Wesley set out to renew the church he loved and he was prepared to employ any appropriate material from the whole history of Christianity to do it.
DR. CHARLES YRIGOYEN JR. | posted 1/01/1983 12:00AM
The theology of John Wesley was not created in a vacuum. His experience, understanding and practice of the Christian faith were influenced by many expressions of its historic development. His theological heritage was shaped by the views of his parents, formal education, extensive reading and study, and constant reflection. By these means he became familiar with a wide variety of personalities, movements and schools of thought whose theological positions informed his life and beliefs.
Wesley was not reluctant to appropriate any portion of Christian tradition which he considered reputable and suitable to undergird Christian commitment. If it passed his critical scrutiny, he was ready to adopt it for his personal use and for the guidance of the Methodist societies. Without disparaging his creativity one must acknowledge that he was a skillful borrower and synthesizer of ideas from many sources.
An outstanding example of Wesley’s ability to use some of the breadth of Christian tradition and ...
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