Author: David B. McEwan

Publisher: Paternoster Pub

Published: 2011

Total Pages: 251

ISBN-13: 9781842276211

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During the last forty years a considerable amount of scholarly attention has been given to John Wesley's way of doing theology. There is extensive debate within Wesleyan circles (particularly in North America) regarding the conception and utility of his theological method, usually identified as the Wesleyan quadrilateral (Scripture, reason, tradition and experience). Many claim it is a unique and fruitful model, with invaluable application for the church today. In this book, Wesley's theological methodology is uncovered from the perspective of his holistic vision of the God-human relationship being centred in love and defined by the qualities of trust and passion, rather than an intellectual comprehension of propositional truths about God. Accordingly, pastoral theology is much more important than academic, systematic theology for Christian experience and spiritual formation. In Wesley's theological method Scripture, reason, community ethos and Christian experience are utilised in an interconnected dynamic network, energised by the presence of the Holy Spirit. God is clearly the sole theological authority and the elements of the system are the means he uses for communication with his people. This interconnected system is explored through an investigation of the doctrine and practice of Christian perfection as Wesley offered pastoral guidance to the people called Methodists. The modernist approach that is focused on dissection and analysis results in the loss of this holistic, dynamic model and its reduction to either pure subjectivism or rationalism. Wesley's theological method is in harmony with some of the developments in postmodern thought, though it is firmly anchored in the Christian tradition of the first five centuries and his own Anglican heritage. This study marries together the narrative of biography with an analysis of Wesley's developing theological method in actual pastoral practice by examining his writings on the doctrine of Christian perfection across sixty years. It makes a valuable contribution to the current interest in pastoral theology and theological methodology.

Download or read book Wesley as a Pastoral Theologian written by David B. McEwan and published by Paternoster Pub. This book was released on 2011 with total page 251 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: During the last forty years a considerable amount of scholarly attention has been given to John Wesley's way of doing theology. There is extensive debate within Wesleyan circles (particularly in North America) regarding the conception and utility of his theological method, usually identified as the Wesleyan quadrilateral (Scripture, reason, tradition and experience). Many claim it is a unique and fruitful model, with invaluable application for the church today. In this book, Wesley's theological methodology is uncovered from the perspective of his holistic vision of the God-human relationship being centred in love and defined by the qualities of trust and passion, rather than an intellectual comprehension of propositional truths about God. Accordingly, pastoral theology is much more important than academic, systematic theology for Christian experience and spiritual formation. In Wesley's theological method Scripture, reason, community ethos and Christian experience are utilised in an interconnected dynamic network, energised by the presence of the Holy Spirit. God is clearly the sole theological authority and the elements of the system are the means he uses for communication with his people. This interconnected system is explored through an investigation of the doctrine and practice of Christian perfection as Wesley offered pastoral guidance to the people called Methodists. The modernist approach that is focused on dissection and analysis results in the loss of this holistic, dynamic model and its reduction to either pure subjectivism or rationalism. Wesley's theological method is in harmony with some of the developments in postmodern thought, though it is firmly anchored in the Christian tradition of the first five centuries and his own Anglican heritage. This study marries together the narrative of biography with an analysis of Wesley's developing theological method in actual pastoral practice by examining his writings on the doctrine of Christian perfection across sixty years. It makes a valuable contribution to the current interest in pastoral theology and theological methodology.