Yrigoyen (general secretary, General Commission on Archives and History of the United Methodist Church) presents a collection of 21 essays that measure the impact of John Wesley and his followers across the world. The philosophy of mission is examined in broad and more specific contexts and the issue of inculcation and the sacraments is discussed. The bulk of the chapters look at the spread of Wesley's message in Latin America, Africa, the United States, Asia, and Europe from its origins in Great Britain. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

The times they are a-changin'. As such, our theology needs to adapt--to be responsive to the changing landscape. The idea for Embracing the Past--Forging the Future: A New Generation of Wesleyan Theology came from our assessment that Wesleyan theology has yet to fully adapt to this changing landscape, and that the future of Wesleyan theology requires the bringing together of old and new voices. The difficult task of balancing between continuity and change--keeping up with the developments of our culture and staying true to the roots of our tradition--requires the dual focus of looking forward and backward simultaneously. In this volume, we have brought together contributions by young Wesleyan scholars (graduate students and junior faculty) as a way of illustrating and articulating a new generation of Wesleyan theology. These younger voices demonstrate the desire to push Wesleyan theology in new directions. Additionally, we have included contributions from senior scholars who have been doing important work and who have already made significant contributions to Wesleyan theology. This is not simply the "old guard" but the voices of scholars who continue to make a profound impact on Wesleyan theology.

Recognized as a leading interpreter of major movements in American Christianity such as Evangelicalism, Pentecostalism, and the Holiness movement, Donald W. Dayton has produced a body of work spanning four decades and diverse areas of inquiry. In From the Margins, friends and colleagues respond to major essays by Dayton (several published here for the first time) so as to celebrate and reflect on this diverse and rich body of work. The essays highlight the breadth of Dayton's contribution while also revealing a methodological core. The latter could be described as Dayton's deconstructive reading of standard scholarly narratives in order to short-circuit their domesticating effects on the more radical aspects of American Christianity. Dayton's work has challenged long-held assumptions about the "conservative" nature of American Christianity by showing that both in their history and in their deeper theological substructures, traditions such as Evangelicalism and Pentecostalism are far more radical and productive of social change than was previously imagined.

As a religious and social phenomenon Methodism engages with a number of disciplines including history, sociology, gender studies and theology. Methodist energy and vitality have intrigued, and continue to fascinate scholars. This Companion brings together a team of respected international scholars writing on key themes in World Methodism to produce an authoritative and state-of-the-art review of current scholarship, mapping the territory for future research. Leading scholars examine a range of themes including: the origins and genesis of Methodism; the role and significance of John Wesley; Methodism’s emergence within the international and transatlantic evangelical revival of the Eighteenth-Century; the evolution and growth of Methodism as a separate denomination in Britain; its expansion and influence in the early years of the United States of America; Methodists’ roles in a range of philanthropic and social movements including the abolition of slavery, education and temperance; the character of Methodism as both conservative and radical; its growth in other cultures and societies; the role of women as leaders in Methodism, both acknowledged and resisted; the worldwide spread of Methodism and its enculturation in America, Asia and Africa; the development of distinctive Methodist theologies in the last three centuries; its role as a progenitor of the Holiness and Pentecostal movements, and the engagement of Methodists with other denominations and faiths across the world. This major companion presents an invaluable resource for scholars worldwide; particularly those in the UK, North America, Asia and Latin America.

Following the theology of mission developed by John Wesley, thousands of men and women have engaged in domestic and international missions. But why did they go? Why do they continue to go today? In The Use of the Old Testament in a Wesleyan Theologyof Mission, Gordon Snider examines the Wesleyan understanding of mission in the light of the Old Testament. What theology from God's Old Covenant gave Wesleyans their drive to impact nations, and how did it shape their missionary strategies? Drawing upon a range of primary sources, he examines how a number of influential speakers in the Wesleyan tradition, particularly the founders and spokespeople of the nineteenth and the early twentieth century, have used the Old Testament to inform theirtheology of mission. Snider provides an insight into the works of the important theologians Thomas Coke, Jabez Bunting, Adam Clarke, Richard Watson, Daniel Whedon and Edmund Cook. Focusing on the movement of Wesleyan Theology from Great Britain to North America, Snider analyses how this affected Wesleyan ideas of holiness, eschatology and divine healing. Readers of this volume will discover why Wesleyan Christians go into the world and gain a deeper understanding of missions.

The story of Methodism is much richer and more expansive than John Wesley's sermons and Charles Wesley's hymns. In this book, Methodist theologian Jeffrey W. Barbeau provides a brief and helpful introduction to the history of Methodism—from the time of the Wesleys, through developments in North America, to its diverse and global communion today—as well as its primary beliefs and practices.

This is a general, comprehensive introduction to John Wesley's life and work, and to his theological and ecclesiastical legacy. Written from various disciplinary perspectives, this volume will be an invaluable aid to scholars and students, including those encountering the work and thought of Wesley for the first time.

In Spirit-filled Protestantism, Luther Oconer shows how holiness- and Pentecost-themed revival meetings called culto Pentecostal helped form the development of Methodism in the Philippines. He focuses on these revival meetings, their theological content, and the spiritual culture they helped perpetuate. The resulting narrative provides a rich rendering of both male and female American Methodist missionaries, their Filipino counterparts, and their followers that both celebrates and critiques them. Oconer also offers a unique perspective on Philippine Protestantism, which has often been dismissed for being too intellectual and formal. He defies the stereotype by demonstrating how culto Pentecostal revivals, with their emphasis on holiness and the baptism of the Holy Spirit, made Methodism the most innovative and successful of all Protestant denominations in the country prior to the Second World War. Accordingly, Oconer's treatment explains why Methodism provided a fertile seedbed for the emergence of the Manila Healing Revival and, consequently, the rise of Pentecostalism in the Philippines in the 1950s. A long-awaited volume on the history of Methodism in the Philippines, Spirit-filled Protestantism allows us to discern why Pentecostal impulses continue to shape Filipino Methodist identity in the twenty-first century.

A panoramic introduction to religion in America, newly revised and updated

The world Methodist community now numbers over 75 million people in more than 130 countries. The story of Methodism is fascinating and multi-faceted because there are so many distinct traditions within it, some stemming directly from Britain and some arising in the United States. In this book, the authors address the issue of what holds all Methodists together and examine the strengths and diversity of an influential major form of Christian life and witness. They look at the ways in which Methodism has become established throughout the world, examining historical and theological developments, and patterns of worship and spirituality, in their various cultural contexts. The book reflects both the lasting contributions of John and Charles Wesley, and the on-going contribution of Methodism to the ecumenical movement and inter-religious relations. It offers both analysis and abundant resources for further study.