In the article on Westley.....
"Justification by faith, said Bohler, is not merely a doctrine. It is a personal experience of God’s forgiveness. But how, asked Wesley, can faith be given in a moment of time?"
I think the issue that drew Westley and Zinzindorf down similar paths for a while is pietistic thinking and experience. Westleyans often still have a pietistic emphasis, and those who focus on predestination are focused on creeds and doctrinal purity. Westleys quote above about justification is informative. Even Justification has to be experienced.
To say that "Justification by faith" is an experience has an extremely pietistical emphasis. Why does all theology have to be filtered through the strainer of experience and pietism? I could agree that the process of sanctification can be experiential, even subjective. However, justification is not so. We are all justified in one way and there is no variety. Justification occurs when God the Father, as the Divine judge acquits the sinner of his sin. If Westley is saying that he had a deep sense of the grace of God when he understood the biblical doctrine of justification by faith alone (sola fide), I would understand. Many of the doctrines of scriptures fill me with awe and wonder at the grace of God. Is this all Westley is saying in this little quote?
I suspect there is a great difference at the presuppositional level somehow. In the traditions that were influenced by Westley, experience and dedication are key concepts. With such an emphasis on human experience, no wonder Westley rejected predestination.
The reformation had no such emphasis. The reformation was about doctrinal purity. It was creedal. Many reformation creeds were generated such as WCF, the London Baptist creeds, the council of Dort, etc. The reformation was about doctrines and creeds.
If one rereads the posts by Judy, the emplasis on creedalism can be seen. The entire post is filled with scriptural defence of key concepts, quoting past church councils, and definations of doctrinal concepts. The Westley post is mainly about his experience, and how he was influenced by Zinzindorf and others.
I think differences between the different traditions are not merely doctinal, I think they go deeper to the presuppositional level, to the issue of creedalism verses pietism.
