Charles Wesley and the Struggle for Methodist Identity

An important new study of the life and ministry of the Anglican minister and Evangelical leader Charles Wesley (1707-88) which examines the often-neglected contribution made by John Wesley''s younger brother to the early history of the Methodist movement. Charles Wesley''s importance as the author of classic hymns like `Love Divine'' and `O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing'' is well known but his wider contribution to Methodism the Church of England and the Evangelical Revival has been overlooked. Gareth Lloyd presents a new appraisal of Charles Wesley based on his own papers and those of his friends and enemies. The picture of the Revival that results from a fresh examination of one of Methodism''s most significant leaders offers a new perspective on the formative years of a denomination that today has an estimated 80 million members worldwide.