John Wesley The Co-Founder Of Methodism
The theologian founded the movement with his brother Charles and fellow cleric George Whitefield
John Wesley was born on 17 June 1703 to Samuel Wesley, a clergyman from Epworth in Lincolnshire, and his wife Susanna. He was educated at Charterhouse School in London before entering Christ Church, Oxford, in 1720. He graduated in 1724, became a deacon in 1725 and the following year was elected a fellow of Lincoln College, Oxford. He was ordained in 1728.
During his residence at Lincoln,
John joined his brother Charles and others in a religious study group.
They became known as ‘Methodists’ because of the stress they put on methodical study and devotion.
In 1735 John and Charles Wesley travelled to Georgia in America to supervise the spiritual lives of the colonists and help in the conversion of Native Americans to Christianity.
However, this was a controversial and unsuccessful episode, and John made the journey back to England in 1737.
John felt his mission in life was to proclaim the good news of salvation by faith. But his passion and fervour were too much for many Church of England congregations and the numerous religious societies he approached.
He had more success as an itinerant preacher in Great Britain and Ireland, gathering many converts through his sermons to the assembled crowds. Throughout his life, John stayed in the established Church of England, insisting that the Methodist movement lay well within its tradition. Methodism did not become a separate denomination until after his death in 1791, aged 87 years old. In 2002, he was placed at number 50 in a poll accompanying the BBC series 100