Through the Christian Year with Charles Wesley

Description

In a time when Charles Wesley's hymns, and even his name, are slowly fading from the purview of many Christians, this book is intended to recover the precious heritage of our past, and to bring to the reader's attention a sample of the massive body of Christian verse which that genius composed throughout his life. The main body of the book is a selection of well known, lesser known, and unknown hymns and Psalm paraphrases, intended for devotional use and for teaching the basic Christian doctrines. These selections are arranged around the Christian year, as is appropriate, since Wesley was and remained a devout Anglican. Associated essays give a biographical outline of Wesley's life and ministry, analyze his verse, explore the sources of his music, and discuss various theological and devotional issues which arise from his hymns. With this volume goes the prayer that it will be used of God to recover Scriptural worship ""in reverence and holy fear,"" appreciate his poetry, foster humble piety, promote doctrinal awareness, and to love and serve the same God of all grace and Christ of redemption whom it was Wesley's delight to serve. ""Modern Christians are often unaware of what they are missing in both corporate worship and personal devotions by neglecting Charles Wesley's hymns. Murray Adamthwaite has set out to help remedy that situation, and his own interest in these hymns shines through in this book. His survey of Wesley's life is excellent and he has made a good choice from his rendering of psalms and his hymns."" --Allan M. Harman, Author; Former Principal, Presbyterian Theological College, Box Hill, Victoria ""This is a worthy contribution to existing studies of Wesley's hymns. Inspiring. In no way is it dry or recondite. It will cause many to burst into song. Preachers might be more ready to blend Calvinist and Arminian thoughts in the same sermon, as Wesley did. Theologians will find much to ponder and academics will be impressed by Wesley's imaginative use of poetic meters. A fine work indeed."" --Dallas Clarnette, DMin, M.A.R. (Asbury), Presbyterian Minister (Ret); Author ""The decline in interest in classic hymnody today, especially in Protestant churches, is but part of the decline in Western culture. It is for this reason that I so enthusiastically commend Adamthwaite's Through the Christian Year with Charles Wesley."" --Barry Horner ""A well-written book which considers the hymnody of Charles Wesley from several aspects--doctrinal, technical, historical, biographical, and practical. . . . It is my fervent desire that Murray Adamthwaite's delightful and richly informative book will be used by God to cause God's people to rediscover the hymns of Charles Wesley as a source of blessing in private devotion and corporate worship."" --Alan R. Harley, President, Tyndale College, Sydney; Former Vice Principal, Booth College, Sydney; Former Dean, Wesley Institute, Sydney Murray R. Adamthwaite has served parishes in Victoria and Western Australia, but then taught Old Testament at Tahlee Bible College in New South Wales during the 1980s. He holds a BD, a Masters, and a PhD in Ancient History and Languages, and has taught at the University of Melbourne, and other tertiary institutions. His PhD thesis was published in 2001 under the title Late Hittite Emar. Presently he teaches history courses at seniors' institutions. **