What was it like when Christianity was at the crossroads during the first- and second centuries? Would this new movement stand the test of time or would it be swept away by the religions and philosophies of that day? Christianity did indeed endure, although the purity was gradually lost over the centuries.
To behold true Christianity, we must always look back to the ancient early church, the gold standard of our faith. The primitive church was John Wesley’s standard. John Wesley (1703-1791)—pastor, preacher, theologian, and nation-changer—was a giant among men. Wesleyan discipleship birthed a church aflame with love and holiness that transformed England in a single generation. Wesley’s plan and vision were worked out through his quest for the purity of the early church according to tradition, the Scriptures, logical reasoning, and spiritual experience—Scripture, tradition, logic, and experience. This grid for assessment for true Christianity was later called the Wesleyan Quadrilateral.
The Wesleyan Quadrilateral could be one of our most powerful tools for the healthy spiritual formation of teenagers, young adults, and even mature adults through teaching how to practice theology by engaging hearts and minds by forming a solid theological foundation able to stand firm in the shifting sands of modern culture and the contrary opinions of society.
We are in another crossroads moment. Can we use the Wesleyan Quadrilateral test for pure Christianity today? In a time when heresy is rampant, I believe the answer is a resounding, “Yes!” If our young people were taught to answer their own theological questions by this approach, they would be fortified with a stable theological foundation on which they could stand while the sands of culture shift around them.
