This book examines two main themes which had national significance in eighteenth-century British Methodism. First, the interaction between the two distinct theological expressions of Methodism; Calvinist and Arminian. The ‘parting of the ways’ marks the first major split in Methodism as the differences of theological understanding changed into the demarcation of religious organisations. The core of the book will feature a series of case-studies which explore Calvinist and Arminian Methodists in a number of key locations, where competition and even religious take-over bids were used by John Wesley’s movement to gain religious dominance. Secondly, the book explores the nature of John Wesley’s leadership of his movement, and especially how the competition between the Calvinist and Arminian strands of Methodism made it necessary for Wesley to change the way he exercised his leadership and authority. This will be examined through Wesley’s role as connexional leader and his relationships with individual preachers and society members. Hart also explores both the reasons his leadership changed over the period of the study and the impact these changes had in the local context. The book will explore how these changes were made necessary by the increasing size of his ‘Connexion’ and the attendant changes in the application of Wesleyan discipline especially on the itinerant preachers.
Whilst much has been written about Wesleyanism, and more specifically about John Wesley as a religious leader, and there is now an increase of interest in George Whitefield and the Calvinist branch of Methodism. This book is unique in examining how the two affected each other at the local level. The book shows that, however united were the leaders of early Methodism even in their theological diversity, in promoting evangelical revival their unity was not strong enough to hold together the religious movements they founded.
