The John Wesley Code - Print.

The John Wesley Code
Finding a Faith That Matters

By James Stuart

A deeply engaging exploration of John Wesley’s radical faith – rooted in perfect love, social justice, and inclusive community – offering contemporary believers a living roadmap for impactful Christian discipleship.

This book will help you:

• Understand John Wesley’s theology in its 18th-century context, richly grounded in history and scholarship.
• Embrace Wesley’s integrative vision of faith that combines personal holiness with social transformation.
• Discover how to apply key Wesleyan themes – such as perfect love, compassion, and ecclesial inclusivity – in modern spiritual practice.
• Engage personally or in a group through an included 11‑session study guide filled with questions, reflections, and exercises.
• Foster a theology of faith that matters – not theoretical, but vibrant, actionable, and justice-oriented.
• Transform individual and communal life through Wesley’s enduring principles of heart, spirit, and gospel.
• Equip spiritual leaders and lay groups with a resource that bridges tradition, ethics, and contemporary relevance.

Features

• Thorough historical framing of Wesley’s life, influences, and socio-political context.
• Insightful unpacking of Wesley’s core teachings, particularly his emphasis on “perfect love” for God and neighbour.
• Integration of personal piety and social holiness, shown as deeply intertwined in Christian discipleship.
• Clear, accessible scholarship ideal for both personal readers and group study.

You are buying a zipped file containing eBook editions of this 314 page book in ePub and Mobi formats, and a Study Guide PDF.

212pp, soft cover
2.0cm H x 24.0cm L x 17.0cm W (0.5 kgs) 
Published: November 2008.
Launched at NZ Methodist Conference 2008, Auckland
ISBN 9780958268226

[1 only left in stock 6 September 2025. 
We will not be reprinting this book.]

Click for eBooks 

Description

The John Wesley Code is both a scholarly and heartfelt journey into the life and legacy of the founder of Methodism, tailored for contemporary spiritual seekers.

Dr James Stuart artfully recreates the world Wesley inhabited – its theological ferment, social injustices, and stunning spiritual awakenings – providing a robust backdrop for understanding the power of his message.

At the centre of this narrative is Wesley’s defining call: perfect love – loving God and neighbour as inseparable acts of devotion.

Stuart frames this not as antiquated theology but as a dynamic force for transformation, urging readers to embody a holistic faith that refuses to divorce personal discipline from social compassion.

What makes this work especially vital is its practicality. Each chapter concludes with tangible applications – ways to embody Wesley’s vision in everyday life.

The inclusion of an 11-session study guide invites groups to wrestle with theological truths and discern their relevance to today’s challenges.

Throughout, Stuart’s tone remains grounded and accessible, despite the depth of his scholarship and pastoral experience.

This book is not merely an academic exploration but a clarion call: faith must matter. It must shape hearts and communities through justice, love, and mature holiness.

Whether you're leading a study group, refining your spiritual understanding, or seeking to revitalize your faith practice, The John Wesley Code stands as a compelling and transformative resource.

About the Author

Dr James Stuart hailed originally from New York City and was a scholar of theology and social ethics. He earned his doctorate at the University of Zürich and served congregations in the U.S. and New Zealand, including as John Wesley Lecturer in Systematic Theology at St John’s Trinity Theological College in Auckland. He taught sociology and peace studies at the University of Canterbury and previously served in chaplaincy roles. Stuart is also the author of The Many Faces of Christ (1998) and Making Meaning, Finding Health (1999).

Study Guide

Click here for a free 11 session PDF Study Guide to The John Wesley Code It enables small groups to explore the book’s messages in more depth.    

Contents

Introduction — Finding Wesley in a Broom Closet

• Picturing the World of Wesley
• Scenario: A Brand from the Burning

Chapter 1 — Setting the Context

• Wesley’s Genealogy
• The Importance of Purpose
• That Wonderful Providence

Part I — The Guiding Principles of a Methodist

Chapter 2 — Consider Expedience

• Living the Christian Life
• Achieving the End: Itinerancy
• The Lollard Tradition
• Field Preaching
• An Extraordinary Call
• Enlarging the Conversation: The Connexion
• Follow the Path of Expediency
• Scenario: Aldersgate to Bristol: Emerging Patterns

Chapter 3 — Trust Experience

• The Cartesian Revolution
• Lockean Sensibility
• Berkeley’s Idealism
• Hume’s Empiricism
• Wesley’s Religious Sensibility
• Scenario: Having this witness

Chapter 4 — Seek Consensus

• Methodism and the Industrial Revolution
• The Methodist Movement
• The Holy Club
• The Moravian Connexion
• Methodist Polity
• Methodist Consensus
• Scenario: A Remarkable Conversation

Chapter 5 — Honour the Vision

• Moravian Stillness
• Free Grace
• Christian Perfection
• Ought We to Separate?
• Best of All
• Scenario: The Methodist Way

Part II — The Theological Imperatives of a Methodist

Chapter 6 — Learn Compassion

• Compassion: The Essential Act
• The Wesleyan Paradox
• A Rope of Sand
• Christianity is a Social Religion
• A Great Grace
• Compassion and the Community of Goods
• Scenario: ‘Should we Shut up our Compassion?’

Chapter 7 — Follow Providence

• An Idea in its Time
• The Design of Providence
• A Hair’s Breadth
• Following Providence
• The Paradox of Providence
• Epiphanies of Providence
• Scenario: An Uncommon Train of Providence

Chapter 8 — Live by Grace

• The Psychology of Original Sin
• The Politics of Original Sin
• The Impact of the Reformation
• The Human Condition Apart from Grace
• Wesleyan Arminianism
• Scenario: Religion Agreeable to the Highest Reason

Chapter 9 — Love Unconditionally

• The Wesleyan Renaissance: Historical, Doctrinal, Ecclesiastical Motifs
• The Fundamental Theological Motif
• The Ways of Love
• The Sophie Hopkey Affair
• The Native American Fiasco
• The Moravian Encounter
• The Aldersgate Experience
• Love: The Determinative Theological Imperative
• Scenario: The Strongest Evidence

Part III — The Enduring Character of a Methodist

Chapter 10 — The People Called Methodists

• A Warm Heart
• Nothing Tangible
• Enabled by Grace
• An Open Mind
• The Knowledge Revolution
• The Limits of Reason
• A Catholic Spirit
• The Radical Difference
• Openness to God
• A Whole Gospel
• Ad Populum
• A Simple, Clear Message
• Scenario: A Matter of Absolute Duty

Chapter 11 — Quo Vadis

• Methodist Amnesia
• A Way Forward
• A Malleable Polity
• Theological Flexibility
• Communal Integrity
• A Final Word From Wesley

Appendix 1 — Wesley as Apologist for Methodism

• Treatises
• Letters

Appendix 2 — Methodism: A Community of Common Goods

• Breaking the Cycle: The Community of Common Goods

Appendix 3 — John Wesley: A Life of Ambiguity and Contradiction, Determination and Vision

• Ambiguities
• Wesley and Women
• A Clear Vision

Selected Bibliography

• Primary Sources
• For Further Reading
• Biographical
• Theological
• General

Index

 

Study Guide

Introduction

Starting a Study Group

List of Sessions

• Session One — Setting the Context
• Session Two — Consider Expedience
• Session Three — Trust Experience
• Session Four — Seek Consensus
• Session Five — Honour the Vision
• Session Six — Learn Compassion
• Session Seven — Follow Providence
• Session Eight — Live by Grace
• Session Nine — Love Unconditionally
• Session Ten — The People Called Methodists
• Session Eleven — Quo Vadis
• Session Twelve (Optional) — Shared Meal