Q&A: What Did Wesley Mean by "Catholic Spirit?"
Q: Can you explain what John Wesley meant when he referenced a "catholic spirit?"
A: Before we can answer the question, we need to get a possible misunderstanding out of the way- it has nothing to do with the Roman Catholic Church. The word "catholic" derives from a Greek word meaning "on the whole" or "in general." A good current English translation for the word as Wesley meant it is "all embracing."
Interestingly, this catholic spirit was actually a very important concept for Wesley. He wrote a sermon on this topic that became one of the 44 so-called Standard Sermons that according to him constitute essential Methodist doctrine.
He describes one with a catholic spirit as a person with firm convictions, yet reaching out one's hand to all fellow Christians who may disagree on certain topics, "opinions," as Wesley calls them. One might ask though, should we not rather try to convince each other of the truth? Perhaps, but Wesley has a warning. He writes:
Although every man necessarily believes that every particular opinion which he holds is true (for to believe any opinion is not true, is the same thing as not to hold it); yet can no man be assured that all his own opinions, taken together, are true. Nay, every thinking man is assured they are not, seeing humanum est errare et nescire: "To be ignorant of many things, and to mistake in some, is the necessary condition of humanity." This, therefore, he is sensible, is his own case. He knows, in the general, that he himself is mistaken; although in what particulars he mistakes, he does not, perhaps he cannot, know.
But surely there are things we should agree on, where truth matters. Most certainly, and Wesley was quite orthodox in his beliefs.
Interestingly though, he mentions only a few doctrinal points in the sermon such as what we should believe about God and Christ.
Mostly, he focuses on the love of God becoming manifest in our lives as the true mark of a Christian. Now this is not a sign of indifference!
If anything, John Wesley was a man of strong convictions and more than willing to defend them. His point is, as the late Wesley scholar Albert Outler wrote, "that reflection upon reality not be confused with reality itself."(1)
Phineas F. Bresee, founder of the Church of the Nazarene in the West, recognized this and would later say, "In essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty, in all things charity." And that is exactly what John Wesley meant by having a "catholic spirit."
Hans Deventer is a layperson and the Netherlands District Advisory Board Secretary.
(1) Albert C. Outler, "John Wesley." Oxford University Press, 92.
Holiness Today, January/February 2011
Please note: This article was originally published in 2011. All facts, figures, and titles were accurate to the best of our knowledge at that time but may have since changed.
