A WesleyanHoliness Theology edition by J Kenneth Grider Religion Spirituality eBooks
Download As PDF : A WesleyanHoliness Theology edition by J Kenneth Grider Religion Spirituality eBooks 
This is a systematic theology for the clergy and alert laypersons of the many WesleyanHoliness denominations and parachurch groups and for United Methodism itselfas well as others who wish to know or need to know what the shape of WesleaynHoliness theology is. The views are supported basically from Scripture, with corroborative support from John Wesley and the Holiness Movementand from the entire remembered past of the Church.
A WesleyanHoliness Theology edition by J Kenneth Grider Religion Spirituality eBooks
Among Grider's positive contributions:1. He interprets "the old man" as the unregenerate life, not original sin. Grider first made a case for this interpretation in the Nazarene Preacher's Magazine in February, 1972 and again in his 1980 book on entire sanctification. Thus we put off the old man or old life when we are born again (Romans 6:6; Ephesians 4:22; Colossians 3:9).
2. In harmony with Arminius and early Methodism, Grider understands that Romans 7 is the picture of an unregenerate man.
3. He understands that salvation is not an act of human will. He cautions the Arminian-Wesleyan evangelist not to tell a congregation, "You do your part and God will do His part." He also argues against the promise that "God will meet you halfway." Grider explains, "We cannot initiate our own salvation.... God must come all the way to where we are and initiate in us our 'first faint desire' to turn to Christ."
4. He is an authority on the life and teachings of James Arminius and this contributes to the richness of his presentation. He has a very adequate sections on original sin and prevenient grace.
5. He presents the view that "predestination does not have to do with a pre-decision of God regarding the eternal destiny of people, but that it has to do with what God graciously decides for believers temporally - only having to do with Christians."
6. He teaches that saving faith must be "durative." Scores of New Testament passages exhort us to a present tense or continuous faith. It is possible to cease to believe and then suffer the loss of saving grace.
7. He advocates a return to the historic Wesleyan eschatology of postmillennialism or realized eschatology.
However, since Grider claims to represent the Wesleyan-Arminian viewpoint in this authoritative 589 page theology, I am concerned that our position is not adequately represented at the following points:
Grider refuses to take a position that the Bible is totally without error. The fact that we do not have the original autographs is a fact accepted by all parties. However Grider asserts that "no doubt the Holy Spirit guided writers to make certain changes in the New Testament between autograph and canon." He declares, "Our canon is richer than the autographs had been. It contains what the Holy Spirit had persuaded people to add to the autographs. It might even contain deletions from the autographs, if the original writers did not write precisely what the persuading, not coercing, Spirit had wanted them to write. It contains changes in the writing that the believing communities had found to be functional."
But how can Grider know that changes were made if he has never seen the original? I thought there was a warning not to add anything to Scripture. He claims that "even if the inspired autographs had read quite different from our canonical Scriptures, that would not greatly matter."
But only the original manuscripts were inspired by the Holy Spirit; no theologian extends inspiration to the transmission of copies. Grider seems to teach that the Holy Spirit may have not quite got it right the first time and had to redo it. Grider seems to have more faith in the copies than in the original.
Grider seems to labor under a false assumption that the Scriptures are authoritative because they are declared to be by church councils. They are authoritative, however, because they are God-inspired.
Grider concludes that the Scriptures are "basically genuine" and are "inspired and inerrant on doctrine and practice matters." But if the Bible has one mistake in it, it may as well have a thousand. Wesley taught if there was one falsehood in the Bible, it did not come from the God of truth. If the Bible is a fallible record, then it could be a false witness. Who determines what parts of the Bible are then in error? What is the purpose of inspiration if not to insure infallibility?
This basically comes down to an issue of who we trust. Do we believe that God inspired holy men of old to accurately write His words or do we put our faith in theologians who tells us not to worry, the alleged mistakes are of no consequence? Will someone operating on Grider's premise someday "discover" a mistake of consequence?
Grider then carries his own premise to a dangerous conclusion. Based on his view of the written Word, he then argues that "Christ was sinless, not that He was totally errorless on unimportant matters." In 1978 there were a series of editorials in the Convention Herald expressing concern over Grider's teaching. Grider wrote a letter to H. E. Schmul stating, "I have never taught either in a class session or in any publication either that the Bible autographs were in error of any kind whatever, or that Christ erred in any way whatever." However, his recent "Wesleyan" theology book seems to leave the door open to both positions.
Grider's discussion of "the first work of grace" has very little to say about faith. The only discussion of "the witness of the Spirit" occurs in relationship to entire sanctification. Grider devotes 17 pages to the new birth and 102 pages to entire sanctification. Yet we cannot go on unto perfection until we have entered the kingdom. Early Methodism spent more time getting people started right, believing the Holy Spirit was able to lead them once they entered the kingdom.
Grider does not adequately emphasize victory over sin.
"Even homosexuality, as a tendency, will not always be extirpated when we are converted or when we are sanctified wholly.... It cannot be a characteristic of carnality, else all persons would experience it. When carnality is extirpated, therefore, homosexuality as a tendency might or might not be corrected."
No doubt the newly formed Wesleyan Holiness Gay and Lesbian Network will find this position reassuring.
Grider also states that the inclination toward tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs are acquired desires and are not necessarily extirpated when one is converted or when Adamic depravity is expelled. To what extent, then, do we put off the old life when we are born again? In what sense do we teach complete cleansing from sin?
Grider recommends the term "baptism with the Holy Spirit" for the second work of grace, but admits John Wesley did not make this connection. After giving an excellent overview of what Wesley believed, Grider takes a different view, claiming the teaching of the Holiness Movement is superior.
He is overly impressed with the historical research of Paul Bassett who concluded that the early church fathers almost universally taught that entire sanctification is received through the baptism with the Holy Spirit. We must avoid reading nineteenth century presuppositions back into earlier literature. I considered Bassett's research in my dissertation and concluded that up until the nineteenth century American holiness movement no one had ever arrived at a comparable position. In fact Thomas Oden, in stating the consensual core of Christian belief from the first five centuries of the Christian church, concluded that
"though indwelling is not precisely the same as baptism, sealing, and filling of the Spirit, none of these is detachable from the new birth through the Spirit and baptism in the Spirit.... The New Testament understands baptism of and by the Spirit as the privilege of all who have faith, all Christian, all who belong to the body of Christ."
Grider denies the progressive side of entire sanctification. In his preface Grider asserts "entire sanctification as instantaneous only and not also gradual." His chief argument for this position is that the baptism with the Holy Spirit is not gradual. Grider therefore builds one untenable position on the foundation of another untenable position. Grider knows this is not Wesley's position, but submits this as another "improvement."
I find it interesting that he claims the writings of Macarius, a fourth century mystic, are "even closer to the Holiness Movement understanding of entire sanctification than to Wesley's view." However, Macarius taught degrees of perfection and that a person grows and comes to a perfect man only gradually, "not as some say, 'Off with one coat and on with another.'"
The hyphen in the title Wesleyan-Holiness indicates the hybrid nature of Grider's theology. Grider knows they are not one and the same. Yet hybrids cannot reproduce. Grider is too Wesleyan to be accepted by the holiness movement and differs with Wesley on too many points to be the true Wesleyan standard bearer.
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A WesleyanHoliness Theology edition by J Kenneth Grider Religion Spirituality eBooks Reviews
good
This book gives a good overview of the theological positions taken by Arminius and Wesley, as well as occasionally referencing Pope and some of the other top theoogians in the holiness movement. Grider on occasions takes distinct positions and points this out. A good read for anyone interested understanding Wesleyan/Holiness theology. Easy, non technical style.
It was exactly what I expected. Very good condition, like new. Excellent foundational book for Wesleyan theology.
Very well written for those interested in this genre.
I have found this book to be very helpful to me. I did not know anything concerning "Wesleyan-Holiness" Theology. Mr. Grider has done an excellent job in putting forth this theology in a way that even someone with no previous understanding of it could follow in a clear way. I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to understand what "Wesleyan-Holiness" is. I have completely enjoyed the way Mr. Grider put forth all the material and especially the arrangement of it. This book is very well done. His section on the attributes of God is well done and I like the fact that he is willing to disagree with others on what those attributes really are. My own faith is more in line with the Arminian thought and I found it refreshing to find a book that makes this theology clear.
In this work by one of the great theologians of the (Christian) Wesleyan-Holiness tradition, Nazarene theologian Kenneth Grider shows us that systematics are an important theological discipline, not just for Calvinistic-leaning Baptists, Lutherans, or Reformed/Presbyterian Christians, but for every strand and stream of Christianity, and the Wesleyan-Holiness tradition is no different. Wesleyanism, and the Holiness tradition(s) within it, has an important voice in (Western) Christianity, and a careful reading of their story should give every Christian a deeper desire to follow the Savior, while also challenging the theological framework of that walk with Christ, whether one fully agrees or not. I will give a number of thoughts on what I perceive to be some strengths and weaknesses of this work, then finish with a brief recommendation.
A few notes on the strength and tone of Grider’s systematics
1. A Theology of Action & “Becoming” The opening section on “Biblical Realism” is stirring and moving. It truly captures a Wesleyan theology of action and its method of doing theology. Essentially, Wesleyan theology is “living-theology”. The rhetoric is powerful and rich, and excites the Christian to live for Christ, not tomorrow or next week, but today. It is also a theology centered on the paradigm of “becoming”, typically understood as personal “transformation”. One leaves their reading of Grider with a deep sense of “becoming” more like God, through the “transformative power” of God’s work in Christ and by His Spirit.
2. Swift & Accessible While the book nearly reaches 600 pages, it’s not a laborious read at all. Grider has an effortless prose style that is swift and accessible, and he gets to the point (quite quickly for a systematician in my opinion)! In 20-30 pages, you’ve moved through large surveys on doctrine, while feeling you’ve grasped the point Grider is making. This is one of the marks of a great teacher.
3. Irenic Honestly, I was surprised by how irenic and congenial this book was. When you’re writing from a perspective (Holiness-Nazarene) within a perspective (Wesleyan) within a perspective (Christian-Protestant), you tend to write with a chip on your shoulder. Not so with Grider, as he is very even-handed when engaging various views, either mildly different or completely contrary to his own. His tone encouraged me to read more. However, he was clear when he disagreed, but did so in a way that aimed to use the Scripture to argue on his behalf. Again, a mark not only of a great teacher, but a Godly man.
4. Word Studies & Biblical Context When Grider wanted to talk about a theological issue, he didn’t philosophize it (Niebuhr, Tillich, Hegel), but went to the text. He spent pages breaking down the various words used in both testaments, and spent pages giving context and helping the reader see a scriptural viewpoint. I loved these sections because it showed that a love for God includes a love for His Word. Was he always convincing? I would say no, but he always aimed to be biblical, and bring someone’s ear to God’s voice.
A few notes as to the weaknesses of Grider’s systematics
1. Dated The book was published in 1994, and feels fairly tied to the time period. Every systematic theology (and books in general for that matter), face the issue of feeling dated. I think this issue is more mild compared to the others, but it doesn’t have the same cultural awareness as a more recent work would. Most important for our day, one doesn’t find the necessary engagement on the Imago Dei (image of God) for our current culture, as Grider talks for only one page (in the “The Doctrine of Ourselves”) about Male/Female and “love” as the core characteristic of being image-bearers. The 1 page is great, but only serves as a baby primer to what’s needed to speak into today’s culture, with all the confusion and misdirection of sexuality, identity, and ethics from God’s Word. Therefore, because of its datedness, it feels more like a doctrinal survey (now) than a systematic theology.
2. More Local Church Than Universal As you read, one feels Grider is primarily aiming for his target audience – the Holiness tradition(s). It feels the scope of the book is a little small for a systematic theology. While Grider always touches on other traditions, it feels like there’s always a rush to get to the primary audience. In my opinion, it seems to diminish the scope of the work, and even take away its potential influence. Longer is not always better, but balance in this type of work is important. Which brings me to me next point.
3. Uneven in Focus This is probably the weakest area of the book, as the time and space afforded to the vast teachings of the Christian Faith were largely uneven. At points, the book felt too much like a Bible survey on doctrine than a deep engagement and inter-relationship of the truths for the purpose of cultural apologetics. Then, in the next section or chapter, a much larger piece was dedicated to the Wesleyan-Holiness perspective. A case-in-point Grider spends 1 page(!) on the Doctrine of Justification, says in a sentence how Justification is important to the Holiness perspective in both Imputed & Imparted Righteousness, then spends 102 pages (!) explaining the various dimensions of the second work of grace. To be fair, the Holiness tradition(s) are defined primarily by this second work of grace. However, the Wesleyan-Holiness tradition(s) are still within the greater Protestant tradition, much of which is born out of “Justification by Faith”. This is unbalanced for sure.
Overall, I think Grider’s systematics is a great read of the Christian faith, and better-equips Christians in the Wesleyan-Holiness tradition, while also giving an irenic challenge to others streams of Protestant thoughts regarding the framework of their faith. While dated, the book is still very helpful as a work of systematics, and sharpens the Christian to live “today” for Christ, while carrying out and proclaiming His life-changing message through a “living-theology”!
Among Grider's positive contributions
1. He interprets "the old man" as the unregenerate life, not original sin. Grider first made a case for this interpretation in the Nazarene Preacher's Magazine in February, 1972 and again in his 1980 book on entire sanctification. Thus we put off the old man or old life when we are born again (Romans 66; Ephesians 422; Colossians 39).
2. In harmony with Arminius and early Methodism, Grider understands that Romans 7 is the picture of an unregenerate man.
3. He understands that salvation is not an act of human will. He cautions the Arminian-Wesleyan evangelist not to tell a congregation, "You do your part and God will do His part." He also argues against the promise that "God will meet you halfway." Grider explains, "We cannot initiate our own salvation.... God must come all the way to where we are and initiate in us our 'first faint desire' to turn to Christ."
4. He is an authority on the life and teachings of James Arminius and this contributes to the richness of his presentation. He has a very adequate sections on original sin and prevenient grace.
5. He presents the view that "predestination does not have to do with a pre-decision of God regarding the eternal destiny of people, but that it has to do with what God graciously decides for believers temporally - only having to do with Christians."
6. He teaches that saving faith must be "durative." Scores of New Testament passages exhort us to a present tense or continuous faith. It is possible to cease to believe and then suffer the loss of saving grace.
7. He advocates a return to the historic Wesleyan eschatology of postmillennialism or realized eschatology.
However, since Grider claims to represent the Wesleyan-Arminian viewpoint in this authoritative 589 page theology, I am concerned that our position is not adequately represented at the following points
Grider refuses to take a position that the Bible is totally without error. The fact that we do not have the original autographs is a fact accepted by all parties. However Grider asserts that "no doubt the Holy Spirit guided writers to make certain changes in the New Testament between autograph and canon." He declares, "Our canon is richer than the autographs had been. It contains what the Holy Spirit had persuaded people to add to the autographs. It might even contain deletions from the autographs, if the original writers did not write precisely what the persuading, not coercing, Spirit had wanted them to write. It contains changes in the writing that the believing communities had found to be functional."
But how can Grider know that changes were made if he has never seen the original? I thought there was a warning not to add anything to Scripture. He claims that "even if the inspired autographs had read quite different from our canonical Scriptures, that would not greatly matter."
But only the original manuscripts were inspired by the Holy Spirit; no theologian extends inspiration to the transmission of copies. Grider seems to teach that the Holy Spirit may have not quite got it right the first time and had to redo it. Grider seems to have more faith in the copies than in the original.
Grider seems to labor under a false assumption that the Scriptures are authoritative because they are declared to be by church councils. They are authoritative, however, because they are God-inspired.
Grider concludes that the Scriptures are "basically genuine" and are "inspired and inerrant on doctrine and practice matters." But if the Bible has one mistake in it, it may as well have a thousand. Wesley taught if there was one falsehood in the Bible, it did not come from the God of truth. If the Bible is a fallible record, then it could be a false witness. Who determines what parts of the Bible are then in error? What is the purpose of inspiration if not to insure infallibility?
This basically comes down to an issue of who we trust. Do we believe that God inspired holy men of old to accurately write His words or do we put our faith in theologians who tells us not to worry, the alleged mistakes are of no consequence? Will someone operating on Grider's premise someday "discover" a mistake of consequence?
Grider then carries his own premise to a dangerous conclusion. Based on his view of the written Word, he then argues that "Christ was sinless, not that He was totally errorless on unimportant matters." In 1978 there were a series of editorials in the Convention Herald expressing concern over Grider's teaching. Grider wrote a letter to H. E. Schmul stating, "I have never taught either in a class session or in any publication either that the Bible autographs were in error of any kind whatever, or that Christ erred in any way whatever." However, his recent "Wesleyan" theology book seems to leave the door open to both positions.
Grider's discussion of "the first work of grace" has very little to say about faith. The only discussion of "the witness of the Spirit" occurs in relationship to entire sanctification. Grider devotes 17 pages to the new birth and 102 pages to entire sanctification. Yet we cannot go on unto perfection until we have entered the kingdom. Early Methodism spent more time getting people started right, believing the Holy Spirit was able to lead them once they entered the kingdom.
Grider does not adequately emphasize victory over sin.
"Even homosexuality, as a tendency, will not always be extirpated when we are converted or when we are sanctified wholly.... It cannot be a characteristic of carnality, else all persons would experience it. When carnality is extirpated, therefore, homosexuality as a tendency might or might not be corrected."
No doubt the newly formed Wesleyan Holiness Gay and Lesbian Network will find this position reassuring.
Grider also states that the inclination toward tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs are acquired desires and are not necessarily extirpated when one is converted or when Adamic depravity is expelled. To what extent, then, do we put off the old life when we are born again? In what sense do we teach complete cleansing from sin?
Grider recommends the term "baptism with the Holy Spirit" for the second work of grace, but admits John Wesley did not make this connection. After giving an excellent overview of what Wesley believed, Grider takes a different view, claiming the teaching of the Holiness Movement is superior.
He is overly impressed with the historical research of Paul Bassett who concluded that the early church fathers almost universally taught that entire sanctification is received through the baptism with the Holy Spirit. We must avoid reading nineteenth century presuppositions back into earlier literature. I considered Bassett's research in my dissertation and concluded that up until the nineteenth century American holiness movement no one had ever arrived at a comparable position. In fact Thomas Oden, in stating the consensual core of Christian belief from the first five centuries of the Christian church, concluded that
"though indwelling is not precisely the same as baptism, sealing, and filling of the Spirit, none of these is detachable from the new birth through the Spirit and baptism in the Spirit.... The New Testament understands baptism of and by the Spirit as the privilege of all who have faith, all Christian, all who belong to the body of Christ."
Grider denies the progressive side of entire sanctification. In his preface Grider asserts "entire sanctification as instantaneous only and not also gradual." His chief argument for this position is that the baptism with the Holy Spirit is not gradual. Grider therefore builds one untenable position on the foundation of another untenable position. Grider knows this is not Wesley's position, but submits this as another "improvement."
I find it interesting that he claims the writings of Macarius, a fourth century mystic, are "even closer to the Holiness Movement understanding of entire sanctification than to Wesley's view." However, Macarius taught degrees of perfection and that a person grows and comes to a perfect man only gradually, "not as some say, 'Off with one coat and on with another.'"
The hyphen in the title Wesleyan-Holiness indicates the hybrid nature of Grider's theology. Grider knows they are not one and the same. Yet hybrids cannot reproduce. Grider is too Wesleyan to be accepted by the holiness movement and differs with Wesley on too many points to be the true Wesleyan standard bearer.
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