“There is no holiness but social Holiness”

 

--John Wesley

 

 

As Wesleyans along and other evangelicals plunge into experimenting with the neo-social gospel, I hear a quote from John Wesley bandied about often—“There is no holiness but social holiness.” The quote is used to argue that social action is squarely in the center of what true holiness is and thus social action is proper for Wesleyans. The argument may be true but the quote is taken far out of context. Here’s the exact quote from Wesley: 

 

“Directly opposite to this [the approach of the desert mystics] is the gospel of Christ. Solitary religion is not to be found there.  “Holy solitaries” is a phrase no more consistent with the gospel than holy adulterers. The gospel of Christ knows no religion, but social; no holiness but social holiness.”   --John Wesley, The Works of John Wesley Volume XIV p321 preface to poetical works; Hendrickson Publishers

 

When these folk quote Wesley saying, “there is no holiness but social holiness” they mean social action—things like drilling wells in Africa or opening a food pantry for the poor. But this is an error. Read in context, Wesley was clearly condemning a kind of religion that was solitary (in particular that of the desert mystics) arguing that holiness is always experienced in relationships with others, primarily in the church. Wesley’s quote is about individualized, personalizes, separated-from-the-body religion not social action.

 

Sure, Wesley was active in social action and his life’s example is a powerful argument for well-drilling or opening food pantries. But the quote “there is no holiness but social holiness” is the wrong one to use for supporting social action.   In this quote Wesley condemned personalized, privatized, solitary religion that was disconnected with other Christians in the church. 

 

Ironically today’s American Christians may be in more need of hearing the original intent then the out-of-context use. To Wesley “Holy solitaries” were no more likely to exist than holy adulterers.

 

 

So, what do you think?

The discussion of this column is on Facebook:   http://www.facebook.com/notes.php?id=161502633

 

 

Keith Drury   August 31, 2010

 www.TuesdayColumn.com