This book examines the primary biblical themes in the lyrical theology of Charles Wesley, the master hymn writer and cofounder of the Methodist movement. Methodism was born in song, and it is highly doubtful whether without the hymns of Charles Wesley there could have been a Methodist revival. Charles's hymns have exerted a monumental influence on Methodist doctrine and Methodist people through the years. They are essentially mosaics of biblical texts; in singing these hymns, Methodists have sung the grand narrative of redemption and restoration in the biblical witness. A summary list of key biblical texts drawn from the 1780 Collection of Hymns for the Use of the People Called Methodists serves as a summa of Charles Wesley's theology and points to the doctrinal concerns that shaped his life most fully. Intended as an exploration of Wesleyan theology through the lens of "sung doctrine," this study demonstrates the world-making and life-shaping effect of hymns, and the way in which they emanate from Charles Wesley's life of prayer and evoke a life of service.

Paul W. Chilcote is Professor of Historical Theology & Wesleyan Studies and Director of the Center for Applied Wesleyan Studies at Ashland Theological Society in Ohio.