Charles Wesley
Charles Wesley (born December 18, 1707 in Epworth , North Lincolnshire , † March 29, 1788 in London ) was one of the three founders of the Methodist movement along with his brother John Wesley and George Whitefield . Her father, Samuel Wesley (senior) , was a poet and theologian. The mother was Susanna Wesley .
Life
Like his brother John, Charles Wesley studied theology at Oxford . During his student days he organized a regular meeting of devout students called the "Holy Club". His brother John took over the leadership of this congregation, who in 1732 also joined George Whitefield . In 1735 Wesley was ordained an Anglican priest . After graduation, he traveled to the recently established colony of Georgia to work as secretary to Governor James Oglethorpe . There he got to know the beliefs of the Herrnhut Brethren , especially their idea of a personal belief in Jesus Christ. After a conversion experience in May 1738, the brothers began preaching across Britain .
Charles was a gifted preacher , but his particular contribution to the development of Methodism was his poems, in which he brought Methodist theology, scriptures, and prayers into an easily accessible and memorable form. His brother John was respected, almost feared, by the people; Charles, on the other hand, was loved. John was the head and organizer of the Methodist movement, but Charles brought love and warmth into the togetherness. He wrote over 6,000 poems. Many of them became known as songs. Some are still among the best known "classics" of English-language hymns of all denominations . The further development of the hymn in the English cultural area and the later USA was significantly influenced by Wesley's texts.
Charles Wesley died in London in 1788 .
Songs
- Christ, the Lord Is Risen Today (Christ, the Lord, is risen)
- Rejoice! The Lord is near
- Help Us to Help Each Other (Help us help each other, Lord)
- Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (Hear the angel choirs sing)
- Jesus, Lover of My Soul (Jesus, Savior of My Soul)
- And Can It Be, That I Should Gain ( Can It Be That God Gives Me)
- Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus (Come, You Long -awaited Jesus)
- Love Divine, All Loves Excelling (love, come down to earth)
- Oh, for a Thousand Tongues to Sing (My mouth sing about a thousand times)
- Rejoice! The Lord Is King (rejoice with cheers / rejoice, the Lord rules!)
- Forth in Thy Name, O Lord
Remembrance day
March 2 on the calendar of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).
literature
- Gary Best: Charles Wesley (1707-1788). A biography . Translated from English by Marianne Mühlenberg . Edition Ruprecht , Göttingen 2008, ISBN 978-3-7675-3053-9 .
- Erika Mayer: Charles Wesley's hymns. An investigation and literary appreciation. Diss. University of Tübingen (mach.), 1957.
- John R. Tyson: Assist Me To Proclaim. The Life and Hymns of Charles Wesley. Edition Ruprecht , Göttingen 2007, ISBN 978-3-7675-3052-2 .
- Karl Heinz Voigt: WESLEY, Charles. In: Biographisch-Bibliographisches Kirchenlexikon (BBKL). Volume 13, Bautz, Herzberg 1998, ISBN 3-88309-072-7 , Sp. 895-914.
Web links
- Literature by and about Charles Wesley in the catalog of the German National Library
- Sheet music and audio files by Charles Wesley in the International Music Score Library Project
- Free scores by Charles Wesley in the Choral Public Domain Library - ChoralWiki (English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b J. Gordon Melton: Wesley, Charles . (1707-1788) hymn writer and cofounder of Methodism. In: Encyclopedia of World Religions . Encyclopedia of Protestantism, No. 6 . Facts of File, New York 2005, ISBN 978-0-8160-5456-5 , pp. 565 (English).
- ↑ March 2 in the ecumenical dictionary of saints
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Wesley, Charles |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Hymn poet and a founder of Methodism |
| DATE OF BIRTH | December 18, 1707 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Epworth (England) , North Lincolnshire |
| DATE OF DEATH | March 29, 1788 |
| Place of death | London |