BEN: I especially enjoyed the last chapter of your book and simply Amen the call to irenic discussions even of things that deeply divide us as Evangelicals. There are some recent revelations about Whitefield that are disturbing about his refusal to free his slaves even on his deathbed, and indeed his whole approach to that matter in contrast to Wesley’s views on abolition. But Whitefield even disassociated himself from some of the strident Whitefieldian Welsh Methodists who spent too much time attacking John Wesley. There is much to learn from their attempts at rapprochement. Perhaps the recent example of Packer and Oden writing a book together on our common faith is a better and more modern example of the right approach. Though we cannot all think alike, we must all love alike. Thanks for a great book Rhyne.
RHYNE: Thank you sir. I certainly think this was the most fun chapter to write. And there were a great many parallels between their public disagreements and the disagreements we see today; they just used pamphlets instead of blogs. At the end of the day, personal relationships seem to be the only way toward true reconciliation and gospel unity. It’s a lot easier to attack a person if you only think of them as their ideas and not fellow image-bearers with real feelings and experiences.
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