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삼원서원에서 올해 첫 책으로 랜디 매덕스의 『응답적 은총: 존 웨슬리의 실천신학』을 출간했다. 700쪽으로 43,000원인데, 이 글을 보고 주문 메시지를 보내면 40,000원에 배송할 예정이다. 신한은행 308-06-555025 김영명
지은이 랜디 매덕스Randy L. Maddox
1953년 미국에서 태어나 노스웨스트나사렛칼리지(B.A.)와 나사렛신학교(M.Div.)를 졸업하고 에모리대학교에서 시어도어 러니언의 지도로 박사학위(Ph.D.)를 받았다.
미연합감리교회 목사이며 수폴스칼리지와 시애틀퍼시픽대학교 교수를 역임하고 2005년부터 듀크대학교의 웨슬리와 메소디스트 연구 담당 윌리엄 켈런 퀵 교수로 재직하다 2021년에 은퇴했다. 존 웨슬리 신학과 메소디즘의 연구에 탁월한 권위를 지닌 학자로 인정받았으며, 현재 존웨슬리전집 프로젝트 편집위원장과 웨슬리언연구전통센터 연구원으로 있다.
옮긴이 강신환
연세대학교 철학과를 졸업(B.A.)하고 도미하여 에모리대학교 캔들러신학대학원(M.Div.), 보스턴대학교(S.T.M.), 하버드대학교(Th.M.)를 졸업하고 드루대학교에서 조직신학 전공으로 박사학위(Ph.D.)를 받았다.
연세대, 이화여대, 감신대, 한신대, 광운대 등에서 조직신학, 평화신학, 인문학적 기독교, 종교철학, 포스트모더니즘 등을 가르쳤다.
이 책은 한국 교회에 꼭 필요한 웨슬리 신학의 걸작이다!
랜디 매덕스는 존 웨슬리의 실천신학을 응답적 책임이라는 용어를 통해 세밀하고 명쾌하게 풀어냈다. 통전적 웨슬리를 통해 그리스도인의 삶과 증언을 양육하는 데 깊은 신학적 통찰을 제공한다.
이 책은 존 웨슬리와 웨슬리 해석에 이용할 수 있는 가장 포괄적이고 철저한 연구다. 주의 깊고 지적으로 그 작업을 이루었다.
- 토머스 랭퍼드, 듀크대학교 신학대학원
매덕스는 “구성적인 웨슬리언 신학”의 섬세한 부분을 한데 모았다. 이 책은 감리교 교리와 웨슬리 연구 과정의 텍스트가 될 가치가 있다. 또한 역사적이고 신학적인 정체성에 관심 갖는 모든 메소디스트 목회자는 이 책을 잘 공부해야 한다.
- W. 스티븐 건터, 에모리대학교 캔들러신학대학원
지난 몇 년에 걸쳐 “통전적 웨슬리”는 나에게 중요한 대화 상대였다. 이러한 대화들을 나누는 동안 깊은 통찰력의 찰나들뿐만 아니라 경악의 기간들이 있었다. 심오한 합의의 영역들뿐만 아니라 계속 반복되는 논쟁 이슈들이 있었다. 어떤 경우든, 나는 웨슬리가 그리스도인의 삶과 증언을 양육하는 일을 신학적으로 성찰하는 것이 무엇을 의미하는지를 보여주었다고 진심으로 확신한다.
내가 이전의 글들에서 웨슬리를 “실천신학자”practical theologian로 다시 새롭게 인정해야 한다고 주장했던 것은 바로 이런 맥락에서였다. 나의 주요 주장은 웨슬리의 신학적 활동은 대학이 등장하기 이전의 기독교적 환경과 18세기 성공회 안에 여전히 영향력이 남아 있었던 실천적 학문scientia practica으로서의 신학에 대한 접근이란 측면에서만 적절하게 이해되고 평가된다는 것이었다.
신학의 철저한 실천자란 무심한 강단신학자가 아니라 이 세상 속에서 그리스도인 제자들을 적극적으로 목양하는 목회자/신학자였다. 나는 강단신학을 개혁하려는 작금의 노력들이 웨슬리의 실천신학적 활동과 유사한 것을 요청하고 있으며, 최소한 우리의 현재의 노력들이 웨슬리의 사례를 진지하게 검토함으로써 유익을 얻을 수 있다고 생각했다.
나는 웨슬리 자신이 보기에 기독교에서 동일하게 결정적인 두 개의 진리, 즉 하나님의 은총이 없으면 우리는 구원을 받을 수 없다는 것과 반면에 우리의 (은총에 힘입었으나 강제적이지는 않은) 참여가 없으면 하나님의 은총은 구원을 하지 않을 수 있다는 것 사이의 생생한 긴장을 유지시키려는 지속적인 관심을 그의 저작들 속에서 발견할 수 있었다. 나는 이것을 “응답적 은총”responsible grace에 대한 관심으로 지칭하기로 선택했다.
그것은 웨슬리의 독특한 관심을 인간에게 보다는 하나님의 본성과 하나님의 행위에 집중시킨다. 그것은 은혜로운 용서와 능력 부여라는 하나님의 필수적인 선물이 근본적인 것임을 분명하게 하면서, 동시에 그러한 능력 부여는 인간의 책임responsibility을 무력화하기보다는 가능하게 한다는 웨슬리의 특징적인 주장을 포착한다.
하나님의 은총은 인간의 삶과 구원의 문제들에서 강력하게 역사하지만 저항할 수 없는 것이 아니며, 우리의 책임responsibility을 무력화하지 않으면서 우리의 응답-능력response- ability을 강화시킨다. 하나님의 권능에 대한 이러한 이해는 서방에서는 그리 전형적이지는 않은 반면, 동방 정교회의 핵심 강조점들과는 상당히 유사하다.
웨슬리를 멘토로 택한다는 것은 무엇을 의미하는가? 또는 어떻게 우리는 오늘날 진정 웨슬리언 신학적 활동에 참여할 수 있는가?……그것이 의미하는 것은―적어도― 그가 했던 것처럼 신학적 활동을 동시대의 그리스도인의 삶과 증언을 양육하게 하는 것이다. 나는 이것이 또한 응답적 은총이라는 지향관심을 상황에 관련된 신학적 활동으로 유도하는 것을 의미할 것이다.
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Randy L. Maddox
Dr. Randy Maddox speaking at the Wesleyan Theological Society meeting in Mt. Vernon, Ohio, in March 2015
Nationality American
Education BA, M.Div., Ph.D.
Alma mater Northwest Nazarene University
Nazarene Theological Seminary
Emory University
Occupation Professor
Known for Wesleyan Theology
Title William Kellon Quick Professor of Wesleyan and Methodist Studies, Duke Divinity School
Term July 2005-2020
Randy L. Maddox (born 1953) is an American theologian and ordained minister in the United Methodist Church. He served until 2020 as the William Kellon Quick Professor of Wesleyan and Methodist Studies at Duke University.[1] Maddox also serves as the General Editor of the Wesley Works Project, a major scholarly project responsible for producing the first comprehensive and critical edition of the works of John Wesley.[2] He is considered one of the leading authorities on both the theology of John Wesley (1703-1791) and the theological developments of later Methodism.
Education[edit]
Maddox attended Northwest Nazarene College in Nampa, ID, graduating with a B.A. degree in 1975. He went on to earn the M.Div. degree from Nazarene Theological Seminary in Kansas City, MO, in 1978. In 1982, he graduated with a Ph.D. in theological studies from Emory University.[3]
Career[edit]
After receiving the Ph.D degree from Emory University, the early years of Maddox's scholarly career were spent at Sioux Falls College in Sioux Falls, SD (now the University of Sioux Falls). While in Sioux Falls, Maddox also taught at North American Baptist Seminary (now Sioux Falls Seminary). In 1998, he joined the faculty of Seattle Pacific University as the Paul T. Walls Professor of Wesleyan Theology, a position he held for seven years.[4]
Maddox joined the faculty of Duke Divinity School at Duke University in 2005.[5]
Contributions to Wesleyan Theology[edit]
Responsible Grace[edit]
The publication in 1994 of Responsible Grace: John Wesley’s Practical Theology established Maddox as one of the foremost interpreters of the Wesleyan tradition. Maddox's work in Responsible Grace is noteworthy in aligning John Wesley's theological concerns related to the doctrine of salvation with themes characteristic of the Eastern (or Greek) Christian tradition. According to Maddox, the Western juridical tendencies in Wesley's theology (sin as guilt, grace as pardon, and salvation as being from the penalty of sin) are couched in a larger framework that owes more to an Eastern therapeutic view (sin as disease, grace as power for healing, salvation as being from the plague of sin).[6] In advancing this view of Wesley's doctrine of salvation, Maddox emphasizes the importance of sanctification within Wesley's conception of the via salutis (or “way of salvation”) as an ongoing form of spiritual maturation or growth.[7]
Maddox also brings clarity to the understanding of Wesley's theological method by describing his approach as guided by an abiding “orienting concern.” He names this orienting concern as “responsible grace,” a term that sums up many of the major dynamics of Wesley's doctrine of grace as they relate to God's initiative in salvation and the human response to God. He describes the concept of responsible grace as “an abiding concern to preserve the vital tension between two truths that [Wesley] viewed as co-definitive of Christianity: without God’s grace, we cannot be saved; while without our (grace-empowered, but uncoerced) participation, God’s grace will not save.”[8]
The Nature of Practical Theology and John Wesley as Practical Theologian[edit]
Beyond its interpretation of Wesley's soteriology, Responsible Grace also identifies John Wesley as a “practical theologian.” Maddox developed this idea for several years prior to the publication of Responsible Grace, having become convinced that the traditional dismissal of Wesley's theological writing within the academy was the result of a fundamental misunderstanding of the nature of his work.[9] Rather than judging Wesley according to the canons of systematic theology, Maddox argues that he ought to be seen as engaging in practical theology—which he defines as a form of reflection that seeks “to unify the various theological concerns (tradition, Scripture, experience, reason, etc.) around the common focus of norming Christian praxis.”[10] From this understanding of the nature of practical theology, Maddox subsequently posited the notion of the “orienting concern” as the way in which consistency in theological claims is measured.[11]
In interpreting Wesley as a practical theologian, Maddox suggests that he resembles the early church fathers of the first few centuries of the Christian era (rather than the systematic theologians of the 19th and 20th centuries).[12] Wesley's theology is occasional and contextual, geared to address specific challenges and problems of the Christian life. It is typically expressed in genres such as sermons, liturgies, hymns, pastoral letters, catechetical works, and doctrinal essays.[13] Maddox argues that such theological activity ought not be seen as a lower or less important expression of theology than the highly technical theology of the modern academy. Rather, practical theology as Maddox describes it is the most characteristic mode of theology in that it is intimately connected to Christian worship and the life of discipleship.[14] Reading Wesley as a theologian in this guise means engaging Wesley's theology on its own terms—as a type of serious theological reflection engaged with the context and practice of the Christian life.
Holistic Salvation[edit]
In recent years Maddox has advanced the understanding of Wesley's doctrine of salvation as it pertains to bodily health and wholeness.[15] Modern day readers of Wesley's Primitive Physick—a manual of medical advice and folk remedies for common illnesses—often view many of its suggested “cures” as humorous. Maddox, on the other hand, has emphasized the way in which Wesley's concern for bodily health is reflective of his understanding of salvation as intended for human life in the present and as encompassing both body and soul. For Wesley, Maddox argues, the reason one would take care of one's physical health is intimately related to God's desire to save whole persons.[16][17][18] Maddox also emphasizes the way in which the Wesleyan concern for holistic salvation influenced Wesley's eschatological views as well, which has consequences both for his understanding of the New Creation as well as the place of the animal kingdom within it.[19]
The Wesley Works Project & The Center for Studies in the Wesleyan Tradition[edit]
Beginning in 1960, Methodist scholars began pursuing the development of a comprehensive and critical edition of John Wesley's corpus of writing.[20] Currently housed in the Center for Studies in the Wesleyan Tradition at Duke Divinity School, the Wesley Works Editorial Project is engaged in the publication of a projected 35-volume edition of the Bicentennial Edition of the Works of John Wesley. Abingdon Press is serving as the publisher for the series.
In 2003, Maddox was named as the Associate General Editor for the Wesley Works Project; and in 2014 became General Editor. He also serves as a fellow of the Center for Studies in the Wesleyan Tradition. In his capacity as the Associate General Editor, Maddox has editorial oversight of the individual volumes currently in research or production. He has personally edited Doctrinal and Controversial Treatises I in 2012, which is Volume 12 in the series and covers aspects of the theological stance of John Wesley in the area of soteriology.[21] For his work on this volume, Maddox received the 2013 Saddlebag Selection Award from the Historical Society of the United Methodist Church, given to "the outstanding book on United Methodist history or a related subject published during a given year."[22][23]
Maddox's role as a fellow in the Center for Studies in the Wesleyan Tradition has also included significant historical work with Charles Wesley's poetry and hymnody. A five-year project under Maddox's leadership was completed in 2012 that successfully compiled all the known verse from Charles Wesley's pen, both published and unpublished. This comprehensive collection of Charles Wesley's hymns and poems is the first of its kind and is intended to serve as a resource both for the study of Charles Wesley's theology and the hymnody of the Methodist tradition.[24]
Theology for the Church[edit]
While Maddox's scholarly work has primarily been focused on the interpretation of John Wesley and the later Methodist tradition (and so falls under the heading of historical theology), he has also consistently attempted to translate that work as a resource for contemporary Christian practice.[25] In this sense, Maddox serves as one of the standard bearers for the "neo-Wesleyan revival", which features renewed interest in the theology of John Wesley and the practices of early Methodism amongst Methodists and other Wesleyans from the 1960s to the present.[26]
Notable Influences[edit]
Maddox studied under Theodore Runyon at Emory University, a notable Wesleyan theologian and the author of The New Creation: John Wesley’s Theology Today.[27] Runyon was the Emeritus Professor of Systematic Theology at Emory University's Candler School of Theology.[28]
Many aspects of Maddox's interpretation of Wesley are developments of themes originally identified by Albert C. Outler (1908-1989), the influential Methodist ecumenist, theologian, and church leader of the 20th century. Some of these include the identification of Wesley as a “folk theologian,”[29] the conviction that Wesley can be seen as a theological mentor for contemporary Christian practice,[30] the conviction that Wesley's theology bears strong resembles to the Eastern Christian tradition,[31] and the methodological construct known as Outler's Quadrilateral.[32]
Bibliography[edit]
1984. Toward an Ecumenical Fundamental Theology (Chico, CA: Scholar's Press).
1990. (Ed.) Aldersgate Reconsidered (Nashville: Kingswood Books).
1994. Responsible Grace: John Wesley’s Practical Theology (Nashville: Kingswood Books).
1997. (Co-author with W. Stephen Gunter, Ted A. Campbell, Scott J. Jones, and Rebekah L. Miles) Wesley and the Quadrilateral: Renewing the Conversation (Nashville: Abingdon Press).
1998. (Ed.) Rethinking John Wesley’s Theology for Contemporary Methodism (Nashville: Kingswood Books).
2010. (Ed. with Jason E. Vickers) The Cambridge Companion to John Wesley (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press).
2012. (Ed.) Doctrinal and Controversial Treatises I, Volume 12 of the Bicentennial Edition of the Works of John Wesley (Nashville: Abingdon Press).
2015. (Ed. with Paul W. Chilcote) A Plain Account of Christian Perfection (Kansas City: Beacon Hill).
2018. (Ed.) The Journal Letters and Related Biographical Items of The Rev. Charles Wesley, M.A. (Nashville: Kingswood Books).
2018. (Ed. with James Donat) Medical and Health Writings, Volume 32 of the Bicentennial Edition of the Works of John Wesley(Nashville: Abingdon).
2022. (Ed. with S. H. Lancaster & K. D. Yates) Doctrinal and Controversial Treatises III, Volume 14 of the Bicentennial Edition of the Works of John Wesley (Nashville: Abingdon).
A full list of Maddox's publications, and access to digital copies of most, is available through the Divinity Archives at Duke Divinity School[33]
References[edit]
^ Randy L. Maddox faculty webpage on the Duke Divinity School website: https://divinity.duke.edu/faculty/randy-l-maddox (accessed September 8, 2021).
^ Wesley Works Editorial Project webpage https://wesley-works.org/ (accessed September 8, 2021).
^ Randy L. Maddox Curriculum Vitae on the Duke Divinity School website: https://divinity.duke.edu/faculty/randy-l-maddox (accessed September 8, 2021).
^ Clint Kelly, “The Practical Theologian: Wesleyan Scholar of International Repute Joins the SPU Faculty,” Online Response: Seattle Pacific University’s Web Magazine for Alumni, Parents, and Friends (Autumn 1998). Online at: http://www.spu.edu/depts/uc/response/autumn98/theologian.html (accessed October 7, 2013).
^ Jonathan Goldstein, “Remembering and Renewal: Three New Wesleyan Scholars Join Divinity,” Divinity Magazine 5:1 (Fall 2005). Online at: "Divinity Online Edition - Fall 2005 Feature Article - Remembering & Renewal Three New Wesleyan Scholars Join Divinity". Archived from the original on 2011-09-30. Retrieved 2013-11-06. (accessed October 7, 2013).
^ Randy L. Maddox, Responsible Grace (Nashville: Kingswood Books, 1994), 73-87 and 143-145.
^ On the argument for using via salutis over the similar term ordo salutis, see Maddox, Responsible Grace, 157-158.
^ Maddox, Responsible Grace, 19.
^ See, e.g., Randy L. Maddox, “John Wesley—Practical Theologian?” Wesleyan Theological Journal 23 (1988): 122-147. Cf. Randy L. Maddox, “Reclaiming an Inheritance: Wesley as Theologian in the History of Methodist Theology,” in Rethinking Wesley’s Theology for Contemporary Methodism, ed. Randy L. Maddox (Nashville: Kingswood Books, 1998), 213-226.
^ Randy L. Maddox, “The Recovery of Theology as a Practical Discipline,” Theological Studies 51 (1990): 665.
^ Maddox, “The Recovery of Theology as a Practical Discipline,” 669-672.
^ “When his work is considered as a whole, Wesley’s theological activity is analogous to the early Christian approach to theology per se as a practical endeavor” (Maddox, “John Wesley—Practical Theologian?” 130).
^ Randy L. Maddox, “Reading Wesley as a Theologian,” Wesleyan Theological Journal 30:1 (Spring 1995): 26-39.
^ Maddox, “Reclaiming an Inheritance: Wesley as Theologian in the History of Methodist Theology,” in Rethinking Wesley’s Theology for Contemporary Methodism, 225.
^ See, e.g., Randy L. Maddox, “John Wesley on Holistic Health and Healing,” Methodist History 46:1 (October 2007): 4-33.
^ “Q&A with Randy Maddox,” Faith & Leadership (July 31, 2012), Online publication of Leadership Education at Duke Divinity School (LEADD). Online at: http://www.faithandleadership.com/randy-maddox-john-wesley-says-take-care-yourself (accessed September 8, 2021).
^ John Shorb, “The Holistic Vision of John Wesley: Q&A with Randy Maddox Part I,” Church Health Reader (October 25, 2010). Online at: https://chreader.org/holistic-vision-john-wesley/ (accessed September 8, 2021).
^ John Shorb, “John Wesley’s The Primitive Physick: Q&A with Randy Maddox, Part II,” Church Health Reader (February 10, 2011). Online at: https://chreader.org/john-wesleys-primitive-physick/ (accessed September 8, 2021).
^ Randy L. Maddox, “Reclaiming Holistic Salvation A Wesleyan Agenda for the 21st Century,” Response 26:3 (Summer 2003). Online at: https://spu.edu/depts/uc/response/Summer2k3/holisticsalvation.html (accessed September 8, 2021).
^ Detailed Description of the Bicentennial Edition of the Works of John Wesley: https://wesley-works.org/test-page/ (accessed September 8, 2021).
^ “New Books from Duke Divinity Faculty,” Divinity Magazine 12:2 (Spring 2013). Online at: https://divinity.duke.edu/news/divinity-magazine?page=1 (accessed September 8, 2021).
^ "Saddlebag Selection of the Historical Society of the United Methodist Church," The Historical Society of the United Methodist Church website: http://www.historicalsocietyunitedmethodistchurch.org/publications/saddlebag.php Archived 2014-01-03 at the Wayback Machine (accessed December 4, 2013).
^ "General Commission on Archives and History Hosts 2013 HSUMC Annual Meeting," Historian's Digest 53:4 (Fall 2013): 3.
^ See side bar on page: https://divinity.duke.edu/initiatives/cswt (accessed September 8, 2021).
^ Among numerous other examples, see Randy L. Maddox, "Wesley's Prescription for 'Making Disciples of Jesus Christ'—Insights for the 21st century Church," Quarterly Review 23:1 (2003): 15-28; and Randy L. Maddox, "The United Methodist Way: Living the Christian Life in Covenant with Christ and One Another," available at: https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/the-united-methodist-way (accessed September 8, 2021).
^ See, e.g., Andrew C. Thompson, "Wesleyan evangelism is worth understanding," United Methodist Reporter 158:47 (March 23, 2012).
^ Theodore Runyon, The New Creation: John Wesley’s Theology Today (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1998).
^ Theodore Runyon Abingdon Press Author Page: http://www.abingdonpress.com/theodore_runyon (accessed November 3, 2013).
^ Albert C. Outler, “Towards a Re-Appraisal of John Wesley as a Theologian,” in The Wesleyan Theological Heritage: Essays of Albert C. Outler, ed. Thomas C. Oden and Leicester R. Longden (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1991), 43-44.
^ Albert C. Outler, “John Wesley as Theologian: Then and Now,” in The Wesleyan Theological Heritage: Essays of Albert C. Outler, 57-58.
^ Albert C. Outler, ed., John Wesley (New York: Oxford University Press, 1964), 9-10.
^ See Andrew C. Thompson, “Outler’s Quadrilateral, Moral Psychology, and Theological Reflection in the Wesleyan Tradition,” Wesleyan Theological Journal 46:1 (Spring 2011): 49-72.
^ http://divinityarchive.com/handle/11258/39130 (accessed September 8, 2021).
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Responsible Grace: John Wesley's Practical Theology
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by Randy L. Maddox (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
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Of special focus in this reflective overview of Wesley's theological convictions is highlighting the practical-theological dynamics of Wesley's work and suggesting possible implications for contemporary attempts to recover theology as a practical discipline. Another distinctive focus of this work is a systematic consideration of the integration of theological emphases traditionally divergent in Eastern and Western Christianity. The author also closely examines the consistency of Wesley's thought throughout his career.
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About the Author
Randy L. Maddox is William Kellon Quick Professor of Church History and Wesley Studies at The Divinity School, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina; and Associate General Editor of the Bicentennial Edition of the Works of John Wesley. He is a recognized authority on both John Wesley's theology and the theological developments in later Methodism. Among his special interests are the science and religion dialogue, the nature of evangelicalism, and the theological distinctives of Eastern Orthodoxy. Maddox is an ordained elder in the Dakotas Conference of The United Methodist Church. --This text refers to the paperback edition.
Product details
ASIN : B00F8JTMSO
Publisher : Kingswood Books (1 October 1994)
Language : English
File size : 2153 KB
Text-to-Speech : Enabled
Screen Reader : Supported
Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
X-Ray : Not Enabled
Word Wise : Enabled
Sticky notes : On Kindle Scribe
Print length : 420 pagesCustomer Reviews:
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 143 ratings
Top reviews from other countries
Joanne Devoe
5.0 out of 5 stars great bookReviewed in the United States on 31 December 2023
Verified Purchase
Came just went I needed it and it is full of interesting information
Report
J. H.
3.0 out of 5 stars Three StarsReviewed in the United Kingdom on 18 May 2015
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As described but took a long while to come in comparison with other books bought at the same time
Report
Daniel M. Parker
5.0 out of 5 stars Extremely Valuable Wesleyan Holiness StudyReviewed in the United States on 11 February 2014
Verified Purchase
Buy "Responsible Grace" with "A Theology of Love," but if you have to choose between the two, definitely buy this one, and buy it new. Dr Maddox considers the issues addressed by Wesley's Doctrine of Holiness, and addresses the issues surrounding it's development, especially the fact that John's brother Charles differed with him on at least one issue - that of being instantaneous.
Dr Maddox is one of the clearest thinkers and teachers of holiness doctrine I know of. He carefully documents his work (over 1/3 of the work in the back are footnotes and documentation). More than that, his careful explanations and comparisons are doctrinally sound and essentially clear.
If you want more than the claims that only certain people are selected by God for His marvelous plan of rescue, and ultimately to understand the theology and basis for holiness doctrine, buy "Responsible Grace" and read it responsibly under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. It's difficult to read anything with an open mind, because both authors and readers mostly approach any biblical study based on an already established slant. I find that Dr Maddox is very adept at avoiding predetermined positions and relating things as he finds them - a rare attribute that comes across openly and honestly.
This book is a definite essential for those who would understand the real value of holiness doctrine and theology - and not be disheartened by those who simply dismiss it with cryptic shots from the hip after expounding their own views.
Read more
11 people found this helpfulReport
Dianne Rohrer Peters
5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful Wesleyan theology overviewReviewed in the United States on 18 December 2013
Verified Purchase
This was a wonderful breath of fresh air about John Wesley's theological approach to the core beliefs of Christianity and Methodism! I find Randy Maddox to be the most engaging Wesley scholar in our time. He has clearly done his homework and therefore is able to bring an understanding of Wesley's theological influences to the process of interpreting his very practical theological method. The footnotes take up about a third of the volume and they are as fascinating as the text itself. I have always found wading through John Wesley's sermons to be challenging and often confusing or boring. Maddox helps to bring to life Wesley's engaging theology, making it possible to imagine what the crowds of common folk came to hear when he started his field preaching. This is one of those great reference books that I return to again and again. I think it should be read by every United Methodist clergyperson and commended to all laity who really want to understand Mr. Wesley and his amazing reformation of the Church of England.
8 people found this helpfulReport
Luke Mohnasky
4.0 out of 5 stars Good but denseReviewed in the United States on 11 December 2023
Verified Purchase
I am thankful that Maddox has done the research needed to present a synopsis of Wesley so I do not have to. It is clear and simple. Maddox's thesis is amazing and something I will think on for a long time. I almost enjoy reading Maddox more than I do actually reading Wesley. Nevertheless, this reads like a textbook and should be treated like one. It is dense, but good.
Report
====
Responsible Grace: John Wesley's Practical Theology
Randy L. Maddox
4.35
182 ratings11 reviews
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Of special focus in this reflective overview of Wesley's theological convictions is highlighting the practical-theological dynamics of Wesley's work and suggesting possible implications for contemporary attempts to recover theology as a practical discipline. Another distinctive focus of this work is a systematic consideration of the integration of theological emphases traditionally divergent in Eastern and Western Christianity. The author also closely examines the consistency of Wesley's thought throughout his career.
Genres
Theology
Christianity
Church
Christian
418 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 1994
Book details & editions
13 people are currently reading
222 people want to read
About the author
Profile Image for Randy L. Maddox.
Randy L. Maddox
20 books5 followers
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4.35
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Luke Mohnasky
9 reviews · 1 follower
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December 12, 2023
I am thankful that Maddox has done the research needed to present a synopsis of Wesley so I do not have to. It is clear and simple. I almost enjoy reading Maddox more than I do actually reading Wesley. Nevertheless, this reads like a textbook and should be treated like one. It is dense, but good.
1 like
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Matt Friedman
270 reviews · 23 followers
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July 26, 2011
Very impressive and comprehensive scholarship on Wesley's theology, bringing together much of the previous recent scholarship on the connections between Wesley's theology and that of the Eastern Fathers of the early Church. Highly recommended for anyone who would want to get their heads wrapped around the contours of Wesley's theology and its practical applications for today.
1 like
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Profile Image for Aaron Cannon.
Aaron Cannon
18 reviews
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May 9, 2021
I found this book to be a really valuable summary of Wesley's theology. At times it was difficult to discern what was Wesley's beliefs and what was the author's, however, this was due in part to the fact that Wesley did not develop much of a systematic theology. Wesley primarily wrote and spoke to issues that were directly practical and applicatory to his congregation and audiences. This book attempts to summarize Wesley's beliefs from all his various writings and sermons.
One of the main reasons I wanted to read this books was to better understand a theological framework that significantly differed from Calvinism (which I think has influenced me both directly and indirectly over the course of my life and studies). Surprisingly, this wasn't a major emphasis of the book (there were probably 1-2 chapters devoted to topics that spoke to Wesley's differences with Calvin). However, Wesley wasn't just responding to the Calvinist viewpoint. There were many different and varying frameworks and viewpoints appearing in Wesley's time. So it actually isn't that surprising that Wesley spoke to a wide variety of topics and issues in order to shepherd his congregation.
What was very interesting to me about Wesley's life is how much his theology changed over the years (the author even splits Wesley's theological framework into 3 distinct phases: early, middle, and late/mature). This is actually quite comforting to me since it shows that even someone like Wesley didn't have things right from the beginning. God continued to santify him and mold him thorugh life experience, studying the Word, and a changing world. I have often found it easy to assume that the great Christians got their theology right from the very beginning and never had to grow or change from that point on.
The three main points I took away from the book were: God's holiness and grace; our responsibility to respond to God's grace; and the holistic work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Wesley was very concerned with God's character: his glory, power, sovereignty, love, goodness, and grace. Wesley also very clearly saw the depths of our own sin and our need for God's grace. Wesley emphasized our responsibility, not as some sort of works based salvation, but because God's grace makes our response possible both to repent and be saved as well as to continue repenting and growing in obedience. This is where the work of the Holy Spirit comes (which Wesley viewed as God's presence working in us). Wesley emphasized the need not just for spiritual restoration but also for restoration of the whole self and the whole world. And just to clarify an earlier point, Wesley viewed that God's common grace restores every person just enough so that every person has the ability to respond to God's grace. It is still God's grace that enables our response (since Wesley still definitely had a very serious view of our own depravity and sin). This was the point I found most helpful for myself in comparing Wesley's view with Calvin's.
There's obviously a whole lot more to Wesley's theology than what i just summarized (and I probably didn't do the best job of summarizing), so if this topic is of interest to you then I definitely recommend reading this book. I found the exercise helpful because it also got me thinking about other beliefs that I hold and being able to think about them more deeply.
Like
Comment
Profile Image for Lee.
Lee
93 reviews
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January 2, 2023
A clear, engaging overview of John Wesley's theology. Maddox traces the development of Wesley's thought, focusing on the emphases of different phases of Wesley's career. The motif of "responsible grace" captures Wesley's focus on God's grace, which always precedes any human response, while still insisting on the necessity of an uncoerced human response that grace.
Maddox situates Wesley among the various debates within western Christianity (Catholic, Lutheran, Reformed, Anabaptist, etc.), showing how he often aimed for a position that tried to reconcile or transcend seemingly opposed positions. Maybe more interesting is Maddox's demonstration of Wesley's affinity with the theological outlook of Eastern Orthodoxy. Maddox says that Wesley's overriding concern was the healing or restoration of human nature to the likeness of God, similar to the Eastern concept of theosis. Maddox contrasts this with the characteristically Western "juridical" understanding of salvation, although Wesley, per Maddox, incorporated both juridical and "therapeutic" elements into his theology.
Wesley's was a "practical" theology, concerned with how theological ideas would foster growth in holiness. Maddox maintains that Wesley has been underrated for this reason, since he wasn't a traditional systematic or academic theologian. Rather, he worked out his theological ideas as the occasion required.
Reading this, I definitely came to a greater appreciation for Wesley. The motif of responsible grace strikes me as a useful organizing principle for theology. I also like the way Wesley tried to hold typically "Catholic" and "Protestant" or "Western" and "Eastern" theological elements in creative balance. Most importantly, the way Wesley places our loving response to God's love for us at the center of both theology and the Christian faith seems deeply correct.
Like
Comment
Profile Image for Matt.
Matt
108 reviews
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September 4, 2019
Maddox is a Wesleyan scholar par excellence. I appreciate Maddox’s synthesis of Wesley, comparing his thinking in early years to the mature Wesley of later adulthood. Maddox gives preference to Wesley in later years; the reader can judge whether this is the best approach in evaluating one’s life’s work. The reading is dense - at times the liveliness and confrontational nature of Wesley seems missing. Nevertheless, the thoroughness of this analysis is unmatched. The case for “responsible grace” as Wesley’s orienting concern is the thesis, and Maddox makes it convincingly.
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Comment
Profile Image for Cathy.
Cathy
250 reviews · 4 followers
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September 12, 2018
An excellent resource for Methodist Doctrine and Polity.
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Profile Image for John Lucy.
John Lucy
3 books · 22 followers
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August 12, 2020
Probably the place to begin in understanding John Wesley.
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Profile Image for Bonnie.
Bonnie
5 reviews
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September 29, 2020
Dense but a great exploration of Wesleyan theology.
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Comment
Profile Image for Denise Sudbeck.
Denise Sudbeck
124 reviews · 7 followers
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June 24, 2023
initial, preliminary reading....no notes yet
theology
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Profile Image for Craig Toth.
Craig Toth
28 reviews · 3 followers
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May 7, 2009
Maddox helps readers learn how much John Wesley's understanding of the Bible intersects with theological ideas held by the Early Church Fathers. A good correction to many contemporary Evangelical presuppositions.
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by Randy L. Maddox (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 143 ratings
Of special focus in this reflective overview of Wesley's theological convictions is highlighting the practical-theological dynamics of Wesley's work and suggesting possible implications for contemporary attempts to recover theology as a practical discipline. Another distinctive focus of this work is a systematic consideration of the integration of theological emphases traditionally divergent in Eastern and Western Christianity. The author also closely examines the consistency of Wesley's thought throughout his career.
Print length
420 pages
Product description
About the Author
Randy L. Maddox is William Kellon Quick Professor of Church History and Wesley Studies at The Divinity School, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina; and Associate General Editor of the Bicentennial Edition of the Works of John Wesley. He is a recognized authority on both John Wesley's theology and the theological developments in later Methodism. Among his special interests are the science and religion dialogue, the nature of evangelicalism, and the theological distinctives of Eastern Orthodoxy. Maddox is an ordained elder in the Dakotas Conference of The United Methodist Church. --This text refers to the paperback edition.
Product details
ASIN : B00F8JTMSO
Publisher : Kingswood Books (1 October 1994)
Language : English
File size : 2153 KB
Text-to-Speech : Enabled
Screen Reader : Supported
Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
X-Ray : Not Enabled
Word Wise : Enabled
Sticky notes : On Kindle Scribe
Print length : 420 pagesCustomer Reviews:
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 143 ratings
Top reviews from other countries
Joanne Devoe
5.0 out of 5 stars great bookReviewed in the United States on 31 December 2023
Verified Purchase
Came just went I needed it and it is full of interesting information
Report
J. H.
3.0 out of 5 stars Three StarsReviewed in the United Kingdom on 18 May 2015
Verified Purchase
As described but took a long while to come in comparison with other books bought at the same time
Report
Daniel M. Parker
5.0 out of 5 stars Extremely Valuable Wesleyan Holiness StudyReviewed in the United States on 11 February 2014
Verified Purchase
Buy "Responsible Grace" with "A Theology of Love," but if you have to choose between the two, definitely buy this one, and buy it new. Dr Maddox considers the issues addressed by Wesley's Doctrine of Holiness, and addresses the issues surrounding it's development, especially the fact that John's brother Charles differed with him on at least one issue - that of being instantaneous.
Dr Maddox is one of the clearest thinkers and teachers of holiness doctrine I know of. He carefully documents his work (over 1/3 of the work in the back are footnotes and documentation). More than that, his careful explanations and comparisons are doctrinally sound and essentially clear.
If you want more than the claims that only certain people are selected by God for His marvelous plan of rescue, and ultimately to understand the theology and basis for holiness doctrine, buy "Responsible Grace" and read it responsibly under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. It's difficult to read anything with an open mind, because both authors and readers mostly approach any biblical study based on an already established slant. I find that Dr Maddox is very adept at avoiding predetermined positions and relating things as he finds them - a rare attribute that comes across openly and honestly.
This book is a definite essential for those who would understand the real value of holiness doctrine and theology - and not be disheartened by those who simply dismiss it with cryptic shots from the hip after expounding their own views.
Read more
11 people found this helpfulReport
Dianne Rohrer Peters
5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful Wesleyan theology overviewReviewed in the United States on 18 December 2013
Verified Purchase
This was a wonderful breath of fresh air about John Wesley's theological approach to the core beliefs of Christianity and Methodism! I find Randy Maddox to be the most engaging Wesley scholar in our time. He has clearly done his homework and therefore is able to bring an understanding of Wesley's theological influences to the process of interpreting his very practical theological method. The footnotes take up about a third of the volume and they are as fascinating as the text itself. I have always found wading through John Wesley's sermons to be challenging and often confusing or boring. Maddox helps to bring to life Wesley's engaging theology, making it possible to imagine what the crowds of common folk came to hear when he started his field preaching. This is one of those great reference books that I return to again and again. I think it should be read by every United Methodist clergyperson and commended to all laity who really want to understand Mr. Wesley and his amazing reformation of the Church of England.
8 people found this helpfulReport
Luke Mohnasky
4.0 out of 5 stars Good but denseReviewed in the United States on 11 December 2023
Verified Purchase
I am thankful that Maddox has done the research needed to present a synopsis of Wesley so I do not have to. It is clear and simple. Maddox's thesis is amazing and something I will think on for a long time. I almost enjoy reading Maddox more than I do actually reading Wesley. Nevertheless, this reads like a textbook and should be treated like one. It is dense, but good.
Report
====
Responsible Grace: John Wesley's Practical Theology
Randy L. Maddox
4.35
182 ratings11 reviews
Want to read
Buy on Kobo
Rate this book
Edit my activity
Of special focus in this reflective overview of Wesley's theological convictions is highlighting the practical-theological dynamics of Wesley's work and suggesting possible implications for contemporary attempts to recover theology as a practical discipline. Another distinctive focus of this work is a systematic consideration of the integration of theological emphases traditionally divergent in Eastern and Western Christianity. The author also closely examines the consistency of Wesley's thought throughout his career.
Genres
Theology
Christianity
Church
Christian
418 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 1994
Book details & editions
13 people are currently reading
222 people want to read
About the author
Profile Image for Randy L. Maddox.
Randy L. Maddox
20 books5 followers
Follow
Readers also enjoyed
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All similar books
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Sejin
3 reviews
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4.35
182 ratings11 reviews
5 stars
88 (48%)
4 stars
72 (39%)
3 stars
20 (10%)
2 stars
1 (<1%)
1 star
1 (<1%)
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 11 reviews
Profile Image for Luke Mohnasky.
Luke Mohnasky
9 reviews · 1 follower
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December 12, 2023
I am thankful that Maddox has done the research needed to present a synopsis of Wesley so I do not have to. It is clear and simple. I almost enjoy reading Maddox more than I do actually reading Wesley. Nevertheless, this reads like a textbook and should be treated like one. It is dense, but good.
1 like
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Comment
Matt Friedman
270 reviews · 23 followers
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July 26, 2011
Very impressive and comprehensive scholarship on Wesley's theology, bringing together much of the previous recent scholarship on the connections between Wesley's theology and that of the Eastern Fathers of the early Church. Highly recommended for anyone who would want to get their heads wrapped around the contours of Wesley's theology and its practical applications for today.
1 like
Like
Comment
Profile Image for Aaron Cannon.
Aaron Cannon
18 reviews
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May 9, 2021
I found this book to be a really valuable summary of Wesley's theology. At times it was difficult to discern what was Wesley's beliefs and what was the author's, however, this was due in part to the fact that Wesley did not develop much of a systematic theology. Wesley primarily wrote and spoke to issues that were directly practical and applicatory to his congregation and audiences. This book attempts to summarize Wesley's beliefs from all his various writings and sermons.
One of the main reasons I wanted to read this books was to better understand a theological framework that significantly differed from Calvinism (which I think has influenced me both directly and indirectly over the course of my life and studies). Surprisingly, this wasn't a major emphasis of the book (there were probably 1-2 chapters devoted to topics that spoke to Wesley's differences with Calvin). However, Wesley wasn't just responding to the Calvinist viewpoint. There were many different and varying frameworks and viewpoints appearing in Wesley's time. So it actually isn't that surprising that Wesley spoke to a wide variety of topics and issues in order to shepherd his congregation.
What was very interesting to me about Wesley's life is how much his theology changed over the years (the author even splits Wesley's theological framework into 3 distinct phases: early, middle, and late/mature). This is actually quite comforting to me since it shows that even someone like Wesley didn't have things right from the beginning. God continued to santify him and mold him thorugh life experience, studying the Word, and a changing world. I have often found it easy to assume that the great Christians got their theology right from the very beginning and never had to grow or change from that point on.
The three main points I took away from the book were: God's holiness and grace; our responsibility to respond to God's grace; and the holistic work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Wesley was very concerned with God's character: his glory, power, sovereignty, love, goodness, and grace. Wesley also very clearly saw the depths of our own sin and our need for God's grace. Wesley emphasized our responsibility, not as some sort of works based salvation, but because God's grace makes our response possible both to repent and be saved as well as to continue repenting and growing in obedience. This is where the work of the Holy Spirit comes (which Wesley viewed as God's presence working in us). Wesley emphasized the need not just for spiritual restoration but also for restoration of the whole self and the whole world. And just to clarify an earlier point, Wesley viewed that God's common grace restores every person just enough so that every person has the ability to respond to God's grace. It is still God's grace that enables our response (since Wesley still definitely had a very serious view of our own depravity and sin). This was the point I found most helpful for myself in comparing Wesley's view with Calvin's.
There's obviously a whole lot more to Wesley's theology than what i just summarized (and I probably didn't do the best job of summarizing), so if this topic is of interest to you then I definitely recommend reading this book. I found the exercise helpful because it also got me thinking about other beliefs that I hold and being able to think about them more deeply.
Like
Comment
Profile Image for Lee.
Lee
93 reviews
Follow
January 2, 2023
A clear, engaging overview of John Wesley's theology. Maddox traces the development of Wesley's thought, focusing on the emphases of different phases of Wesley's career. The motif of "responsible grace" captures Wesley's focus on God's grace, which always precedes any human response, while still insisting on the necessity of an uncoerced human response that grace.
Maddox situates Wesley among the various debates within western Christianity (Catholic, Lutheran, Reformed, Anabaptist, etc.), showing how he often aimed for a position that tried to reconcile or transcend seemingly opposed positions. Maybe more interesting is Maddox's demonstration of Wesley's affinity with the theological outlook of Eastern Orthodoxy. Maddox says that Wesley's overriding concern was the healing or restoration of human nature to the likeness of God, similar to the Eastern concept of theosis. Maddox contrasts this with the characteristically Western "juridical" understanding of salvation, although Wesley, per Maddox, incorporated both juridical and "therapeutic" elements into his theology.
Wesley's was a "practical" theology, concerned with how theological ideas would foster growth in holiness. Maddox maintains that Wesley has been underrated for this reason, since he wasn't a traditional systematic or academic theologian. Rather, he worked out his theological ideas as the occasion required.
Reading this, I definitely came to a greater appreciation for Wesley. The motif of responsible grace strikes me as a useful organizing principle for theology. I also like the way Wesley tried to hold typically "Catholic" and "Protestant" or "Western" and "Eastern" theological elements in creative balance. Most importantly, the way Wesley places our loving response to God's love for us at the center of both theology and the Christian faith seems deeply correct.
Like
Comment
Profile Image for Matt.
Matt
108 reviews
Follow
September 4, 2019
Maddox is a Wesleyan scholar par excellence. I appreciate Maddox’s synthesis of Wesley, comparing his thinking in early years to the mature Wesley of later adulthood. Maddox gives preference to Wesley in later years; the reader can judge whether this is the best approach in evaluating one’s life’s work. The reading is dense - at times the liveliness and confrontational nature of Wesley seems missing. Nevertheless, the thoroughness of this analysis is unmatched. The case for “responsible grace” as Wesley’s orienting concern is the thesis, and Maddox makes it convincingly.
Like
Comment
Profile Image for Cathy.
Cathy
250 reviews · 4 followers
Follow
September 12, 2018
An excellent resource for Methodist Doctrine and Polity.
Like
Comment
Profile Image for John Lucy.
John Lucy
3 books · 22 followers
Follow
August 12, 2020
Probably the place to begin in understanding John Wesley.
Like
Comment
Profile Image for Bonnie.
Bonnie
5 reviews
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September 29, 2020
Dense but a great exploration of Wesleyan theology.
Like
Comment
Profile Image for Denise Sudbeck.
Denise Sudbeck
124 reviews · 7 followers
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June 24, 2023
initial, preliminary reading....no notes yet
theology
Like
Comment
Profile Image for Craig Toth.
Craig Toth
28 reviews · 3 followers
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May 7, 2009
Maddox helps readers learn how much John Wesley's understanding of the Bible intersects with theological ideas held by the Early Church Fathers. A good correction to many contemporary Evangelical presuppositions.
Like
Comment
====
