The Scripture Way of Salvation: The Heart of John Wesley’s Theology, a very insightful theological text by Kenneth J. Collins, offers a comprehensive study of John Wesley’s doctrine of salvation. As the title of his book indicates, Collins initially wants to highlight the centrality of “Scripture,” in Wesley’s theology, as the ultimate norm and guide for the Christian life. The author also sees that many scholars read and understand Wesley selectively, therefore Collins’ methodology depends on a thorough examination of Wesley’s entire literary corpus – theological treatises, letters, journals, sermons, and notes on the Old and New Testaments. Collins begins his book with a brief – but deep – anthropological discussion, in which he discusses Creation and the fall of humanity in Wesley’s thought, offering a Wesleyan perspective on understanding imago Dei, original sin, total depravity, and prevenient grace.

In The Scripture Way of Salvation, Collins argues that Wesley understood both Justification and Sanctification to be marked by instantaneous and processive elements. Collins also argues that the general structure of the order of the Wesleyan way of salvation – Ordo Salutis – is marked by parallelism. For instance; Faith, grace, the role of works, the moral low, repentance, assurance, and the activity of the Holy Spirit are all elements that could be found in terms of both justification and entire sanctification. Collins explains that this parallelism doesn’t mean that these elements are indistinguishable in both justification and entire sanctification experiences. There is a distinct due to the growth in grace that has taken place in the interim. Although Collins does not prefer to focus on the Eastern theological aspect of Wesley’s theology, Collins’ emphasis on the processive element in Wesley’s theology, even in justification, may reminder the reader of the Eastern perspective of salvation.