Responsible Grace: John Wesley's Practical Theology

by Randy L. Maddox

Of special focus in this reflective overview of Wesley's theological convictions is highlighting the practical-theological dynamics of Wesley's work and suggesting possible implications for contemporary attempts to recover theology as a practical discipline. Another distinctive focus of this work is a systematic consideration of the integration of theological emphases traditionally divergent in Eastern and Western Christianity. The author also closely examines the consistency of Wesley's thought throughout his career.

Genres: Theology, Christianity, Religion, Church, History, Christian

418 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1994

Reviews

[Matt Friedman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very impressive and comprehensive scholarship on Wesley's theology, bringing together much of the previous recent scholarship on the connections between Wesley's theology and that of the Eastern Fathers of the early Church. Highly recommended for anyone who would want to get their heads wrapped around the contours of Wesley's theology and its practical applications for today.

[Luke Mohnasky · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am thankful that Maddox has done the research needed to present a synopsis of Wesley so I don’t have to. It is clear and simple. I almost enjoy reading Maddox more than I do actually reading Wesley. Nevertheless, this reads like a textbook and should be treated like one. It is dense, but good.

[Aaron Cannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book to be a really valuable summary of Wesley's theology. At times it was difficult to discern what was Wesley's beliefs and what was the author's, however, this was due in part to the fact that Wesley did not develop much of a systematic theology. Wesley primarily wrote and spoke to issues that were directly practical and applicatory to his congregation and audiences. This book attempts to summarize Wesley's beliefs from all his various writings and sermons.

One of the main reasons I wanted to read this books was to better understand a theological framework that significantly differed from Calvinism (which I think has influenced me both directly and indirectly over the course of my life and studies). Surprisingly, this wasn't a major emphasis of the book (there were probably 1-2 chapters devoted to topics that spoke to Wesley's differences with Calvin). However, Wesley wasn't just responding to the Calvinist viewpoint. There were many different and varying frameworks and viewpoints appearing in Wesley's time. So it actually isn't that surprising that Wesley spoke to a wide variety of topics and issues in order to shepherd his congregation.

What was very interesting to me about Wesley's life is how much his theology changed over the years (the author even splits Wesley's theological framework into 3 distinct phases: early, middle, and late/mature). This is actually quite comforting to me since it shows that even someone like Wesley didn't have things right from the beginning. God continued to santify him and mold him thorugh life experience, studying the Word, and a changing world. I have often found it easy to assume that the great Christians got their theology right from the very beginning and never had to grow or change from that point on.

The three main points I took away from the book were: God's holiness and grace; our responsibility to respond to God's grace; and the holistic work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Wesley was very concerned with God's character: his glory, power, sovereignty, love, goodness, and grace. Wesley also very clearly saw the depths of our own sin and our need for God's grace. Wesley emphasized our responsibility, not as some sort of works based salvation, but because God's grace makes our response possible both to repent and be saved as well as to continue repenting and growing in obedience. This is where the work of the Holy Spirit comes (which Wesley viewed as God's presence working in us). Wesley emphasized the need not just for spiritual restoration but also for restoration of the whole self and the whole world. And just to clarify an earlier point, Wesley viewed that God's common grace restores every person just enough so that every person has the ability to respond to God's grace. It is still God's grace that enables our response (since Wesley still definitely had a very serious view of our own depravity and sin). This was the point I found most helpful for myself in comparing Wesley's view with Calvin's.

There's obviously a whole lot more to Wesley's theology than what i just summarized (and I probably didn't do the best job of summarizing), so if this topic is of interest to you then I definitely recommend reading this book. I found the exercise helpful because it also got me thinking about other beliefs that I hold and being able to think about them more deeply.

[Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

A clear, engaging overview of John Wesley's theology. Maddox traces the development of Wesley's thought, focusing on the emphases of different phases of Wesley's career. The motif of "responsible grace" captures Wesley's focus on God's grace, which always precedes any human response, while still insisting on the necessity of an uncoerced human response that grace.

Maddox situates Wesley among the various debates within western Christianity (Catholic, Lutheran, Reformed, Anabaptist, etc.), showing how he often aimed for a position that tried to reconcile or transcend seemingly opposed positions. Maybe more interesting is Maddox's demonstration of Wesley's affinity with the theological outlook of Eastern Orthodoxy. Maddox says that Wesley's overriding concern was the healing or restoration of human nature to the likeness of God, similar to the Eastern concept of theosis. Maddox contrasts this with the characteristically Western "juridical" understanding of salvation, although Wesley, per Maddox, incorporated both juridical and "therapeutic" elements into his theology.

Wesley's was a "practical" theology, concerned with how theological ideas would foster growth in holiness. Maddox maintains that Wesley has been underrated for this reason, since he wasn't a traditional systematic or academic theologian. Rather, he worked out his theological ideas as the occasion required.

Reading this, I definitely came to a greater appreciation for Wesley. The motif of responsible grace strikes me as a useful organizing principle for theology. I also like the way Wesley tried to hold typically "Catholic" and "Protestant" or "Western" and "Eastern" theological elements in creative balance. Most importantly, the way Wesley places our loving response to God's love for us at the center of both theology and the Christian faith seems deeply correct.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maddox is a Wesleyan scholar par excellence. I appreciate Maddox’s synthesis of Wesley, comparing his thinking in early years to the mature Wesley of later adulthood. Maddox gives preference to Wesley in later years; the reader can judge whether this is the best approach in evaluating one’s life’s work. The reading is dense - at times the liveliness and confrontational nature of Wesley seems missing. Nevertheless, the thoroughness of this analysis is unmatched. The case for “responsible grace” as Wesley’s orienting concern is the thesis, and Maddox makes it convincingly.

[Cody Meyers · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really in depth look at John Wesley’s theology. You must have prior knowledge of the Christian Bible and theology if you want to be able to make it through the book. Lots of information, presented in a thorough and well organized way. It got tough to read at times, but solely because of the vast information in it. Would recommend this book to anyone wanting to look more into the Methodist faith and its origins.

[Marcus Grant · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had this book as a textbook for a class and although I am not Wesleyan, Maddox accomplished condensing John Wesley’s practical theological views throughout his massive amount of writings in this book. If you want to understand John Wesley’s teaching this a great book. Maddox did his homework due to about 150 bibliography pages.

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent resource for Methodist Doctrine and Polity.

[John Lucy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably the place to begin in understanding John Wesley.

[Bonnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dense but a great exploration of Wesleyan theology.

[Denise Sudbeck · Rating 4 out of 5]

initial, preliminary reading....no notes yet

[Terra Frederick · Rating 3 out of 5]

This went on a lot of tangents. Would have liked something more straightforward

[Craig Toth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maddox helps readers learn how much John Wesley's understanding of the Bible intersects with theological ideas held by the Early Church Fathers. A good correction to many contemporary Evangelical presuppositions.

[Christopher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must for folks preparing for the Board of Ordained Ministry