Movements often become embarrassed with themselves as the generations come and go, and this seems to be part of what happened to Methodism.

In the 20th Century Methodism distanced itself from its own revivalistic roots. It embraced the "new” theologies that were influenced by Friedrich Schleiermacher which (at that time) were coming out of Germany, and laid aside the difficult and challenging (and frankly embarrassing) doctrine of Christian Perfection.

In his 1896 book A Defense of Christian Perfection, Daniel Steele quotes the following words from John McClintock, who was the very first President of Drew Theological Seminary in a sermon preached in 1866:

"Knowing exactly what I say, and taking the full responsibility of it, I

repeat, we are the only Church in history, from the apostles' time till now, that has put forth as its very elemental thought the great pervading idea of the whole Book of God from the beginning to the end — the holiness of the human soul, heart, mind, and will. . . .  It may be called fanaticism; but, dear friends, this is our mission. If we keep to that, the next century is ours; if we keep to that, the triumphs of the next century shall throw those of the past into the shade. . . .  There is our mission; there is our glory; there is our power; and there shall be the ground of our triumph! God keep us true!"

But, of course neither McClintock nor Steele could have foreseen the vast cultural changes that would occur in the transition from the 19th to the 20th Centuries. The Methodist Episcopal church would set its heart on social & intellectual respectability. The relationship between the M.E. Church and the Holiness organizations would deteriorate — on both sides. The essentially optimistic 19th Century would give way to an essentially pessimistic 20th Century. McClintock extrapolated from the evangelistic and reformist successes of the past — and naturally concluded that the greatest victories of all lay ahead (if only Methodism would stay true to its calling). Alas, he couldn't possibly have known -- or even guessed — what actually lay ahead.

I think Luke Tyreman (biographer of John Wesley) once said that the fortunes of Methodism have always been tied to the fortunes of the idea of "Christian Perfection." The message of change & reconciliation & hope & holiness fit well with the spirit of an optimistic 19th Century age.  But, the 20th Century became an age of despair. Two world wars (the first of which was supposed to "end all war") and a great depression in the USA left a lasting mark. To me the philosophy of Bertrand Russell seems especially characteristic of this age. He sought to build his world-view "on the firm foundation of an unyielding despair." Conservative and evangelical Christians embraced a Dispensational eschatology th

at told us all that the world was simply going to get worse and worse. The neo-orthodoxy of Karl Barth and (even more so) Reinhold Neibuhr so exalted and re-affirmed the Augustinian notion of Original Sin that any real redemption and change in human life through faith in Christ was considered practically impossible. The rise of historical Biblical criticism raised serious questions about whether the Bible's message could be trusted. Fundamentalism became a defensive action: against historical Biblical criticism and against science (especially biology). And where was the Holiness movement in all of this? On the outside. Stalled. In decline. In it's death throes, really.

What we currently have in popular evangelical Christianity is an unhappy mix of Calvinism and Arminianism. On the one hand, folks feel they are saved by faith & can never be lost, on the other they think they “sin every day in thought, word, and deed.” So, “salvation” is understood as status with God and special privileges: “Christians aren’t perfect [they say], they’re just forgiven.” But, the message of "holiness of heart and life" is rarely heard. Or, if it is, it is in the form of an unhealthy legalism.

And, then again, Christianity has all too often been presented as a Creedology: Do you believe thus-and-so? Great! You're saved!

In the UMC (until very recently) Wesley was largely abandoned as a spiritual mentor. The reigning theologians among my liberal colleagues when I came into the ministry in 1975 were Paul Tillich (a sort of Christian existentialism) and Reinhold Neibuhr (human finiteness = Original Sin).

There are  some new modern-English paraphrased versions of Wesley's works that have appeared in print. The meaning and connotation of many English words has changed since the 1700s, and sometimes Wesley's meaning is not clear to the modern reader.

John Wesley's Standard Sermons in Modern English - 3 Volume Set by Kenneth Cain Kinghorn.

Also, I highly recommend:

A PERFECT LOVE: Understanding John Wesley's A Plain Account of Christian Perfection By Steven W. Manskar, Diana L. Hynson

The book above is a updated paraphrase of Wesley's A Plain Account of Christian Perfection. Manskar has also added some explanatory notes in the margin. (I recommend finding some people who would be willing to go through the book as a group. Bring Bibles. Check the references that the author lists at the end of each chapter.) This book was put out by our UM Board of Discipleship.

This may be the moment to re-assert the call to holiness, the message of hope, the real meaning of the Cross. Maybe our world is ready to hear the Gospel again.

— Craig L. Adams