WESLEYAN THEOLOGICAL SOCIETY: THE FIRST DECADE
by,
Leo G. Cox
First WTS President
Fortunately, I do have a few letters I wrote at the time the WTS began.
One of these letters was written to Delbert Rose, then historian of the National Holiness
Association (now the Christian Holiness Association), shortly after the first meeting of
the WTS. In it, at his request, I gave an account of how the WTS came into being. I will
depend much on the facts in this letter. Also I have as a resource the historical article
by John J. Merritt of the Salvation Army.1 I reflect on the basis of these
sources and my personal memories.
During the years of 1955-59, I was in the State University of
Iowa struggling to complete a master’s thesis on "Wesley’s Concept of
Sin" and a doctoral dissertation on "Wesley’s Concept of Perfection."
My counselor was a Presbyterian and the Department of Religion head was a very liberal
Methodist. He joked about Wesley’s heart-warming as likely only a bout of
indigestion. The other members of the committee were a Baptist, a Roman Catholic, a
liberal Jew, and a Lutheran. The only one who had much of an idea about Christian
perfection was the Roman Catholic.
At that time I was pastor of a Methodist Church and had little contact
with any of my holiness colleagues. I tried to think through some of
the intellectual problems on my own, and often wished for access to a group of
Wesleyan scholars. I needed to discuss with someone who knew the holiness message, and
could help me in my struggle.
Following the completion of my doctoral degree, I attended some of the
meetings of the Evangelical Theological Society. In these meetings I found some help,
especially in regard to Biblical authority and the place of the Word for my theology. But
I still needed more help than I found there. The ETS organizational plan did give me some
idea of how one might form a society of Wesleyan scholars.
In the early 1960s I became closely associated with the NHA (now the
CHA). Merne Harris of Vennard College was Dean of Seminars for the annual convention. He
appointed me to be the seminar leader on doctrine. Here I met leaders of the Holiness
Movement. The seminars I led were helpful to me, but most of the scholars were either
leading other seminars or were back home teaching their classes. I still longed for an
opportunity to discuss with a group of holiness scholars. During these years I hinted to
several of my professional friends that there was need for a Wesleyan society. They
agreed.
In the years 1961-1963 Kenneth Geiger, President of the NHA, organized
a series of seminars on holiness and assigned topics to various scholars. These lectures
were given on the campuses of seventeen seminaries and colleges. Usually a group of three
or four went to each campus. I remember riding in a car to Canada with Dr. Geiger and Dr.
Stanger for a seminar. What a discussion we had! These lectures resulted in the
publication of two volumes entitled Insights into Holiness and Further Insights
into Holiness.2
Then in 1964 Dr. Geiger planned and implemented in Winona Lake,
Indiana, a study conference on the subject "Distinctives of Wesleyan-Arminian
Theology." The book entitled The Word and the Doctrine3 came as a result of
this conference. Here is a quote from the Preface:
The Winona Lake conference was attended by administrators and
pastors and representatives from the academic communities of the several denominations and
organizations which participate in the National Holiness Association. Invited observers
from other evangelical groups were present. More than eighty
individuals—uniquely representative, scholarly and objective—shared in this
intensive three-day period.
It was in this conference that my wish of 1955-57 finally came
to fruition. Here were able scholars meeting together and discussing the very problems I
had experienced. I saw then that the only way to preserve such interchange would be in a
society and a journal similar to ETS and what WTS is now. I had spoken to Dean Mere Harris
on some earlier occasions about this possibility and did so again at this Study
Conference. I approached him about the possibility of getting together and initiating a
Wesleyan Theological Society. He was in full agreement with me on the proposal.
Following the Study Conference I sent to Mere Harris copies of the ETS
constitution, some of its programs and application blanks, etc. I wrote a letter to him
expressing some of the ideas I would like to have incorporated into such a society. Harris
prepared an initial report and submitted it to the NHA Executive Board, which approved
going ahead with the formation of such an organization.
Merne Harris proceeded with the outlining of the organizational ideas
and asked to have an early meeting with me. On my way to Minneapolis on February 13, 1965,
he was able to meet me at the O’Hare Airport. In a two-hour meeting we worked on the
Prospectus, which he had already drawn up, and prepared it for presentation to the
Executive Board of the NHA. This group approved the Prospectus at its meeting following
its presentation by Mere Harris. It is easy, therefore, to understand why WTS is tied
closely yet today to the CHA (NHA).
At the NHA convention in Detroit, April, 1965, the initial meeting of
the Wesleyan Theological Society was held in the Statler Hotel. About twenty men were
present. The Prospectus was presented, slightly revised, and approved as the constitution
of the new society. Then the group elected the officers who were to act between the NHA
convention and the first annual meeting of the Society. These officers were: Leo G. Cox,
president; Merne Harris, secretary; Ralph Thompson, treasurer; and Richard Taylor,
president-elect. This new Executive Committee met to discuss the first annual meeting, set
its place and date, and plan the program. The date was November 5 and 6, 1965, with
the place being Spring Arbor College. Similar November dates have served the Society well
for its first thirty years. Mere Harris worked hard in developing a mailing list,
preparing the program, and writing to key leaders to prepare papers. Ralph Thompson worked
hard in making the plans on the campus of Spring Arbor College for the
entertainment of the Society. They deserve considerable credit for the success of that
first annual meeting. One item of interest is that the total cost per person of all the
meals was $3.10. Lunch was 40 cents and the banquet was $1.50.
It was difficult to anticipate how many would be present for that first
annual Society meeting. We had hoped that there would be at least thirty to forty. As it
turned out, the number surpassed our hopes with about sixty present. The interest level
was excellent. By then the membership was 49 and the door was left open until January 1,
1966, for other charter members. Ultimately there were 92 charter members. By 1972 there
were about 400 members.
One item of interest is that the planners of that first annual meeting
believed that the Friday night speaker after the banquet should be an inspirational
preacher of holiness rather than a scholarly presentation, and that the service be public.
This desire likely grew out of the practices of the NHA. For the first meeting Dr. J.
Sutherland Logan, President of Vennard College, was chosen as the speaker. This practice
continued for a few years, but soon that evening spot was assigned to the President of the
WTS for a presidential address. We early presidents failed to get our special privilege!
As I remember, the first meeting went rather smoothly. One scholar by
accident left his prepared paper at home, so fearfully put some ideas together and
presented them from memory. His prepared copy was later published in the first Journal.4
The papers and discussions were excellent and all felt that it was time well
spent. I was thrilled to think that now was happening what for years ‘ had longed
for. We who started this learned society wondered how it would sail. The results of these
thirty years have been very satisfying.
One ideal in our minds for the Society was that young scholars could
present their ideas for testing before a society of scholars who could discuss the
concepts, the older helping to guide the younger. I am sure that this ideal is being
carried out successfully. There are changes in approach and in terminology that sometimes
stump us older minds, but we learn from these younger and brilliant men and women.
The matter of the relation of the WTS to the CHA was discussed at
length during these early years. It was explained that there was no legal relationship between them, but a very close relationship
nonetheless. It was decided at the invitation of the CHA that the WTS be a commission of
the CHA organization. The Society was asked to provide the speakers and program for the
CHA annual convention. These developments were enacted at the Convention in Portland,
Oregon, in 1972, and have continued since.
The publishing of a journal was proposed in the first meeting and an
editorial committee was chosen. Dr. Charles Carter was editor from 1965 to 1972 and he set
a high goal for the journal. He was assisted by an editorial committee who were authorized
to edit and publish the papers. The financing of the journal was planned and the hope was
expressed that the journal would become a vital function of the Society. Professor Robert
Mattke, WTS president in 1971-72, stated: "The publication of an annual journal
continues to be one of the more significant contributions of the WTS to the Holiness
Movement."5 There was later a suggestion to have a quarterly publication
in cooperation with holiness seminaries. An ad hoc committee worked on such for some time,
but by 1975 the idea apparently had lost momentum and ceased as a possibility. The
practice of publishing two issues of the journal a year came after the first decade.
The thematic tone struck in the first issue of the WTJ brought
forward two theological points of tension that would occupy the WTS during its early
years. These two doctrinal areas focused on the question of the "inerrancy" of
Scripture and the baptism with the Holy Spirit in entire sanctification. The former was
addressed especially in the first decade of the WTS, with the second more in the next
decade. After some rather heated discussions on inerrancy during those early years, Dr.
Ralph Thompson, in his report to the Society as secretary-treasurer in 1969, gave this
conciliatory appeal:
Considerable discussion has taken place on the subject of
Biblical inerrancy. Those who know me best know I tend to take a stand in favor of the
doctrine. . . . Many of my brethren do not see the matter as I do; yet they appear to
believe as strongly as I do in the inspiration and authority of the Scriptures. . . . I
wonder if a position we hold but cannot prove should debar from membership in this Society
those whose minds do not operate exactly as ours. Let us be exceedingly careful lest we take any step that will weaken our position with
respect to the inspiration and authority of the Scriptures. But if a change in the wording
in our doctrinal statement could be made that would protect our position and at the same
time respect that of our brethren whose intellectual honesty will not allow them to
subscribe to our statement, I recommend that such action be taken.
The matter of inerrancy was also discussed in CHA business meetings.
However, the WTS was allowed to go ahead with the discussion and state the results as it
saw best. The discussions were quite strong and feelings were high, but at no time was
there any desire to lessen the emphasis on the infallibility of the Word
("infallibility" being a broader term not necessarily tied to certain
implications of "inerrancy"). The real problem certain Society members had was
in regard to the phrase "inerrant in the originals." This they felt could not be
proved and contained difficult implications. By 1969 that matter was resolved in a
constitution where the wording is "we believe.. . in the plenary-dynamic and unique
inspiration of the Bible as the divine Word of God, the only infallible, sufficient and
authoritative rule of faith and practice." It is well that, in the Spirit of Christ,
this difference of opinion did not divide our Wesleyan theologians into two camps.
In conclusion, let me say that some of my intellectual perplexities
have found a degree of satisfaction over the years. To be with students of like mind,
seeking for answers, brings a great degree of stability in one’s pursuit of truth.
But new questions still arise and the journey of one’s mind never ends. I thank God
for the WTS and the godly thinkers who have touched my life.
Many questions still remain. My next big move will be to heaven where I
believe we will be able to see with much clearer vision. Above all, the holy pursuit of
knowing God in the divine fullness is our task here. May the Wesleyan Theological Society
continue to guide young thinkers on the path to Glory, with a clear mind and hearts full
of perfect love.
Notes
1John G. Merritt, "Fellowship in Ferment: A History of the Wesleyan
Theological Society, 1965-1984," Wesleyan Theological Journal 21:1/2
(Spring-Fall, 1986), 185-203.
2Edited by Kenneth Geiger, Kansas City: Beacon Hill Press, 1962
and 1963 respectively.
3Kenneth Geiger, compiler, Kansas City: Beacon Hill Press, 1965.
4The first issue of the Wesleyan Theological Journal, vol.
1, no. 1, was Spring, 1966.
5As in the WTS president’s report to the Christian Holiness
Association board of administration, 104th annual meeting of the CHA, Indianapolis, Ind.,
April 4-7, 1972, 1.
Edited by Michael Mattei for the
Wesley Center for Applied Theology
at Northwest Nazarene University
© Copyright 2000 by the Wesley Center for Applied Theology
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