Threads In A Holy Tapestry by Kim Reisman

When you pursue a PhD in the British system as I did, you have to defend your thesis (dissertation) in what is called a “viva.” It’s a nerve-wracking several hours spent fielding what seem like endless questions from two examiners. Neither of your examiners are allowed to see any of your work before they receive your thesis. And your supervising professor is not allowed to be present. So, it is quite a solitary experience, but at the same time, in an intriguing kind of way, not.

I graduated from Durham University, and on the day of my viva, immediately before the time of reckoning, my supervisor, David Wilkinson and I shared a coffee and then headed over to the Durham Cathedral for a short time of quiet and prayer. As we sat in that amazing environment, David began casually, but eloquently, to remind me of the history of Durham University. Durham has been a seat of learning for over 1000 years beginning with the Venerable Bede, whose shrine was right behind us as we sat. The tradition of scholarship has continued in an unbroken line ever since, with each new scholar meeting with more experienced scholars to discuss their work. Even though he knew I was nervous and just a bit intimidated by the process, David emphasized that I should enjoy the viva, recognizing that what I was going to experience was much bigger than my thesis. The viva, as stressful as it may feel, was the entrance into a long tradition of scholarship, the doorway into a community stretching back over 1000 years.

After a brief time of prayer, we parted ways and I walked to Abbey House to meet my examiners. During the hours that followed, though I knew it was up to me alone to defend my work, I was surprised to discover that it wasn’t such a solitary experience. Even more to my surprise was the realization, about midway through, that I was actually enjoying myself; it was invigorating.

The memory of that experience, and more specifically of my conversation with David beforehand, has returned to me frequently. As Wesleyan Methodist Christians, we draw upon the insights of John Wesley (and Charles too), which is a wonderful thing. But that’s not who we follow. We follow Jesus Christ. Our tradition didn’t begin in the 18^th century; it began in the first. Our creed isn’t the oddly named “Wesleyan Quadrilateral,” it’s the Nicene.

Just as my viva experience was bigger than my own thesis, we in the Wesleyan Methodist family are part of something much larger than our own history, much more foundational than any structure we might devise for our particular denominations or networks, and deeper, more steadfast and enduring than any passing cultural norm could ever be.

We are part of a magnificent Christian tapestry, woven from the threads of Scripture and a tradition stretching back over 2000 years. Our Wesleyan Methodist strands augment that tapestry, but not in the sense of adding something completely new or different. Those threads augment the tapestry by adding complementary colors to the already existing pattern. Some people describe it as following Jesus in the spirit of the Wesleys. At WME we call it being a Christian with a Wesleyan accent.

In just a few weeks we will celebrate Pentecost, that amazing moment when the Holy Spirit of Jesus began to weave this amazing tapestry of which we are a part. As you continue to pray and fast, I pray that you will discover or rediscover the unique threads and complementary colors that our Wesleyan Methodist family adds to the grand tapestry of Christian faith. And in doing so, you would also recognize that the pattern of God’s Holy tapestry, even as it is augmented by the threads of the Wesleyan Methodist movement, is richer and more vibrant than our few threads alone.