John Wesley was the founder of Methodism — some would say, “unintentional founder,” but that matters little to the present topic. As one of the the great minds and leading theologians of his day, Wesley offers a sense of moderation that is lost on much of the polarized communities of modernity.
One of my favorite quotes is this:
The Methodists must take heed to their doctrine, their experience, their practice, and their discipline. If they attend to their doctrines only, they will make the people antinomians; if to the experiential part of religion only, they will make them enthusiasts; if to the practical part only, they will make them Pharisees; and if they do not attend to their discipline, they will be like persons who bestow much pains in cultivating their garden, and put no fence round it, to save it from the wild boar of the forest.
In other words, there’s more to being a disciple than being right. There’s more to Christianity than feeling right. There’s more to being part of the Church than just doing right. And more than just getting it right, Christians must keep it right. The point is that people tend to become focused on one of these aspects and neglect the others.
The same can be said of politics, business, relationships–the list goes on.
Politicians and citizens who focus on doctrine tend to stand on principles, sometimes in spite of their experience of difficult situations that need addressing. Those who tend to jerk knees in response are sometimes guilty of abandoning their principles completely.
Business leaders who apply restrictive fiscal disciplines can find themselves in neglect of the effective practices of their trade, whether it be sales, manufacturing, or the provision of service. Those who pursue their trade at all costs often find themselves paying the ultimate cost of failure.
The point? Moderation. Moderation is the Via Media, or middle way. Principles may be relaxed, for the perfect principle is rare. More often, there are exceptions to the rule. Experience is the key to deciding, and is the creative force behind the practice of wisdom. And the regular practice of wisdom leads to the disciplined heart and mind. Through discipline, we can relax principles in the moments that matter, and return to the standards and principles when the moment has passed.
In these days of division and polarization, the art of moderation is difficult to find. With a little patience and kindness, moderation can be applied to all things — including moderation.
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