Anti-Methodism and Theological Controversy in Eighteenth-Century England: The Struggle for True Religion

by Simon Lewis

Overview

John Wesley and George Whitefield are remembered as founders of Methodism, one of the most influential movements in the history of modern Christianity. Characterized by open-air and itinerant preaching, eighteenth-century Methodism was a divisive phenomenon, which attracted a torrent of printed opposition, especially from Anglican clergymen. Yet, most of these opponents have been virtually forgotten. Anti-Methodism and Theological Controversy in Eighteenth-Century England is the first large-scale examination of the theological ideas of early anti-Methodist authors. By illuminating a very different perspective on Methodism, Simon Lewis provides a fundamental reappraisal of the eighteenth-century Church of England and its doctrinal priorities. For anti-Methodist authors, attacking Wesley and Whitefield was part of a wider defence of 'true religion', which demonstrates the theological vitality of the much-derided Georgian Church. This book, therefore, places Methodism firmly in its contemporary theological context, as part of the Church of England's continuing struggle to define itself theologically.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780192668301
Publisher:	OUP Oxford
Publication date:	12/16/2021
Series:	Oxford Theology and Religion Monographs
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	352
File size:	3 MB

About the Author

Simon Lewis is a Visiting Research Fellow at Trinity College Dublin, Republic of Ireland. He was previously a Junior Research Fellow at the Institute of Historical Research, University of London and undertook a two-year Irish Research Council Postdoctoral Fellowship at Trinity College Dublin.

Table of Contents

Introduction1. A 'Torrent' of Opposition2. Justification and Assurance3. Perfectionism and Self-Denial4. Histories of 'Enthusiasm', Schism, and Popery5. Deism and Melancholia6. Miracles and Demons7. Anti-Dogmatism and 'Orthodoxy'Epilogue and Conclusion

Editorial Reviews

"Thanks to [Lewis'] excellent monograph, and to the contributions of earlier scholars, we have a sound understanding of the pattern and extent of anti-Methodism during the lifetimes of Wesley and Whitefield." — Clive D. Field, University of Birmingham, Proceedings of the Wesley Historical Society

"This is a work of exceptionally fine scholarship, rooted in extensive research in the literature and theology of the eighteenth century. Lewis's work is meticulous and he has left no stone unturned in his examination of the attacks on Methodism. As a result, this is a superb book that advances a groundbreaking and original view of the eighteenth century, and one which will need to be read by all scholars of religion in the future." — William Gibson , OXFORD BROOKES UNIVERSITY, Journal of Ecclesiastical History

"Thanks to [Lewis'] excellent monograph, and to the contributions of earlier scholars, we have a sound understanding of the pattern and extent of anti-Methodism during the lifetimes of Wesley and Whitefield." — Clive D. Field, University of Birmingham, Proceedings of the Wesley Historical Society

From the Publisher