Marion
Campus
Tour
Marion Campus | Marion
Campus Map | Directions
to Marion Campus | News
& Events
The
Arts | Athletics
| WIWU
TV-51 | John
Wesley Honors College
Sculptures - John Wesley Statue
Dedication Speech
Dr. Chris Bounds, Assistant Professor of Religion, gave the
dedication speech to the faculty, staff, trustees, students
and friends of IWU surrounded the soon to be unveiled John Wesley
Statue at 2:00 on October 3, 2003.
“This year we commemorate the 300th anniversary of John
Wesley’s birth on June 28, 1703 in Epworth, Lincolnshire,
England. The eighteenth century in which Wesley lived was marked
by tumultuous social, economic and spiritual upheaval. In the
course of his life, Wesley witnessed the development of the
industrial revolution which ushered England out of the middle
ages into the modern era, resulting in the migration of hundreds
of thousands into the cities of Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds,
and London. Wesley also witnessed the dangerous polarization
of economic classes and the insecurity experienced by the masses,
who took retreat from the harshness of life in alcohol, violence,
prostitution, and gambling. And sadly, Wesley witnessed the
growing irrelevance of the Anglican Church in addressing the
attendant problems. Providentially, John Wesley did not stand
by idly as his world struggled to cope with a new age lost in
sin.
In early 1729, a number of influences converge in Wesley’s
life convincing him “not only to read, but to study, the
Bible, as the one, the only standard of truth, and the only
model of pure religion.” He sees the goal or end of Christianity
- holiness of heart and life, holiness capable of changing the
world. However, the means by which holiness comes about in people
and in the world eludes Wesley.
One piece of the puzzle falls into place in November of that
year when he takes leadership of an already existent group -
the Holy Club at Oxford. Under Wesley’s direction, the
Holy Club becomes the foundational model for the Methodist class
meeting, which in turn becomes the vehicle used of God to sustain
the flames of the coming English revival. So effective is the
class meeting, more than a century later, D.L. Moody writes,
“The Methodist class meeting is the best institution for
training converts the world has ever seen.”
Another piece of the puzzle falls into place on May 24, 1738
on Aldersgate Street in London – the doctrine of salvation
by grace through faith. Until Aldersgate, Wesley viewed Christian
faith primarily as a mental assent to Christian doctrine and
salvation as a result of good works. Now, Wesley sees that humanity
is justified and sanctified by a confident trust in Christ’s
work. Wesley writes in his journal, “In the evening I
went very unwilling to a society … while (the reader)
was describing the change which God works in the heart through
faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I
did trust in Christ, Christ alone, for salvation, and an assurance
was given me, that He had taken away my sins, even mine, and
saved me from the law of sin and death.”
The final piece of the puzzle falls into place on April 1, 1739,
when John Wesley accepts the invitation of George Whitfield
to do “so vile a thing” as preach in the fields
to the un-churched masses in Kingswood. Following the custom
of his day, Wesley believed preaching was only done behind a
pulpit in a sanctuary. Preaching anywhere else was considered
vulgar. With fear and trepidation, Wesley begins taking the
Gospel to the masses with unqualified success and later declares
“the World is my parish.” The Wesleyan revival begins.
[insert a photo of Chris giving the dedication speech; Alan
took several]
In response to the sweeping move of the Spirit and the swelling
roles of class meetings, Wesley calls together Methodist preachers
for the first annual conference, June 25-27, 1744. The purpose
is to clarify the message of justification, faith, and sanctification,
as well as clarify issues of polity and discipline. In this
conference, Wesley establishes clearly the doctrine of Christian
perfection as a work of God’s grace cleansing the heart
of inward sin and enabling a Christian to love God with all
heart, soul, mind and strength. Years later in reflection,
Wesley calls the message of Christian perfection “the
grand depositum which God has lodged with the people called
Methodists; and for the sake of propagating this chiefly He
appeared to have raised (them) up.”
Years pass. The flames of revival burn deeply and spread to
America. In September of 1784, in response to the spiritual
needs in the United States and recognizing that church government
must adapt in order to advance the Gospel, Wesley breaks ecclesial
order in the Anglican Communion by ordaining Richard Whatcoat
and Thomas Vasey, and consecrating Thomas Coke a general superintendent
for the service of leadership in America. As he sends them
to our country he exhorts, “Offer them Christ.”
When John Wesley dies March 2, 1791 at the age of 87, the
revival ignited in Kingswood more than fifty years earlier
is still burning, with hundreds of thousands impacted by his
ministry. Some historians have argued that this period in
England is the longest sustained revival in Church history.
Wesley’s “optimism” in the grace of God
to transform human lives and society revolutionizes his country
and helps the English overcome the challenges raised by the
eighteenth century.
As John Wesley’s spiritual heirs at Indiana Wesleyan
University, standing in a time of social, economic and spiritual
upheaval, we embrace his “optimism of grace,”
believing God, in the power of His Spirit, can transform lives
and transform society. His statue reminds us to look boldly
into our future, trusting God to use us as agents of His grace.”
|
