Famous Oxonians
Oxford is home to many famous people. J.R.R. Tolkein, C.S. Lewis, Thomas Hooke (inventor of the microscope), John Wycliffe, Samuel Johnson, Tony Blair, Bill Clinton, and Andrew Lloyd-Webber to name a few. For a more extensive list, look at Oxford's List of Famous Scholars.
One member of this list is John Wesley, founder of the Methodist movement and important evangelical figure of the 18th century.
Wesley was a student at Christ's Church College, Oxford starting in 1720. Wesley graduated from Christ's Church in 1727 and was then offered a position at Lincoln College, Oxford which he began in 1729. It was at this point that his brother Charles, a student at Lincoln began the "Holy Club" of which John and George Whitfield were members. The members of this small group were misunderstood and misrepresented by other Oxford students. They labeled the Wesley's as "Methodists" because of their adherence to strict rules for personal living. The name stuck but the Wesley's redeemed the derogatory term to its current connotation.
Being in Oxford has enabled me to walk in the footsteps of many great men such as John and Charles Wesley. Several weekends ago I decided to go on a "John Wesley Walking Tour" of the city. I picked out some important points in town and spent a couple of hours tracing the steps of the great Christian reformer.
The portrait on the left hangs in the great hall of Christ's Church College. The inscription below the painting gives the graduation date of Wesley as well as claiming him as the "Founder of Wesley Methodism."
The hall is the common dining room for the college. The great hall was used in the Harry Potter film as "Hogwart's Hall."
After graduation from Christ Church, John Wesley taught at Lincoln College where he is honored with a bust which stands in the quadrangle in the center of college.
Just down the street from Christ's Church College is a plaque on the side of a plain wall which commerates the fact that Wesley preached at this site in 1783. The church that stood on this spot was moved across the street a century later and renamed to the "Wesley Memorial Church."
Walking in the footsteps of great men, especially great men of God is a treasure which I hope I do not take for granted.
This post is dedicated to Dr. Jon Kulaga, John Wesley guru from Spring Arbor University.
One member of this list is John Wesley, founder of the Methodist movement and important evangelical figure of the 18th century.
Wesley was a student at Christ's Church College, Oxford starting in 1720. Wesley graduated from Christ's Church in 1727 and was then offered a position at Lincoln College, Oxford which he began in 1729. It was at this point that his brother Charles, a student at Lincoln began the "Holy Club" of which John and George Whitfield were members. The members of this small group were misunderstood and misrepresented by other Oxford students. They labeled the Wesley's as "Methodists" because of their adherence to strict rules for personal living. The name stuck but the Wesley's redeemed the derogatory term to its current connotation.
Being in Oxford has enabled me to walk in the footsteps of many great men such as John and Charles Wesley. Several weekends ago I decided to go on a "John Wesley Walking Tour" of the city. I picked out some important points in town and spent a couple of hours tracing the steps of the great Christian reformer.
The portrait on the left hangs in the great hall of Christ's Church College. The inscription below the painting gives the graduation date of Wesley as well as claiming him as the "Founder of Wesley Methodism."The hall is the common dining room for the college. The great hall was used in the Harry Potter film as "Hogwart's Hall."
After graduation from Christ Church, John Wesley taught at Lincoln College where he is honored with a bust which stands in the quadrangle in the center of college.
Just down the street from Christ's Church College is a plaque on the side of a plain wall which commerates the fact that Wesley preached at this site in 1783. The church that stood on this spot was moved across the street a century later and renamed to the "Wesley Memorial Church."
The final site that I visited on my Wesley Walking Tour was the Castle Prison where John, Charles, and other members of the Holy Club used to go to minister to prisoners. Ironically, the prison was bought in recent years and turned into the Malmaison Hotel. The owners decided to keep the "prison decor" however, and boast that "Many of the rooms are converted prison cells." Rooms are not cheap; prices have gone up since Wesley's day.
Walking in the footsteps of great men, especially great men of God is a treasure which I hope I do not take for granted.
This post is dedicated to Dr. Jon Kulaga, John Wesley guru from Spring Arbor University.
posted by John R. Sowash at 11:13 PM
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