John Wesley: His Life and Thought

by Timothy J. Crutcher

What people think affects what they do, and what people do affects what they think.There is no better illustration of this adage than John Wesley, the pivotal founder of Methodism. For Wesley, thinking and living went hand in hand. John Wesley: His Life and Thought introduces readers to both Wesley's story and his beliefs. By neither leaning too much on biography nor focusing solely on theology, this book offers a balanced and accessible portrait that couches Wesley's beliefs and ideas firmly within his life story. There are no minutiae or scholarly controversies here. This book paints in broad strokes the key events in Wesley's life that not only influence his thinking but also his approach to the church, the Methodist movement, and the society and world beyond. For anyone wanting a sound but lucid introduction to Wesley and his life and work, this book should be at the top of the list. It doesn't just familiarize the reader with Wesley but paves the way for deeper study.

Genres: History, Spirituality

192 pages, Paperback

First published November 20, 2014

Reviews

[Brandon Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book for a Free Methodist theology class at my church. It attempts to introduce readers to the life and theology of John Wesley and it does a rather great job at it. The author did a great job of condensing all of this into under 200 pages hitting the major points while still keeping it simple and not making it feel rushed.

Much like Wesley focused on empowering the lay people to do more, this book met similar goals.

[Greg · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was really two books in one. The first half is a biography and the second half describes Wesley's theology. Both were very good. However, since this is a short book (less than 200 pages), neither felt especially thorough?

Frankly, I loved the biography portion. Wesley had a very interesting life. But it went so fast – it barely spoke of Charles Wesley, and I'd have enjoyed learning more specific stories about Wesley's life. Regardless, I found every opportunity to read when I was on this portion of the book.

The second half, to me, felt more dull. But perhaps that's because I agreed with almost everything, so there wasn't much to grab onto. Additionally, since it was so short, the theology felt a little surface-level. I'd have enjoyed reading more about Wesley's anti-calvinism, for example.

I felt like I finished this book with a thorough understanding of Wesley's approach to the faith and I'd absolutely recommend it.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of those theology books that make my heart sing!

[M.J. Rodriguez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anyone who attends a United Methodist Church will really enjoy this book! It is a book on the life and thoughts of the founder of Methodism, John Wesley. The thoughts of God, sin, tradition and other things that Wesley harboured are in this book.

[Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very competent introduction to John Wesley's life and major theological emphases. Crutcher's writing is solid if a bit jumpy at times and distracting due to inconsistent verb tense and a few noticeable editing/print errors. The book also suffers due to the lack of an index (close to an unpardonable sin in nonfiction publishing, IMHO). These quibbles aside, the second half of the book that focuses on Wesley's thought should be required reading for undergraduate and seminary introductions to Wesleyan history and theology. The majority of the source material is Wesley's own writings supplemented by the author's own study and use of excellent secondary sources (Kenneth Collins, Randy Maddox, Jason Vickers and others) making John Wesley: His Life and Thought a fine springboard to more in-depth Wesley study.

[Levi Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good overview and introduction to John Wesley's life and thought.

[Don Dunnington · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good new book on John Wesley's life and thought. A good introduction. Recommended.

[Between a Shelf and a Hard Space · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great introduction for the arm chair theologian. It is a bit simplistic, but as that is the purpose of the book, it does its job well.