5.05 The Age of Enlightenment
The person I am going to introduce for this award is among few courageous people that attempted great things in a challenging society. Born and brought up in an environment of civil wars, slave trade and decaying values on human life, he transformed the society for the better. The contributions he made were not just for the moment but continue to transform generations. He may not be physically alive with us today but his spirit and soul still lives among the people who have and continually enjoy the fruits of his labor. Compared to other heroes of the 18th century who are mainly remembered for what they did for the communities they lived in, this particular hero touched people across the world. Both the young and the old, rich and poor, black white and red feel represented by the great achievements.
This one man was humble in his service yet radical enough to ensure the fulfillment of his dreams. His work can be described as a passion worth living and dying for. Despite the resistance and criticisms that he received from the people around, he was never discouraged. It seemed as if every challenge gave him the opportunity to launch more into his service. He is the founder of the biggest Christian movement that is continually growing even in his absence. Even though he is mainly known for the growth of the church movement and the Christian faith, his activities were more than just religious. Operating during a sensitive political error, he touched the political field in a unique way and hence recognized as a revolutionary personality. His religious recognition did not hinder him from speaking on political issues that were negatively affecting other people (Collins 93). He had a heart and passion for humanity, which was the ultimate of his ministry.
Slave trade, which was rampart during his time, was an inhuman act that had been accepted and appreciated by the whites and blacks alike. The pain of seeing fellow human beings mistreating others at the expense of their freedom and health was what hurt our hero. He had a difficult task condemning the act by letting the whites know that the people they mistreated were not lesser in the eyes of God. More challenging to him was to convince the slaves that they could live a free life and enjoy the privileges that their masters were enjoying. The kind of pain they were going through was immeasurable and his task was to convince them that there was someone who loved and cared for them (Collins 67). You will agree with me that preaching the gospel of Christ and sharing his life in such an environment of civil wars and rampart slave trade was not an easy task. It was easier to give up and act as if nothing was wrong rather than risk you life by preaching such a message.
Our hero, however choose to die to protect and defend justice rather than live to behold such evils happening in the society. The Methodist church, which was the base of his ministry, has transformed many lives. By now, many of us must be knowing the hero already and without taking much more time, I request us all to rise on our feet and give a great hand of applause to the one and only founder of the Methodist church, John Wesley!
Work cited
Collins, Kenneth. John Wesley: A Theological Journey. New York: Abingdon Press, 2003.
