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 PrintableVersion Charles Wesley and the struggle for Methodist identityFamily politicsCHARLES WESLEY AND THE STRUGGLE FOR METHODIST IDENTITY How would you feel if your younger brother took the girl you thought you were as good as engaged to, and went and married her off to the other man in her life? This is what Charles Wesley did to his older brother John in October 1749. Here is a fascinating and masterly account of the Wesley brothers’ relationship, drawn from primary sources, not least more than 800 manuscript letters of Charles, plus hundreds of letters to him. Lloyd claims that much of the 40-year struggle over whether Methodism should remain within the Anglican fold or not had as much to do with the personal battle between Charles and John as any matter of principle. The above incident was a major turning point in their relationship. Prior to this John and Charles had laboured together for ten years. After this they were often at loggerheads, for example over the appointment of preachers. Charles wrote to a friend on August 11 1751, ‘A friend of ours [John Wesley] (without God’s consent) made a preacher of a taylor. I with God’s help shall make a taylor of him again’ (p.117). Hero-worship victim?Lloyd’s contention is that ‘Charles’s reputation and achievements fell victim to the hero worship accorded his brother’ (p.x). It is little known that it was Charles who was converted on May 21 1738, days before John. ‘I saw that by faith I stood; by the continual support of faith, which kept me from falling, though of myself I was ever sinking into sin’ (p.47). But it is John’s conversion a few days later which is usually remembered. To his dying day Charles wanted Methodism to remain a revival movement within the Anglican church. He felt deeply betrayed by John on this issue of separation from the Church of England. John in turn felt badly let down by Charles’s marriage in April 1749 and subsequent settling down, no longer itinerating. They had agreed not to marry without the consent of the other and, in John’s view, Charles broke his word. This book shows: (1) how much we are a product of our upbringing and inherited personalities (‘instability … was in fact a family trait’, p.103; the Wesleys ‘were too much alike’ and ‘became equally disillusioned with each other’, p.216); (2) how careful we need to be to live by biblical principles rather than church or family politics; (3) how easy it is to hero worship past Christian leaders and paper over the cracks; and (4) how gracious God is in using strong personalities to advance the cause of the gospel despite their shortcomings. The price is so high that you will probably want to borrow this book from a library. But it is well worth a read if you have any interest in church history, the 18th century revival in England, the Wesleys, or the roots of Methodism. John Samuel, © Evangelicals Now - October 2007 |
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