John Wesley
![Portrait ({{circa|1789}}) of Wesley by [[George Romney (painter)|George Romney]], at the [[National Portrait Gallery, London|National Portrait Gallery]] in London.](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/ce/John_Wesley_by_George_Romney.jpg)
John Wesley (;, though often pronounced as }} 2 March 1791) was an English cleric, theologian, and evangelist who was a leader of a revival movement within the Church of England known as Methodism. The societies he founded became the dominant form of the independent Methodist movement that continues to this day.Educated at Charterhouse and Christ Church, Oxford, Wesley was elected a fellow of Lincoln College, Oxford, in 1726 and ordained as an Anglican priest two years later. At Oxford, he led the "Holy Club", a society formed for the purpose of the study and the pursuit of a devout Christian life. After an unsuccessful two year ministry in Savannah, Georgia, he returned to London and joined a religious society led by Moravian Christians. On 24 May 1738, he experienced what has come to be called his evangelical conversion. He subsequently left the Moravians and began his own ministry.
A key step in the development of Wesley's ministry was to travel widely and preach outdoors, embracing Arminian doctrines. Moving across Great Britain and Ireland, he helped form and organise small Christian groups (societies and classes) that developed intensive and personal accountability, discipleship, and religious instruction. He appointed itinerant, unordained evangelists—both women and men—to care for these groups of people. Under Wesley's direction, Methodists became leaders in many social issues of the day, including the abolition of slavery and support for women preachers.
Although he was not a systematic theologian, Wesley argued for the notion of Christian perfection and against Calvinism. His evangelicalism, firmly grounded in sacramental theology, maintained that means of grace sometimes had a role in sanctification of the believer; however, he taught that it was by faith a believer was transformed into the likeness of Christ. He held that, in this life, Christians could achieve a state where the love of God "reigned supreme in their hearts", giving them not only outward but inward holiness. Wesley's teachings, collectively known as Wesleyan theology, continue to inform the doctrine of Methodist churches.
Throughout his life, Wesley remained within the established Church of England, insisting that the Methodist movement lay well within its tradition. In his early ministry years, Wesley was barred from preaching in many parish churches and the Methodists were persecuted; he later became widely respected, and by the end of his life, was described as "the best-loved man in England". Provided by Wikipedia
-
1by Wesley, John, 1703-1791
Published 1839New York : Am. A.S. Society, 1839.96 p., [1] leaf of plates : port. -
2by Wesley, John, 1703-1791
Published 1739Bristol : Printed by S. and F. Farley, [1739]1 online resource ([2], xxiii, 75 p.)Center for Research Libraries
Online Resource -
3New York, Carlton [n.d.]175 p. 12 cm.
-
4by Wesley, John, 1703-1791
Published 1739Bristol : Printed by S. and F. Farley, [1739]2 p. l., xxiii, 75 p. ; 17 cm. -
5
-
6
-
7
-
8by Wesley, John, 1703-1791
Published 1800Philadelphia : Printed by Henry Tuckniss for Ezekeil Cooper, 1800.4 v. ; 17 cm. -
9
-
10by Wesley, John, 1703-1791
Published 1841New York : G. Lane for the Methodist Episcopal church, 1841.326 p. : front. (port.) ; 19 cm. -
11by Whitefield, George, 1714-1770
Published 1744Bristol : Printed by Felix Farley, 1744.11, [1] p.Other Authors: “...Wesley, John, 1703-1791...”
-
12Published 1778London : J. Fry, 1778-1797.20 v. : ill. ; 20 cm.Other Authors: “...Wesley, John, 1703-1791...”
-
13Published 1795Philadelphia : Henry Tuckniss, 1795.33, 3 p. ; 18 cm.Other Authors: “...Wesley, John, 1703-1791...”
-
14by Wilkins, Henry, 1767-1847
Published 1814New York : Daniel Hitt and Thomas Ware, 1814144, 142 pages ; 14 cm.Other Authors: “...Wesley, John, 1703-1791...”
-
15Published 1843New York : G. Lane & P.P. Sandford, for the Methodist Episcopal Church, 1843, c1836.623 p.Also issued online.Other Authors: “...Wesley, John, 1703-1791...”
-
16by Ambrose, Isaac, 1604-1664
Published 1799Manchester : Printed for T. Allen, 1799-1802.2 v. ; 22 cm.Other Authors: “...Wesley, John, 1703-1791...”
-
17by Law, William, 1686-1761
Published 1805New York : Published by Ezekiel Cooper & John Wilson, for the Methodist connection, W. C. Robinson, 1805.223 (i. e. 232), [2] p. 17 cm.Other Authors: “...Wesley, John, 1703-1791...”
-
18Published 1812Barnard, Vt. : Joseph Dix, 1812.354 p. ; 17 cm.Other Authors: “...Wesley, John, 1703-1791...”