Wesleyan/Arminians

[D+C]

I would be interested in hearing about prominent conservatives, as defined in the sticky of this sub-forum, from the Wesleyan/Arminian/Holiness traditions (not necessarily denominations). Most seem to be Calvinist or Molinist. I understand there is (was?) a Conservative Holiness Movement in the USA but I know nothing about it. I'm particularly interested in contemporary theologians, pastors and writers.

Many thanks!

 

[D+C]

Since posting this I've discovered Thomas Olsen and Fred Sanders. Perhaps these count?

 

[zoziw]

The Christian and Missionary Alliance is a church like this and their most prominent theologian (if I can call him that) was AW Tozer. One of this books is available at Project Gutenberg, though he wrote many more.

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/25141/25141-h/25141-h.htm

 

[Rhamiel]

there are still conservatives in the Methodist church, but most of them seem to be older and in rural areas
in the cities and suburbs, the Methodist are becoming more and more liberal

 

[D+C]

Many thanks. On re reading my second post I see autocorrect got me- that should say Thomas Oden!

 

[FerventDisciple]

The main Wesleyan theologian I know of is Dr Jerry Walls though he strangely advocates the doctrine of purgatory so that would be outside of conservative. His soteriology debates with Calvinists are excellent though. The best current Arminian teacher/theological I know of is Dr Michael Brown. He's basically the Arminian James White. The 2 have debated several times and are actually great friends despite their doctrinal differences.

 

[D+C]

Thank you very much for those suggestions, I've had a good read of some of their articles. One thing I would really like to read is a decent conservative arminian systematic theology. I was looking at Tom Oden's Classical Christianity and was also thinking about Norm Geisler's work although I appreciate he personally rejects the arminian label.

 

[FerventDisciple]

Thank you very much for those suggestions, I've had a good read of some of their articles. One thing I would really like to read is a decent conservative arminian systematic theology. I was looking at Tom Oden's Classical Christianity and was also thinking about Norm Geisler's work although I appreciate he personally rejects the arminian label.

The Quest for Truth by F. Leroy Forlines could be a good option. Though the Arminian part of the Systematic Theology is available in a separate book called Classical Arminianism.

 

[VolRaider]

there are still conservatives in the Methodist church, but most of them seem to be older and in rural areas
in the cities and suburbs, the Methodist are becoming more and more liberal

Actually, they are not. Our General Conference last year affirmed the ban on homosexual marriage.

 

[Aviela]

This is a very very general statement but many Christians I know are more Arminian in view than Calvanist and they are all conservative.

 

[dhh712]

This is a very very general statement but many Christians I know are more Arminian in view than Calvanist and they are all conservative.

For some reason, your statement made me wonder, is there a Christian church (or denomination/sect/etc) that is liberal and Calvinist in view? The two don't seem to go together, but you never know (I don't know about many Christian views outside of my own).

 

[VolRaider]

For some reason, your statement made me wonder, is there a Christian church (or denomination/sect/etc) that is liberal and Calvinist in view? The two don't seem to go together, but you never know (I don't know about many Christian views outside of my own).

PCUSA fit this criteria?

 

[Albion]

A word of caution. This is a worthy discussion but "Conservative Christians" on this forum means conventional Christians, either Protestant or Catholic, as opposed to adherents of newer varieties of Christianity which might have introduced some newer ideas. It's not a forum intended for the more traditionalist churches of whatever denomination or family of faith (Missouri Synod Lutheran, Presbyterian Ch in America, Continuing Anglican, that sort of thing).

 

[Albion]

PCUSA fit this criteria?

That's probably the best answer we could give, Vol, but then we have to ask how much Calvinism remains in even this Presbyterian body?

 

[NorrinRadd]

The Assemblies of God would be considered "conservative" by the standards of this forum, and are generally Wesleyan or Arminian in soteriology.

Gordon Fee and Craig Keener would be particular examples of people who are conservative by the standards of this forum and who have generally Wesleyan or Arminian soteriology.

 

[NorrinRadd]

Minor clarification: On the off chance that Item 6 in the forum Statement of Purpose intends "male headship" as normative for the family, then Fee and Keener would definitely not be "Conservative," and the AG's position is muddled and inconsistent.

 

[raschau]

Thomas Oden devotes a page and a half of his preface in Classic Christianity to defending 'inclusive' language. He's conservative by Methodist standards, but a bit to the left of moderate by other standards. Also, he's a member of the 'paleo-orthodoxy' movement; Classic Christianity is not a Wesleyan-Arminian systematic theology, but rather a study in 'ecumenical Patristic consensus.' I'm reading through my copy right now, and I gotta say I'm a little disappointed with it. He did, however, write an ostensibly useful four-volume study about, and called, "John Wesley's Teachings."

The most contemporary conservative Holiness work you're going to find is H. Orton Wiley's three volume "Christian Theology" written back in 1940 for the Church of the Nazarene. You can get the set on Amazon for about 70 bucks, but it's public domain now and has been digitally released for free elsewhere.

Most of the 'conservative Holiness' movement was absorbed by Pentecostalism in the early 20th century, but almost all Pentecostal theologians today are non-Wesleyan. Stanley Horton's Systematic Theology and Duffield-Van Cleave's Foundations of Pentecostal Theology are excellent, and Arminian, but neither Wesleyan nor Holiness.

French Arrington of the Church of God, Cleveland wrote a three volume systematic theology in the early 90s - Christian Doctrine: A Pentecostal Perspective. The Church of God is the oldest Pentecostal denomination, and still the largest of the Wesleyan variety. Any vestiges of the conservative Holiness movement that remain in Wesleyan Pentecostalism are going to be in Arrington's work. I haven't read it, so I'm not sure how good it is, but he, Wiley, and perhaps Oden's four volumes on Wesley are the only conservative works I know of that have been written in the last 100 years.

 

[D+C]

Not checked -in for a while. Thank you very much for your input. I am very much finding my way in this evangelical (for want of a better word) world, and I agree with raschau's take on Oden. I really like a lot of his writing (that which was believed everywhere by everyone etc) but there is a lot of what strikes me as progressive tinkering.

Thank you again for the various theologians to look into. I am becoming increasingly inclined towards a more baptist rather than Methodist position so that opens new avenues for study bible, commentary and systematic theology shopping.

 

[Krillin]

My church, which is methodist, is very much conservative.

 

[D+C]

I recently discovered James Burton Coffman's and Adam Clarke's commentaries, both of which have been of great help to me and both of whom I believe are Arminian.