Holiness Teaching is Biblical 1 Peter 1:15-16 Holiness Teaching is part of our Salvationist Heritage Importance of Holiness Teaching

"Holiness to the Lord is to us a fundamental truth. " Importance of Holiness Teaching WILLIAM BOOTH – Salvation Soldiery

A Passion For Holiness Teaching “To insist upon holiness... That is the one thing!” Hall writes of Brengle, “One passion—holiness: for himself, for The Army, for the whole world of professed followers of the Holy Son of God.” SAMUEL L. BRENGLE – IN PORTRAIT OF A PROPHET

"Will the doctrine of holiness become "a relic possessing a measure of historical interest but of no present value?" Importance of Holiness Teaching FREDERICK COUTTS – The Splendor of Holiness

Importance of Holiness Teaching “The greatest threat of all today for Salvationism is a perceptible neglect of holiness teaching.” SHAW CLIFTON – New Love

Importance of Holiness Teaching “Explicit, well- informed teaching about sanctification is in danger of becoming a neglected art in our ranks.” SHAW CLIFTON – New Love

Our Holiness Message But what is “explicit, well- informed teaching about sanctification?”

Holiness Defined “The doctrine or Christian holiness is the conviction that, within the limitations of our humanity, the sanctifying grace of God is sufficient to free the Christian heart from the power and presence of inner sin, and to fill it with pure love for God and man, and to impart power for Christian life and service in this present world.” W. T. Purkiser

“Christian perfection is that love of God and our neighbor, which implies deliverance from all sin. This is received merely by faith. It is given instantaneously, in one moment. We are to expect it, not at death, but every moment; that now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation.” Importance of Holiness Teaching John Wesley – A Plain Account of Christian Perfection

Theology in Tension THEOLOGY MYSTERY SELF- REVELATION Language (Bible, Ours, Theirs) Culture (Bible, Ours, Theirs) Social Location Interpretation (Our level of skill in Reading/Reasoning/Discerning) More [Discuss additional factors.] Additional Challenges

The Wesleyan Quadrilateral SCRIPTURE TRADITION REASON EXPERIENCE The Interdependent and Correlative Relationship of Theological Sources as identified and prioritized by Don Thorsen in The Wesleyan Quadrilateral. Tools for developing our theology

THEOLOGICAL PROCESS QUESTIONING LISTENING TESTING FORMULATING REFLECTING

Theology in the Trenches S. S. teachers - Corps leaders, friends – relatives, customs & culture of our Corps and our families our own personal reflections

Theology in the Trenches HOW WILL YOU DECIDE WHAT YOU BELIEVE?

Theology in the Trenches Theological Spectrum of Reflection Source: Grentz, Stanley J. & Olson, Roger E. Who Needs Theology. Dowers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, p.26. Folk Theology Lay Theology Ministerial Theology Professional Theology Academic Theology

Theology in the Trenches A MODEL FOR DETERMINING OUR BELIEFS 1. GATHER AND ANALYZE INFORMATION 2. FORM INITIAL BELIEFS 3. TEST BELIEFS 4. REVISE / RESTATE BELIEFS 5. APPLY YOUR BELIEFS TO YOUR LIVING 6. KEEP AN OPEN MIND

The question isn’t, “Do I have a holiness theology?” The questions are: 1.Do I have sound holiness theology? 2.Does my holiness theology translate to my daily living? 3.Can I effectively communicate my beliefs about holiness to others?

OFFERING—TRANSFORMED Catherine Booth – Papers on Godliness “What a deal there is of going to meetings and getting blessed, and then going away and living just the same.”

OFFERING—TRANSFORMED Catherine Booth – Papers on Godliness “People meet together, and pray, and talk, and sing 'Whiter than snow,' and they don't believe it any more than do the heathen.”

OFFERING—TRANSFORMED Catherine Booth – Papers on Godliness “What is the reason He does not do something for us, and come down in the same plentitude of spiritual power as He did at Pentecost?