Category Archives: Wesley’s Way

[Note: today I resume this series after lying dormant since 2013. I hope you will go back and read the earlier posts archived on the home page sidebar. They deal with important ideas related to Wesleyan spirituality that I will … Continue reading →

We continue to look at the foundational elements in Wesleyan spirituality.  Today, we turn to Wesley’s hermeneutic—that is, the means by which he interpreted the authenticity and relevance of the spiritual life. We have come to call it the “Wesleyan … Continue reading →

Wesley believed God raised up the Methodists to “unite the two so long divided—knowledge and vital piety.”  He believed that knowledge without piety produced “dead orthodoxy” (his term, and something he abhorred).  He believed that piety without knowledge produced fanatical … Continue reading →

Wesley also referred to his theology as “religion of the heart.”  Here too (as with “living faith”) he was connecting with streams of Christianity (especially in the early church) who used heart-language. He chose this phrase for a number of … Continue reading →

For Wesley, theology is a combination of belief and practice.  He called it “practical divinity.”  In taking this view he was standing with pre-Enlightenment Christianity’s commitment to sapiential theology, theology which responded to two questions: “What do you believe?” and … Continue reading →

When the Mississippi River pours into the Gulf of Mexico, it is a mixture of water from other streams.  Similarly, when we receive spiritual nourishment from Wesleyan spirituality, it is a mixture of other traditions. Wesleyan spirituality is made up … Continue reading →

No spirituality begins with a particular religion.  The spiritual life begins in creation, with humankind made in the image of God (Gen 1:26-28).  This fundamental reality means we have an instinct for God, and we have the capacity for a … Continue reading →

Welcome to a new weekly posting on Oboedire.  In response to requests by others, I am beginning a look at spiritual formation through the lens of the Wesleyan tradition. As I have said previously, this is not intended to diminish … Continue reading →