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The last two days were full of the Charles Wesley Society. It was a very small meeting; 17 registered, I believe. With the average age there, I almost felt young!! I learned a whole lot and became aware of resources -- like Duke Divinity School has posted on line all the Charles Wesley poetry -- or at least soon will have it fully up and running. I found out about Oxford University Press' upcoming critical volume of Charles Wesley letters; I even heard a story about how his grave was temporarily moved for construction and then moved back. We heard a paper on how the development of the British postal service helped 18th century evangelicalism develop.

Today we went down to the Johns Rylands Library -- Deansgate; the original John Rylands in the Centre City. They have established, in conjunction with the UK Methodist Church, a Methodist archive and study area in which material from the Wesley's and early Methodist are stored for study. Peter Nockles, an English scholar of the Oxford Movement with whom I have learned great respect, had some of the material for Charles Wesley laid out on a table for us to examine.

There was a poem written on the occasion of his sons, Samuel's conversion to Roman Catholicism, which Charles didn't take well. It was covered by great ink blots in places -- they were not sure if Charles had done it, or later family members. Samuel, one of two suviving sons, did not "have an easy life," we were told. From what was told, he was in a bad marriage, and rather than divorcing, he moved out and in with his family housemaid and had several children. The irony is that most of the "Wesley's" still alive come from these children.

There was an expense list by Charles -- he was not very organized, except in his accounting. Every pence spent was recorded; there was a record of his library. There was the legal agreement with his wife's family for the marriage -- Charles married into a prominent English family.

Two other items stood out: first was the autograph, hand-written copy of "Love Divine All Loves Excelling" -- words crossed out and replaced in his notebook. Kathy and I had this song played at our wedding, and it may be my favorite Wesley hymn. Second, there was Charle's copy of Spencer's The Faerie Queene. Charles bought it in 1734; it was given to his daughter in 1776.

One interesting event: after we had looked at the items, the archivist, Gareth Lloyd, re-entered the room because some in the room had asked if they had an "memoribilia" of the Wesley's. He brought out several items: 2 pieces of Charle's chair!! a lace doilly made supposedly by Lady Hunington for Susana Wesley, the mother of the Wesley's; the small sewing box, supposedly owned by Susana; a piece of Mary Fletcher's wedding dress to John Fletcher, a French aristocrat that became a Anglican vicar as a Methodist and deep friends with Charles and trusted friend of John; and John Wesley's clerical collar -- made of silk, with button holes in the back.

Several interesting points: first, each of these items had been saved and passed down for several generations before being handed over to the John Rylands. Not all could be autheticated, but some could, and Gareth thought that most of the oral traditions were legitimate.

Second, those attending the meeting asked to see them and were all deeply engaged as they were displayed. Questions arose and discussions ensued. The items represented physical ties to the founding Methodists as exemplary Christian lives. To hear stories of grandmothers handing to granddaughters before moving shows the deep connection these Protestant "relics" bore -- the physical reminder of exemplary Christian lives -- i.e. the saints in all their bodily presence and idiosyncracy in which, despite or in these idiosyncracies, God becomes evident in special ways.

I say this because of one last story. John and Charles were close; though they had major difficulties towards the end of their lives. Nonetheless Charles in a letter written to his wife, while accompanying John, wrote something like, "John has preached five times in the last two days; I've never heard someone so enthralled at the sound of their own voice!" Such idiosyncracies, in the middle of the living of holy lives, make such relics a joy and honor to behold.

Posted by johnwright at 12:45 PM

I have found Sunday's life giving -- even as they are often life-draining -- within the last decade. Today amid being away from home, I looked forward to gathering in worship -- which we did at the Manchester Longside Church of the Nazarene. It's similarities and differences from Mid-City were interesting; not least because a friend from seminary, Dr. Dwight Swanson, has played and plays an important role in the formation of the church and its witness. As a matter of fact, the parallels between Dwight's and my life are at time scary.

Dwight was a third year student when I arrived at Nazarene Theological Seminary. He and his wife, Kathy, already had two children and the third was on the way. Before he graduated, my Kathy and I visited their Kansas home where he pastored a small Free Methodist congregation. He graduated to pastor in Manchester England; he visited us when we were in WInamac during a general assembly and we've passed in crossing one other time. Dwight gave me my first lectures in Hellenistic era Judaism as the teacher's aid for Alex Deasley.

Dwight and Kathy moved to Manchester, and has been part of the Longside church except for teaching assignments at European Nazarene Bible College and Asian-Pacific Nazarene Seminary in the Philippines. While pastoring Dwight began studying at the University of Manchester -- whose John Rylands University library was only a 20 minute walk from his house. Eventually he received a full grant and studied with George Brooke on the Dead Sea Scrolls, particularly the Temple Scroll and its relationship with Chronicles.

The Church was in an economically depressed area of Manchester -- made much worse by changes during the Thatcher era. Today in the service were persons from throughout the world -- Russia, Uganda, Carribean Islands, Pakistan, the United States, and even some English! We went to the "ancient-and-future worship service" -- probably a type of "emergent church" take on "Word and Sacrament" (the 9:00 service). The college helps the church as well because of the international students and the fact that many are graduate students. They patch together a pastoral staff on part time, bi-vocational pastors with heavy team building. They then share their building with a "social service" program that is funded by various grants that they try to keep tied to the congregation. And of course, after the service, there was the mandatory coffee, tea, and "biscuits" (really good cookies!) on the way out.

Dwight and Kathy invited Tasha and I over to dinner. We spent several hours getting caught up, reviewing the time, speaking of the differences between the United States and England. Dwight left the United States just after Ronald Reagan was starting his presidency, as the Republican Party began politicizing the southern Evangelicals in the US for their own ends. If the 1960s mark a broad cultural change in the United States, Dwight reminded me that the early 1980s set in a broad change within the discourse of the church in the United States -- reinforcing some lectures that George Marsden gave at PLNU a few years ago.

Tasha and I were treated to a real English dinner: roast lamb with mint jelly, vegtables, mashed potatoes, Yorkshire pudding, and gravy -- and a pudding and tea for dessert. It was great fun and a real treat -- maybe there is some hope for English cuisine.

Dwight drove us back to the campus, where I began attendance at the Charles Wesley Society -- a small group of about 17 persons. Among one of the fascinating things I heard was that Charles' wife was a gifted musician and played for Handel -- who also came to some of the concerts that Wesley had to raise money -- and who knew of the musical giftedness of Charle's children in London. It gives a different view of the Wesley's and early Methodism to know of such interactions.

Tasha went back to the Church of England service, before rejoining us for a evening of Charles Wesley hymns. One interesting point -- people want to hear Tasha speak because they enjoy her accent! Ah, the irony.

I'm still processing things from the week, but I'm thankful. I miss Kathy very much; but I'm trying to make progress and continue to learn more and see things very differently than before I came.

Posted by johnwright at 2:29 PM

It's almost 10 o'clock pm here -- the daylight is beginning to fade. One wouldn't know if the sun was setting or not; I've hardly seen the sun in days. But you can tell it's becoming night time in England because the clouds become less gray and more black.

The week has flown by -- and amid the study -- been very eventful. Eric and Tiana Lee graciously welcomed me back to Nottingham on Tuesday. Wednesday Eric arranged for a luncheon with Aaron Riches, a recent PhD under John Milbank at Notthingham, and John Milbank -- and of course, Eric too.

Eric is doing some wonderful work himself -- he gave me the gift to read some of early drafts of sections of his dissertation and shared the outline with me. I think that I began to understand the importance of his reading of Kierkegaard, and how his use of Plato and Socrates is so important to sustain a substantive account of reason that opens itself to speaking of God. I begrudging have to admit even that Eric and Tiana's cat was kind of cool (even keeping it skin to itself). It actually has certain characteristics in which it acted like a dog rather than a cat.

Aaron Riches was a tremendous gift -- and a quick and immediate friend. His dissertation is in the process of revision for publication on Christology. I am looking forward to reading it because the main weakness that I've seen within the "Radical Orthodoxy" movement is how it accounts for the specific unique and unsubstituable revelation of God in Jesus Christ. At times is seems that certain strains of neo-platonic thought can override the importance of Jesus.

Prof. Milbank was a wonderful conversation partner. I discovered that his grandfather -- or maybe a great uncle -- was involved in starting the first holiness movement church in Great Britain -- before the Church of the Nazarene that became part of the Church of the Nazarene. Several people here have said that I look like Prof. Milbank's grandfather -- a Nazarene District Superintendent -- and Professor Milbank said he saw the likeness. When John's father moved to London, he could not find a Church of the Nazarene near by and became Methodist -- and eventually became a member of the Church of England. Yet Prof. Milbank said that he recognized the difference that the Nazarene's took Wesley seriously even back then -- and that distinguished them from other "evangelicals."

Our conversation ranged across the work of Stanley Hauerwas, George Lindbeck, and David Burrell; the early reading at Duke of Theology and Social Theory that Steve Fowl and Steve Long have told me about; the church and state in the US and its difference from England. His commitments to a "Red Toryism" was evident as a vital option within Great Britain -- a combination of a virtue ethic with localism for a distribution of goods via civil society -- a space that he thinks a liberal political culture opens. I spoke with him about the reactions a few weeks ago from the Associate Chief of Police in San Diego about a plan for Mid-City that we discussed.

We discussed some of my work in Second Temple Judaism and Greek thought. He heard the underlying arguments that I'm trying to make very quickly (more than "biblical scholars" -- Prof. Milbank is very, very, very bright (to understate the obvious) and we talked about the possibility of a book contract with Basil Blackwell in one of the Radical Orthodoxy series.

We also spoke about trying to get the Radical Orthodoxy books circulating better on the West Coast of the United States -- remarking that it has been largely a British, French, and East Coast, USA movement. Hopefully next fall's visit of Conor Cunningham can help provide some ways to make the materials more visible and more accessible. I think that we spent around 2 to 2 1/2 hours in conversation. As Aaron said, the friendships there were significant and we need to keep them nurtured.

I had some time before my train took off and so Eric, Aaron and I went to a coffee shop and talked some more. Aaron just had his second child, a daugher, to go with his 2 1/2 year old son. Aaron is still looking for a position. It is a weird, weird world when young, wonderful theologians like Ken Oakes and Aaron Riches, with mentors such as John Webster and John Milbank, struggle to begin teaching and researching in ways that they can make a living. I'm reminded that George Lindbeck mentioned that it might be that the church has to find other ways than the contemporary university to nurture its intellectual life. Aaron, who grew up as a secularized Canadian, found faith in Jesus Christ through reading Radical Orthodoxy when pursuing a Masters degree in English. He is Roman Catholic, and involved in Communion and Liberation, the new religious movement that has become important to me over the past years. I encouraged him to look into a parish position as a catechumenal teacher or parish assistant.

We talked about children. Aaron is discovering that two children mean that reading, writing, and reflection time is much more limited -- and that he didn't realizae what a selfish white liberal he was until he had kids. Of course I could understand this, and shared what a gift children are to remind us what life is about so that the contemporary academy does not completely corrupt us. Perhaps the most significant part of the day, however, was going to the book store so that Aaron can read A. A. Milne's Winnie-the-Pooh to his son at bed time. I hope that such gifts can keep the world enchanted for Aaron during the ups and downs of job searches, made even more pressing by the necessity of supporting a family.

Eric graciously took me back to the train station, and I traveled back to Manchester. It is a strange and wonderful life that I live.

More about the week coming soon. I'm going to read a little before bed time.

Posted by johnwright at 1:45 PM

I am back in my dorm room after a trip to Nottingham to York, and back again. I am hoping to get to bed earlier and bringing my body back around. But I wanted to blog a little of my thoughts today.

Today we (Ben Kautzer, Gaelen Gilbert, Emily Smith, and Dane, friend of Emily) went to the old English town of York. For those who know me, I have a picture taken of me by the statue of Constantine -- for it was in Northern England he heard that he had been made emperor "not far from this spot." The York Cathedral (Minster) is massive and beautiful (http://www.englishcathedrals.co.uk/admin/photos/YorkCathedral_small.jpg). York and Nottingham are much older, less industrial towns in England.

I felt that I really needed to be drawn into worship and pray -- more tomorrow. A choir sung the hymns and liturgical responses -- a choir spanning from ages 8 through upper 60s. It had been years since I have heard the beauty of boy saprano voices. The priest tried to inform the "congregation" what was going on, how to prepare, what was to happen. The gospels were read; a "sermon" (liberal moralizing about what matters is the 'inwardness' of the heart -- non-judgmental sincerity -- ie, what MacIntyre would call emotivism) given. Jesus in Mark 7 gave a moral teaching that reproduced the status quo of the contemporary liberal society.

I was overwhelmed with the history of those gathered in this space; I was overwhelmed that it was a "cultural event" for those who gathered -- which, of course, worship is. But . . .

There was a vitality, a beauty in the setting and service. The setting, the music, the gospels, the prayers, all gestured appropriately to God. The musical formation that had been undergone was amazing; I am humbled and thankful. But . . .

I looked for the congregation, not voyeurs like me. I saw about 8 whose movements, interactions, gestures, signified that they were congregation members, not paid museum personel or cultured performers of English history. I wondered -- this massive, beautiful cathedral; where was the church, the congregation? It was not gone, I was grateful and thankful to see the faithful there. But it was, well, diminutive in relation to the cathedral.

It is after midnight. I need to get to sleep. I hear that Dave Harrison testified at the service in Mid-City. Dave is a friend; I'm humbled by him; and thankful as he has moved into a "home" for the first time in around 17 years. Give God praise.

Posted by johnwright at 3:48 PM

I have had two full, fruitful days of work. I've pretty much stayed in my NTC dorm, venturing out to get materials or ask questions. I still feel the jet lag -- I'm wide awake right now. The research probably could not have gone any better than it has -- for which I am thankful. I have had access to primary materials from the 17th century and early 18th century that I just couldn't have gotten without great difficulty -- or at all -- from San Diego. I continue to marvel at the differences in readings of John Wesley here from what is given in the United States. Here what I'm going is filling out what people have already begun to see; in the United States it will be a radically different reading.

Tonight to thank Geordan Hammond for his graciousness toward me, I took him to a "traditional Fish-n-Chips" joint, where I was asked if I wanted "mushed peas." Yes, they are peas that have been mushed, kind of like the equivalent of lumpy mashed potatoes, except green. Actual they were pretty good -- except they spread them over my chips and made them soggy. The non-soggy chips were great; but I thought the fish was a little greasy. I've been eating in my room so it was a treat to go and dine with someone.

Geordan is the head of the Wesley Research Centre here at NTC; his dissertation received the Wesleyan Theological Society award as the best dissertation last year. He is just beginning his full time appointment here. He actually graduated from PLNU in 2000 with a degree in history. He never had me for a class, but I guess back in the day he was in a Christian Ministry class with Janine Metcalf in which I guest "lectured." Janine and I put on a show in which we tried to get the students to see that ministry was not defined by unchecked, unexamined need, but by the sender. As Geordan said, it must have been effective (or at least affective) because he still remembered it! I've become a big Geordan Hammond fan.

The big excitement of the day was my run. Things got to a slow start; I couldn't get an electronic version of Wesley's works to pull up on my computer. So I went on my run early. I've been running down a main street (always a challenge because cars drive on the wrong side of the road and I have to get in the habit of looking differently!) to a path by a "river" (looks more like a canal to me), and then back again. Today I went a little longer on the canal path and saw a sign that suggested a way to loop back to Didsbury. The good news is that I kept my head and didn't take any "wrong" turns; the bad news was that West Didsbury is a different place from East Didsbury. I don't know how long I was out -- but I think it was the longest run that I've had for a while, with some anxious moments of not being sure or not if I was lost. For the record, I never was; I just wasn't sure if I was or not.

After reading all the other work of the last two days, I found reading Wesley today more intelligible than I ever have. It is like after over thirty years of study (I wrote a paper on him in high school, even), I finally have discovered the "key" that holds his works together. To follow along the path of this movement within the church catholic is a great gift. While I've basically worked for my research with his sermons, I also read some his "Earnest Appeal to Men of Reason and Religion."

Wesley writes in his 18th century English whose wording is more alien to us than what he describes. I think it describes, not fully in content, but what in end that we seek at Mid-City: "We see--and who does not?--the numberless follies and miseries of our fellow creatures. We see on every side either men of no religion at all or men of a lifeless, formal religion [and I should add, 'men' of a shallow, therapeutic self-serving religion]. We are grieved at the site, and should greatly rejoice if by any means we might convince some that there is a better religoin to be attained, a religion worthy of God that gave it. And this we conceive to be no other than love: the love of God and of all mankind; the loving God with all our heart and soul and strength, as have first loved us, as the fountain of all the good we have received, and of all we ever hope to enjoy; and the loving every soul which God hath made, every man on earth, as our own soul.

This love we believe to be the medicine of life, the never-failing remedy, for all the evils of a disordered world, for all the miseries and vices of men. Wherever this is, there are virtue and happiness, going hand in hand. .. . This if the religion we long to see established in the world, a religion of love and joy and peace, having its seat in the heart, in the inner most soul, but ever showing itself by its fruits, continually springing forth not only in all innocence -- for 'love worketh no ill in his neighbour'-- but likewise in every kind of beneficence, in spreading virtue and happiness all around it."

I hope that your weekend is good. Tomorrow I hope a train after going to the John Rylands library to "hang out" (I think that is how "it" is described, but I'm never sure what "hang out" means) with Ben Kautzer and Gaelan Gilbert (who has left his poor wife in So Cal or worse, Arizona to experience jet lag again) and maybe Emily Smith! Supposedly we are going to worship in York on Sunday. I got my train tickets this evening, and hope to get back to Manchester in time to see the second half of the World Cup final on a big screen in "city center" on Sunday. Go Holland!

Posted by johnwright at 2:19 PM

Today has been a "regular day." I'm currently upstairs watching the World Cup semi-final. Interest in the World Cup here seems to have waned following England's exit. Monday Tasha took me to a sporting goods store and England World Cup merchandise was deeply, deeply discounted. Today just held one quick trip to the village to get drinks and tuna salad for supper, and a good run before rain came -- there is a semi-drought here and the rain that was predicted has not yet materialized in force. I woke up about 10 times during the night, but never for long -- a different form of jet lag? I stirred awake for the morning at 9:00 am (or was it 1:00 am?).

I have read William Law most of the day. It is interesting to read such literature as a historian of ideas. On one side I have to create a "self" that objectivizes the text with a particular question in mind concerning a historical figure. On the other side the subject of Christian devotion of which Law speaks breaks that artificial "self" and reminds me to work for the good of what I am doing. I see the influence on my life in the truth if what he writes through Wesley. For instance, Law speaks of education, not in terms of acquiring status and honor through the generation of knowledge, but in terms of initiating the student a good life:

Now as the instruction of every art of science is founded upon the discoveries, the wisdom, experience, and maxims, of the several great men that have labored in it; so human wisdom, or right use of our reason, which young people should be called to by their education, is nothing else but the best experience, and finest reasonings, of men that have devoted themselves to the study of wisdom, and the improvement of human nature.

All, therefore, that great saints, and dying men, when the fullest of light and conviction, and after the highest improvement of their reason, all that they have said of the necessity of piety, of the excellency of virtue, of their duty to God, of the emptiness of riches, of the vanity of the world; all the sentences, judgments, reasonings, and maxims, of the wisest of philosophers, when in their highest state of wisdom, should constitute the common lessons of instruction for youthful minds.

This is the only way to make the young and ignorant part of the world the better for the wisdom and knowledge of the wise and ancient. An education which is not wholly intent upon this, is as much beside the point, as an art of physic that had little or no regard to the restoration of health. (p. 232)

But the quotes that I want to leave you with after last night is the following:

"Our power of doing external acts of love and goodness is often very narrow and restrained. There are, it may be, but few people to whom we can contribute any worldly relief. But though our outward means of doing good are often thus limited, yet, if our hearts are but full of love and goodness, we get, as it were, an infinite power; because God will attribute to us those good works, those acts of love, and tender charities, which we sincerely desired, and would gladly have performed, had it been in our power.

You cannot heal all the sick, relieve all the poor; you cannot comfort all in distress, nor be a father to all the father less; you cannot, it may be, deliver many from their misfortunes, or teach them to find comfort in God. But if there is a love and tenderness in your heart, that delights in these good works, and excites you to do all that you can; if your love has no bounds, but continually wishes andprays for the relief and happiness of all that are in distress; you will be received by God as a benefactor to those, who have had nothing from you but your good will, and tender affections.

You cannot build hospitals for the incurable; you cannot erect mansteries for the education of persons in holy solitude, continual prayer, and mortification; but if you join in your heart with those that do, and thank God for their pious designs; if you are a friend to these great friends to mankind, and rejoice in their eminent virtues; you will be received by God as a sharer of such good work as, though they had none of your hands, yet had all your heart. (p. 282-3)

Posted by johnwright at 12:31 PM

I'm not sure when the day actually began. I have experienced the primary symptom of jet lag through waking up in the middle of the night. It seems that "bed time" has corresponded to the "nap time" in San Diego. Last night I awoke after a "three hour nap" pretty wide awake; what better time is there to read William Law's "A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life"? The reading has been very beneficial for my work; the big issue will be how to frame it.

The highlight of the day, however, was looking at P52 -- the earliest fragment of a Gospel that we have. It is not only the earliest fragment, it is the earliest assured artifact of early Christianity. It was in the exhibition center in the John Rylands library -- I was alone when I examined it for about 10 minutes. It has writing on both sides - very large and clear handwriting. It is small -- 5 x 8 cms? One could see, if one looked closely, a few stray fibres that dangled from the papyrus.

It is beautifully preserved and wonderfully presented. The case was kept below freezing. I could see not only the front and the back, but the thickness. The fragment was originally dated around 125 on the basis of its handwriting; a recent Harvard study has called this in question -- suggesting that it may possibly be from the late 2nd century. Yet the size and clarity of the letters is amazing -- it was not written to save the expense of papyrus or quickness in production. I spent time counting from the darkness of the letters how often the scribe had to dip his or her (we know that women scribes were involved in the production of early Christian texts) stylus into the ink well -- about 5-7 letters. The scribe seemed to mark iota's very lightly; they were consistently lighter or absent compared with the rest of the texts.

It is interesting to compare this with some of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Papyrus versus parchment (animal skin); of course Greek versus Hebrew (largely); yet when one looks at the fineness of many of the Dead Sea Scrolls, there tiny letters and elegant script, it is like they are artistic caliography. P52 seems made to have been read -- vocally amid a group of people.

I was at the John Rylands Library to get access into their reading room -- very secure. No bags, no books brought in, electronic locked glass doors, glass viewing of the stations were scholars can work, no pens, only pencils allowed in the room. Computers and electric sources for them allowed, but all that is brought in has to be placed in a clear plastic bag. Three stories down they have lockers to place things in. The library is all reference -- no books or manuscripts ever leave the premises. What you ask for is brought to you to work. For right now most of what I need is from an on-line data base. Later I hope to look at more biblical fragments, largely fragments from Elephantine. I think that I also want to look at some literary texts from around 125 to compare their handwriting to P52.

The library is downtown -- about 5 miles from Middle Earth, known around here as Didsbury. Supposedly the bus line is the busiest in the UK. I sat on the top of the double decker both ways, trying to get my bearings. Since Tasha left this morning for Portugal, I was on my own. And, most likely to her surprise, I did fine without her! The line into Manchester is interesting. It goes through the villages made into suburbs, through communities composed of those from the Middle East and Indian sub-continent, into the University of Manchester area (with some absolutely atrocious architecture), past a huge BBC building (think of a block long rectangular box of dirty concrete with lines regularly drawn on it), into the City Centre. Here one meets a collage of different architectural types -- some old and noble (and some unnoble, but overall, the 19th century architecture vastly outdoes the 20th century), some contemporary and trite (all buildings built in the 1960s ought to be destroyed for violation of Beauty). Some of the more recent buildings have tried to merge the two -- and with some success. Even with the bus, I probably walked over a mile to get to the library and back.

It was diner time coming home -- I stopped in at a bakery to get a quiche to take with me, along with some rolls for morning and a cheese bread for later. Because I had to walk back from the village to NTC, I thought that a gourmet ice cream cone was in order -- the owner told me (I don't know whether to believe him because he was obviously trying to sell me on his product) that it was in Switzerland in the morning, and flown to Manchester and delivered only to him in the area (it is only available in the Hilton hotels, he said, on the east coast) by 10 o'clock. The taste and texture reminded me of a combination of a creamery and Hagen Das.

I want to leave you tonight with a long quote from William Law, who deeply influenced John Wesley. It is fascinaing how somethings don't change. Law exhorts Christians to give to the poor and to beggars. He does this through a literary figure, a wealthy patronness that he calls "Miranda." Here is what he writes:

Miranda never wants compassion, even to common beggars; especially towards those that are old or sick, or full of sores, that want eyes or limbs. She hears their copmlaints with tenderness, gives them some proof of her kindness, and never rejects them with hard or reproachful language, for fear of adding affliction to her fellow-creatures.

If a poor old traveller tells her that he has neither strength, nor food, nor money left, she never bids him go to the place from whence he came, or ells him that she cannot relieve him, because he may be a cheat, or she does not know hom; but she relieves him for that reason, because he is a stranger and unknown to her. For it is the most noble part of charity to be kind and tender to those whom we never saw before, and perhaps never may see again in this life. 'I was a stranger, and ye took me in,' saith our blessed Saviour; but who can perform this duty, that will not relieve persons that are unknown to him?

Miranda considers Lazarus was a comon beggar, that he was the care of Angels, and carried into Abraham's bosom. She considers that our blessed Saviour and His Apostles were kind to beggars; that they spoke comfortably to them, healed their diseases, and restored eyes and limbs to the lame and blind; that Peter said to the beggar that wanted an alms from him, "silver and gold have I none, but such as I have give I thee: in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.' Miranda, therefore, never treat beggars with disregard and aversion; but she imitates the kindness of our Saviour adh His Apostles towards them; and though she cannot, like them, work miracles for their relief, yet she relieves them with that power that she hath; and may say, with the Apostle, "such as I have give I thee, in the name of Jesus Christ.'

It may be, says Miranda, that I may often give to those that do not deserve it, or that will make an illuse of myh alms. But what then? Is not this the very method of Divine goodness? Does nto God make 'His sun to rise on the evil and on the good'? Is not this the very goodness that is recommended to us in Scripture, that, by imitating of it, we may be children of our Father which is in Heaven, who 'sendeth rain on teh just and on the unjust'? ANd shall I withhold a little money or food, from my fellow-creature, for fear he should not be good enough to receive it of me? Do I get of God to deal with me, not according to my merit, but according to His own great goodness; and shall I be so absurd as to withhold my charity from a poor brother because he may perhaps not deserve it? Shall I use a measure toward him, which I pray God never to use towards me?

Besides, wher has the Scripture made merit the rule or measure of charity? Onthe contrary, the Scripture saith, 'If thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink.

Now this plainly teaches us, that the merit of persons is to be no rule of our charity; but that we are to do acts of kindness to those that least of all deserve it. For if I am to love and do good to my worst enemies; if I am to be charitable to them, notwithstanding all their spite and malice; surely merit is no measure of charity. If I am not to withhold my charity from such bad people, and who are at teh same time my enemies, surely I am not to deny alms to poor beggars, whom I neither know to be bad people, nor any way my enemies.

You will perhaps say, that by this means I encourage people to be beggars. But the same thoughtless objection may be made against all kinds of charities, for they may encourage people to depend upon them. The same may be said against forgiving our enemies, for it may encourage people to do us hurt. The same may be said even aginst the goodness of God, that by pouring His blessings on the evil and on the good, ont he just and on the unjust, evil and unjust men are encouraged in their wicked ways. The same may be said against clothing thenaked or giving medicine to the sick; for that may encourage people to neglect themselves, and be careless of their health. But when the love of God dwelleth in you, when it has enlarged your heart, and filled you wiht bowels of mercy and compassion, youwill make no more such objections as these.

When you are at any time turning away the poor, the old, the sick, and helpless traveler, the lame, or the blind, ask yourself this question, Do I sincerely wish these poor creatures may be as happy as Lazarus, that was carried by Angels into Abraham's bosom? Do I sincerely desire that God would make them fellow-heirs with me in eternal glory? Now if you search into your soul, you will find that there is none of these motoins there; that you are wishing nothing of this. For it is impossible for any one heartily to wish a poor creature so great a happieness, adn yet not have a heart to give him a small alms. For this reason, says Miranda, as far as I can, I give to all, because I pray to God to forgive all; and I cannot refuse an alms to those whom I pray God to bless, whom I wish to be partakers of eternal glory, but am glad to show some degree of love to such as, I hope, will be the objects of the infinite love of God. And if, as our Saviour has assured us, it be more blessed to give than to receive, we ought to look upon those that ask our alms, as so many friends and benefactors, that come to do us a greater good than they can receive, that come to exalt our virtue, to be witnesses of our charity, to be monuments of our love, to be our advocates with God, to be to us in Christ's stead, to appear for us in the day of judgment, and to help us to a blessedness greater than our alms can bestow on them."

Posted by johnwright at 1:53 PM

I spent today getting connected. I could have suffered worse jet lag -- I woke up wide awake at 4:00, read until 6:30 and forced myself up and 8:00. The eight hour time lag between here and California is strange. I go to sleep and wake up to wish Kathy to have a good night.

The faculty at NTC have welcomed me warmly. Everyday the whole campus gathers for "tea" at 10:45 -- about 30 people. There are MA and PhD students "taking degrees" here. Professor Dwight Swanson gave me a tour of the faculties; Don,the librarian, initiated me into the library and the special research reading room. Of course it always takes me several times until I get procedures down. It is amazing how you can miss the "Do Not Exit" sign when you are trying to figure out a code system on the door of a library!

Geordan Hammond gave me a bit more indepth review of the Wesley and Methodist archives here. They collect all dissertations written on Wesley and 18th century Methodism. Geordan defended his dissertation through NTC at the University of Manchester. I had come upon the work of Jeremy Gregory on the nature of the British Enlightenment in the 18th century before -- very interesting revisionist scholarship that contests a teleology of a progressive secularism in Western culture. It seems that such those participating in the British Enlightenment did not think this meant a complete collapse into immanence, and that even major intellectuals of the day did not see a conflict between the demands of "reason" and God, or a conflict between "reason and faith." Of course Wesley, I will argue, fits into this tradition of "reasonable religion" that did not seek, contra others, to regulate the claims of Christian revelation by "reason," but saw the claim of revelation to establish what was reasonable.

My first task is to study the use of "use" and "enjoy" in the Wesley corpus. These terms are technical terms that originated in St. Augustine, more particularly his work "On Christian Teaching." Aquinas picks up these terms and uses them as well. I have found that Wesley, who did not read Augustine directly, nonetheless framed his thought in such an Augustinian Thomist manner. The task is to show that this type of "catholic Augustinian thought" that belongs to the classic Christian tradition was mediated to Wesley by several thinkers: particularly William Law, and behind him, an Anglican priest named John Norris. I'll share more of this as time goes on.

Tomorrow I have a meeting with Dr. Tom Noble, who is also professor of theology at Nazarene Theological Seminary and then an appointment at John Rylands library at 2:00 to receive access to their collection. I hope to be able to get electronic access to some of their works -- it is not far by bus, but it would make it much easier.

The sun has finally set here at 10:30 pm -- we are north. Tasha leaves for Portugal tomorrow and her European adventure. I will walk her into the village. Then to "work" if it could be called that. Hopefully tomorrow I'll have some primary texts to share with you. I have already discovered that, unlike today, theology was not an "academic enterprise" separated from life, but itself a means of spiritual formation and guidance. If one reads it without completely dissassociating one's "self" from the texts, they are powerful to read.

Posted by johnwright at 2:19 PM

Tasha and I landed in Manchester about 40 minutes early today. The flights, as expected, were very, very long. I fell asleep on the trans-Atlantic flight only to wake up with a sore lower back and a painful and numb left leg for the last several hours of the flight. In case your were wondering, US Airways Food is about two notches below Der Wienerschnitzel. Yet it kept us alive and it was included in the fare. I read on the flight the new Oxford Companion to John Wesley. So far some of it is excellent; some is so-so. Yet it is helping me get up to date on what is going on, not only in Wesley studies, but also in the context of 18th century England and the English Enlightenment. Fun, fun.

We landed and had to bus into the terminal. Then we proceeded to wait in line for 2 hours to enter the United Kingdom legally. I was told that it used to be quite quick process. I'm not sure if the delay was because of an influx of passengers or due to British governmental cut backs or just a quirk. At least we were standing after we had been closed into a giant metal tube for 14 hours.

I am trying to figure out why I would leave the sunshine and 75 degrees of San Diego for the overcast, blustery 55 of Manchester. But I must say that the area is beautiful. Nazarene Theological College is small, but full of character, and very, very British. It has a rural English feel to it, like an old English agricultural estate that has become a place of learning and study.

We walked the Didsbury -- a village that has been slowly absorbed into the Greater Manchester area. Because of the wait in line today, we did not get to a church service this morning. We found a Church of England that had an evening service tonight and went to it. The Rector told me that Didsbury still sustains some of the old village culture, even as the greater area is slowly being transformed into a place that is losing its locality. Interesting, with the loss of locality comes a deepening secularity.

The service was one of song, prayer, and the Word, and then sharing. I think that three songs used here were identical with songs that we sing at Mid-City. About 70 persons gathered -- their fourth service at two different locations during the day. My guess is that this would be considered an "evangelical Church of England" parish -- with a high church service as well. What was interesting was the Rectors recognition -- and the parishioners -- that they minister in a very difficult context. There was a depth to their faith and expression that I experienced. The service was very biblically and Christologically centered. They actually talked about and praised God; they read and discussed from Revelation 3 -- the letter to the church in Laodaecia. Other than the accents any one who attends Mid-City could have found themselves very much at home there.

After the service they served tea (with cream and cookies). I noticed their bulletin board -- feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, engaged in asylum for persons who might be facing deportation at the expense of their life and family -- the same sort of things that engage us. What I saw was the Spirit's formation of the common Christian culture for those returning to the core practices and confessions of the faith in order to find a place of witness and for a call to repentance and faith in the contemporary world faced with its secularization. They didn't talk about being relevant -- the priest and parishioners told me that they are completely ignored except to be ridiculed or slammed when occasion arised by the general English culture. They spoke instead of faithfulness; of basing their lives individually and their life as a congregation on the extensive Love of God shown to us in Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit. No therapeutic, psychological reduction of the gospel; no subordinating the church to a political end of influence a nations-state outside the church's own life. But to engage the world by direct action -- a man biking from "coast-to-coast" the next two days to raise money for a missionary friend who has been forced from his home with others in Khazikstan (I believe) by the civil war and atrocities that have broken out there. The church founds its end in the worship of the Triune God and direct action in the acts of mercy and devotion here.

I could see the financial strain on the congregation -- funds are not abundant. A beautiful 19th century church has been re-arranged for a more central focus with person's closer to the altar. I could see paint pealing; plaster falling. Yet the funds were to help the church in its witness for children, adolescence and help for those facing the scourge of war.

So I've come to England; I hope I can sleep tonight. What I've found is a bit of the England I had always imagined in reading C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien; a faithful, small Nazarene educational institution; and a Church of England congregation continuing its witness amid a very secularized society. Tomorrow I get started in earnest of the particularities of my project for being here.

Tomorrow also sees Carl leaving San Diego for Kansas City to begin his seminary classes for a MA degree in Intercultural Studies. He has worked hard and well in preparation for the class and I am humbled by him -- and not just by his natural good looks and manly body. I still think, in the great Zoolander tradition, he should become a male model. But if he wants to go to seminary instead . . .

God bless Kathy and Johnny, however, in holding down the household until we all can return.

Posted by johnwright at 1:33 PM

I am sitting in the San Diego airport right now. I have 15 minutes until my plane begins boarding -- first to Philadelphia and then onto Manchester England where I will remain. The Wesleyan Center at PLNU generously granted me a fellowship this summer to revise my paper "Use and Enjoy in Wesley and Augustine" under the guidance of the wonderful expertise at the Nazarene Theological College in Manchester and the resources of the John Rylands library. I will also continue my project on the material remains of what became incorporated to form the Christian Scriptures -- the Christian book. Tasha is with me -- herself going on adventures to Portugal and eventually into Poland.l

Tony right now is in Nazareth in the West Bank, so the Wright's are spread throughout the globe. I already miss Kathy. I am humbled by her graciousness and strength as we leave her to keep the homefront in order. Today is Johnny's twenty-fourth birthday as well.

This will be the longest that I've been away from Mid-City in some fourteen years. Rev. Mark Wright is standing in for me -- and I am thankful. Kathy and Shawn continue in their roles. There are lots of updates to share from Mid-City -- we have not been idle. There is much to update from life. There is much to update from reading and thoughts.

I hope that you will travel with me along the way. They have begun calling to begin boarding. There is a sadness in leaving San Diego; it is my home; my family, my congregation, my university is all here. As I left, I told Kathy, however, that I can't believe that the dream to study in England -- a dream formed in my early adolescence that Kathy said has been with me as long as she has known me -- is taking place. For this I give God thanks.

Posted by johnwright at 10:20 AM