Anxiety in the Wesleyan Spirit: A Core Theological Theme?

Abstract Eighteenth‐century writer and reformer John Wesley does not use ‘anxiety’ in its modern philosophical or psychological sense. However, Wesley carefully distinguishes between forms of religious fear and ‘nervous disorders’ throughout his published theological and medical works, indicating th...

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Published in:International Journal of Systematic Theology
Main Author: Cunningham, Joseph W.
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2021
Subjects:
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/ijst.12507
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/ijst.12507
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full-xml/10.1111/ijst.12507
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spelling crwiley:10.1111/ijst.12507 2024-06-02T08:11:27+00:00 Anxiety in the Wesleyan Spirit: A Core Theological Theme? Cunningham, Joseph W. 2021 http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/ijst.12507 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/ijst.12507 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full-xml/10.1111/ijst.12507 en eng Wiley http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor International Journal of Systematic Theology volume 23, issue 3, page 352-369 ISSN 1463-1652 1468-2400 journal-article 2021 crwiley https://doi.org/10.1111/ijst.12507 2024-05-03T11:12:59Z Abstract Eighteenth‐century writer and reformer John Wesley does not use ‘anxiety’ in its modern philosophical or psychological sense. However, Wesley carefully distinguishes between forms of religious fear and ‘nervous disorders’ throughout his published theological and medical works, indicating the felt quality of anxiety as a central theme. This is evinced in his published journals, sermons such as ‘The Spirit of Bondage and of Adoption’ (1746), ‘The Wilderness State’ and ‘Heaviness through Manifold Temptations’ (both published in 1760), and less‐conspicuous works such as Primitive Physic (1747), ‘ Thoughts on Nervous Disorders’ (1786), as well as his publication on electricity, The Desideratum: Or Electricity Made Plain and Useful (1759). Wesley’s treatment of ‘anxiety‐qualia’ as religious predicament and physical disorder is instructive in terms of placing Wesley vis‐à‐vis the backdrop of Enlightenment Europe and its scientific and philosophical interests, which has been the subject of recent historical and theological scholarship related to Wesley. Wesley was a preacher and revivalist to be certain, whose emphasis on perceptible inspiration and the assurance of faith cultivated a global Protestant denomination, but he was also a curious thinker with a fondness for science and faith, steeped in the intellectual developments of the North Atlantic, early‐modern world. Article in Journal/Newspaper North Atlantic Wiley Online Library International Journal of Systematic Theology 23 3 352 369
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description Abstract Eighteenth‐century writer and reformer John Wesley does not use ‘anxiety’ in its modern philosophical or psychological sense. However, Wesley carefully distinguishes between forms of religious fear and ‘nervous disorders’ throughout his published theological and medical works, indicating the felt quality of anxiety as a central theme. This is evinced in his published journals, sermons such as ‘The Spirit of Bondage and of Adoption’ (1746), ‘The Wilderness State’ and ‘Heaviness through Manifold Temptations’ (both published in 1760), and less‐conspicuous works such as Primitive Physic (1747), ‘ Thoughts on Nervous Disorders’ (1786), as well as his publication on electricity, The Desideratum: Or Electricity Made Plain and Useful (1759). Wesley’s treatment of ‘anxiety‐qualia’ as religious predicament and physical disorder is instructive in terms of placing Wesley vis‐à‐vis the backdrop of Enlightenment Europe and its scientific and philosophical interests, which has been the subject of recent historical and theological scholarship related to Wesley. Wesley was a preacher and revivalist to be certain, whose emphasis on perceptible inspiration and the assurance of faith cultivated a global Protestant denomination, but he was also a curious thinker with a fondness for science and faith, steeped in the intellectual developments of the North Atlantic, early‐modern world.
format Article in Journal/Newspaper
author Cunningham, Joseph W.
spellingShingle Cunningham, Joseph W.
Anxiety in the Wesleyan Spirit: A Core Theological Theme?
author_facet Cunningham, Joseph W.
author_sort Cunningham, Joseph W.
title Anxiety in the Wesleyan Spirit: A Core Theological Theme?
title_short Anxiety in the Wesleyan Spirit: A Core Theological Theme?
title_full Anxiety in the Wesleyan Spirit: A Core Theological Theme?
title_fullStr Anxiety in the Wesleyan Spirit: A Core Theological Theme?
title_full_unstemmed Anxiety in the Wesleyan Spirit: A Core Theological Theme?
title_sort anxiety in the wesleyan spirit: a core theological theme?
publisher Wiley
publishDate 2021
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/ijst.12507
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/ijst.12507
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full-xml/10.1111/ijst.12507
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op_source International Journal of Systematic Theology
volume 23, issue 3, page 352-369
ISSN 1463-1652 1468-2400
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op_doi https://doi.org/10.1111/ijst.12507
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