by: Bishop Michael J. Coyner - Indiana
John Wesley declared that we in the Methodist revival tradition “bring together those two so long divided: knowledge and vital piety.” By that phrase, he meant that faith always yearns for increased learning and that education should illuminate our acts of worship and piety. Some people say our United Methodist Church is a “thinking church” - not to imply that other denominations do not think, but to emphasize that we in the tradition of John Wesley affirm the essential need for education. Nearly every United Methodist Church has a Sunday School or other forms of educational classes for children, youth and adults. Why? Because we affirm that a faithful person is also a thinking, learning, and growing person. Faith is not limited to a set of doctrines or assents to which one concurs but never challenges or debates. Faith includes education such as Bible study, small-group sharing, discussion, and growth. Wesley believed that the living core of the Christian faith was revealed in the scripture, illumined by tradition, verified in personal experience, and confirmed by reason.
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