Chelsea and I continue our series about the Christian revivals in American history.

John Wesley was an Anglican minister from Epworth, England. He and his brother Charles went to Oxford where John got bachelor’s and master’s degrees. While teaching at Oxford, John and Charles Wesley began the “Methodist” movement with George Whitefield.

After spending two years evangelizing Native Americans in Savannah, Georgia, John Wesley returned to England wondering if he himself needed to be evangelized. After studying with a group of Moravians, Wesley finally understood justification by faith and peace with God.

Wesley and Whitefield helped each other with their new preaching method involving traveling and outdoors. Wesley preached an estimated 40,000 sermons before he passed.

Wesley seemed to be a pioneer in the Christian abolitionist movement to preach freedom for slaves. He also mentored William Wilberforce who would see success in ending the slave trade in England.

Fact correction from audio: We mistakenly said that Susanna Wesley disliked King James II. She actually favored James II but despised William of Orange who replaced him.

Sources Consulted:

Anne Adams, “Susanna Wesley – Mother of Methodism,” historyswomen.com, Accessed May 7, 2023.

“Who was John Wesley?” Got Questions, Updated January 4, 2022.

Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia. “John Wesley.” Encyclopedia Britannica, May 6, 2023.

“Who was John Wesley?” Compelling Truth, Accessed May 7, 2023.

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