1. John Wesley and the origins of Methodism

Abstract

‘John Wesley and the origins of Methodism’ explains that John Wesley never had any intention to form a movement or church. The early life of John Wesley and his brother Charles is described. In the 1730s, his life was redirected from academia in a series of developments that led him to become an extraordinary evangelist and spiritual director. Preaching in the open air was the first of many innovations for Wesley and was pivotal in the spread of Methodism. By the early 1750s, Methodism had become an evangelical order within the Church of England. The severe challenges faced by Methodism and the spread of Methodism to North America are also described.