A Living Tradition

As a practical theologian with expertise in religious education, Mary Elizabeth Mullino Moore, Dean and Professor of Theology and Education at Boston University School of Theology, brings an academic viewpoint about the practice of ministry to her work in Wesleyan and Methodist studies. The book she has edited shows this concern in a collection of essays that explore how Wesleyan and Methodist history may continue to inform the life of present-day communities. The book was conceived in connection with a conference held at Candler School of Theology in 2003, which celebrated the tercentenary of John Wesley's birth.According to the first chapter, this book aims ‘to exemplify approaches to historical recovery and reconstruction that follow appropriately the mentorship of John Wesley and the living tradition that has emerged from his witness’ (2). As this stated purpose suggests, the essays in this volume not only engage in historical work but also imagine the relevance of that history for living communities. Richard Heitzenrater's essay (chapter 2) sets the tone for this project. As he addresses the ‘myths’ of Methodism, he argues for the importance of having an accurate understanding of the past in order for a living tradition to be faithful to its heritage. The other essays engage in significant examination of some aspect of Wesleyan and Methodist history (for instance hospitality and prophetic witness), and each one considers what lessons can be learned from that history for our time.In these essays, the exercise of exploring what can be learned from the past involves critical evaluation, as well as positive appropriation of Wesleyan and Methodist history. The contributors are quite willing to point out, as one author puts it, ‘perils of the past’ (55) so that learning from history does not mean repeating its mistakes. The result is thoughtful retrieval that seeks the accuracy Heitzenrater commends and also pays attention to the new needs of a new time.One feature of this volume that sets it apart from many collections of essays is that the contributors are clearly aware of each other's work. They freely refer to points made in other chapters, and this gives the collection a coherence that is often lacking in multi-author works.Although the book was conceived at a conference that marked an event specific to John Wesley, the volume recognizes that the living tradition draws more widely than only from his life and work. It seeks to show some of the diversity of that tradition, while at the same time it recognizes that this one volume does not cover the full range. For instance, it acknowledges focus on the Western hemisphere, mostly the United States. Although it reaches back to highlight the life of Susanna Annesley Wesley, no chapter focuses on Charles. Only one chapter moves beyond the United States to Argentina, and it is written by a scholar from the United States. The impression this gives is that the collection may have been shaped by factors other than intentional decisions about diversity in what to include.As a collection of essays intended to exemplify how a living tradition may make good use of its history, this volume begins to move Wesleyan and Methodist studies into a more constructive phase. As the field has matured, the good historical work that has been and continues to be done prepares the way for just this move. These essays do model what the first chapter calls ‘critical recovery and reconstruction of the Wesleyan theological legacy’ (1). In doing so, the book will be of special interest to theologians who want to do their constructive reflection intentionally within and for the Wesleyan and Methodist tradition. A living tradition needs precisely such work

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