Holiness Unto Whom? John Wesley’s Doctrine of Entire Sanctification in Light of The Two Kinds of Righteousness

John Trinklein, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis

Abstract

It is the thesis of this dissertation that Wesley’s “distinctive doctrine” of ‘entire sanctification’—indeed, his entire ordo salutis—is predicated upon a different theological starting point than Luther. Furthermore, Wesley used this vantage point to address a different set of issues than those that faced the Reformer. But while the spiritual torpor and moral decay of eighteenth century England truly were deplorable conditions which needed to be addressed, Wesley’s different starting point led both to some unintended theological consequences and to his misunderstanding Luther’s theology regarding sanctification.