. The strict methods that the “Holy Group” used were the strict rules directly laid out in the bible. They believed so highly in these methods, that many people gave them a nickname similar to the root of the word “Methodist” the name was meant in a completely harmless fashion (Emeritus T. R. Doraisam) .Every man of God struggles with shaky faith at some point. Early in his life John Wesley was at a loss of his faith, when death was calling him by name he found little to no comfort in his religion. His faith walk was little to no movement at all. He wanted to quit his ministry because he felt so helpless in his faith walk. One of his friends gave him the advice that he should act as if you have an abundance of faith and eventually it will be granted and you will have to act no longer. After acting on this advice he was able to lead a helpless man in prison to a life of service to the lord. The sermon that touched this lost soul was the thought that is in christ alone that you are forgiven of sins. Meaning all he needed to do was ask for forgiveness of that said sin and God the father would forgive him of all wrong

One of the places, perhaps "The place" I wanted to see on our Wesley Heritage tour was Aldersgate Street, and in particular the place where Wesley had his heart "strangely warmed". I mean, let's face it, if you're from a Wesleyan Heritage that's the spot isn't it? The true birth place of the Methodist movement began truly when John Wesley had his heart warmed and realized he was loved by God.

William Watters is the first Methodist, born in the United States, to travel and preach Methodism in America. William Watters was born in Baltimore County, Maryland on October 16, 1751. William was born from Sarah and Godfrey Watters. His parents were members of the church of England. William complained that the only two ministers he knew, were both immoral men and had no gifts for the ministry, they were not putting in their hearts and souls into preaching. Similar to the founder of Methodism, who had his heart, “Strangely warmed” at a definite time and place, Watters found his heart strangely warmed at his brother’s house in the middle of a prayer when a divine light beamed through his inmost soul. On this day, in May 1771, William Watters states that he is a changed man.

We Christians were spiritually dead from sin until Christ saved us. The great news is that His death on the cross provided us with spiritual birth, a new life. Moreover, “spiritual birth should lead to spiritual growth and development” (Koessler 72). Spiritual growth is a growth in knowledge of God, therefore, entering into a deeper relationship with Him as well as growing in obedience (74). When it comes to spiritual growth, the role of grace and effort is vital. We often ask ourselves how do they actually work together to achieve the growth. Koessler, the author of a book True Discipleship describes their relationship in spiritual growth that “spiritual growth is ultimately a matter of grace”, but it demands a “measure of Spirit-empowered effort to take a place” (79). In order for us Christians to experience the growth, we have to struggle to know and maintain the proper relationship of grace and effort where our effort is empowered by grace.