John Wesley published his sermon ‘Catholic Spirit’ in 1750, after he and his preachers had experi... more John Wesley published his sermon ‘Catholic Spirit’ in 1750, after he and his preachers had experienced persecution by Church leaders. Wesley stressed that persecution stemmed from lack of tolerance, and one of the reasons for this was the absence of liberty of thinking in the Church. In order for liberty of thinking to be practised, one had to be able to doubt one's own opinions, thereby accepting the limitations of one's knowledge. Most of this sermon, now lauded for its ecumenical brilliance, asserts that such acceptance provides space for tolerance. This tolerance leads to Christian unity. In addition to exploring the sermon, this essay addresses An Answer to the Rev. Mr. Church's Remarks on the Rev. Mr. John Wesley's Last Journal (1745), Letter to a Roman Catholic (1749) and Wesley's correspondence with Gilbert Boyce (1750). The argument thus provides an example of how doubt contributed to the Methodist emphasis on tolerance.
This article is a description of the Holy Club of John and Charles Wesley, their Methodist Societ... more This article is a description of the Holy Club of John and Charles Wesley, their Methodist Societies. In addition, an exploration of the Tuesday Meetings of Sarah Lankford and Phoebe Palmer is given.
Wesleyans believe that God has the power to convert the whole world. What if we allowed God to l... more Wesleyans believe that God has the power to convert the whole world. What if we allowed God to lead us to act in kindness instead of judging those who practice other religions? What if instead of condemning, we offered a hand of friendship, and worked together in communities to bring about peace? Rather than viewing “religions” that must be dealt with by Christianity, a Wesleyan views people as “persons graced by God who practice other religions.”
The family of John and Charles Wesley, founders of Methodism, attribute their family ghost to a s... more The family of John and Charles Wesley, founders of Methodism, attribute their family ghost to a specific political agenda.
John Wesley's concept of prevenient grace contributes to his 'catholic spirit,' and his openness ... more John Wesley's concept of prevenient grace contributes to his 'catholic spirit,' and his openness to God's activity in the lives of people who practice Islam and Judaism, paving the way for interreligious dialogue.
The Limits of a Catholic Spirit: John Wesley, Methodism, and Catholicism, 2021
The Limits of a Catholic Spirit fills the gap that is John Wesley and Catholicism. No other book ... more The Limits of a Catholic Spirit fills the gap that is John Wesley and Catholicism. No other book has provided such an in-depth study of the perils Wesley faced when he encountered Catholicism. With the use of primary sources that tell of anti-Methodist riots in Ireland to Wesley's preachers getting kidnapped and forced to serve in the army, this study will provide you with historical information you've never encountered. It will explore questions that have held Wesley scholars captive for decades. Was John Wesley responsible for sparking the anti-Catholic Gordon Riots of 1780 in London? Yates searched eighteenth-century documents in the National Archives of the United Kingdom to find out. Was John Wesley aligned with the Jesuits? Was John Wesley, a Jacobite, an enemy of the British Crown? Did John Wesley require Irish Catholics to denounce Catholicism to join Methodist societies? By the end of The Limits of a Catholic Spirit, you'll find answers to all these questions and more.
John Wesley published his sermon ‘Catholic Spirit’ in 1750, after he and his preachers had experi... more John Wesley published his sermon ‘Catholic Spirit’ in 1750, after he and his preachers had experienced persecution by Church leaders. Wesley stressed that persecution stemmed from lack of tolerance, and one of the reasons for this was the absence of liberty of thinking in the Church. In order for liberty of thinking to be practised, one had to be able to doubt one's own opinions, thereby accepting the limitations of one's knowledge. Most of this sermon, now lauded for its ecumenical brilliance, asserts that such acceptance provides space for tolerance. This tolerance leads to Christian unity. In addition to exploring the sermon, this essay addresses An Answer to the Rev. Mr. Church's Remarks on the Rev. Mr. John Wesley's Last Journal (1745), Letter to a Roman Catholic (1749) and Wesley's correspondence with Gilbert Boyce (1750). The argument thus provides an example of how doubt contributed to the Methodist emphasis on tolerance.
This article is a description of the Holy Club of John and Charles Wesley, their Methodist Societ... more This article is a description of the Holy Club of John and Charles Wesley, their Methodist Societies. In addition, an exploration of the Tuesday Meetings of Sarah Lankford and Phoebe Palmer is given.
Wesleyans believe that God has the power to convert the whole world. What if we allowed God to l... more Wesleyans believe that God has the power to convert the whole world. What if we allowed God to lead us to act in kindness instead of judging those who practice other religions? What if instead of condemning, we offered a hand of friendship, and worked together in communities to bring about peace? Rather than viewing “religions” that must be dealt with by Christianity, a Wesleyan views people as “persons graced by God who practice other religions.”
The family of John and Charles Wesley, founders of Methodism, attribute their family ghost to a s... more The family of John and Charles Wesley, founders of Methodism, attribute their family ghost to a specific political agenda.
John Wesley's concept of prevenient grace contributes to his 'catholic spirit,' and his openness ... more John Wesley's concept of prevenient grace contributes to his 'catholic spirit,' and his openness to God's activity in the lives of people who practice Islam and Judaism, paving the way for interreligious dialogue.
The Limits of a Catholic Spirit: John Wesley, Methodism, and Catholicism, 2021
The Limits of a Catholic Spirit fills the gap that is John Wesley and Catholicism. No other book ... more The Limits of a Catholic Spirit fills the gap that is John Wesley and Catholicism. No other book has provided such an in-depth study of the perils Wesley faced when he encountered Catholicism. With the use of primary sources that tell of anti-Methodist riots in Ireland to Wesley's preachers getting kidnapped and forced to serve in the army, this study will provide you with historical information you've never encountered. It will explore questions that have held Wesley scholars captive for decades. Was John Wesley responsible for sparking the anti-Catholic Gordon Riots of 1780 in London? Yates searched eighteenth-century documents in the National Archives of the United Kingdom to find out. Was John Wesley aligned with the Jesuits? Was John Wesley, a Jacobite, an enemy of the British Crown? Did John Wesley require Irish Catholics to denounce Catholicism to join Methodist societies? By the end of The Limits of a Catholic Spirit, you'll find answers to all these questions and more.
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Was John Wesley responsible for sparking the anti-Catholic Gordon Riots of 1780 in London? Yates searched eighteenth-century documents in the National Archives of the United Kingdom to find out.
Was John Wesley aligned with the Jesuits?
Was John Wesley, a Jacobite, an enemy of the British Crown?
Did John Wesley require Irish Catholics to denounce Catholicism to join Methodist societies?
By the end of The Limits of a Catholic Spirit, you'll find answers to all these questions and more.
Was John Wesley responsible for sparking the anti-Catholic Gordon Riots of 1780 in London? Yates searched eighteenth-century documents in the National Archives of the United Kingdom to find out.
Was John Wesley aligned with the Jesuits?
Was John Wesley, a Jacobite, an enemy of the British Crown?
Did John Wesley require Irish Catholics to denounce Catholicism to join Methodist societies?
By the end of The Limits of a Catholic Spirit, you'll find answers to all these questions and more.