A rich articulation of John Wesley's theology that is appreciative of the old and mindful of the new, faithful to the past and attentive to the present. This work carefully displays John Wesley's eighteenth century theology in its own distinct historical and social location, but then transitions to the twenty-first century through the introduction of contemporary issues. So conceived, the book is both historical and constructive demonstrating that the theology of Wesley represents a vibrant tradition. Cognizant of Wesley's own preferred vocabulary, Collins introduces Wesley's theological method beginning with a discussion of the doctrine of God. "In this insightful exposition the leitmotif of holy love arises out of Wesley's reflection on the nature of the divine being as well as other major doctrines." (Douglas Meeks)

John Wesley - Oxford don and itinerant preacher, intellectual and evangelist, author and man of action, upholder of the Church of England yet founder of another world-wide denomination, disagreeing with George Whitefield, yet preaching his funeral sermon - truly a many-sided man. It is no wonder that he has had many biographers. Most books on Wesley have concentrated on his leading role in the Evangelical Revival. Wesley and Men Who Followed is more concerned with the spiritual explanation of a movement which, far from dwindling at his death, increased in momentum, breadth and transforming power. Drawing from original and often little-known Methodist sources, Iain Murray's thrilling study leads to conclusions that are of great relevance for the contemporary church. 'Was John Wesley deceived? Have our hymn-writers been deceived in their immortal songs? Was Saul of Tarsus deceived? Have we all been deceived?' So wrote one unhappy modern Methodist. The evidence Iain Murray provides demonstrates that this was not the case. The result is that Wesley and Men Who Followed points to the key to the recovery of authentic Christianity today.

Congregations are made up of people with all sorts of theologies. Pastor Mike Slaughter even says that these can stand in the way of the church’s mission of social and personal holiness. But most people do not adopt a theology on purpose, mostly they merely breathe in the prevailing cultural air. The theology "de jour" seems to be Calvinist, with its emphasis on “the elect” and “other worldly salvation.” In fact, there is so much Calvinism saturating the culture, that some do not even know there is an alternative way of thinking about their faith. They don’t know where to go to find a viable option; they don’t even know the key words to search Google. So people are left thinking like Calvinists but living with a desire to change the world, offering grace and hope to hurting people in mission and ministry—loving the least, the last, and the lost. In other words, they are living like Wesleyans. This book shows what Calvinist and Wesleyans actually believe about human responsibility, salvation, the universality of God’s grace, holy living through service, and the benefits of small group accountability--and how that connects to how people can live. Calvinists and Wesleyans are different, and by knowing the difference, people will not only see the other benefits of Wesleyan theology but will be inspired to learn more. By knowing who they are as faithful people of God, they will be motivated to reach out in mission with renewed vigor. And they won’t be obstacles to grace and holiness, but they can be better disciples and advocates for Christ through service in this world.

An inspiring portrait of an overlooked pioneer in Black history and American archaeology The First Black Archaeologist reveals the untold story of a pioneering African American classical scholar, teacher, community leader, and missionary. Born into slavery in rural Georgia, John Wesley Gilbert (1863-1923) gained national prominence in the early 1900s, but his accomplishments are little known today. Using evidence from archives across the U.S. and Europe, from contemporary publications, and from newly discovered documents, this book chronicles, for the first time, Gilbert's remarkable journey. As we follow Gilbert from the segregated public schools of Augusta, Georgia, to the lecture halls of Brown University, to his hiring as the first black faculty member of Augusta's Paine Institute, and through his travels in Greece, western Europe, and the Belgian Congo, we learn about the development of African American intellectual and religious culture, and about the enormous achievements of an entire generation of black students and educators. Readers interested in the early development of American archaeology in Greece will find an entirely new perspective here, as Gilbert was one of the first Americans of any race to do archaeological work in Greece. Those interested in African American history and culture will gain an invaluable new perspective on a leading yet hidden figure of the late 1800s and early 1900s, whose life and work touched many different aspects of the African American experience.

A Plain Account of Christian Perfection by John Wesley is about the theory of perfection according to Christian theology. Excerpt: "1. WHAT I purpose in the following pages is, to give a plain and distinct account of the steps by which I was led, during the course of many years, to embrace the doctrine of Christian Perfection. This I owe to the serious part of mankind; those who desire to know all the truth as it is in Jesus. And these only are concerned with questions of this kind. To these I would nakedly declare the thing as it is, endeavoring all along to show, from one period to another, both what I thought, and why I thought so."

Founder of the Methodist Church, is one of the world's greatest religious figures. A practical rather than systematic theologian, he wrote and preached for the common man. He is well known as a man of one book (the Bible) but he read like no other during his time. We are left with fourteen volumes of his works and eight each of his letters and journals. His brother became the troubadour of Methodism, writing countless hymns. John also took classic Christian works and edited them for the common man to read. And if this were not enough, he preached thousands of times both indoors and out. J. Robert Ewbank examines In what Wesley thought about other religions. Did he think all religions were from God and therefore there was little difference between them, or did he think that there is uniqueness in Christianity? Was he concerned about other philosophies and thoughts about religion popular in his day? What did he think about Natural Man, the Indians, the Deists, the Jews, the Roman Catholics, and the Mystics? Were they also fine with him, or did he discuss the differences between them, revealing where he found them wrong? Furthermore, what did Wesley think about the possibility of salvation for all those who held to these other positions? Did he find that it is possible for them to be saved by a loving God, or have they stepped outside of the bounds, therefore requiring extreme difficulty to be saved? "In a time of enormous stress on the entire human family as we try to understand, appreciate, and celebrate our diversity, J. Robert Ewbank has given us an excellent resource to help us deeply consider the issues and continue to affirm the core values and theology of the Christian movement." Rueben P. Job, author of Three Simple Rules.