The Presence of God in the Christian Life John Wesley and the Means of Grace

by Knight, Henry H., III

• ISBN13: 9780810825895
• ISBN10: 0810825899
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 1992-11-01
• Publisher: Scarecrow Press

Summary

...Knight draws together several streams of recent scholarship to highlight the dynamic and relational nature of both grace and holiness in Wesley's theology...a very significant contribution to Wesley studies. More importantly, it is a contribution to the larger Christian community as we seek to understand the nature and nurture of Christian life.--METHODIST HISTORY

Table of Contents

Editors' Foreword
Preface
Introduction
The Means of Grace	p. 1
The Christian Life in Context	p. 1
The Means of Grace: Wesley's Typologies	p. 2
The Structure and Method of this Study	p. 5
The Presence and Identity of God	p. 8
The Means to the Christian Life	p. 16
The Religion of the Heart	p. 16
Against Formalism: The Faith That Works by Love	p. 29
Against Enthusiasm: The Traditional Means of Grace	p. 36
The Ends of the Christian Life	p. 50
The Heart Perfected in Love	p. 50
Against Antinomianism: The Promise of New Creation	p. 62
Against Perfectionism: A Continual Reliance on Christ	p. 78
The Means to the Presence of God	p. 92
Remaining in the Church: Ecclesiola in Ecclesia	p. 92
Discipline in Community: Classes and Bands	p. 95
Prayer and Fasting	p. 116
The General Means of Grace	p. 122
The Means to the Identity of God	p. 127
Renewing the Church: Experienced Identity	p. 127
The Lord's Supper	p. 130
Searching the Scriptures	p. 148
Tradition, Prayers, and Hymns	p. 159
The Means of Grace and the Christian Life	p. 168
Patterns of Interaction in the Means of Grace	p. 168
Baptism and the Christian Life: An Excursus	p. 178
The Presence of God in the Christian Life	p. 191
Chapter Notes	p. 197
Selected Bibliography	p. 238
Index	p. 243
About the Author	p. 253
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