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Chapter I: INTRODUCTION THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA Humility as a Key Component of John Wesley’s Understanding of a Christian’s Spiritual Development A DISSERTATION Submitted to the Faculty of the School of Theology and Religious Studies Of The Catholic University of America In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree Doctor of Philosophy © Copyright All Rights Reserved By SunAe Lee-Koo Washington, D.C. 2011 Humility as a Key Component of John Wesley’s Understanding of a Christian’s Spiritual Development SunAe Lee-Koo, Ph. D. Director: James A. Wiseman, O.S.B., S.T.D. Due to a series of theological controversies John Wesley was involved in, interpretations of Wesley’s sermons have dealt with many important theological topics, but the role of humility as applicable to a Christian’s journey of holiness has been largely ignored. The major purpose of this dissertation is to fill this lacuna by exploring the idea of humility as a crucial element in Wesley’s understanding of the entire process of spiritual restoration of the imago Dei. This task involves broadening our understanding of humility in its various aspects, self-knowledge in particular. Humility begins in the awareness of one’s spiritual status as being created according to the imago Dei. However, this image was lost by original sin and we are now on a journey of restoring it. The dissertation accordingly examines what Wesley’s sermons say about humility as one journeys with the aid of different kinds of grace: (a) the prevenient grace that leads persons humbly to admit their need for divine help; (b) the convincing grace of repentance, which Wesley sometimes elucidates through the parable of the Prodigal Son; (c) the justifying grace by which one’s now-acknowledged sins are pardoned and one is reconciled with God and so becomes a Christian; and (d) the sanctifying grace that not only leads one toward the goal of entire sanctification but is also accompanied by humility since even the justified are still weighed down by an inbred inclination toward evil. In sum, humility in the journey of restoration of the imago Dei is identified with self-knowledge before God, with repentance in humble confession of one’s sinfulness and helplessness, and with dependence on the Spirit’s help as one continues the journey toward the fullness of the imago Dei. This journey in company with the Holy Spirit is one of restoring the imago Dei by imitating the love of God, shown in the mind that was in Christ, for he who revealed God’s love in humility becomes our model for humbly loving both God and neighbor. With “a single eye” fixed on God, a Christian journeys in the footsteps of Christ toward the goal of entire sanctification. This dissertation by SunAe Lee-Koo fulfills the dissertation requirement for the doctoral degree in 2011 approved by James A. Wiseman, O.S.B., S.T.D., as Director, and by Paul G. McPartlan, D.Phil., William C. Mattison III, Ph.D. and Scott T. Kisker, Ph.D. as Readers. ____________________________________ James A. Wiseman, O.S.B., S.T.D., Director ____________________________________ Paul G. McPartlan, D.Phil., Reader ____________________________________ William C. Mattison III, Ph.D., Reader _____________________________________ Scott T. Kisker, Ph.D., Reader ii TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS………………………………………………………………...v Chapter I: INTRODUCTION A. Wesley’s Theological Foci and Current Study…………………………………..1 B. Task and Outline…………………………………………………………………9 Chapter II: THE CONTEXT OF JOHN WESLEY’S SPIRITUALITY Introduction………….…………………………………………..…………………15 A. Historical Context………………………………………………………………17 B. Anthropological Context……………………………………………………….27 C. Wesley’s Theological Anthropology…………………………………………...46 1. Imago Dei in Creation…………......………………….…………………..49 2. Original Sin…………………………..…………….……………………..52 3. Reason, Liberty, and Conscience: Prevenient Grace………….….………59 Conclusion……………………………………………………………………….....63 Chapter III: HUMILITY IN JUSTIFICATION Introduction……………………………………….………………………………..65 A. Humility and Prevenient Grace……………….………………………………...73 B. Humility and Convincing Grace………………………………………………..76 1. Conscience and Moral Law……….………….……………….…………..78 2. Wesley’s Extensive Use of the Parable of the Prodigal Son……….......…85 3. Wesley’s Teaching on Human Freedom….……………........….…………89 C. Humility and Justifying Grace…………….…….………………….…….……91 1. Wesley’s Understanding of “Faith Alone”…...…….………..……..……..94 iii 2. The Relationship between Repentance and Justification………………...100 3. Whether Wesley Considers Humility a Virtue….….…….………………110 Conclusion……………………………………….…………….………………….117 Chapter IV: HUMILITY IN SANCTIFICATION Introduction…………………………………….…………………………………123 A. Self-Knowledge in the Journey of Sanctification.……………………….……125 1. The Sin that Remains in Believers………….………………….………...126 2. Repentance in Believers……………………………………….………...133 3. Three Aspects of Sin…………….……………….………………………136 B. Knowledge of the Triune God in the Journey of Sanctification…….….……..142 1. Knowledge of the Father………………………..………………........….145 2. Knowledge of the Son…………………………..…………………….….150 3. Knowledge of the Holy Spirit…….….…………….……………..….…..159 C. Humility and Sanctifying Grace: Two Especially Important Works.…………165 1. Generosity in Giving to the Poor………………….…………………….165 2. Visiting the Sick….………………….………………………….………..176 Conclusion……….….…………………………………………………………….182 Chapter V: CONCLUDING SUMMARY A. Context of Wesley’s Spirituality…..…..….……………..……………………185 B. Humility on the Way toward Justification.……………….………………..…189 C. Humility after Justification: in Sanctification...………………………………196 D. Final Remarks………………….…………………….………………………..203 BIBLIOGRAPHY……………………………………..………………..………………..208 iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Creatio ex nihilo has been proved throughout my life at Catholic University of America (CUA), especially through this dissertation. When overwhelmed by various challenges to my stammering English tongue, I would kneel down before God and confess, “I am nothing, Lord. Have mercy on me!” God, who makes something out of nothing, has shown divine favor by forming this dissertation through me. I gratefully received God’s favor through my director, Fr. James Wiseman, who, with his gentle spirit, was always there for me whenever I was in need throughout my life at CUA. His attentive care for my situation and family as an advisor, as well as director helped me finish this dissertation. My readers were also special blessings from God: Msgr. Paul McPartlan, who helped me broaden my understanding of ecumenism, graciously read my draft and offered meticulous comments. Dr. Bill Mattison, who helped develop my systematic thinking with regard to virtue, read my draft and helped with improving its structure, and taught me an architectural way of thinking. I also express gratitude to Dr. Scott Kisker, who prayed for me at our first meeting and accepted my request for reading my draft. His clarifications, corrections, and suggestions to my draft were substantial. Having these scholars as my director and readers is clear evidence of God’s favor upon me. In addition, I cannot forget God’s favor I received through Fr. Regis Armstrong who taught me the language of heart in the study of spirituality. Through my teachers, I have experienced God’s hands stretching me out thus far. Therefore, this dissertation witnesses that I am a walking miracle. v There have also been countless prayers lifted up for me to make this miracle occur. Even though I asked for God’s favor, being stretched beyond what I deemed to be my limits was not always pleasant. There were many moments when I was spiritually low and depressed, finding myself to be incapable of achieving anything valuable. However, each time I felt distressed, I was not alone. Friends and family have been with me through their prayerful support. I am always grateful for the prayers of my parents and parents-in-law. My mother’s prayers (as she kept watch-nights to pray for me during the last week of 2010) were especially encouraging as I strove to finish the first draft. Special thanks to Ms. Barbara Whipple and Ms. Vera Grady, for they should not and cannot be forgotten. The prophetic words of their prayers always helped me reorient myself in God, look up to Him, and thereby continue in hope and faith. Also, I am always grateful to Fr. Terrius Ehrman and Sheila Nandi, for their compassionate presence within my life enriched my journey at CUA. The prayers of my lovely daughter, GaHye, over the phone and the prayers of my sweet son, Justin, as he held my hands, were a precious support in my weakness. Their words, “You can do it because of God” were instilled in my heart as the most wonderful children in the world cheered me on. I am mostly grateful to my husband, KyungMo, who was a fulltime pastor and Mr. Mom for years due to my absence as I studied. Were it not for his loving support, I would not have been able to continue this work. I thank God for the presence of God’s people in my life. In the midst of God’s continuous creation and molding in my life, as proven through this dissertation, I learn to always be grateful, for it is only through God that all things are possible. “Thanks be to God!” vi Chapter I: INTRODUCTION John Wesley (1703-1791), through his sermons ad populum in both written and spoken form, gave hope to plain people in their practical journeys of Christian life.1 Asking such practical questions as “How do I become a Christian?” and “How do I remain a Christian?”2 Wesley understood a Christian’s journey as moving forward in faith, a faith that works
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