Wesley and Men Who Followed [Hardcover]

Iain H. Murray (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 270 pages
• Publisher: Banner of Truth (July 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0851518354
• ISBN-13: 978-0851518350
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #949,373 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars No Apologetic for Arminianism!, June 22, 2005

By 

James J. Cassidy "James J. Cassidy" (Ringoes, NJ) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Wesley and Men Who Followed (Hardcover)

A previous reviewer said:

"With all this in mind, it is important to view Murray's book as an apologetic work, not solely of John Wesley or his preachers, but of Evangelical Arminianism."

Such a comment makes one wonder if this reviewer actually read the work! Murray, far from offering an apologetic for Wesley, offers us a wonder critique of Wesley's misunderstanding of Calvinism. At the end of the day, if you want to call this book an "apologetic" as opposed to a "history", you have to conclude that it is an apologetic for Calvinism!

Murray writes in his chapter on Wesley's conflict with Calvinism, that Wesley critiqued Calvinism as being against both holy living and evangelism. Murray goes on to show how Calvinism believes in both holy living and evangelism - exposeing Wesley's misunderstanding.

That said, Murray is very charitable toward Wesley at certain points. He makes it clear that Wesley, although mistaken on Perfectionism and on assurance (among other things), he was a champion of grace and the doctrine of justification by faith alone. So, while Wesley's theology has great weaknesses, we can - and should - be able to appreciate his vehement efforts to evangelize the lost. Wesley as preacher was at his best, certainly better than Wesley as theologian.

Read this book, its the best out there on an important historical figure from a Reformed perspective.

10 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A thought-provoking biographically oriented account, August 6, 2003

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wesley and Men Who Followed (Hardcover)

Written by Iain H. Murray (a veteran minister of the Presbyterian Church), Wesley And Men Who Followed is an informed and informative study of the life and teachings of John Wesley, the Christian intellectual, and evangelist who was also an Oxford Don. Biographer Murray's extensive and scholarly research draws especially from Methodist sources to reveal the reverberating relevance that John Wesley's life and work have on the present-day Christian church. A thought-provoking biographically oriented account, Wesley And Men Who Followed is a welcome and scholarly addition to Christian History collections in general, and Methodist Studies reading lists in particular.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable and Informative, even for Calvinists, January 14, 2008

By 

Erik Raymond "IrishCalvinist.com" (Omaha, NE USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Wesley and Men Who Followed (Hardcover)

John Wesley's legacy stands today through the large selection of hymns, writings, sermons and even the continuation of Methodism, the sect of Christian pietists that originated with Wesley. However, whenever I drive by a Methodist church I have often wondered what Wesley was really like and what happened.

This is why I was excited to find out that Banner of Truth put out a biography of Wesley by Iain Murray. I was curious to open this book and see how a Reformed guy like Murray would portray the life of a noted Arminian like John Wesley. I was impressed with Murray's attention to the facts and seemingly balanced interaction with Wesly's life.

Wesley was indeed no friend of Calvinism. In fact he said of the Reformed theology, "Calvinism is the enemy." And even further, that Calvinism was "thrown our way by Satan." Murray helpfully points out that it was John's mother, Susanna, who really helped forge his theological views. It was Susanna who repeatedly corresponded with her son articulating her resistance to the doctrines of grace.

Wesley took to the open fields as a response to the dissatisfaction of the church of England. He had traveled to America as a missionary to the Indians. It was during this trip that Wesley believed that he was converted. This season in 1738 is repeatedly referred to by Wesley as his conversion time.

During his younger years George Whitfield spent a considerable time with Wesley. Their relationship was extremely close and this was exemplified by the care with which they corresponded by letter. Their differences lied primarily in the doctrines of grace, and each of them, Whitfield and Wesley became somewhat of a public spokesman for their respective views. The differences between Wesley and Whitfield (and others such as Augustus Toplady) are extremely interesting to read.

Murray also provides a detailed chapter on Wesley's views on Justification, Sanctification, and the relationship between the Holy Spirit and Scripture.

At the end of the day you have to acknowledge Wesley's seemingly good motives to promote the gospel to the ends of the earth. However, it is instructive to note that the movement was not built primarily on sound biblical interpretation and application but rather leaned heavily on subjectivity. I recommend reading this book to see the necessity to contend for clarity with the gospel and to ensure that we are grounded in and on the unchanging Word of God.