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…
Wesleyanism
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…
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…
Charles Wesley, “Come Thou Long Expected Jesus”
In light of the current Christmas season of 2023, we posted yesterday on Arminian churchman Charles Wesley (brother of John Wesley) and his Christmas carol “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.” As that post mentioned, Charles…
Charles Wesley, “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing”
Arminian churchman and brother of John Wesley, Charles Wesley, is considered to be one of the greatest hymn writers of all time and was labeled by one Christian History article as the “greatest hymn writer of…
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…
Two Free Online Courses on Wesleyan Theology with Dr. Ken Collins
There are now two courses with Dr. Collins online, with free access, at biblicaltraining.org: Wesleyan Theology I (21 lectures): https://www.biblicaltraining.org/wesleyan-theology1/ken-collins Wesleyan Theology II (19 lectures): https://www.biblicaltraining.org/wesleyan-theology2/ken-collins Dr. Ken Collins is also the author of The Theology of John…
Eric Landstrom, “Christian Discipleship and Sin”
Grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ (2 Pet 3:18). Consider your joy in salvation. Repeatedly well-meaning, well-intentioned disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ justify their poor, worldly,…
Andrew Sullivan, “Harmony of the Arminian Faith: A Proposal to the Global Methodist Church, Chapter 1”
The United Methodist Church, being formed in 1968 by a merger between the Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church (i.e., the German speaking Methodist church), is finally at an end. Torn apart on…
Mark K. Olson, “The Revival and Methodist Self-Understanding”
Abstract: This second installment [you can see the first one here] examines how early Methodists understood Methodism as an eschatological movement, called to help usher in the millennium through the proclamation of salvation and holiness.…
Mark K. Olson, “Millennial Aspirations and the Problem of Religious Nominalism”
Abstract: This is part one of a five-part study on John Wesley’s eschatology. This opening article recounts the development of eschatology in England from the Protestant Reformation to the Evangelical Revival in the eighteenth century.…
Kenneth J. Collins & Robert W. Wall, “Reading Scripture as Wesleyans: The Contribution of the Wesley One Volume Commentary”
Please click on the link to read Kenneth J. Collins & Robert W. Wall, “Reading Scripture as Wesleyans: The Contribution of the Wesley One Volume Commentary”, a discussion of The Wesley One-Volume Commentary, edited by Kenneth…
Eric Landstrom “The Wesleyan Rejection of the Southern Baptist Distinctive of Once Saved, Always Saved (OSAS)”
The following is from a post authored by Eric Landstrom from the Society of Evangelical Arminians Private Facebook Group back on March 5th, 2021, discussing the Southern Baptist distinction of once saved, always saved (OSAS)…
Don Thorsen, “Introduction: Christians Live More Like Wesley than Calvin”
Please click on the link below to read an excerpt from Calvin vs. Wesley: Bringing Belief in Line With Practice by Don Thorsen, available online by permission at the Ministry Matters website: Introduction: Christians Live More…
Recent Posts
William Burt Pope on Inspiration as a Credential of Divine Revelation
Andrew Whitney Perkins, “Pauline Style and a Biblical Theology”
Mark K. Olson, “John Wesley on Life after Death”
Roy Ingle, “The Strongest Passage for Conditional Security”
