Journal: A Heart Strangely Warmed

John Wesley kept a journal from his days at Oxford University up until shortly before his death in 1791. A key moment in those journals for Wesleyans of all stripes is an entry for May 24, 1738. This is the famous “I felt my heart strangely warmed” experience he had at a Bible study on Aldersgate Street in London. They had been studying Romans and had just read Martin Luther’s Preface to Romans, where he talks about “salvation by faith.”

Find his journal entry online. You can find all of Wesley’s journals (and works) for free at this Nazarene site. It won’t be hard to find where it is if you do a little web searching. Read his entire journal entry for that day.

This entry from his Journal provides some of the background for Wesley’s contorted state of mind about his relationship to God prior to the Aldersgate experience. It is also interesting to note that, in his many volumes of writing following this event, Wesley never mentions it again. You could argue that historians have made more of this transformational moment than Wesley did himself!

Historians have also grappled with describing what the spiritual significance of Aldersgate was for Wesley. It certainly altered his understanding of salvation and prompted him to proclaim a powerful message of salvation by faith. But what actually occurred at that moment? Some think this was the moment of conversion for Wesley – the moment when he was born again. Yet how do we account for his strong commitment to a holy life and his total acceptance of doctrines of the Christian faith years prior to that event?

Some suggest it was a moment of assurance that resolved his anxiety about his relationship with God. Yet if you read the pages in the Journal that follow May 24, you will discover that Wesley was still plagued by doubts and concerns about his spiritual status. 

Some even suggest that this was the sanctifying moment in Wesley’s life, where he moved from a weak, struggling believer to a fully committed follower of Christ. However, his account of what transpires does not align well with his later description of what happens when an individual is entirely sanctified and made perfect in love of God and neighbor.

For this journal assignment, start by doing a little research. You may cautiously use AI tools to research, although do not use them to generate your post or any assignments. Use their information critically, as they have been known to invent things.

• First, make sure you have read the sermon for this lesson. In fact, it would be ideal to write this assignment after you have done most of the preparation work for those assignments.
• Second, do a little research on the general flow of Wesley’s life. What were the key events and the milestones? If you want to dig deeper, you might explore Richard P. Heitzenrater, Wesley and the People Called Methodists (Abingdon, 2012).
• Now, with your own understanding of the Christian life and your brief contact with Wesley’s biography, submit a reflection of 150- 200 words describing what you think the significance of the Aldersgate experience was in John Wesley’s life. Do you think such a conversion experience should be expected for all true followers of Christ? If you have had a similar “heart-warming experience” in your walk of faith, share it briefly as a part of this essay. 

Upload your reflections to the course. This assignment is worth 30 points.