This week’s readings are a combination of John Wesley’s sermons and other theological writings. The first sermon discussed how humans were made in the image of God, how this image was lost in sin due to the Fall, and how the image can be recovered through humility, charity, and the law of the Spirit. Within the second sermon, Wesley spoke of salvation from sin through faith in Christ. He felt this salvation through faith could be attained by any during their time on earth. However, the faith he spoke of is “faith which is…necessarily productive of all good works and all holiness.” These two sermons are an echo of the theology discussed in the earlier weeks of this course.
I had a particular fascination with the final sermon from this week as Wesley discussed his definition of an almost Christian. This was my first encounter with Wesley’s outlook on other ethnic groups. Although his terminology was archaic and insensitive by today’s standards, the impression I received from Wesley was that of respect for the “common heathens” as he used them to …show more content…
During a time when religious groups, such as our Muslim cousins, are viewed by mainstream American society as terrorists, I feel Wesley’s stance on loving our ethnic and religious neighbors is an important message. This is a message that the Methodist Church needs to officially verbalize and not just at the general conference, but throughout the connection to the local level. “You are not able at this time to conquer that enemy, and at this time he does not assault you.” (p. 86) I, as I strive to be an “altogether Christian”, cannot serve both Wesley’s God of love and a false god of hate. Christian society must choose which of these masters it will serve, if the fighting ever hopes to be resolved. My faith moves me over the threshold and into God’s holy rooms where the love of all neighbors
I had a particular fascination with the final sermon from this week as Wesley discussed his definition of an almost Christian. This was my first encounter with Wesley’s outlook on other ethnic groups. Although his terminology was archaic and insensitive by today’s standards, the impression I received from Wesley was that of respect for the “common heathens” as he used them to …show more content…
During a time when religious groups, such as our Muslim cousins, are viewed by mainstream American society as terrorists, I feel Wesley’s stance on loving our ethnic and religious neighbors is an important message. This is a message that the Methodist Church needs to officially verbalize and not just at the general conference, but throughout the connection to the local level. “You are not able at this time to conquer that enemy, and at this time he does not assault you.” (p. 86) I, as I strive to be an “altogether Christian”, cannot serve both Wesley’s God of love and a false god of hate. Christian society must choose which of these masters it will serve, if the fighting ever hopes to be resolved. My faith moves me over the threshold and into God’s holy rooms where the love of all neighbors