WESLEY IS SOME GOOD LENS

“Yes In Christ” is the second volume in the Tyndale studies in Wesleyan History and Theology series.

I need to thank my friend Bryon McLaughlin for the gift of this volume to me published in 2011. I began to read it on my flight back home from Kansas City. I am just now getting around to writing my reflection on the book now because, well, you know how pastoral ministry can be. I am calling my reflections “Lens”. 

Three times today I’ve been reminded of the importance of the Lens through which we see things.

1. I made an appointment with USA Optical to have my eyes checked and get my lenses adjusted. Maybe that will keep me from squinting so much.

2. I heard a radio preacher this morning on a bit of a rant that went something like this: “That’s what’s wrong with Catholics and liberal churches: they don’t view the world through the lens of scripture.” 

3. I pulled “Yes In Christ” off the shelf to review it, only to re-discover, in the table of contents the opening chapter entitled: “The World Through A Wesleyan Lens.” 

So, I’m not going to reflect on the whole book (the book is far too rich and broad for me to attempt that.) No. I think I’ll stick with the one chapter . . . Chapter One. 

Snyder writes: “Wesleyans tend to see the world through a Wesleyan lens. No surprise there. This chapter summarizes the Wesleyan lens based on John Wesley himself and in light of today’s context.” (p.15)

Let’s “grind” this out (isn’t that what they do with lenses . . . grind them?) Okay, put another way. Let’s see how Wesley viewed the world, the church and her mission in the world, and see if it applies to our context.

1. The Lens of Scripture. Maybe our radio preacher wasn’t so far off after all: Maybe we do need to carefully examine the lens through which we see things to be sure ours is a biblical world view. It was Randy Maddox who helped me better understand the role of Scripture in the development of Wesleyan theology and practice. Wesley had embraced a “unilateral source of authority”: The Scripture. But Wesley also understood the importance of tradition, reason and experience. His was a tri-lateral hermeneutic. These three are not, in and of themselves, sources of authority. They are interpretative helps. The Wesleyan world view is a biblical world view, I do believe.

2. The Lens of the Image of God. This helps us see people . . . all people . . . as lost but redeemable. Every person, no matter how far they have fallen into sin, are not beyond the reach of God’s grace. Wesleyans are very optimistic about the grace of God . . . that the whosoever surely meaneth me . . . and every other person on the face of this planet. Obviously, there is no room for unconditional election and limited atonement in Wesley’s way of thinking nor in mine. As a friend of Wesley . . . and more importantly, of Jesus, I see clearly that sin distorts the image of God in a person. But the divine spark is still there. And the Spirit of Christ is at work in the life of every person, no matter how far they have wandered away from home. Leonard Sweet has reminded me: I don’t have to take Jesus somewhere. He has gone before me. He is already there.

3. Through the Lens of the Poor. Wesley understood that “preaching good news to the poor” (Luke 4:18) as recognized by Jesus Himself as a critical part of His mission in the world. This led Wesley to reach out to the poor intentionally, making him a bit of a “radical in his time.” The call of the church to minister among the poor has become quite the rage these days. Yo. It’s been around for a while. Certainly, an intentional ministry among and identification with the poor is who we are as Wesleyan-holiness people. Well, at least it is supposed to be.

4. The Wisdom of God in Creation.

5. Salvation as the Restoration of God’s Image. To be saved is to become fully human. The new birth is not the end game. It is the entrance to a new life . . . a new relational way of living. In relation with God, God’s creation (see #4) and others. Holiness is relational. Loving relations is God’s Big Idea. Loving relationships restore all that fractured relationships (sin) has cost us. Man I love this lens. I try to preach and teach and, more importantly, live through this lens . . . this relational orientation to life, makes for good theology and mission, don’t you think?

6. Audacious, Gracious Hope. I know. I already touched on this but it bears repeating. “Wesleyan theology is saturated with hope, expectancy, optimism of and the grace of optimism. This hope is based not on human intelligence or technology but on Jesus resurrection, God’s promises, and the present work of the Spirit.” – Snyder 

7. A Renewed Missional Church. Not revival for revival sake but for the sake of the church’s mission in the world. As we practice Wesley’s method: works of piety and works of mercy, not only will we experience personal renewal but a renewal of God’s missionary church. The two are two sides of the same coin.

8. The Restoration of all Creation.

So, I’d like to add one of my own, born of a recent experience.

9. The Catholic Spirit. Wesley seemed to have a good idea about the distinction between core doctrinal beliefs and secondary (non-essential) things: When it came to historic, confessional Christianity (The Apostle’s Creed) there is unity. And when it comes to non-essentials there is freedom (tolerance). For some, there are no secondary matters . . . there are no non-essentials. That’s not my tribe. I’m a Wesleyan-holiness man. We believe if your heart is right with God as my heart is, than you can be a young earth, literal creationist (which I am by faith) or an old-earth theistic evolutionist and still be a Nazarene. 

This may not be the only way to follow Jesus. It may not even be the best way (time will tell). But it’s a good way. And I love it. Wesley is Some Good lenses.

And that’s my reflection on pages 15-34! What an awesome book. I give it a solid 5 out of 5.