John Wesley's Thoughts upon necessity in his search for the middle verity
The hypothesis of this paper is twofold. Firstly, Wesley was preoccupied with the issues being discussed by the British moralists; especially, the issue of liberty and necessity as this had a direct bearing on his doctrine of salvation. Secondly, the Methodist leader was attempting constantly to fulfill the enlightenment project of providing a rational basis for and justification of morality. Wesley's preoccupation with these issues in the development of his doctrine of entire sanctification promoted the constant need to balance his theological expression. Wesley's <I>Thoughts upon Necessity</I> published in 1774 was no isolated step into ~the arcanum of speculative theology.~ Throughout his life Wesley argued for free will in the hope of exonerating God from being identified as the author of evil. This argument culminates in his essay against the evidently compatibilist and deterministic arguments of Jonathan Edwards, David Hartley, and Lord Kames. Wesley's central doctrine was entire sanctification. Since this doctrine's support derived from the twin pillars of original and actual sin, a refutation of the notion that man is not a free agent had to be made to prevent the collapse of his theology. The tension
Parr, Walter Lamoyne
Philosophy
John Wesley's Thoughts upon necessity in his search for the middle verity. The hypothesis of this paper is twofold. Firstly, Wesley was preoccupied with the issues being discussed by the British moralists; especially, the issue of liberty and necessity as this had a direct bearing on his doctrine of salvation. Secondly, the Methodist leader was attempting constantly to fulfill the enlightenment project of providing a rational basis for and justification of morality. Wesley's preoccupation with these issues in the development of his doctrine of entire sanctification promoted the constant need to balance his theological expression. Wesley's <I>Thoughts upon Necessity</I> published in 1774 was no isolated step into ~the arcanum of speculative theology.~ Throughout his life Wesley argued for free will in the hope of exonerating God from being identified as the author of evil. This argument culminates in his essay against the evidently compatibilist and deterministic arguments of Jonathan Edwards, David Hartley, and Lord Kames. Wesley's central doctrine was entire sanctification. Since this doctrine's support derived from the twin pillars of original and actual sin, a refutation of the notion that man is not a free agent had to be made to prevent the collapse of his theology. The tension
john_wesley thoughts upon necessity search middle hypothesis paper twofold firstly preoccupy issue_discuss british especially issue liberty necessity direct bearing doctrine salvation secondly methodist leader attempt constantly fulfill enlightenment project_provide rational basis justification morality preoccupation issue development doctrine entire sanctification promote constant need balance theological expression thoughts upon necessity publish isolated step the speculative theology throughout_life argue free hope god identify author evil argument culminates essay evidently deterministic argument edwards lord central doctrine entire sanctification since doctrine support derive twin pillar original actual sin refutation notion man free agent make prevent collapse theology tension