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Wesleyan Theology

Nelson Mandela's Wesleyan Roots

NelsonMandela5“The Church was as concerned with this world as the next: I saw that virtually all of the achievements of Africans seemed to have come about through the missionary work of the Church.”
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Steve Harper: The Aim of the Christian Life

Steve-HarperA guest blog by Steven Harper. “Christian perfection is the aim of the Christian life, but because we have so caricatured the idea most people run from it.” Read More...
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Recent Posts on the United Methodist Quadrilateral

Wesleyan-Quadrilateral-bwSince I just linked to some posts from a United Methodist blogger already this morning, I also want to draw attention to the recent controversy in the Methoblogosphere over the Wesleyan Quadrilateral. Read More...
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Hopeful Inclusivism (Some Quotes)

Justin_MartyrVarious quotes from theologians — new and old — supporting the view I call Hopeful Inclusivism. Read More...
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Grace & the Unevangelized

canterbury-altarWhile Wesleyan theology does not teach or imply Universal Salvation it does teach Universal Grace. The scope of grace is seen as being wider than it might be from some other points of view. Read More...
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Eradication of the Sin Nature? Huh?

fire-fireplaceWhy did the Holiness writers in the Wesleyan tradition speak of the “eradication of the sin nature”? What on earth did they mean by that? Read More...
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Some Helpful Wesleyan Perspectives

41o7wosNmLLReflections on some quotations from an essay by Jerry Walls and Kyle Blanchette. Read More...
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John Wesley the Hopeful Inclusivist

jwesley-48rcblue”…I have no authority from the Word of God ‘to judge those that are without.’ Nor do I conceive that any man living has a right to sentence all the heathen and Mahometan world to damnation.” Read More...
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Holiness Texts: Romans 2:29

JWesley-Outdoors1"But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God." Read More...
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Wesley: Two Paths

jwesley-48rcblueA quote from John Wesley: Christians have “the choice of walking in the higher or the lower path.” Read More...
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Ben Witherington: Why a Wesleyan Approach to Theology?

ben-witherington-3Yes, this is another video in the excellent 7 Minute Seminary series from Asbury Theological Seminary. Read More...
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Holiness Texts: John 17:17-23

JWesley-Outdoors1"'Sanctify them in the truth; Thy word is truth. As Thou didst send Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth. I do not ask in behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be in Us; that the world may believe that Thou didst send Me. And the glory which Thou hast given Me I have given to them; that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, that the world may know that Thou didst send Me, and didst love them, even as Thou didst love Me.'" Read More...
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Holiness Texts: John 8:34-36

JWesley-Outdoors1"Jesus answered them, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin. And the slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever. If therefore the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed'." (John 8:34-36, NASB.) Read More...
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Holiness Texts: Matthew 22:37

John-Wesley-Outdoors1"And He said to him, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’" — Matthew 22:37, NASB. Read More...
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Holiness Texts: Matthew 6:10

John-Wesley-Outdoors1"Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven." — Matthew 6:10. Read More...
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Holiness & The Means of Grace

Wesley&Sanctification-bkA quote from an old (1946) study of the theology of John Wesley (emphasis mine)… Read More...
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Holiness Texts: Matthew 5:48

Wesley_preaching"Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect." — Matthew 5:48, NASB. Read More...
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Lindström: God's Law Keeps Us Alive

10-commandments2A brief quote on the function of the moral law in the Christian life. Read More...
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Holiness Texts: Ezekiel 36:25, 26, 29

John-Wesley-Outdoors1“Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh." Ezekiel 36:25,26, NASB. "Moreover, I will save you from all your uncleanness; and I will call for the grain and multiply it, and I will not bring a famine on you." Ezekiel 36:29, NASB. Read More...
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Lindström: Forgiveness & Sanctification

51pywOypPLL._SL500_AA300_“Forgiveness and sanctification are the two cardinal factors in [John Wesley’s] idea of salvation….” Read More...
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Lindström: Faith & Final Salvation

Wesley&Sanctification-bk“Thus the condition necessary to final salvation coincides fairly closely with that necessary to the maintenance of the Christian life in general. In both cases it is a matter of the faith active in love.” Read More...
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Holiness Texts: Matthew 5:8

John-Wesley-Outdoors1"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." Matthew 5:8, NASB. Read More...
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The Holiness Texts of John Wesley

JWesley-Outdoors1John Wesley taught that people cannot have the kind of the faith that brings them into a new or deeper experience of God's grace unless they first had "a Divine evidence and conviction... that God hath promised it in the Holy Scripture." Read More...
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Matt's Reply

Matt_OReilly_3923Today I just want to briefly note that Matt O’Reilly responded to my post from yesterday…. Read More...
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A Wesleyan Voice? #AndCanItBe

MattoReillyA brief response to some concerns and ideas raised by Kevin Watson & Matt O’Reilly. Read More...
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Holiness and the Bible

bible-light-bulbI have this crazy notion that even if people forgot about Wesley and Fletcher and Clarke and Finney and Mahan, etc. but would just come to the Bible with open hearts & minds, the holiness themes would re-assert themselves. Read More...
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On Assurance and Faith

aldersgate-plaqueI am sure that neither the Calvinists nor the Anglican Arminians of Wesley’s day could foresee the deadly way Calvinism and Arminianism would become mingled together in the popular evangelicalism of our day. Read More...
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Quotes from Cleansed and Abiding

Cleansed-and-Abiding-cover-219x300Here are some quotes I recently shared on Twitter, from Cleansed and Abiding: A Proposed View of Christian Perfection by James-Michael Smith. I recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a fresh re-interpretation of Wesley’s doctrine of Christian Perfection — and for anyone who wonders about it.
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Some Things That Methodism Stands For

bookHere's a great old article about Methodism and what the Methodist churches teach — and seek to live. The author summarizes the things that have made Methodism a distinctive movement within Christianity. Read More...
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Desire for God

Wesley Study BibleWords of wisdom from The Wesley Study Bible. Read More...
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Reversing the Flow of Contagion

Bob_Buehler“...the New Testament shows Jesus touching the unclean and not being defiled thereby.” Read More...
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