John Wesley and Milton Schwantes: possible convergences in a popular reading of the bible and a soteriological perspective in favor of the poor

• Grant number: 13/09101-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: September 01, 2013
• End date: August 31, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - Theology - Systematic Theology
• Principal Investigator: Claudio de Oliveira Ribeiro
• Grantee: André Yuri Gomes Abijaudi
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Teologia (FATEO). Universidade Metodista de São Paulo (UMESP). Instituto Metodista de Ensino Superior (IMS). São Bernardo do Campo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

This research studies the theology of John Wesley (1703-1791) and Milton Schwantes (1946-2012) through his speeches and works so that you can analyze them and compare to see if there are points of convergence in terms respect to the popular reading of the Bible and a prospect of salvation for the poor. The research assumes that both Wesley as Schwantes, despite having lived in different times and contexts, devoted themselves to reading the Bible for the poor, so driven by their theologies that led them to adopt a perspective of the transformation of a society that excludes this common person. For this reason, we look for if there are points of convergence between the two theologies and methods of Bible reading they use. For better development, the project will be built in three major emphases: the study of the theology of John Wesley and the Methodist movement's commitment to combat social degradation in eighteenth-century England, the analysis of the works of Milton Schwantes to observe their methods of interpretation of Bible and soteriological perspective in favor of the poor and finally the possible construction of a bridge between the two theologies concerned to contribute to combating and overcoming social problems in Latin America and Brazil in the twenty-first century. This research is expected to contribute to studies in theology and research group Teomeb - For the Brazilian Methodist Theological Tradition - under the current project "Sources of theological knowledge: the 'Wesleyan quadrilateral' in Brazilian perspective" and also socialize knowledge in academic and ecclesiastical, and answer the following question: there are points of convergence in social soteriological perspective of John Wesley and Milton Schwantes? (AU)