John Wesley

John Wesley (1703-1791) was an English cleric and theologian who founded the Methodist movement within the Church of England. Educated at Oxford University, where he led the "Holy Club" of devout students, Wesley experienced a spiritual transformation in 1738 that launched his evangelical mission. His theology emphasized personal salvation through faith, the witness of the Spirit, and Christian perfection or entire sanctification. Wesley's Arminian stance opposed Calvinist predestination, asserting human free will in accepting divine grace. He developed a practical theology combining personal piety with social action, advocating for prison reform, abolition, and care for the poor. His extensive writings include sermons, biblical commentaries, and theological treatises that shaped Protestant thought on grace, holiness, and the nature of Christian experience. Wesley's emphasis on experiential religion and his organizational methods profoundly influenced evangelical Christianity and modern Protestantism's understanding of conversion, assurance, and sanctification.