cover image A BRAND FROM THE BURNING: The Life of John Wesley

A BRAND FROM THE BURNING: The Life of John Wesley

Roy Hattersley, . . Doubleday, $26 (464pp) ISBN 978-0-385-50334-1

From his childhood, John Wesley seemed destined to be a religious figure. When he was six, the rectory in which his family lived caught fire. When his family realized that little John was still asleep in the inferno, his father, Samuel, prayed for a miracle and John was rescued dramatically before the roof collapsed. In his fast-paced and detailed biography, Hattersley (Fifth Year On) chronicles Wesley's life from his childhood to his early years as an evangelist in the colony of Georgia and his later struggles to establish Methodism to counter the sterility of the Anglican communion. From an early age, Wesley practiced self-discipline in his devotions and in his quest for Christian holiness and perfection. His emphasis on combining the inner warming of the heart with the elements of Scripture, reason and tradition challenged the Anglican Church in England and was responsible for the rise of Methodism. But because he lacked emotional self-restraint, as Hattersley observes, Wesley constantly questioned his salvation and his worthiness. Hattersley captures nicely Wesley's superstitious nature—he often drew lots to determine the answer to a question, including whether or not he should marry a particular woman—his indecisiveness, and his deep attraction to women. Like no other Wesley biographer, Hattersley provides the details of Wesley's failed love affairs and his unfortunate marriage. Lively, engaging and well told, Hattersley's biography gives us an unvarnished, warts-and-all glimpse at the life and work of one of Christianity's great preachers and writers. (June)