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The Puritans tried to reform the Church of England along Calvinist lines and ended up separating into Congregational, Presbyterian and Baptist denominations. Without the strong Puritan influence, the Anglican churches drifted toward cold rationalism. John Wesley (1703 -1791) was the man raised up by God to awaken the spiritual life of England. Wesley was determined to revive the evangelical spirit within the Church of England. Ultimately, Wesley became the founder for the emotional movement of his time, which was called as Methodism.

One great result of the revival was the new Church, the Methodist Church. Wesley did not desire this. He loved the Church of England, and wished that the people who became Christians under his preaching and that of his fellow workers could be taken into it. But the new Church was forced upon him. Wesley theology was called "Arminianism of the heart" - an Arminianism combined with Pietism and burning with revival fire. Methodism and Wesley left an indelible impression on North American evangelical theology and for the rest of the denominations of the world.

A still greater result of the revival was a spiritual awakening of England, affecting the nation widely and deeply. Thousands of people who had been living in practical heathenism, because of the neglect of the Church of England, were gathered into the Methodist societies.

- By S. A. Devasahayam, can be contacted at dsahayam@sify.com

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13y ago

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