Charles Wesley
Kenneth G. C. Newport (ed.)
- Published in print:
- 2001
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780198269496
- eISBN:
- 9780191600807
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0198269498.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Literature
Charles Wesley was a man with real hymnographic genius, and not surprisingly it is chiefly for his poetic legacy that he is remembered. However, he was much more than just a hymn‐writer, and along ...
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Charles Wesley was a man with real hymnographic genius, and not surprisingly it is chiefly for his poetic legacy that he is remembered. However, he was much more than just a hymn‐writer, and along with his brother John, played a huge part in the birth and early growth of Methodism. To enable him to be assessed at his proper worth, major scholarship is required to bring all his prose works before a wider audience. Only twenty‐three sermons survive of the thousands he preached in his long life as a travelling evangelist, and as a more settled preacher. This volume collects together all these sermons, and presents a detailed text‐critical reading of them, with notes and indexes—including an index of the scripture quotations and allusions with which Wesley's work was totally saturated.There are four substantial introductory chapters, together making up a quarter of the book (90 pages out of 390). The first three examine in some depth the issues of Wesley and early Methodism; his preaching; and the theological characteristics and use of sources in his sermons. The fourth scrutinizes the sermon corpus in detail, considering the provenance and history of each of the twenty‐three sermons.Less
Charles Wesley was a man with real hymnographic genius, and not surprisingly it is chiefly for his poetic legacy that he is remembered. However, he was much more than just a hymn‐writer, and along with his brother John, played a huge part in the birth and early growth of Methodism. To enable him to be assessed at his proper worth, major scholarship is required to bring all his prose works before a wider audience. Only twenty‐three sermons survive of the thousands he preached in his long life as a travelling evangelist, and as a more settled preacher. This volume collects together all these sermons, and presents a detailed text‐critical reading of them, with notes and indexes—including an index of the scripture quotations and allusions with which Wesley's work was totally saturated.
There are four substantial introductory chapters, together making up a quarter of the book (90 pages out of 390). The first three examine in some depth the issues of Wesley and early Methodism; his preaching; and the theological characteristics and use of sources in his sermons. The fourth scrutinizes the sermon corpus in detail, considering the provenance and history of each of the twenty‐three sermons.
Gareth Lloyd
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- May 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780199295746
- eISBN:
- 9780191711701
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199295746.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Church History
Charles Wesley has been a problem figure for church historians. The great hymn‐writer's contribution to Methodism and the 18th century Evangelical Revival has frequently been seen primarily in terms ...
More
Charles Wesley has been a problem figure for church historians. The great hymn‐writer's contribution to Methodism and the 18th century Evangelical Revival has frequently been seen primarily in terms of his poetic work. His vital role in other aspects has been undervalued and often seen through a filter imposed by denominational historians who have Charles's brother John Wesley as the main focus of attention.This book examines Charles's relationship with his brother and role in Methodist affairs. In particular, Charles has often been portrayed as being isolated and out of touch with the needs and wishes of the Methodist people during the last thirty years of his life. This book shows that this view is a distortion and that he was in fact representative of a considerable body of opinion within the Wesleyan societies. The Church‐Methodist viewpoint that he championed against those who wished to separate from the Anglican Church had as great an impact on Methodist evolution as the better‐known opinions of his opponents. Out of this struggle came a denomination with an identity that was rooted in its Anglican past but with an evangelical dynamic that produced one of the great success stories of the 19th century Christian Church. Extensive use is made of neglected primary sources to present a substantial reappraisal of Charles Wesley's ministry, which in turn permits a new interpretation of aspects of the history of early Methodism, the 18th century Church of England and the way that Methodists have viewed their Church's past.Less
Charles Wesley has been a problem figure for church historians. The great hymn‐writer's contribution to Methodism and the 18th century Evangelical Revival has frequently been seen primarily in terms of his poetic work. His vital role in other aspects has been undervalued and often seen through a filter imposed by denominational historians who have Charles's brother John Wesley as the main focus of attention.
This book examines Charles's relationship with his brother and role in Methodist affairs. In particular, Charles has often been portrayed as being isolated and out of touch with the needs and wishes of the Methodist people during the last thirty years of his life. This book shows that this view is a distortion and that he was in fact representative of a considerable body of opinion within the Wesleyan societies. The Church‐Methodist viewpoint that he championed against those who wished to separate from the Anglican Church had as great an impact on Methodist evolution as the better‐known opinions of his opponents. Out of this struggle came a denomination with an identity that was rooted in its Anglican past but with an evangelical dynamic that produced one of the great success stories of the 19th century Christian Church. Extensive use is made of neglected primary sources to present a substantial reappraisal of Charles Wesley's ministry, which in turn permits a new interpretation of aspects of the history of early Methodism, the 18th century Church of England and the way that Methodists have viewed their Church's past.
Gareth Lloyd
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- May 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780199295746
- eISBN:
- 9780191711701
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199295746.003.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Church History
Charles Wesley was a complex man in terms of his denominational identity and this ambiguity is reflected in the Methodist movement that he helped to found. Some of the keys to understanding Charles ...
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Charles Wesley was a complex man in terms of his denominational identity and this ambiguity is reflected in the Methodist movement that he helped to found. Some of the keys to understanding Charles Wesley and his relationship with Methodism, the wider Evangelical Revival, and the Church of England can be found in a childhood shaped by a difficult environment and parents whose own denominational identities were a rich mix of Puritan and High Church Anglican tempered by influences from other Christian traditions. These same ingredients proved to be of fundamental importance in the making of Methodism.Less
Charles Wesley was a complex man in terms of his denominational identity and this ambiguity is reflected in the Methodist movement that he helped to found. Some of the keys to understanding Charles Wesley and his relationship with Methodism, the wider Evangelical Revival, and the Church of England can be found in a childhood shaped by a difficult environment and parents whose own denominational identities were a rich mix of Puritan and High Church Anglican tempered by influences from other Christian traditions. These same ingredients proved to be of fundamental importance in the making of Methodism.
Colin Podmore
- Published in print:
- 1998
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780198207252
- eISBN:
- 9780191677588
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198207252.001.0001
- Subject:
- History, British and Irish Modern History, History of Religion
The effects of the great Evangelical Revival in eighteenth-century England were felt throughout the world, not least in America. It has long been accepted that the Revival owed much of its initial ...
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The effects of the great Evangelical Revival in eighteenth-century England were felt throughout the world, not least in America. It has long been accepted that the Revival owed much of its initial impetus to the Moravian Church, but previous accounts of the Moravians' role have been inadequate and overly dependent on Wesleyan sources. This book uses original material from German as well as British archives to dispel common misunderstandings about the Moravians, and to reveal that their influence was much greater than has previously been acknowledged. It discusses what motivated people to join the Church, analyses the Moravians' changing relationships with John Wesley and George Whitefield, and shows how Anglican bishops responded to the Moravians' successive ecumenical strategies. Its analysis of the successful campaign to secure state recognition (granted in 1749) sheds light on the inner workings of the Hanoverian parliament. In conclusion, the book explores how acclaim quickly turned to ridicule in a crisis of unpopularity that was to affect the Moravian Church for a generation.Less
The effects of the great Evangelical Revival in eighteenth-century England were felt throughout the world, not least in America. It has long been accepted that the Revival owed much of its initial impetus to the Moravian Church, but previous accounts of the Moravians' role have been inadequate and overly dependent on Wesleyan sources. This book uses original material from German as well as British archives to dispel common misunderstandings about the Moravians, and to reveal that their influence was much greater than has previously been acknowledged. It discusses what motivated people to join the Church, analyses the Moravians' changing relationships with John Wesley and George Whitefield, and shows how Anglican bishops responded to the Moravians' successive ecumenical strategies. Its analysis of the successful campaign to secure state recognition (granted in 1749) sheds light on the inner workings of the Hanoverian parliament. In conclusion, the book explores how acclaim quickly turned to ridicule in a crisis of unpopularity that was to affect the Moravian Church for a generation.
Colin Podmore
- Published in print:
- 1998
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780198207252
- eISBN:
- 9780191677588
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198207252.003.0001
- Subject:
- History, British and Irish Modern History, History of Religion
Without the Moravians, English Church history would have been very different. It was the influence of a Moravian, Peter Böhler, that prompted the heartwarming experience that transformed John Wesley ...
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Without the Moravians, English Church history would have been very different. It was the influence of a Moravian, Peter Böhler, that prompted the heartwarming experience that transformed John Wesley from a tortured High-Church Oxford don into a revivalist leader, and it was from the Fetter Lane Society which Böhler founded that the Revival burst out in 1739 to spread throughout England. The Moravians remained a key force in the English Revival throughout its initial years, until in the 1750s they withdrew into obscurity. However, despite general acceptance of the Moravians' importance in eighteenth-century English Church history and interest in their relationships with Methodism, the Church of England, and Parliament, the early English Moravians have remained something of an enigma; at best, they have been but imperfectly understood, and misunderstandings still surround their history. This book examines the Moravian Church's external relations within the Evangelical Revival and with the Church of England, Parliament, and public opinion.Less
Without the Moravians, English Church history would have been very different. It was the influence of a Moravian, Peter Böhler, that prompted the heartwarming experience that transformed John Wesley from a tortured High-Church Oxford don into a revivalist leader, and it was from the Fetter Lane Society which Böhler founded that the Revival burst out in 1739 to spread throughout England. The Moravians remained a key force in the English Revival throughout its initial years, until in the 1750s they withdrew into obscurity. However, despite general acceptance of the Moravians' importance in eighteenth-century English Church history and interest in their relationships with Methodism, the Church of England, and Parliament, the early English Moravians have remained something of an enigma; at best, they have been but imperfectly understood, and misunderstandings still surround their history. This book examines the Moravian Church's external relations within the Evangelical Revival and with the Church of England, Parliament, and public opinion.
Gareth Lloyd
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- May 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780199295746
- eISBN:
- 9780191711701
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199295746.003.0002
- Subject:
- Religion, Church History
The most important relationship of Charles Wesley's life was with his brother John. From their days at Oxford University and involvement with the holy club, John and Charles forged an exceptionally ...
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The most important relationship of Charles Wesley's life was with his brother John. From their days at Oxford University and involvement with the holy club, John and Charles forged an exceptionally strong bond that was to become one of the most important contributory factors to the success of Wesleyan Methodism. Even though John was the dominant partner until 1749, Charles played an invaluable role in the birth and early years of the Methodist movement and in some aspects of ministry, he was his brother's superior.Less
The most important relationship of Charles Wesley's life was with his brother John. From their days at Oxford University and involvement with the holy club, John and Charles forged an exceptionally strong bond that was to become one of the most important contributory factors to the success of Wesleyan Methodism. Even though John was the dominant partner until 1749, Charles played an invaluable role in the birth and early years of the Methodist movement and in some aspects of ministry, he was his brother's superior.
Alan C. Clifford
- Published in print:
- 1990
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780198261957
- eISBN:
- 9780191682254
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198261957.003.0014
- Subject:
- Religion, Theology, History of Christianity
This chapter summarizes the discussion in the preceding chapters. It argues that Owen's particularism and Wesley's universalism are alike one-sided accounts of the gospel. At their best, both men may ...
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This chapter summarizes the discussion in the preceding chapters. It argues that Owen's particularism and Wesley's universalism are alike one-sided accounts of the gospel. At their best, both men may be regarded as semi-Calvinists, albeit from opposing perspectives. They both stress different sides of the paradox that Calvin held in tension. An alternative is offered by Richard Baxter, who was concerned to expound the textual data in an integrated manner without suppressing either the general or the particular aspects of the gospel. Tillotson enabled the clarification of the nature of saving faith, which in turn produced a more coherent solution to the Paul—James antinomy than Calvin and others could offer.Less
This chapter summarizes the discussion in the preceding chapters. It argues that Owen's particularism and Wesley's universalism are alike one-sided accounts of the gospel. At their best, both men may be regarded as semi-Calvinists, albeit from opposing perspectives. They both stress different sides of the paradox that Calvin held in tension. An alternative is offered by Richard Baxter, who was concerned to expound the textual data in an integrated manner without suppressing either the general or the particular aspects of the gospel. Tillotson enabled the clarification of the nature of saving faith, which in turn produced a more coherent solution to the Paul—James antinomy than Calvin and others could offer.
Stephen A. Marini
- Published in print:
- 2005
- Published Online:
- May 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780195173048
- eISBN:
- 9780199872091
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195173048.003.0008
- Subject:
- Music, Ethnomusicology, World Music
This chapter examines the ways in which early American hymns provided texts and discourse for American history by employing computer-assisted statistical analysis. Evangelical hymns formed as ...
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This chapter examines the ways in which early American hymns provided texts and discourse for American history by employing computer-assisted statistical analysis. Evangelical hymns formed as repertories and canons as they passed from English Protestant traditions to the social and sacred practices that accompanied the settlement of the United States from the late 18th through the 19th century, particularly at moments such as the Great Awakening. At the beginning of the 21st century, many hymns from historically evangelical practices have become the favorite hymns (e.g., those by Isaac Watt, and Charles and John Wesley) shared by Protestant denominations and beyond. The chapter compares the ways meaning in hymn texts affords meaning to American religious experience. Hymnody itself is presented comparatively, as texts (ritual song, sacred medium) and contexts (belief, spirituality) for the lives of evangelicals and the formation of their churches and denominations.Less
This chapter examines the ways in which early American hymns provided texts and discourse for American history by employing computer-assisted statistical analysis. Evangelical hymns formed as repertories and canons as they passed from English Protestant traditions to the social and sacred practices that accompanied the settlement of the United States from the late 18th through the 19th century, particularly at moments such as the Great Awakening. At the beginning of the 21st century, many hymns from historically evangelical practices have become the favorite hymns (e.g., those by Isaac Watt, and Charles and John Wesley) shared by Protestant denominations and beyond. The chapter compares the ways meaning in hymn texts affords meaning to American religious experience. Hymnody itself is presented comparatively, as texts (ritual song, sacred medium) and contexts (belief, spirituality) for the lives of evangelicals and the formation of their churches and denominations.
John A. Grigg
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- September 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780195372373
- eISBN:
- 9780199870868
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195372373.003.0006
- Subject:
- Religion, History of Christianity
John Wesley also saw Brainerd's life as an example that could be set before Christians. Wesley, too, had specific problems that he wanted to address through publishing Brainerd's life. In particular, ...
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John Wesley also saw Brainerd's life as an example that could be set before Christians. Wesley, too, had specific problems that he wanted to address through publishing Brainerd's life. In particular, he was concerned with the moral and spiritual failure of many of his itinerant preachers and with the increasing materialism of many of his followers. Both of these problems were addressed in Brainerd's writings, but Wesley had first to expunge the Calvinism which ran through Edwards's Life of Brainerd.Less
John Wesley also saw Brainerd's life as an example that could be set before Christians. Wesley, too, had specific problems that he wanted to address through publishing Brainerd's life. In particular, he was concerned with the moral and spiritual failure of many of his itinerant preachers and with the increasing materialism of many of his followers. Both of these problems were addressed in Brainerd's writings, but Wesley had first to expunge the Calvinism which ran through Edwards's Life of Brainerd.
J. R. Watson
- Published in print:
- 1999
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780198270027
- eISBN:
- 9780191600784
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/019827002X.003.0009
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Literature
Discusses the early hymns of the Methodist revival, beginning with John Wesley's translations from the German. Reviews John Wesley's work as an editor, culminating in his 1780 ‘Large Hymn Book’ and ...
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Discusses the early hymns of the Methodist revival, beginning with John Wesley's translations from the German. Reviews John Wesley's work as an editor, culminating in his 1780 ‘Large Hymn Book’ and the response of the Methodists to the problems of the time in Charles Wesley's hymns.Less
Discusses the early hymns of the Methodist revival, beginning with John Wesley's translations from the German. Reviews John Wesley's work as an editor, culminating in his 1780 ‘Large Hymn Book’ and the response of the Methodists to the problems of the time in Charles Wesley's hymns.
J. R. Watson (ed.)
- Published in print:
- 2002
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780198269731
- eISBN:
- 9780191600791
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0198269730.003.0007
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Literature
Contains 19 hymns from the great hymn writer of the Methodist movement, beginning with one of the enthusiastic hymns written at the time of his conversion, and continuing with his hymns for the Great ...
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Contains 19 hymns from the great hymn writer of the Methodist movement, beginning with one of the enthusiastic hymns written at the time of his conversion, and continuing with his hymns for the Great Festivals of the Christian year, and then his mature hymns on the love of God and on the Holy Spirit.Less
Contains 19 hymns from the great hymn writer of the Methodist movement, beginning with one of the enthusiastic hymns written at the time of his conversion, and continuing with his hymns for the Great Festivals of the Christian year, and then his mature hymns on the love of God and on the Holy Spirit.
M. Darrol Bryant
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- January 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780195306316
- eISBN:
- 9780199867721
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195306316.003.0006
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
The Protestant reformer Martin Luther denounced priestly celibacy as a universal policy, argued that it kept clergy and laypeople apart, and was opposed to the Word of God and against Christ because ...
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The Protestant reformer Martin Luther denounced priestly celibacy as a universal policy, argued that it kept clergy and laypeople apart, and was opposed to the Word of God and against Christ because such vows violated the freedom of the gospel and made religion a matter of rules, status, orders, and divisions rather than a spontaneous relation to God through Christ. It was also ridiculous to assume that virginity was superior to marriage, and there was a danger that the vow of celibacy could become a substitute for faith itself. Other reformers such as John Calvin, John Wesley, and Karl Barth focused on other problems associated with celibacy.Less
The Protestant reformer Martin Luther denounced priestly celibacy as a universal policy, argued that it kept clergy and laypeople apart, and was opposed to the Word of God and against Christ because such vows violated the freedom of the gospel and made religion a matter of rules, status, orders, and divisions rather than a spontaneous relation to God through Christ. It was also ridiculous to assume that virginity was superior to marriage, and there was a danger that the vow of celibacy could become a substitute for faith itself. Other reformers such as John Calvin, John Wesley, and Karl Barth focused on other problems associated with celibacy.
Maurice Peress
- Published in print:
- 2004
- Published Online:
- May 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780195098228
- eISBN:
- 9780199869817
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195098228.003.0007
- Subject:
- Music, History, Western
Prominent black intellectuals, led by a distinguished minister, John Wesley Crumell, and including the young scholar, William E. B. Dubois and the poet, Paul Dunbar, had their own ideas “for the ...
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Prominent black intellectuals, led by a distinguished minister, John Wesley Crumell, and including the young scholar, William E. B. Dubois and the poet, Paul Dunbar, had their own ideas “for the development of Negro genius”. Cook and Dunbar created the first all Negro musical show on Broadway, Clorindy, The Origin of the Cakewalk (1898), “moving the Great White Way from the waltz to ragtime”.Less
Prominent black intellectuals, led by a distinguished minister, John Wesley Crumell, and including the young scholar, William E. B. Dubois and the poet, Paul Dunbar, had their own ideas “for the development of Negro genius”. Cook and Dunbar created the first all Negro musical show on Broadway, Clorindy, The Origin of the Cakewalk (1898), “moving the Great White Way from the waltz to ragtime”.
John A Grigg
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- September 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780195372373
- eISBN:
- 9780199870868
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195372373.001.1
- Subject:
- Religion, History of Christianity
David Brainerd is one of the more recognizable names in the history of colonial America both to those inside the academy and to the general public. Much of his reputation is based on the picture ...
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David Brainerd is one of the more recognizable names in the history of colonial America both to those inside the academy and to the general public. Much of his reputation is based on the picture constructed by Jonathan Edwards in his bestselling Life of Brainerd. This new biography seeks to restore Brainerd to the context of the culture in which he lived. Combining archival research with the most recent scholarship on the Great Awakening and Indian missions, the book argues that Brainerd's work among the Indians resulted from his determination to combine two major parts of his life experience. Rather than being forced into Indian missions by his expulsion from Yale, Brainerd made a deliberate decision to work among the Indians as a way to combine the sense of order and tradition inherited from his family with the radical experiences of the revivals of the 1740s. In the second part of the book examines how the constructed version of Brainerd was brought about. In separate chapters devoted to Jonathan Edwards and John Wesley, it argues that each of them crafted their versions of Brainerd's life in order to address specific problems. The book also examines how subsequent generations of evangelicals utilized Brainerd for their own purposes. The David Brainerd who emerges from this work will be both familiar and new to academics and evangelicals alike.Less
David Brainerd is one of the more recognizable names in the history of colonial America both to those inside the academy and to the general public. Much of his reputation is based on the picture constructed by Jonathan Edwards in his bestselling Life of Brainerd. This new biography seeks to restore Brainerd to the context of the culture in which he lived. Combining archival research with the most recent scholarship on the Great Awakening and Indian missions, the book argues that Brainerd's work among the Indians resulted from his determination to combine two major parts of his life experience. Rather than being forced into Indian missions by his expulsion from Yale, Brainerd made a deliberate decision to work among the Indians as a way to combine the sense of order and tradition inherited from his family with the radical experiences of the revivals of the 1740s. In the second part of the book examines how the constructed version of Brainerd was brought about. In separate chapters devoted to Jonathan Edwards and John Wesley, it argues that each of them crafted their versions of Brainerd's life in order to address specific problems. The book also examines how subsequent generations of evangelicals utilized Brainerd for their own purposes. The David Brainerd who emerges from this work will be both familiar and new to academics and evangelicals alike.
J. R. Watson
- Published in print:
- 1999
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780198270027
- eISBN:
- 9780191600784
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/019827002X.003.0010
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Literature
Talks about Charles Wesley's use of the Bible, the Book of Common Prayer, the psalms, and other sources. Reviews his adaptation of other poets, such as Milton, Young, and Popeand the techniques of ...
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Talks about Charles Wesley's use of the Bible, the Book of Common Prayer, the psalms, and other sources. Reviews his adaptation of other poets, such as Milton, Young, and Popeand the techniques of his hymn writing.Less
Talks about Charles Wesley's use of the Bible, the Book of Common Prayer, the psalms, and other sources. Reviews his adaptation of other poets, such as Milton, Young, and Popeand the techniques of his hymn writing.
Peter J. Thuesen
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- September 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780195174274
- eISBN:
- 9780199872138
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195174274.003.0004
- Subject:
- Religion, Theology, Church History
This chapter examines the emergence of Arminianism and other challenges to absolute predestination in 18th‐century America. Much of the early opposition to the old Puritan synthesis came from ...
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This chapter examines the emergence of Arminianism and other challenges to absolute predestination in 18th‐century America. Much of the early opposition to the old Puritan synthesis came from Anglican missionaries bent on bringing their wayward brethren back into England's established church. Colonial figures such as Samuel Johnson of Connecticut derided Calvinist predestination as antithetical to biblical truth. Many Anglicans were motivated by high‐church sacramentalism, and this outlook influenced the young John Wesley, the Methodist founder and the most famous Arminian in American history. Wesley came to blows with more Calvinistic revivalists such as George Whitefield over predestination, and the resulting rift persists in evangelicalism to this day. Because the 18th century was also the age of Enlightenment, it bequeathed to American culture an enduring strain of rationalism regarding predestination and the associated doctrines of hell and providence. The chapter shows how these emergent doubts altered popular thinking about divine sovereignty.Less
This chapter examines the emergence of Arminianism and other challenges to absolute predestination in 18th‐century America. Much of the early opposition to the old Puritan synthesis came from Anglican missionaries bent on bringing their wayward brethren back into England's established church. Colonial figures such as Samuel Johnson of Connecticut derided Calvinist predestination as antithetical to biblical truth. Many Anglicans were motivated by high‐church sacramentalism, and this outlook influenced the young John Wesley, the Methodist founder and the most famous Arminian in American history. Wesley came to blows with more Calvinistic revivalists such as George Whitefield over predestination, and the resulting rift persists in evangelicalism to this day. Because the 18th century was also the age of Enlightenment, it bequeathed to American culture an enduring strain of rationalism regarding predestination and the associated doctrines of hell and providence. The chapter shows how these emergent doubts altered popular thinking about divine sovereignty.
Alan Harding
- Published in print:
- 2003
- Published Online:
- April 2004
- ISBN:
- 9780198263692
- eISBN:
- 9780191601149
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0198263694.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Church History
The Countess of Huntingdon’s Connexion has been one of the neglected strands in the eighteenth-century Evangelical Revival. This is surprising, since the Connexion was one of the most significant of ...
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The Countess of Huntingdon’s Connexion has been one of the neglected strands in the eighteenth-century Evangelical Revival. This is surprising, since the Connexion was one of the most significant of the non-Wesleyan groups within the Revival. Its importance lay less in its ministry to the upper classes, than as a grass-roots religious movement. It had its own training college (one of the first such institutions in England specifically directed to the development of ministerial skills) and formed a network of chapels across the country. Like Wesley, Lady Huntingdon started her religious life as a member of the Church of England, and clergymen played an important part in her Connexion throughout her life. But events led the Connexion to secede from the Established Church and to establish its own ordination and articles of religion. Through its preachers, congregations, and example, the Connexion made a significant contribution to the revival of Dissent in England in the late eighteenth century. This book examines in detail how the Connexion worked: who its preachers were, where their hearers came from, how chapels came to be built, and who provided the money. It examines the relations between the Connexion and other religious groupings: with the Church of England, with Dissent, with other Calvinist evangelicals, and with the Wesleyans. It shows a popular religious movement in operation, and thereby provides an important insight into English religious life at the time.Less
The Countess of Huntingdon’s Connexion has been one of the neglected strands in the eighteenth-century Evangelical Revival. This is surprising, since the Connexion was one of the most significant of the non-Wesleyan groups within the Revival. Its importance lay less in its ministry to the upper classes, than as a grass-roots religious movement. It had its own training college (one of the first such institutions in England specifically directed to the development of ministerial skills) and formed a network of chapels across the country. Like Wesley, Lady Huntingdon started her religious life as a member of the Church of England, and clergymen played an important part in her Connexion throughout her life. But events led the Connexion to secede from the Established Church and to establish its own ordination and articles of religion. Through its preachers, congregations, and example, the Connexion made a significant contribution to the revival of Dissent in England in the late eighteenth century. This book examines in detail how the Connexion worked: who its preachers were, where their hearers came from, how chapels came to be built, and who provided the money. It examines the relations between the Connexion and other religious groupings: with the Church of England, with Dissent, with other Calvinist evangelicals, and with the Wesleyans. It shows a popular religious movement in operation, and thereby provides an important insight into English religious life at the time.
Karen B. Westerfield Tucker
- Published in print:
- 2001
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780195126983
- eISBN:
- 9780199834754
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/019512698X.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, History of Christianity
This book offers a comprehensive examination and analysis of American Methodist worship, tracing its evolution from John Wesley to the end of the twentieth century. Attention is paid to the ...
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This book offers a comprehensive examination and analysis of American Methodist worship, tracing its evolution from John Wesley to the end of the twentieth century. Attention is paid to the officially approved liturgical texts of ten American Methodist denominations. Yet, these texts do not reveal the full complexity of Methodist worship – leaders of worship have always had the freedom to depart from the established forms, and some characteristically Methodist worship services were organized without official texts. Therefore, other sources are scrutinized to provide a broader assessment. This book draws upon personal diaries and journals, church and secular newspapers, and materials from local church archives, thus exposing the processes and influences – ecclesiastical, social, and cultural – that motivated Methodists to rethink their theology of worship and to reorganize their worship praxis. Such an approach permits consideration of the nontextual matters of liturgical space, choreography, and ritual performance. Methodist worship's interactions with the wider society and cultures are addressed, and an evaluation is made of how particular factors and developments evident in national life affected liturgy and the performance of worship in what may be identified as the “Americanization” of Methodist worship.Less
This book offers a comprehensive examination and analysis of American Methodist worship, tracing its evolution from John Wesley to the end of the twentieth century. Attention is paid to the officially approved liturgical texts of ten American Methodist denominations. Yet, these texts do not reveal the full complexity of Methodist worship – leaders of worship have always had the freedom to depart from the established forms, and some characteristically Methodist worship services were organized without official texts. Therefore, other sources are scrutinized to provide a broader assessment. This book draws upon personal diaries and journals, church and secular newspapers, and materials from local church archives, thus exposing the processes and influences – ecclesiastical, social, and cultural – that motivated Methodists to rethink their theology of worship and to reorganize their worship praxis. Such an approach permits consideration of the nontextual matters of liturgical space, choreography, and ritual performance. Methodist worship's interactions with the wider society and cultures are addressed, and an evaluation is made of how particular factors and developments evident in national life affected liturgy and the performance of worship in what may be identified as the “Americanization” of Methodist worship.
John Wigger
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- September 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780195387803
- eISBN:
- 9780199866410
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195387803.003.0010
- Subject:
- Religion, History of Christianity
Despite the revolutionary implications of the Christmas conference, much remained the same. The church’s theology and culture remained the same and Asbury was recognized as the church’s most ...
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Despite the revolutionary implications of the Christmas conference, much remained the same. The church’s theology and culture remained the same and Asbury was recognized as the church’s most important leader. Coke returned from England in 1787 with instructions from John Wesley to ordain Richard Whatcoat a superintendent. The American preachers, led by James O’Kelly, rejected Wesley’s directions and reduced Coke’s authority in America. The year 1787 also marked the beginning of a sustained revival that extended through 1789, particularly across the South. Asbury encouraged and welcomed the revival, though the resulting expansion of the church increased his workload significantly.Less
Despite the revolutionary implications of the Christmas conference, much remained the same. The church’s theology and culture remained the same and Asbury was recognized as the church’s most important leader. Coke returned from England in 1787 with instructions from John Wesley to ordain Richard Whatcoat a superintendent. The American preachers, led by James O’Kelly, rejected Wesley’s directions and reduced Coke’s authority in America. The year 1787 also marked the beginning of a sustained revival that extended through 1789, particularly across the South. Asbury encouraged and welcomed the revival, though the resulting expansion of the church increased his workload significantly.
John Wigger
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- September 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780195387803
- eISBN:
- 9780199866410
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195387803.003.0012
- Subject:
- Religion, History of Christianity
One measure of the church’s success was that it now had to deal with imposters who pretended to be Methodist preachers. Still, growth slowed in the 1790s and membership actually declined in the ...
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One measure of the church’s success was that it now had to deal with imposters who pretended to be Methodist preachers. Still, growth slowed in the 1790s and membership actually declined in the South. Despite nagging sickness Asbury traveled across the mountains to Kentucky in the spring of 1790. But he still faced sustained opposition to the council, particularly in southern Virginia where O’Kelly’s influence was greatest. In the midst of these troubles, Asbury’s piety remained little changed. The second (and last) meeting of the council in December 1790 accomplished little. Coke and O’Kelly demanded that a general conference be called for 1792. Meanwhile, Coke wrote a secret letter to Bishop William White of the Protestant Episcopal Church, proposing a reconciliation of the Methodist and Episcopal churches. John Wesley’s death in March 1791 threw all of Coke’s plans in disarray. As Coke returned to England, Asbury took a tour of New England, where there were yet few Methodists.Less
One measure of the church’s success was that it now had to deal with imposters who pretended to be Methodist preachers. Still, growth slowed in the 1790s and membership actually declined in the South. Despite nagging sickness Asbury traveled across the mountains to Kentucky in the spring of 1790. But he still faced sustained opposition to the council, particularly in southern Virginia where O’Kelly’s influence was greatest. In the midst of these troubles, Asbury’s piety remained little changed. The second (and last) meeting of the council in December 1790 accomplished little. Coke and O’Kelly demanded that a general conference be called for 1792. Meanwhile, Coke wrote a secret letter to Bishop William White of the Protestant Episcopal Church, proposing a reconciliation of the Methodist and Episcopal churches. John Wesley’s death in March 1791 threw all of Coke’s plans in disarray. As Coke returned to England, Asbury took a tour of New England, where there were yet few Methodists.
