Interview: The Shorter Way

If you know anyone in your church who has been a Wesleyan for fifty years or more, they will certainly know about the doctrine of entire sanctification. It remains a core doctrine of the Wesleyan Church even though perhaps it is not preached today as much as it should be. In his introduction to this module, Dr. Bounds identifies the Wesleyan approach as the “middle way.” 

However, sanctification was frequently preached in the past along the lines of the shorter way. As soon as a person had a conversion experience, they were immediately encouraged to pursue entire sanctification. Most revivals and camp meeting series included both a sermon on salvation and one on entire sanctification.

For this assignment, identify a Wesleyan you can interview who has been around the church long enough to describe the theology of sanctification that was prevalent in the church in decades past. As them to share their understanding and experiences of the doctrine as it was believed and practiced fifty or more years ago.

Your questions might include:

• What was the understanding of entire sanctification in the past? How was entire sanctification preached?
• How was entire sanctification experienced? What was the process of becoming entirely sanctified?
• What are your own experiences in relation to entire sanctification?
• What questions did you or do you have about the doctrine?

Now take your notes from the interview and write them up, Reflect on the perspective you discovered and compare past experiences with the way the doctrine is believed and practiced today. Submit a report on the interview with your reflections to the platform. This assignment is worth 60 points.