I had never heard of the Wesleyan quadrilateral, but wow it sure resonates with me! A couple months ago we left our Reformed church of 20+ years and have been attending a variety of places since. Last Sunday was probably my favorite we've been to so far, and it happens to be a Wesleyan church. I know there are no "perfect" churches out there, but I'm excited to see where God leads us.
Aww yay! It blew my mind when I was first introduced to it. Wishing you all the best on your journey to find a new faith home. And thanks for reading! 😊
Aww. I’m glad you found it interesting. I guess I didn’t realize Episcopalians used a “three legged stool.” That’s awesome. It’s been so fun connecting with you in this space. 😊
Great post! Like you, I’m in a a United Methodist church and we use the quadrilateral a lot, and it’s a big part of our interviews in the ordination process. I like to think of it as a practice of not reading the Bible in isolation of other sources(like tradition, or science, etc), or one book of the Bible without the others. This is a huge practice in Wesley’s sermons and thought. The Quadrilateral wasn’t invented by Wesley, a later theologian studying Wesley coined it when he recognized that Wesley was constantly doing this dance between various sources in his sermons. Considering experience, in my opinion, is one of his greatest gifts to Christian thought and something we all benefit from. Experience and reason go hand in hand in like a spiritual laboratory of sorts.
Super interesting!! My grandparents were United Methodists but my Dad left that for the charismatic church I was raised in. I first heard Richard Rohr use the three-legged stool, and it felt so much closer to how I was actually thinking and living.
Thank you for writing and sharing this timely and relevant piece. The Wesleyan Quadrilateral was instrumental in my formation and this way of thinking guides how we explore topics on the Podcast and Substack. I hope more believers will consider Wesley's approach, especially in time when we can't afford to stand on just one leg.
Thanks, this is a helpful framework to put language to what I’ve been feeling.
I live in the Bible belt with like four Baptist churches in my small town of 10,000. Even quoting what Jesus said about the Holy Spirit guiding us into all truth, thus meaning there is more truth than just on the pages of Scripture, feels somewhat heretical.
I’ll have to pull out this grid next time I’m in a conversation where the Bible is used to negate other ways that God speaks.
Thank you, Beau. This article has removed the blinders a little more for me. I’ve always been a part of a church that told me what to think and why. Although, it’s very easy and very comfortable to ‘follow’ God that way, I found myself asking and needing more. I wanted relationship with someone who knew me inside and out; and walk beside God. It’s easier to be comfortable and ‘check all the right duty boxes’ but it can be so much more fulfilling.
I’m glad it was helpful, Kim! This framework literally saved my faith. I’m so grateful for your humble posture and willingness to ask hard questions. I’ve been blessed getting to know you and Bob better. Thanks for reading! 😊
(The Wesleyan Quadrilateral as it happened in my life)
I stopped attending the Episcopal church (in which I was baptized, attended Sunday school, & was confirmed) around the age of 16 or 17.
I sensed irreconcilable conflict in the angry & vengeful God of the Old Testament vs. the loving & inclusive Father described by the Son of Man who taught us to turn the other cheek, let he who is without sin cast the first stone, & that the Sabbath was made for the people (to know & draw closer to God) not people for the Sabbath. (Scripture)
I saw deep hypocrisy in the new priest who preached the Gospel and Ten Commandments every week & asked God to forgive me of my sins while he ran financial rough-shod over the parish, spending money for pie-in-the sky consultations with architects to add on to a church that far from well-to-do.
I saw a lack of concern for justice & our parish’s welfare when I wrote a letter of concern to the NY Diocese regarding the perceived financial mismanagement & received a bland response basically rubber stamping the priest’s actions. (Tradition, Experience)
I saw the refusal of the Episcopal church to welcome women into the priesthood & the hierarchy of the church. (Tradition)
Last but not least, as a deeply closeted gay teen who spent years believing I was less than those around me, I felt the church essentially closed their hearts & their doors to LGBTQ+ people. (Tradition)
In the subsequent 52 years, I embraced atheism, then gradually moved toward agnosticism. During those years, I experienced two or three moments of what I would describe as an overwhelming sense of peace, hope, & spiritual connection - with the circumstances in my life at the time, the Earth, the universe, & my place in it all. At these moments, I knew there was “Something Greater” than me of which I was a part; some living energy that surrounded me, like the acquaintance who, understanding your pain, wordlessly, briefly but wholeheartedly embraces you & frees you from the chaos and/or pain roiling in your soul at that moment. (Experience)
Those glimpses of something greater “out there” gently opened me to Buddhism, the Four Noble Truths, the Eightfold Path, & the writings of His Holiness the Dalai Lama & Thich Nhat Hanh among others. I readily embraced most Buddhist teachings because 1) they made sense, 2) they did not demand that I acknowledge or worship a god, and 3) karma seemed to be the balance between human good & evil & universal peace & chaos. (Reason)
I was very willing & satisfied to make my home in Buddhism but that “Something Greater” than me kept inching into the periphery of my consciousness, whispering “Psst! Open your heart, look around, look deeper….”. (Experience)
That voice eventually brought me full circle. In the last year or so, I became willing to make an active effort to shed my anger at Christianity in general & the Episcopal Church in particular. I gradually (cautiously!) reopened my heart to the Bible, the Gospels, Jesus’ teachings, &, eventually, the Episcopal church . (Reason)
Lo and behold! I am starting to understand the Old Testament in the context of the culture of that ancient time. The Gospels hold more meaning & provide guidance for my state of mind & my day-to-day life. (Scripture in a new light, Reason). More astonishing- in the mid to late 1970’s, only a few years after I slammed the door on the Episcopal church, the church began to (cautiously, slowly) open its doors to women & LGBTQ+ people! Imagine my surprise this past year to find the Episcopal Church & its Diocese of New York to be progressive, now welcoming all & firmly embracing, promoting social justice causes, creating opportunities for all people to participate spiritually & as a community, & encouraging each parish to embrace their community’s culture. (Experience)
At the age 71, my spiritual path has been long, sometimes torturous, sometimes darker than a moonless night, but, in hindsight, always a source of strength, emotional & spiritual growth, & new found resilience, even when I was sure the path led nowhere. Keep your heart & mind open - the path is not always where we think it should be!
The Wesleyan Quadrilateral tool has become a constant resource to me in the maintenance of my mental health and wellness. Not to mention its value as a healthier tool for spiritual formation.
I no longer feel the anxiety of not knowing all the answers, as if daily interactions and Christian wirness should be a Bible drill of sorts. (( ha ))
Nor do I feel the constant fraternal pressures of exclusivity to identify with and to represent “the only biblically accurate” grouping of professing Christ followers — a core component of hyper Calvinist evangelical movements.
As to daily practices —
I can freely acknowledge my own personal experiences and interpretations of Bible texts.
I am more at ease when interacting with those who profess that they do not believe.
And, most meaningful to me — I am free to fully embrace my own very real and intimate experiences with Holy Spirit.
Oh, and also … personal and public worship experiences … just, wow!
Good stuff! Somewhere along my deconstruction journey I heard of the Wesleyan Quadrilateral and, although it wasn't a lightbulb moment for me, it was the first time I'd understood that the Sola Scriptura principle that had been drilled into me wasn't the only way to approach Christianity. Thanks for this reminder!
I had never heard of the Wesleyan quadrilateral, but wow it sure resonates with me! A couple months ago we left our Reformed church of 20+ years and have been attending a variety of places since. Last Sunday was probably my favorite we've been to so far, and it happens to be a Wesleyan church. I know there are no "perfect" churches out there, but I'm excited to see where God leads us.
Aww yay! It blew my mind when I was first introduced to it. Wishing you all the best on your journey to find a new faith home. And thanks for reading! 😊
This is so interesting!
We Episcopalians like to use the '3-legged stool' of Richard Hooker - which is great because it's very Trinitarian.
But of course, we leave out the 'experience' part.
I think this just helped me frame how this former Roman - now Anglican - Catholic girl is starting to feel longings toward evangelicalism....
Aww. I’m glad you found it interesting. I guess I didn’t realize Episcopalians used a “three legged stool.” That’s awesome. It’s been so fun connecting with you in this space. 😊
agreed! I'm a fan of your ministry and perspective.
Great post! Like you, I’m in a a United Methodist church and we use the quadrilateral a lot, and it’s a big part of our interviews in the ordination process. I like to think of it as a practice of not reading the Bible in isolation of other sources(like tradition, or science, etc), or one book of the Bible without the others. This is a huge practice in Wesley’s sermons and thought. The Quadrilateral wasn’t invented by Wesley, a later theologian studying Wesley coined it when he recognized that Wesley was constantly doing this dance between various sources in his sermons. Considering experience, in my opinion, is one of his greatest gifts to Christian thought and something we all benefit from. Experience and reason go hand in hand in like a spiritual laboratory of sorts.
Super interesting!! My grandparents were United Methodists but my Dad left that for the charismatic church I was raised in. I first heard Richard Rohr use the three-legged stool, and it felt so much closer to how I was actually thinking and living.
Isn’t it fascinating!? I’m a huge Richard Rohr fan by the way! And thanks for reading!!
Thank you for writing and sharing this timely and relevant piece. The Wesleyan Quadrilateral was instrumental in my formation and this way of thinking guides how we explore topics on the Podcast and Substack. I hope more believers will consider Wesley's approach, especially in time when we can't afford to stand on just one leg.
You’re the best! Thank you!
Thanks, this is a helpful framework to put language to what I’ve been feeling.
I live in the Bible belt with like four Baptist churches in my small town of 10,000. Even quoting what Jesus said about the Holy Spirit guiding us into all truth, thus meaning there is more truth than just on the pages of Scripture, feels somewhat heretical.
I’ll have to pull out this grid next time I’m in a conversation where the Bible is used to negate other ways that God speaks.
I’m glad it resonated, Campbell. It quite literally changed the game for me. Blessings to you!!
Thank you, Beau. This article has removed the blinders a little more for me. I’ve always been a part of a church that told me what to think and why. Although, it’s very easy and very comfortable to ‘follow’ God that way, I found myself asking and needing more. I wanted relationship with someone who knew me inside and out; and walk beside God. It’s easier to be comfortable and ‘check all the right duty boxes’ but it can be so much more fulfilling.
I’m glad it was helpful, Kim! This framework literally saved my faith. I’m so grateful for your humble posture and willingness to ask hard questions. I’ve been blessed getting to know you and Bob better. Thanks for reading! 😊
(The Wesleyan Quadrilateral as it happened in my life)
I stopped attending the Episcopal church (in which I was baptized, attended Sunday school, & was confirmed) around the age of 16 or 17.
I sensed irreconcilable conflict in the angry & vengeful God of the Old Testament vs. the loving & inclusive Father described by the Son of Man who taught us to turn the other cheek, let he who is without sin cast the first stone, & that the Sabbath was made for the people (to know & draw closer to God) not people for the Sabbath. (Scripture)
I saw deep hypocrisy in the new priest who preached the Gospel and Ten Commandments every week & asked God to forgive me of my sins while he ran financial rough-shod over the parish, spending money for pie-in-the sky consultations with architects to add on to a church that far from well-to-do.
I saw a lack of concern for justice & our parish’s welfare when I wrote a letter of concern to the NY Diocese regarding the perceived financial mismanagement & received a bland response basically rubber stamping the priest’s actions. (Tradition, Experience)
I saw the refusal of the Episcopal church to welcome women into the priesthood & the hierarchy of the church. (Tradition)
Last but not least, as a deeply closeted gay teen who spent years believing I was less than those around me, I felt the church essentially closed their hearts & their doors to LGBTQ+ people. (Tradition)
In the subsequent 52 years, I embraced atheism, then gradually moved toward agnosticism. During those years, I experienced two or three moments of what I would describe as an overwhelming sense of peace, hope, & spiritual connection - with the circumstances in my life at the time, the Earth, the universe, & my place in it all. At these moments, I knew there was “Something Greater” than me of which I was a part; some living energy that surrounded me, like the acquaintance who, understanding your pain, wordlessly, briefly but wholeheartedly embraces you & frees you from the chaos and/or pain roiling in your soul at that moment. (Experience)
Those glimpses of something greater “out there” gently opened me to Buddhism, the Four Noble Truths, the Eightfold Path, & the writings of His Holiness the Dalai Lama & Thich Nhat Hanh among others. I readily embraced most Buddhist teachings because 1) they made sense, 2) they did not demand that I acknowledge or worship a god, and 3) karma seemed to be the balance between human good & evil & universal peace & chaos. (Reason)
I was very willing & satisfied to make my home in Buddhism but that “Something Greater” than me kept inching into the periphery of my consciousness, whispering “Psst! Open your heart, look around, look deeper….”. (Experience)
That voice eventually brought me full circle. In the last year or so, I became willing to make an active effort to shed my anger at Christianity in general & the Episcopal Church in particular. I gradually (cautiously!) reopened my heart to the Bible, the Gospels, Jesus’ teachings, &, eventually, the Episcopal church . (Reason)
Lo and behold! I am starting to understand the Old Testament in the context of the culture of that ancient time. The Gospels hold more meaning & provide guidance for my state of mind & my day-to-day life. (Scripture in a new light, Reason). More astonishing- in the mid to late 1970’s, only a few years after I slammed the door on the Episcopal church, the church began to (cautiously, slowly) open its doors to women & LGBTQ+ people! Imagine my surprise this past year to find the Episcopal Church & its Diocese of New York to be progressive, now welcoming all & firmly embracing, promoting social justice causes, creating opportunities for all people to participate spiritually & as a community, & encouraging each parish to embrace their community’s culture. (Experience)
At the age 71, my spiritual path has been long, sometimes torturous, sometimes darker than a moonless night, but, in hindsight, always a source of strength, emotional & spiritual growth, & new found resilience, even when I was sure the path led nowhere. Keep your heart & mind open - the path is not always where we think it should be!
The Wesleyan Quadrilateral tool has become a constant resource to me in the maintenance of my mental health and wellness. Not to mention its value as a healthier tool for spiritual formation.
I no longer feel the anxiety of not knowing all the answers, as if daily interactions and Christian wirness should be a Bible drill of sorts. (( ha ))
Nor do I feel the constant fraternal pressures of exclusivity to identify with and to represent “the only biblically accurate” grouping of professing Christ followers — a core component of hyper Calvinist evangelical movements.
As to daily practices —
I can freely acknowledge my own personal experiences and interpretations of Bible texts.
I am more at ease when interacting with those who profess that they do not believe.
And, most meaningful to me — I am free to fully embrace my own very real and intimate experiences with Holy Spirit.
Oh, and also … personal and public worship experiences … just, wow!
It IS for freedom God set us FREE 🕊️✨
Good stuff! Somewhere along my deconstruction journey I heard of the Wesleyan Quadrilateral and, although it wasn't a lightbulb moment for me, it was the first time I'd understood that the Sola Scriptura principle that had been drilled into me wasn't the only way to approach Christianity. Thanks for this reminder!