LONGWOOD, FL-An early leader in the Methodist movement, John Wesley and his theology brought about a great evangelical revival in the English-speaking world. On the American frontier in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, Wesley's theology suffered some significant changes in key areas: the doctrines of grace, Christian perfection, and his understanding of worship and sacraments. In John Wesley and the American Frontier (paperback, 978-1-60477-166-4), the author explores the four factors of frontier life that impacted WesleyÕs theology to bring about those changes: an uneducated clergy handling the theology of a serious scholar, the plurality and proliferation of religious groups in America, the American mindset (i.e., anti-authoritarian, anti-intellectual), and the camp meeting movement.
"John Wesley has significant things to say to 21st-century Christians seeking church renewal," says Beeson. "After reading my book, they might become hopeful about the possibility of the churchÕs survival and growth. [My book] points the way for the church in this century."
A student of Wesley's theology for many years, Beeson saw the fulfillment of a lifelong dream with the publication of his book. With his retirement, he finally had time to pen the book, which had been in the back of his mind for many years. He hopes his readers will understand that in our search for church renewal, we must return to Wesley's theology in its pure and unadulterated form, before the American frontier impacted it.
Xulon Press, a part of Salem Communications Corporation, is the world's largest Christian publisher, with more than 3,900 titles published to date. Retailers may order John Wesley and the American Frontier through Ingram Book Company and/or Spring Arbor Book Distributors. Salem Communications is the country's leading Christian communications company with interests in radio, Internet, and magazine publishing.
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2007