Wilberforce, Nightingale and King Jr: The Wesleyan Tradition as a Basis for Social Justice and Ethical Living

Abstract This article probes the Wesleyan tradition’s contribution to ethical living and social justice in contemporary discussions. It provides a brief overview of the Wesleyan tradition, connects it to personal faith and social duty, emphasizes the Holy Spirit’s role in transforming people and groups, as well as the importance of communal holiness. Through critical analysis and theological reflections, this article demonstrates that key principles in the Wesleyan tradition can inform broader Christian engagement in ethical living and social activism in various contexts, with reference to the lives and examples of William Wilberforce, Martin Luther King Jr, and Florence Nightingale. Accordingly, it is demonstrated that Christians today can work towards a just, diverse, equitable, and inclusive society through an application of the key principles of the Wesleyan tradition.