John Wesley, the founder of the 18th Methodist movement and what became the worldwide Wesleyan tradition, was an advocate for theological reflection and education for all people (regardless of their social status). Embracing the intellectual component of our humanity, he believed that “reading Christians are growing Christians. When Christians cease to read, they cease to grow.” Consequently, he believed that reason (along with experience, scripture, and tradition) is one of the fundamental sources we draw upon in order to learn and discern the truth about God, all of life, and what it means to be human. Wesley was careful, however, to insist that reason is only one of the sources of authority for theological reflection. He warns: “beware you be not swallowed up in books? An ounce of love is worth a pound of knowledge.”
Although Wesley believes that reason provides knowledge that informs our understanding of God and life, reason alone cannot explain everything – thus the need for faith and experience. He believes that there exists a paradoxical relationship between reason, faith and experience. So, although there is knowledge expressed by our faith and experience that are beyond the intellectual bounds of reason, our faith and experience should never contradict reason. In other words, Wesley believed that the genuine Christian life ideally includes both correct understanding (head) and right affections (heart), which then manifests in action (hands). As he rightfully insists: “I seek two things in this world, truth and love.”
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