Thomas Paine argued that there is happiness in Deism, when one rightly understood it concept. What makes Deism stood out from the rest of world religion, Is that Deist doesn’t need tricks to show miracles to confirm faith. He claimed that Deism brings happiness to it followers; unlike other religious believe systems where they restrain from reasoning and if the reasoning makes sense they will dispute against it. A man or a woman who able to think at all must restrain his/her own reason in order to force themselves into believe the teaching of that religion without questioning. Deist believes that the structure of the universe and everything we witness in the system of the creation of the world are far more convincing than any text or scriptures. Deists believe that by exercise their reason is what enabled them to contemplate God and His work. (Paine, 1794) Thomas Paine also mention that “man has wandered from the straight path of their duty and pursued of happiness, and become by turns the victim of doubt and the deceive of delusion from what people so called religion.” In the other extreme, the Evangelical Revival Methodist faithfully emphasizing the importance of the words of God and the commitment of the Holy Spirit in the beatification of the life of Christian followers. Deists were often perceive as pure rationalist that advocated nothing but reasoning, whereas Methodists were commonly identify as religious fanatic. (Heidinger, 1986) These two movements together often led to a great disagreement in the early 18th century. This paper will argues that, even though the Evangelical Methodist and Deist may appear as completely opposite on the outside but their core concept appeared to be very similar.
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Paine was no fool. He had an innate sense for politics and people in general. His sophisticated writing and carefully planned rhetoric repeatedly swayed the masses in works such as Common Sense and The Rights of Man. The publication of The Crisis came at a time when the odds were heavily agai...
John Wesley read Isaac Watts at Oxford and was familiar with his writings and theology Further, there can be no doubt that Wesley greatly respected Watts as a theologian. In a 1765 journal entry Wesley wrote of his positive relationship with the Dissenters, although, "... many of them did, however, differ from me both in opinions and modes of worship. I have the privilege to mention Dr. Doddridge, Dr. Watts, and Mr. Wardrobe." (1) Wesley thought so highly of some of Watts' theology that he included forty-four pages of Watts' text on original sin, The Ruin and Recovery of Human Nature, in his own volume titled, On Original Sin. (2) That Watts and John Wesley had a relationship of mutual respect, and that Wesley recognized Watts' preeminent reputation
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I was intrigued by John Wesley’s family background. Of how, “John Wesley began life as a happy by-product of a family dispute” (p. 3, Abraham) of praying for King William III. I find it hard to consider that the leader of the Methodist movement was the result of conflict resolution. John was the fifteenth child of a family of nineteen children. His parents, “Susanna and Samuel Wesley was both Dissenter, those who rejected the vision of Christianity developed by the Anglican Church after the Reformation” (p. 4, Abraham). John grandfather, Susanna’s father, was a “distinguished Dissenting Preacher” (p. 4, Abraham). His family tree was rich with ancestors who did not go along with the establishment if it did not match with spiritual truths.
Wesley's seventh essential doctrine was regeneration through the "new birth," Campbell said. Methodism's founder warned against leaning on the "slender read of baptism," when salvation required being born again. Belief in the possibility of entire sanctification beyond regeneration was a distinguishing mark of Methodism, though Campbell said Wesley did not make that an essential Christian doctrine.
Religion is considered as a pervasive force in this world. It shapes people as to how they behave and interact with almost everything present in the society. Influencing behavior, character formations, ideals, policies, standards are just among the dimensions and societal perspectives affected and impacted by religion. Because of these applications and implications in human lives and existence, religion should be understood deeply, particularly, on how it affects the world. Looking at the American perspective of the term "religion," it could be simply
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In Wesley’s “Witness of the Spirit”(Kerr, Hugh T. Readings in Christian Thought. Nashville) he understood and expressed that there is an expectation of salvation when there is a personal relationship with the Holy Spirit. Also, that this relationship promises to all, whether lay or clergy, that once saved, one is accepted as a child of God. The “Momentus truth” (Kerr, Hugh T. Readings in Christian Thought) that Wesley speaks of is the undeniable truth of the scriptures and that it must be defended against “danger lest our religion degenerate into mere formality” (Kerr, Hugh T. Readings in Christian Thought). The “testimony of truth” (Kerr) is Wesley’s declaration to anyone who would deny the truth of the scripture denies the existence of faith.
Wesley believed that Scripture was the very core of the Christian faith, but reason, tradition and experience can support our understanding of Scripture. He believed that when a person is facing a big question of faith the first place to turn to is the Scriptures to find an answer.
6. Bohdan R. Bociurkiw and John W. Strong, Religion and Atheism in the U.S.S.R. and