Abstract: In this two-part study John Wesley’s understanding of the baptism with the Holy Spirit is examined in detail. The phrase has been linked to a second, post-justification blessing in Holiness and Pentecostal theology. The…
Methodism
Clayton Sidenbender, “How a Small US Evangelical Seminary Is Defying the Odds”
Please click on the link to view Clayton Sidenbender, “How a Small US Evangelical Seminary Is Defying the Odds.” The subhead of the article reads: “The school, which has grown 500% in 6 years, was…
Mark K. Olson, “From the Beginning to the End: John Wesley’s Doctrine of Creation”
Abstract: John Wesley is widely recognized for his contributions to the subject of soteriology (doctrine of salvation). Yet, his doctrine of creation serves as a backdrop and context for his teachings on salvation, sanctification, and…
Mark K. Olson, “Wesley’s ‘Warmed Heart’ at Aldersgate – What Really Happened?”
Abstract: Wesley’s religious experience at Aldersgate remains the most famous and debated event in his life. Scholars disagree on what the experience meant to Wesley at the time and over his lifetime. This article reviews…
Adam Roe, “The Crucial Thread of Prevenient Grace: A Wesleyan Perspective on Divine Drawing”
Please click on the link to view Adam Roe, “The Crucial Thread of Prevenient Grace: A Wesleyan Perspective on Divine Drawing,” Firebrand (April 9, 2024) https://firebrandmag.com/articles/the-crucial-thread-of-prevenient-grace.
Julian E. Pace IV, “Pietist Credentials of John Wesley”
Abstract: This article explores how the Pietist impulse, in both its “churchly” and “radical” forms, profoundly shaped the theology and spirituality of John Wesley. Churchly Pietists such as the Moravians, as well as the radical…
Andrew Sullivan, “Harmony of the Arminian Faith: A Proposal to the Global Methodist Church” (Full Thesis)
Please click on the attachment to view Andrew Sullivan, “Harmony of the Arminian Faith: A Proposal to the Global Methodist Church.” John Wesley left the people called Methodist a trio of doctrinal…
Mark K. Olson, “Suffering and Becoming Holy: Insights from John Wesley’s Pastoral Counsel”
Abstract: The problem of human suffering has conflicted many people. The eighteenth century was no different, for it was rife with suffering and death, with the average life span a short 37 years. John Wesley…
Julian E. Pace IV, “John Wesley and the Moravians: 1735-1741”
Abstract: This article documents John Wesley’s earliest interactions with the Moravians. Wesley enjoyed a cordial relationship with the Moravians between 1735-1739. Unfortunately, due to personality clashes and growing theological differences, Wesley’s relationship with the Moravians…
Mark K. Olson, “The Stillness Controversy of 1740: Tradition Shaping Scripture Reading”
Abstract: The influence of our Christian traditions upon our reading of scripture is deep and profound, even working at a subconscious level. This article demonstrates this truth by examining the role that tradition played in…
Mark K. Olson, “Opening Salvation’s Door: Acts 10:35 and John Wesley’s Inclusivism”
Abstract: This article explores John Wesley’s inclusivism regarding the future salvation of non-Christians, like Jews, Moslems, and other religious people. Reflecting on Acts 10:35, Wesley became convinced that the foundation for future salvation was not…
Mark K. Olson, “John Wesley’s Doctrine of the Holy Spirit”
Abstract: This article outlines Wesley’s theology of the Holy Spirit. It is shown that Wesley’s pneumatology was trinitarian in structure and included soteriological, epistemological, and eschatological themes. These four emphases serve to structure this article.…
Mark K. Olson, “Theme of Real Christianity in John Wesley’s Commentary on the Book of Revelation”
Abstract: This is the final installment of a six-part series on John Wesley’s eschatology. The theme of real Christianity is shown to have guided Wesley in his commentary on Revelation. Several insightful lessons come from…
Video: The Arminian Legacy in Methodism: An Interview with Brian Abasciano
Jeffrey Rickman had Brian Abasciano, the President of the Society of Evangelical Arminians, on the PlainSpoken podcast for an interview on the Arminian legacy in Methodism in the context of consideration of what role Arminian…
Mark K. Olson, “John Wesley’s Order of Eschatological Events”
Abstract: As a postmillennialist Wesley understood the books of Daniel and Revelation to spell out salvation history from the 6th century BCE to the final consummation. The kingdom of God arrives in two phases: at…
Mark K. Olson, “Major Themes in John Wesley’s Eschatology”
Abstract: This fourth installment of a six-part series highlights the central themes in Wesley’s eschatology. First, he believed the Evangelical Revival was preparing the way for the millennial reign of Christ through the conversion of…
Wilbur F. Tillett, “Methodism Is Arminianism Put into Practice for the Salvation of Souls & the Evangelization of the World” (1906)
[This post first appeared at GospelEncounter.wordpress.com] Here is Wilbur F. Tillett, Vanderbilt University, in A Statement of the Faith of World-wide Methodism (1906): The Arminianism of Holland, even in its earliest and purest form, was but a…
Mark K. Olson, “From Heaven Above to New Creation Below”
Abstract: In this third installment, John Wesley’s eschatology is surveyed from his Oxford period in the 1720s to his mature thoughts in the 1780s. It is further shown that the early Wesley was an amillennialist…
Mark K. Olson, “The Revival and Methodist Self-Understanding”
Abstract: This second installment in a six-part series examines how early Methodists understood Methodism as an eschatological movement, called to help usher in the millennium through the proclamation of salvation and holiness. Wesley’s 1739 Journal…
Mark K. Olson, “Early Methodist Christology”
Christmas is a season we celebrate the incarnation. The 18th century saw the rise of anti-Trinitarian theologies that undermined belief in Christ’s deity. Some scholars argue that John Wesley held a deficient view of the…
