It is widely known that John Wesley opposed Calvinism, but many don’t know how he came to adopt the Arminian view and why he opposed Calvinism. To begin with, Wesley learned his Arminianism from his parents, Samuel and Susanna Wesley, who were high church Anglicans. High churchmanship in the 17th and 18th centuries leaned heavily toward Arminianism in theology. So Wesley developed his opposition to Calvinism quite naturally. His education at Oxford was Arminian in flavor as the university supported high church Anglicanism.
When Wesley became an evangelical in 1738 his opposition toward Calvinism did not lessen. Instead, by 1739 he was publicly calling out what he felt were their errors regarding unconditional election, absolute predestination, limited atonement, irresistible grace (denial of free will), and eternal security (perseverance of the saints). His central concern was that such teachings espoused antinomianism which undercut the necessity of holy living in the Christian life.
Wesley’s Arminian Theology
It must be understood that Wesley did not deny eternal election and predestination. Instead, what he opposed was absolute, unconditional election and predestination. He believed in conditional election based on divine foreknowledge. His reading of Romans 8:29-30 was that God foreknew who would freely believe in Christ and that predestination in this text speaks of believers conformity to Christ as the end-goal of their faith.
On free will, Wesley denied what he called natural free will. Since we all are sinners due to Adam’s transgression, no one can seek and find God on their own. God must graciously reach out to sinner’s for them to be saved. Wesley was convinced that God in his love reaches out to every person and gives grace to every person to respond to his truth. He called this prevenient or preventing grace – the grace that comes before salvation. A fruit of preventing grace is the gift of free response to God’s revealed truth (free will on salvation).
Regarding justification, Wesley affirmed imputed righteousness, but denied that Christ’s human obedience is imputed to believers so that they do not need to obey Christ themselves. Wesley opposed any concept of the atonement or justification that undermined the scriptural teaching on the necessity of holy living for final salvation.
Like other Arminians Wesley believed a Christian can lose their salvation if they turn away from Christ in unbelief and a sinful lifestyle. This life remains a state of probation and testing and final salvation requires a life of perseverance in obedience and holy living.
Wesley’s Controversies with Calvinists
Wesley had three major controversies with the Calvinists: (1) the Free Grace Controversy with George Whitefield over predestination (1739-1745), (2) the Imputed Righteousness Controversy with James Hervey (1756-1766), (3) the infamous Minutes Controversy with Calvinists over the role of good works in our salvation (1770-1777). See the Minutes Controversy page for more information.
Locating all of Wesley’s writings on Calvinism is a difficult task. There are a few that are no longer available, but even the ones that are can be a challenge to locate. Below is one of the most comprehensive listings of Wesley’s writings on Calvinism in their chronological order, and organized according to the controversy to which they belong. The importance of having them listed chronologically is that it enables a reader to discern development in Wesley’s thought on the subject.
Free Grace Controversy:
Sermon: Free Grace 1739
Serious Considerations Concerning Election & Reprobation 1740
Dialogue Between Predestinarian & Friend 1741
Scripture Doctrine of Election and Predestination 1741
Hymns on God’s Everlasting Love 1741
Calvinistic Controversy 1743
Extract of Baxter’s Aphorisms on Justification 1745
Miscellaneous Works:
Serious Thoughts on Perseverance of Saints 1751
Predestination Calmly Considered 1752
Extract of Westminster Shorter Catechism 1753
The Imputed Righteousness Controversy:
Letter to James Hervey 1756
Sufficient Answer to ‘Letters to Author Theron & Aspasio’ 1757
Letter to a Gentleman at Bristol 1758
Thoughts Imputed Righteousness 1762
Extract of Goodwin’s Treatise on Justification 1765
Sermon: The Lord Our Righteousness 1765
Remarks on Defense of Preface to Edinburgh Edition 1766
The Minutes Controversy:
Question ‘What is an Arminian?’ Answered 1770
Doctrine of Absolute Predestination Stated 1770
The Consequence Proved 1771
Some Remarks on Mr Hill’s Review 1772
Some Remarks on Mr Hill’s Farrago Double Distilled 1773
Sermon: On Predestination 1773
Thoughts on Necessity (Free Will) 1774
Thoughts on God’s Sovereignty 1777
Answer to Rowland Hill 1777
The Arminian Magazine
The Minutes Controversy finally compelled Wesley to begin a regular publication that would highlight an Arminian view of the evangelical faith. Publication began in 1778 and continued beyond Wesley’s lifetime. To access copies of the Arminian Magazine, see the John Wesley page.
Final Thoughts:
Thoughts on Salvation by Faith 1779
A Thought on Necessity 1780
Thoughts Concerning Gospel Ministers 1784
[This post was taken with permission from the Featured Monthly Resources Page on Mark K. Olson’s website.]
