Arts and Humanities Commons^™

John Wesley’S Approach To Mission, R. Jeffrey Hiatt

The Asbury Journal

John Wesley’s theology is noted for its soteriological emphasis. Most of his life was spent in England ministering among marginalized people. Much of his practical ministry, publications, prison reform, healthcare interest, education, etc., occurred while trekking through the island. Yet, Wesley’s thoughts and writings reflect the broader world. Although he was not as swift at putting Methodist missionaries abroad as Thomas Coke would have liked, Wesley had a plan in place that took in reaching those populations that claimed other religions as their faith. Thus, he wanted “Moslems,” “Hindoos,” “Hottentots,” “Native Americans,” or more inclusive of every part of the …

Understanding Christian Perfection And Its Struggle With Antinomianism, Victoria L. Campbell

The Asbury Journal

Every so often, a professor at Asbury Theological Seminary will notice a current student with exceptional promise. The Asbury Journal wants to help highlight the work of rising academics by publishing works from such students. This paper is an example of such a work, brought to the attention of the editor by Dr. Larry Wood.

Much of the confusion regarding John Wesley’s phrase, Christian perfection, comes from the western tendency to define “perfection” as a state of infallibility (from the Latin perfectio) rather than a process of spiritual maturing based upon the Greek word for perfection, teleios (Matthew …

The Practical Theology Of The General Rules, Andrew C. Thompson

The Asbury Journal

The “General Rules of the United Societies” were a central component of the early Methodist movement under John Wesley’s leadership. Examinations of the General Rules in contemporary literature tend to focus on their role in personal and organizational discipline for early Methodists and for the movement as a whole. Yet a close examination of the rules shows that they served a greater purpose: as the practical theological articulation of how Methodists could expect to experience sanctification in the context of their lives. This crucial aspect of the General Rules’ use can be seen by exploring Wesley’s understanding of the means …

Poetry As The Handmaid Of Piety: Hymns As A Catalyst For Human Development In Early Methodism, Brian Yeich

The Asbury Journal

In the preface to the 1780 edition o f Hymns for the People Called Methodist, John Wesley stated, 'When Poetry thus keeps its place, as the handmaid of Piety, it shall attain, not a poor perishable 'Wreath, but a crown that fadeth not away."l While John Wesley may have never used the term ''human development," a student of Wesley would quickly observe that Wesley and the early Methodists were focused on the transformation of individual human lives as well as the society in which they lived. This paper explores the connection between the hynmody of early Methodism and …

A Macarian-Wesleyan Theology Of Mission, Matt Friedman

The Asbury Journal

In this paper, Iwill begin by providing an outline of the development of the theology of union with God, or theoric. I will have a particular focus on fourth-century Syrian monk Macarius-Symeon, whose Fifty Spiritual Homilies had an influence on early Pietism and early Methodism From there, I will seek to demonstrate how John and Charles Wesley, as well as their colleagues such as John Fletcher in the first generation of Methodist leadership, sought to critically fold this understanding into their own teaching regarding justification, sanctification and the ultimate goal of those who walk in union with God in …

The Journey To God: Union, Purgation And Transformation Within The Ascent Of Mount Carmel And A Plain Account Of Christian Perfection, Stephen L. Martyn

The Asbury Journal

This article is both a call to Christian maturity and an appreciative recounting of how a Roman Catholic mystic, John of the Cross, helped me reclaim and love my own Wesleyan tradition of entire sanctification. In this article I hold up the theological doctrine of Union with God as the goal of the Christian life and review and contrast how Wesley and John of the Cross approached the issue. UThile these two spiritual masters outline differing views of the path to perfection in love, they both, nevertheless, continue to inspire and offer the light of Christ to Christians seeking full …

Sensing The Spirit: Wesley's Empiricism And His Use Of The Language Of Spiritual Sensation, James E. Pedlar

The Asbury Journal

This paper examines the relationship betweenJohn Wesley's empiricism and his use of the language of "spiritual sensation." Through a close reading of Wesley's own espousal of empiricism, as well as his use of the language of the spiritual senses, it will be argued that Wesley, while committed to empiricism as a natural epistemology, views the experience of the Spirit as something which is known intuitively. H is references to the spiritual senses are therefore best understood as an analogy for this intuitively known experience of the Spirit. While Wesley's discussions of spiritual sensation are not simply an extension of his …

Conversion, Justification, And The Experience Of Grace In The Post-Aldergate Wesley: Towards An Understanding Of Who Is "A Child Of God.", Marlon D. De Blasio

The Asbury Journal

Aldersgate is highlighted from the angle of its significance on Wesley's theological thinking and subsequent ministry, rather than from an emphasis on his point of conversion. The Post-Aldersgate Wesley developed a soteriological understanding that identified a "child of God" with distinct qualifications, namely justification by faith, the experience of grace, and the indwelling Spirit. A theology of conversion also emerges with definitive markers that constitute a new standing from non-Christian to Christian. Shifts in Wesley's theological understanding of Christian faith are evaluated. Justification by faith remained a strict soteriological principle in the mind of the mature Wesley. As well, the …

Our Personal Core Identity: A Wesleyan Perspective, Jim Boetcher

The Asbury Journal

Humans have many relational identities that vary with changes in relationships such as being a mother or a daughter, but one's core identity remains independent of these social roles. This paper explores human personal core identity theologically by drawing on Methodism as it existed under the leadership of John Wesley, and scientifically by using three cutting edge scientific research projects: The Human Family Tree and The Human Genome Project present empirical evidence that all humans are genetically related and only one race exists - the human race. Discovering Ardi: Changing Our Understanding of Human Origins shows that humans did not …

John Wesley In Conversation With The Emerging Church, Patrick S. Franklin

The Asbury Journal

As the Emerging Church is one of the most significant developments in current popular Western ecclesiology, it is important that it be engaged theologically. As part of this engagement, this paper brings the Emerging Church into a constructive dialogue with John Wesley, a theologian who shared similar passions and faced comparable challenges. It maintains that Wesley would applaud the spirit and creativity of the Emerging Church, especially its mission to reach contemporary seekers and its desire to recapture an ancient-future faith. However, he would also challenge some potentially harmful tendencies and exhort the Emerging Church toward maturity in these areas. …

The Wesleyan Impulse In Teaching, Don Thorsen

The Asbury Journal

This professor's pedagogy and theology has long been informed by Wesley, and his essay investigates several themes in Wesley's writings and ministry, including the Wesleyan quadrilateral, experimental religion, catholic spirit, and social holiness. Prom the perspective of teaching theology, the Wesleyan quadrilateral is very useful because it acknowledges the complexity with which Christians formulate their beliefs, values, and practices. Wesley advocated experimentation with regard to how he developed his Christian beliefs, values, and practices leading this professor to use experimental methods in his pedagogy. The catholic spirit prompts him to present theology in a way that includes the breath of …

The Third Moment Of Muslim Witness: John Wesley Had It Right, Terry C. Muck

The Asbury Journal

The following is a lecture delivered on 8 October 2005 as part of the Theta Phi Lecture Series at Asbury Theological Seminary, Wilmore, Kentucky. The author suggests that the mission task can be helpfully seen as comprising four moments: the moments of (1) difference, (2) identity, (3) relationship, and (4) witness. Although Christian witnesses have performed admirably well on moments one, two, and four, the reason the Muslim world remains Muslim can be traced to our failures in regard to the third, the Moment of Relationship. Using two sermons by John Wesley, Sermon 63, "The General Spread of the Gospel" …

Key Factors In John Wesley's Longevity: An Application, Kenneth Pickerill

The Asbury Journal

No abstract provided.

John Wesley And His Evangelical Past, W. Reginald Ward

The Asbury Journal

No abstract provided.

The Shape Of Wesley Thought: The Question Of John Wesley's "Essential" Christian Doctrines, Ted A. Campbell

The Asbury Journal

No abstract provided.

Theological Method For A Man Of One Book, Chuck Gutenson

The Asbury Journal

No abstract provided.

John Wesley & Healing: Developing A Wesleyan Missiology, R. Jeffery Hiatt

The Asbury Journal

No abstract provided.

Transformative Dimensions Within Wesley's Understanding Of Christian Perfection, Irv A. Brendlinger

The Asbury Journal

No abstract provided.

Covenant Atonement As A Wesleyan Integrating Motif, R. Larry Shelton

The Asbury Journal

No abstract provided.

John Wesley's Anthropology: Traditional And Innovative Elements, Charles W. Christian

The Asbury Journal

Article was printed with the title spelled wrong:

John Wesley's Anthropoogy: Traditional and Innovative Elements

Evangelizing England: The Importance Of The Book Of Homilies For The Popular Preaching Of Hugh Latimer & John Wesley, Michael Pasquarello

The Asbury Journal

No abstract provided.

New Wineskins, Old Wine: Alpha As The Future Of Wesleyan Theology, Rob King

The Asbury Journal

No abstract provided.

The Promise Of John Wesley's Theological For The 21st Century: A Dialogical Exchange, Kenneth Collins

The Asbury Journal

No abstract provided.

Wesley's Methods: An Organizational Analysis, Tomas F. Tumblin

The Asbury Journal

No abstract provided.

A Constructive Wesleyan Theological Proposal: Redemption And Sanctification Of Human Gender And Sexuality, Heather Ann Ackley

The Asbury Journal

No abstract provided.

Wholeness In Koinonia: A Prelude In A Wesleyan Quest For Kingdom Justice, John E. Charalambakis

The Asbury Journal

No abstract provided.

Is Your All On The Altar? The Quest For Wesleyan Perfection In Campus Revivals At Oberlin And Wheaton Colleges, Louis B. Gallien Jr.

The Asbury Journal

No abstract provided.

Methodism And The Recently Revised Baptism Liturgy, Laurence W. Wood

The Asbury Journal

No abstract provided.

The World Its Parish: Wesleyan Theology In The Postmodern Global Village, Roger E. Olson

The Asbury Journal

No abstract provided.

"How Wide Thy Healing Streams Are Spread": Constructing A Wesleyan Pentecostal Model Of Healing For The Twenty-First Century, Kimberly Ervin Alexander

The Asbury Journal

Eternal depth of love divine,

In Jesus, God with us, displayed;

How bright Thy beaming glories shine!

How wide Thy healing streams are spread!

With whom dost Thou delight to dwell?

Sinners, a vile and thankless race:

O God, what tongue aright can tell

How vas They love, how great They grace!

The dictates of Thy sovereign will

With joy our grateful hearts receive:

All Thy delight in us fulfil;

Lo! All we are to Thee we give

To They sure love, Thy tender care,

Our flesh, soul, spirit, we resign:

O fix They sacred presence there,

And seal the …