Wesley on Original Sin: "Part 1"...maybe not what you think
In 1756, John Wesley began writing what would be his largest treatise, The Doctrine of Original Sin according to Scripture, Reason, and Experience. This work was written in objection to John Taylor's work from 1740 on the same subject. Taylor's presentation amounted to a Unitarian doctrine of God, an Arian Christology, and a Socinian atonement model, in which Christ's death is really nothing more than a demonstration of the love of God that humans are called to imitate to align themselves in the favour of God. The preface of Wesley's work indicates that he (Wesley, that is) views sin in terms of a disease that needs the healing touch of the Great Physician (194; all refer

A simple question about penal substitutionary atonement
I'm working on the atonement in the thought of John Wesley and the general consensus is that Wesley's basic understanding is synonymous with the penal substitutionary version of the satisfaction theory of the atonement (even if other 'models' or 'theories' are implicit in his thought elsewhere). From what I have found, the consensus is fairly accurate. For the most part, even though he didn't write a major treatise on the subject, when Wesley addresses the atonement specifically, the concept is predominantly (though not exclusively) latent with language of punishment and satisfaction. I.e., the punishment that was due humanity was laid upon Christ in our stead. As a 'theory,' penal substitu

Ecuadorian worship this morning
This morning at the Revitalization consultation, "Pentecost and the New Humanity" we were led in worship by two leaders of a church in Ecuador. The language of the service was in Spanish (with translation into English) and involved physical movement all the participants...dancing and hugging, among other physical activities. Just imagine: world class scholars, indigenous church leaders, representatives from many ecclesial bodies taking part together in Latin dance whilst worshiping the Lord!What struck me, more than just what I was witnessing and experiencing, was the beauty of the integration of mission a

Some things for which to stay tuned...
Pentecost and the New HumanityDuring this weekend, I will be behind the scenes of a consultation where scholars and practitioners of Christian revitalization (including both historical and contemporary movements) will share and investigate the ways in which the Spirit of God is moving around the world and across ecclesial communities. I'll be working on updating the site with data and insights gleaned from the weekend.Q3 - Can you define cosmoanthropecclesiology?Well, can you? I guarantee that you won't find that in Webster, but j

'Arise, my soul, arise'
On my mind and heart...Hymns for the People Called Methodists #194 "Arise, my soul, arise"‘1. Arise, my soul, arise,Shake off thy guilty fears;The bleeding SacrificeIn my behalf appears;Before the throne my surety stands;My name is written on his hands.2. He ever lives aboveFor me to intercede; His all-redeeming love,His precious blood to plead:His blood atoned for all our race,And sprinkles now the throne of