Wesleyan Quadrilateral Analysis

Square Peg: Why Wesleyans Aren’t Fundamentalists, is a great book that examines, argues, and details the differences between Wesleyan theology and fundamentalists teachings. Edited by, Al Truesdale, and published by Beacon Hill Press, Square Peg: Why Wesleyans Aren’t Fundamentalists, gives a great perspective from not only Al Truesdale and his commentary, but also from other various scholars. Each contributor opens your eyes to new theology and requires you to think outside your traditional religious thoughts. After a historical introduction to fundamentalism by Floyd Cunningham, the book offers chapters on topics such as

Theology translates to “God-Talk.” Weafer explains that if Christian theology is meant to assist in the understanding of modern day and past interpretations. Therefore, Christian thought will explore many aspects of Christian belief. There are four sources for Christian thought. They are the Bible, tradition, reason and experience. The Bible refers to specific writings that are inspire by God and believed to be holy. When God reveals himself it is called a revolution. When Christian study the bible they try to understand God and what God is saying. Tradition refers to the collected writing, practices, artifacts, and wisdom handed down from one generation to the next. Reason is the rational thought , inquiry, and intellectual thought process of a human being. Experience comes from within.

The Crucible of Life, by Timothy Crutcher, is a book that explains: the interrelationship of theological method and religious epistemology, the function of experience as an authority, the specific epistemological grounds, and the usefulness today of John Wesley’s theological method (17). The book begins by explaining an important distinction in Wesley’s usage of the word experience in comparison to our contemporary common use of the word. That is, Wesley uses the word experience to describe an outward, active process rather than a subjective and passive interpretation (23). Furthermore, it is noted that Wesley should not be assumed to be a Lockean philosopher due to his variety of philosophical roots (25).

In Pentecostalism, a variant of Christianity, the Bible is studied in many versions, to deepen the understanding of the adherent regarding Christianity, which can better help them make informed decisions in terms of the religious practice, which imposes validity in the dynamism of Pentecostalism (Walsh, 2008).

Although not the first scholar to examine the idea of religion, Jones utilizes the concept from the study of Self Psychology in order to determine if “transformative religious experience is mature or unhealthy” (Jones 2002). In chapter 5 of his text, Jones

“It is diligently to be noted, the faith,which brings not forth repentance, and love works,is not that right living faith which is here spoken of, but dead and devilish one.” John and Charles Wesley . The Formative Years

Additionally, the realization of an overly pragmatic theology found in chapter nineteen proved interesting; especially in consideration of Wesley’s Experiential Theology. We mustn’t become overly skeptical in our beliefs if we wish to discover as many new ideas that we possibly can. In this case, the best option would be the option that does not rule out an option unless logical necessity urges otherwise. We must remain consistent in our analysis of the hermeneutical spiral if we wish to continue through it in an appropriate, reasonable way. This sort of idea holds true for any hermeneutical process, but it is especially significant in the method that Wesley offers because of its reliance on correct understanding for scriptural, and then experiential, interpretation. Improper interpretation can lead to drastically false beliefs if carried on for too long.

According to the United Methodist Church Scripture is considered the primary source and standard for Christian doctrine.

In people’s beliefs, at some point people begin to realize the actual ritual behind the

What has come to be known as the Lambeth Quadrilateral defines the essential beliefs of Anglicanism? First suggested by an American, William Reed Huntington, in 1870, the Quadrilateral states four elements essential to the Anglican conception of Christian identity—the Bible, the Nicene Creed, baptism and Holy Communion, and the episcopate. The Lambeth Conference of 1930 further clarified the nature of Anglicanism when it described the Anglican Communion.

The six Sources are the living tradition of Unitarian Universalism and provide the basis of the current practices of the faith:

Change is always difficult regardless of the circumstance. As the Methodist movement grew, it naturally recognized change. These changes go back to the very beginning of the movement and will continue on as long as there is a denomination. Change was evident as “Methodism spread and successively evangelized across the expanding American society.” The diversities was found “economically, racially, linguistically and culturally.”

In the age of worship bands, church camps, and conferences, Christians seem to be succeeding in God’s Presence. Christian Millennials are no longer able to remember a time before this and sometimes fail to remember a time before instant access to the Bible on a smartphone or _______. It is important to realize that The longing to be in God’s presence is an idea that has been in the Judaic Christian Tradition ever since the old testament. Followers of God have been trying to come near to him and experience his presence.

John Wesley’s discourse, “The Means of Grace,” expresses the expedient of grace as, “outward signs, language, or actions ordained of God, and appointed for this end— to be the ordinary channels whereby he might impart to men preventing, justifying, or sanctifying grace.” Acknowledging his need and proceeding in his evangelization, Wesley could obtain the grace he needed to have both the potency and placidity that was eluding from his religion. God utilized his perpetuated participation in the ministry of Scripture to proclaim faith in Christ into Wesley’s philosophy.

Prior to understanding and describing religious experiences, it’s important to define the terms and typology of religious experiences. A point of contention for theologians is whether or not mystical or out-of-body experiences are religious in nature. To understand what the role religion plays in these experiences, for this context, you must define and understand what religion is and the major components that make it up. James states that religion “cannot stand for any single principle or essence, but is rather a collective name” (35). If you were to ask someone about the essence of an object or a concept, different people would provide various components or parts of it. You would end up of with a list ranging from objective and subjective responses, but it would provide a better understanding of it because, like religion, no one thing or person can be summed up in a sentence or a word.