Luke 9:28-36
As we discovered last week, John Wesley believes that reason provides knowledge which informs our understanding of God and life, but reason alone cannot explain everything – thus the need for a faith and “spiritual” experience of God that continually transforms our lives into an expression and embodiment of the love of God, other(s), and self. In other words, although our faith and experience of God will express realities that are beyond the intellectual bounds of reason, our faith and “spiritual” experience should always align with reason (certainly, never contradicting reason). So, Wesley suggests that our experience of the Spirit of God (and the Spirit of Others) provides a kind of spiritual knowledge that is applicable to the way we are called to live our lives together. Wesley’s sermon on the “Catholic Spirit” is probably one of the best expressions of this paradoxical relationship between reason and one’s experience of God, life and other(s). [Please note, in this context, “Catholic” means “all-embracing” or “universal,” not the Roman Catholic Church] “’If your heart is as my heart’, if you love God and all humankind, I ask no more than this: Give me your hand.’ I do not mean, Be of my opinion.’ You need not. I do not expect nor desire it. Neither do I mean, I will be of your opinion.’ Keep you your opinion, I mine; and that as steadily as ever. You need not even endeavor to come over to me, or bring me over to you. I do not desire you to dispute those points, or to hear or speak one word concerning them. Let all opinions alone on one side and the other. Only give me your hand.’
I have no desire to dispute with you one moment upon any of the preceding differences. Let all these smaller points stand aside. Let them never come into sight. If your heart is as my heart’, if you love God and all humankind, I ask no more but: `Give me your hand.’”
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