Holiness Tradition

Holiness or perfectionist beliefs and teachings have existed since the first century, for e.g., in the works of apostolic fathers like Ignatius, Polycarp, and Clement of Rome, where Christian holiness comes from fulfilling the law of righteousness. This tradition was kept alive through the monastic way of life, which roughly began in the third century. Concerning the Holiness Tradition/Movement, which was the dominant force within nineteenth century American Protestantism, one can say that it was founded during the first half of the nineteenth century by Methodists Timothy Merritt (a preacher, who edited The Christian’s Manual: A Treatise on Christian Perfectionin 1824) and two sisters, named Sarah Worrall Lankford (who founded the “Tuesday Meetings for the Promotion of Holiness in New York City” in 1836) and Phoebe Worrall Palmer (who gained leadership of the meetings after 1839). The Tuesday meetings were attended by Episcopalian, Dutch Reformed, Baptist, Congregationalist,...