American Saint: Francis Asbury and the Methodists
"Undeniably the most comprehensive and scholarly biography of Francis Asbury written in more than a century, John Wigger's American Saint fills a major gap in the historiography of American religion. This lively and well-researched narrative that includes more than one hundred pages of endnotes superbly expresses the character of a British immigrant from a working-class heritage whose labors significantly transformed the religious landscape of postrevolutionary America."--Terry D. Bilhartz, The Journal of American History"Splendid..."--Mark Noll, Christian Century"an amazing new book..." --David Crumm, Read the Spirit"Francis Asbury had an immense influence in shaping the early American Republic in that he promoted and oversaw the phenomenal growth of the fledgling Methodist  movement at a rate that would soon make it America's largest Protestant denomination.  John Wigger provides a definitive and illuminating biography that is to be recommended to all who wish to understand the sort of leadership that makes great religious movements succeed."--George Marsden, Author ofJonathan Edwards: A Life"Francis Asbury was one of the three or four most important religious leaders in American history, but until now he has lacked a comprehensive biography.  John Wigger fills this gap splendidly.  But much more than filling a gap, Wigger's rich account of the man who created American Methodism as the marvel of its age also reveals a great deal about the United States in its formative decades.  This is a terrific book on a major figure."--Mark A. Noll, Author ofAmerica's God: From Jonathan Edwards to Abraham Lincoln"Wigger's superbly researched and clearly written biography deservedly rehabilitates one of America's unlikeliest but most significant religious leaders.  From his humble beginnings in England, Francis Asbury probably did more to reshape the religious culture of the new Republic than any other individual."--David Hempton, Author ofMethodism: Empire of the Spirit"Wigger's biography does much more than simply satisfy a decades-old call for a critical biography of Asbury and refute simplistic and outdated characterizations of the man, though. It challenges common assumptions about religious leadership in American history...This is an important contribution to American religious history."--Christopher Jones,Religion in American History"[An] informative, comprehensive biography of Francis Asbury ... [A] well-crafted biography that brings Asbury into sharper focus and elevates his status within the pantheon of major religious leaders in the US...Recommended."--Choice"At least thirteen biographies of Asbury have been published since 1852. John Wigger's volume is the first one that fully meets the requirements of academic scholarship, yet its graceful prose will make it accessible to a wide audience."--West Virginia History"Asbury has not lacked for biographies, but Wigger's is definitive and magisterial."--Christian Century