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Invitation to a Journey Session Nine: A Winning Travel Attitude
Come, let us look one another in the face. And perhaps some of you who hate what I am called [i.e., a Methodist] may love what I am by the grace of God, or rather what I follow after. (Wesley, "The Character of a Methodist." Works [Jackson], 8:339)
Is thy heart right, as mine is with thine? I ask no farther question. If it be, give me thy hand. For opinion, or terms, let us not destroy the work of God. Dost thou love and serve God? It is enough. I give thee the right hand of fellowship. (Wesley, "The Character of a Methodist," Works [Jackson], 8:347)
Question:
What is our relationship to other believers, especially Those who differ from us in doctrine, worship, and practice?
I. Hindrances to Unity Among Christians (acc. To Wesley)
Hasty judgments of others based on second-hand, anecdotal evidence
Christians don't all THINK alike
Christians don't all WORSHIP alike
Religious "bigotry": "too strong an attachment to, or fondness for, our own [political[ party, opinion, church, or religion" (Wesley, "A Caution Against Bigotry," WJW, IV. 1)
The damaging result of the above: Differences that start in matters of doctrine, worship, practice soon spread to inner attitudes and dispositions (anger, bitterness, ill-will, hatred) which are unhealthy and unlike Christ. Wesley notes that no animosities are as deep as religious animosities. And, for him, it matters little whether our doctrine, worship, and practice are correct; if unholy tempers are present, we are wrong and God is not pleased.
Wesley's dictum: Christians cannot all think alike, nor can they live alike, but they can love alike. (Cf. "Catholic Spirit")
In "A Caution Against Bigotry," Wesley instructs his Methodists that they should not refuse to fellowship with other Christians or refuse to cooperate with them in ministry simply because:
- they don't share the same outward [ecclesiastical] connection;
- they don't share the same [political] party;
- they don't share the same religious "opinions" (i.e., doctrines, practices not central to the core and, therefore essential, to the Christian faith;
- they don't share the same religious practices (i.e., worship/liturgy and the sacraments);
- they were Protestants and others were Roman Catholic (Cf. "A Caution Against Bigotry," Par. 11.3-6)
In fact, Wesley pushes the boundary, by stating:
What if I were to see a Papist, an Arian, a Socinian casting out devils [i.e., doing ministry in the name of Christ]? If I did, I could not forbid even him without convicting myself of bigotry. Yea, if it could be supposed that I should see a Jew, a deist, or a Turk doing the same, were I to forbid him either directly or indirectly I should be no better than a bigot still. (Par. IV.4)
H. Catholic Spirit: Antidote to Unhealthy Division
Albert Outler observes,
Wesley was opinionated and partisan, like his father, with a stubborn loyalty to what he understood to be the essential core of Christian truth. But he never supposed that this core ever had been or ever could be captured in a single form of words... Wesley's concern was always to narrow the field of irreducible disagreement between professing, practicing Christians and to transfer their concerns from argument about faith in Christ to faith itself and to its consequences. (WJW, 2:79).
Wesley constantly labored to distinguish the essential core of the Christian faith from what he termed "opinions," which Outler defines as "subsidiary doctrines affecting the fullness and variety of religious language, not its primary object." Thorsen more aptly captures Wesley's sentiment regarding "opinions" by defining them as "religious beliefs that may be considered non-essential for Christian orthodoxy." (The Wesleyan Quadrilateral, p. 160)
Wesley's dictum that Christians cannot all think alike or live alike but they can love alike reflects his concern to regard unity of love as the basis for ecumenism more so than doctrinal or conceptual unity. But we must not misunderstand this to mean that Wesley was theologically indifferent. Outler notes:
...to conclude from this, however, that Wesley was indifferent to the issues involved in sound doctrine is to misunderstand him, He had a clear view of heresy as deviation from the core of "standing revelation "; and had no hesitation in denouncing views that threatened this core ... If Methodism ma ' v rightly be charged with theological indifferentism, this has no valid grounds in Wesley himself.' (WJW, 1:220, fn. 7)
Wesley's sermon, "Catholic Spirit," then, is about essentials. And it is an impassioned argument that non-essential elements to Christian orthodoxy [i.e., opinions] should not destroy the love of God between Christians, nor should they destroy the work of God where Christians can cooperate with one another in Christian ministry.
111. "Catholic Spirit" Analyzed
The crucial question: Is your heart right?
Not a question of religious opinions (1.6)
Not a question of various modes of worship (1.9)
[But] the question, "Is your heart right with God?"
I dare not therefore presume to impose my mode of worship on any other. I believe it is truly primitive anti apostolical. But my belief is no rule for another. I ask not therefore of him with whom I would unite in love, 'Are you of my Church? Of my congregation? ... Hold fast to that which you believe is most acceptable to God, and I will do the same. I believe the episcopal form of church government to be scriptural and apostolical. If you think the presbyterian or independent is better, think so still, and act accordingly. I believe infants ought to be baptized, and that this may be done eitheir by dipping or sprinkling. If you are otherwise persuaded, be so still, and follow your own persuasion. It appears to me that forms of prayer are of excellent use, particularly in the great congregation, If you judge extemporary prayer to be of more use, act suitably to your own judgment. My sentiment is that I ought not to forbid water wherein persons may be baptized, and that I ought to eat bread and drink wine as a memorial to my dying Master. However, if you are not convinced of this, act according to the light you have ... Let all these smaller points stand aside... 'If thine heart is as my heart', if thou lovest God and all mankind, I ask no more: 'Give me thine hand." (Par. 11. 1-2)
What does Wesley mean by the question, and how does he define what is involved in the heart being "right?" In the body of the sermon, Wesley describes the "right heart" in the following terms:
Belief in and faith in God, esp. God's providence and creative power; (cf. The Nicene Creed) Belief in Jesus Christ and a personal relationship with him through faith; Wholehearted love of God and neighbor; Purity of intention: i.e., desire to please God above all else; Faith working through love. (cf. Pars. 1. 12-18)
If we might summarize even more briefly, we may say that Wesley has reduced the essential core of Christian faith to 1) The Great Commandment, i.e., wholehearted love of God and neighbor; and 2) Holiness of heart and life. This constituted for Wesley primitive, apostolic Christianity.
If we were to translate Wesley's question of the right heart into modern parlance, we might ask it like this: "Do you love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and your neighbor as yourself; and are you seeking to be like Christ in every area of your life?" If so, then:
The Gracious Offer: Give Me Your Hand!
Not "think like me" (i.e. Embrace my opinions)
Not "worship like me"
But "give me your hand"
Love me as a friend and brother; be patient and long-suffering with me;
Pray for me;
Provoke me to love, good works;
Love me indeed, not just word(II.4-7)
IV. Summary of the Principle of "Catholic Spirit"
Not indifference to all theology or doctrine, esp. As it pertains to orthodox Christian truth [esp. As revealed in Scripture, Christian antiquity, and early Anglican documents]; the "Catholic Spirit"' is not an uncritical or indiscriminate pluralism. [In this regard, Wesley's statement that "we Methodists think and let think" has been grossly misinterpreted in our day]
Not indifference to modes/manner of worship (for Wesley, some methods of worship were more biblical than others, and as such, more preferable; Christians should know why they worship the way they do, and should be convinced that their particular method is biblical, reasonable, and in accord with Christian tradition. At the same time, they should allow other conscientious believers the liberty to differ with them.
But a firm, resolute conviction regarding what you believe, how you worship, and how you live as disciples in the world. In particular. the person of catholic spirit is loyal to his/her church, especially the local church where he/she receives the means of grace. (cf. 111.3)
Wesley's "Catholic Spirit": A Summary
Wesley is not inconsistent in his principle of catholicity; he is merely saying two things simultaneously. His formula is conviction + tolerance, with the latter understood in terms of the former.
Differences that are non-essential to the core of orthodox Christian teaching must not spoil the love of God, especially the love believers have for one another.
Differences that are non-essential to the core of orthodox Christian teaching must not spoil the work of God, the healthy cooperation in ministry between Christians.
In his "Advice to the People Called Methodists," Wesley admonished his followers:
Be true to your principles touching opinions and the externals of religion. Use every ordinance you believe is of God, but beware of narrowness of spirit towards those who use them not. Conform yourself to those modes of worship which you approve; yet love as brethren those who cannot contort. Lay so much stress on opinions, that all your own, if it be possible, may agree with truth and reason; but [be on guard against] anger, dislike, or contempt towards those whose opinions differ from yours. ("Advice to the People Called Methodists," Works [Jackson], 8:357)
Put another way, Wesley observes:
A man of a truly catholic spirit has not now his religion to seek. He is fixed as the sun in his judgment concerning the main branches of Christian doctrine. 'Tis true he is always ready to hear and weigh whatsoever can be offered against his principles. But as this does not show any wavering in his own mind, so neither does it occasion any ... Observe this, ye who know not what spirit ye are of, who call yourselves men of a catholic spirit only because you are of a muddy understanding; because your mind is all in a mist; because you have no settled, consistent principles, but are for jumbling all opinions together ... Go first and learn the first elements of the gospel of Christ, and then shall you learn to be of a truly catholic spirit. ("Catholic Spirit," III.1)
For Further Reading:
John Wesley. "The Character of a Methodist." Works, [Jackson], 8:339-346.
John Wesley. "The Nature of Enthusiasm." WJW, volume 2.
John Wesley. "Catholic Spirit." WJW, volume 2.
John Wesley. "A Caution Against Bigotry." WJW, volume 2.
John Wesley. "Advice to the People Called Methodists." Works [Jackson], volume 8.
Donald A.D. Thorsen. The Wesleyan Quadrilateral. Indianapolis: Light and Life, 1
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