조지 휫필드와 웨일스의 칼빈주의적 감리교와의 관계 재고찰 = A Reconsideration of George Whitefield’s Relationship with the Welsh Calvinistic Methodism

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

Generally speaking, Methodism is Wesleyan Methodism, following the pattern and precepts laid down by the eighteenth-century Church of England clergyman, John Wesley. However, Calvinistic Methodism predated Wesleyan Methodism and was rooted in the English Reformed Protestant tradition. The Calvinistic Methodists followed the teachings of John Calvin, who, in his desires to magnify God’s sovereignty, laid great success on the doctrine of divine predestination.
While Calvinistic Methodism showed some early signs of success in England, it sustained growth in Wales. Calvinistic Methodism, the smaller, almost forgotten, Methodist sibling, has received considerably less academic attention than Wesleyan Methodism. George Whitefield played a tremendous role in the rise of Calvinistic Methodism in Wales. While he had a much more solid influence on American religious history, Whitefield’s Calvinism has not been fully appreciated by most church historians. Yet, Whitefield's theology has had a lasting effect in Wales. This article tries to show the influence of Whitefield’s visits to Wales and his relationship with the Welsh Calvinistic Movement, the sources influencing Whitefield’s Calvinism, and the relationship between Whitefield and the Wesleys.
This paper argues that how Whitefield’s sacrificing decision was to spare the movement from strife and allow Wesley to be the leader of Methodism. Whitefield’s spirit of reconciliation kept him in communication with the Welseys even when they were bitter about theological matters. Whitefield always felt that they could work and disagree. Through it all, it was Whitefield who kept doing that they might remain friends, be free to disagree, but not to attack each other in personal fashion. In addition to Whitefield's great impact on the Great Awakening in American colonies, his influence upon the Calvinistic Methodism in Wales is to be highly regarded too