This work investigates the theological and ecclesiastical conflicts that defined the reception of Methodism within the Church of England during the eighteenth century. Simon Lewis examines the intellectual climate of the era, utilizing primary source pamphlets, sermons, and theological treatises to map the arguments used by critics to define 'true religion' against the perceived enthusiasm of the Methodist movement. The text argues that these controversies were not merely peripheral disputes but central to the formation of Anglican identity and orthodoxy in the period.

Scholars of religious history identify this text as a focused contribution to the study of eighteenth-century polemics. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which assumes a foundational knowledge of Anglican history and theological terminology.