What Do Methodists & Wesleyans Believe? An Introduction to the Movements

Wesleyanism is a vibrant movement of Christianity that traces its roots to the eighteenth-century ministry of two brothers, John and Charles Wesley. Emerging initially as a renewal movement within the Church of England, it sought to restore what its founder, John Wesley, called primitive Christianity: the purity, passion, and zeal of the early church. Today, it encompasses a diverse global family of denominations and traditions. At its core, Wesleyanism would simply define itself as “scriptural Christianity.” It is characterized by an optimism of grace, the theological conviction that God’s power is not only sufficient to forgive sin but also to radically transform the human heart in this life. While sharing fundamental Protestant tenets like justification by faith, the Wesleyan tradition places a distinct emphasis on sanctification: the process of being made holy through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Table of contentsA brief history of the Wesleyan movementA Wesleyan reading of ScriptureThe human condition and Wesleyan free willThe Wesleyan “way of salvation” ( via salutis )Social holiness: the communal pursuit of faithWhat denominations are considered Wesleyan today?Conclusi...