John Wesley, False Apostle of Free Will

Rev. Angus Stewart

(Slightly modified from an article first published in the British Reformed Journal)


John Wesley, A Biography

Author: Stephen Tomkins

Oxford: Lion Publishing, 2003

Paperback, 208 pp.

ISBN 0 7459 5078 7

In 24 short chapters, Stephen Tomkins has given us an interesting and readable life of the heretic, John Wesley...

Watts' Unitarianism

In this section we will deal briefly with the question, “Was Isaac Watts a Unitarian?” There is considerable evidence that Watts held Arian or Unitarian opinions. At the very least, as we have already noted, “Watts’ views on the Trinity were highly suspect.” This is confirmed by a number of independent sources. The root of many of these allegations against Watts’ orthodoxy with respect to the deity of Jesus Christ stem from his own writings. As one authority states...

Watts & Scripture

However, just as serious as his handling of Scripture is Watts’ view of Scripture. At the very least he is blatantly guilty of denying the inerrancy of Scripture. And any doctrine of inspiration of Scripture that he could possibly hold would have to be virtually meaningless. Like some contemporary neo-evangelicals, the best construction of his views would be that he believes that the Holy Spirit inspired the authors of the Old Testament to faithfully reproduce...

Watts' Ethics

Finally, we want to move on from Watts doctrinal views to his practice. That is we want to examine the ethics with which he prosecuted his campaign against Psalmody. Watts’ work truly constituted a revolution, and as such it occasioned strong opposition.[1] How did Watts deal with this problem? Did he deal with it openly, honestly, and forthrightly so that the issues could be debated and settled on their merits? Finding that hymns were for the most part not being accepted...

His Dispensationalism

There are several theological problems with Watts’ views. Three of the more serious ones are his dispensationalism, his view of Scripture, and his views on the Trinity. As Bushell states it,

“It goes almost without saying that Watts’ attitude towards the Old Testament permeates his hymns and Psalm imitations. This consideration, coupled with the fact that Watts’ views on the Trinity were highly suspect, and the fact that some modern day dispensationalists...