On Wesleyan Doctrinal Distinctives
Recently, there has been some scuttle about the need to clarify the "Wesleyan" doctrinal distintives. A panel of distinguished Wesleyan scholars met a few months ago, for a Doctrinal Symposium to discuss what it means to be Wesleyan.
I applaud their efforts, and was impressed with their papers -- they are a fine group of godly thinkers, and I have good friends among them.
There is, however, one small issue that troubles me.
The quest for "Wesleyan doctrinal distinctives" may be more allusive than our search for Saddam's weapons of mass destruction.
Question: What do Wesleyan's believe?
Answer: Which Wesleyans? Indianapolis Wesleyans? Emergent Wesleyans? Brooksville Wesleyans? Wisconsin Wesleyans? Indiana South Wesleyans? California Wesleyans?
Who gets to call that shot?
One of the beautiful things about the Wesleyan Church is it's variety.
If we're the only ones holding to a particular doctrinal distinctive -- doesn't that make you wonder?
The Right Rev. Wesley himself said that he was not advocating a new doctrine -- but rather, practicing the old one!
I'd rather live near the center of the flower -- that's where the nectar is! Some folks dwell on the distinctive petals -- but there you find narrow mindedness, error and misguided zeal.
Out on the petals is where you will locate the hyper-pentecostals, the hyper-calvinists, the hyper-papists, and the hyper-wesleyans!
I think it would do our church well to live the sweet spot -- the center: loving God with all our hearts, and our neighbors as ourselves.
I applaud their efforts, and was impressed with their papers -- they are a fine group of godly thinkers, and I have good friends among them.
There is, however, one small issue that troubles me.
The quest for "Wesleyan doctrinal distinctives" may be more allusive than our search for Saddam's weapons of mass destruction.
Question: What do Wesleyan's believe?
Answer: Which Wesleyans? Indianapolis Wesleyans? Emergent Wesleyans? Brooksville Wesleyans? Wisconsin Wesleyans? Indiana South Wesleyans? California Wesleyans?
Who gets to call that shot?
One of the beautiful things about the Wesleyan Church is it's variety.
If we're the only ones holding to a particular doctrinal distinctive -- doesn't that make you wonder?
The Right Rev. Wesley himself said that he was not advocating a new doctrine -- but rather, practicing the old one!
I'd rather live near the center of the flower -- that's where the nectar is! Some folks dwell on the distinctive petals -- but there you find narrow mindedness, error and misguided zeal.
Out on the petals is where you will locate the hyper-pentecostals, the hyper-calvinists, the hyper-papists, and the hyper-wesleyans!
I think it would do our church well to live the sweet spot -- the center: loving God with all our hearts, and our neighbors as ourselves.
If Wesleyans don't promote Wesleyan doctrine, who will?
ReplyDeleteIsn't it possible to promote Wesleyan doctrine without becoming a "hyper-Wesleyan"? I agree with you in that I would rather livce in the center then live out on one of the petals but I also believe that I can promote the distinctives while at the same time living in the center of the flower.
ReplyDeleteYou are absolutely right! Live out of the center, man!
ReplyDelete