Charles Wesley (1707-88)

Considers the life and work of Charles Wesley, one of the founders of Methodism.

Charles Wesley (1707-88) is most celebrated as a hymnwriter, and three of the essays in this book discuss this topic. They analyze how his verse encouraged both individuals and the church collectively to seek "renewal"; his use of symbolic language and the psychological responses that this engenders; and the complex history of the changing music to which his hymns are sung. Another essay focuses on Charles's role as an evangelist and leader in the early years of the Evangelical Revival in Bristol. His role as a pastor is covered in a discussion of his relationship with an eccentric contemporary who dabbled in the occult, John Henderson (1757-88). Finally, there is a detailed analysis of known portraits of Charles Wesley, portraits which illustrated his status as one of history's most consequential Methodists.