May She Have a Word with You? Women as Models in Charles Wesley

In this review of May She Have a Word with You? the authors examine an overlooked corner of Charles Wesley's poetry, and the book will most appeal to readers interested in Methodist history, hymnology, and the role of women in evangelical life. The volume gathers Wesley's Funeral Hymns and related poems, with commentary that foregrounds women as moral and spiritual exemplars; the reviewer found the commentary thoughtful and the selections useful for anyone studying 18th-century Christian practice and literary responses to death.

Key Features

• Focused textual selection: Presents Wesley's two volumes of Funeral Hymns (1746 and 1759) together with manuscript poems, making rare texts accessible for study.
• Women-centered interpretation: Emphasizes how Wesley lifts up individual women as models for the wider church, clarifying a less-explored theme in his poetry.
• Historical context: Uses entries from Wesley's MS Journal to situate his relationships with women and their role in Methodist societies.
• Commentary-driven readings: Offers interpretive notes that connect poem material to eighteenth-century social and religious life, aiding classroom or personal study.
• Poems about death: Collects elegiac and funeral verse that illuminate how mourning and memory functioned as communal instruction in Christian living.

Who It's For

This book is well suited for scholars of Methodist history, students of hymnology, clergy preparing sermons or studies on Christian discipleship, and readers curious about gender and religion in the eighteenth century. The focused subject matter makes it particularly valuable for courses on Wesleyan literature or women in early evangelical movements.

Those looking for a general biography of Charles Wesley, a broad historical survey of early Methodism, or a devotional anthology for casual daily reading may wish to look elsewhere; this is an interpretive, source-focused volume rather than a wide-ranging historical narrative.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Highlights lesser-known Funeral Hymns and manuscript poems, expanding access to Wesley's corpus.
• Interpretive commentary that foregrounds women's roles gives fresh perspective for scholars and ministers.
• Grounds readings in Wesley's MS Journal, strengthening historical claims about relationships and mission.

Cons

• The volume is specialized and may feel narrow for readers seeking broad biographical or theological overviews.

Specifications

Title	May She Have a Word with You?
Subtitle	Women as Models of How to Live in the Poems of Charles Wesley with Commentary
Authors / Editors	S T Kimbrough, Laceye C Warner
Primary texts	Charles Wesley's Funeral Hymns (1746, 1759) plus manuscript poems
Focus	Women as exemplars in Wesley's poetry and Methodist societies
Methodological sources	Selections from Wesley's MS Journal and poem commentary

Our Verdict

May She Have a Word with You? is a worthwhile purchase for readers who want a focused, well-documented examination of Charles Wesley's funeral poetry and the way he portrays women as models for Christian life. Its concentrated scholarship and use of journal sources make it good value for students, clergy, and scholars seeking specialized material rather than a broad survey.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this book include Wesley's Funeral Hymns in full?
The volume collects the two Funeral Hymns (1746 and 1759) along with several manuscript poems and provides commentary on those texts.

Is the book suitable for classroom use?
Yes; the selections and editorial commentary make it appropriate for courses in hymnology, Wesley studies, or gender and religion in the eighteenth century.

Will a general reader find devotional material here?
While the poems are devotional in tone, the book is primarily interpretive and source-focused rather than designed as a daily devotional anthology.