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Methodism

Methodism is a Protestant Christian tradition that emerged in 18th-century England as a revival movement within the Church of England, founded by Anglican priest John Wesley (1703–1791) and his brother Charles Wesley (1707–1788), who promoted a disciplined, methodical approach to Christian living through rigorous spiritual practices, Bible study, and acts of charity.^[1]^[2] The term "Methodist" originated from critics mocking the methodical rigor of the Wesleys' "Holy Club" at Oxford University, where members adhered to structured routines of prayer, fasting, and service to the poor.^[2] The movement gained momentum through John Wesley's innovative open-air preaching to the working classes, establishment of societies and class meetings for mutual accountability, and emphasis on personal conversion experiences, spreading rapidly across Britain and to the American colonies via itinerant preachers.^[1] Core doctrines, rooted in Arminian theology, include prevenient grace—God's initiating work enabling all persons to freely respond to salvation—justification by faith alone, and the pursuit of entire sanctification, a post-conversion process or crisis experience leading to holiness of heart and life, free from willful sin, though not sinless perfection.^[3]^[4] Methodism's practical theology integrated personal piety with social holiness, fueling campaigns against slavery, prison reform, and education, while rejecting Calvinist predestination in favor of universal atonement available to all who believe.^[3] By the 19th century, Methodism had organized into independent denominations, such as the Wesleyan Methodist Church and the Methodist Episcopal Church in America, and expanded globally through missionary efforts, particularly in Africa, Asia, and the Americas.^[1] Today, Methodist bodies affiliated with the World Methodist Council encompass approximately 51 million adherents worldwide, with significant growth in the Global South contrasting declines in Europe and North America due to secularization and internal theological divisions.^[5] Defining characteristics include congregational hymn-singing (largely from Charles Wesley's 6,000+ hymns), sacramental worship, and a quadrilateral of authority comprising Scripture, tradition, reason, and experience.^[3] Notable controversies persist, including 19th-century splits over slavery and episcopacy, and contemporary schisms—such as the 2022 formation of the Global Methodist Church—stemming from disputes over biblical inerrancy, scriptural prohibitions on homosexuality, and the ordination of practicing LGBTQ+ clergy, reflecting tensions between orthodox and progressive interpretations.^[6]^[4]

History

Origins in 18th-Century England

Methodism emerged as a revival movement within the Church of England during the early 18th century, initially centered on disciplined personal piety and communal accountability. In November 1729, Charles Wesley gathered a small group of Oxford University students, soon joined and led by his brother John Wesley, forming what became known as the Holy Club. Members met regularly for Bible study, classical reading, prayer, fasting on Wednesdays and Fridays until 3 p.m., and systematic charitable acts, such as visiting prisoners and the sick. This rigorous, methodical routine drew mockery from peers, who dubbed them "Methodists," a term that later defined the movement.^[7]^[8]^[9] The Wesleys' early efforts were shaped by encounters with Moravian Pietists, whose emphasis on inner assurance of faith influenced John during a 1735-1738 missionary voyage to the Georgia colony, where he and Charles sought to evangelize settlers and Native Americans. Upon returning to England in 1738, John experienced a transformative spiritual awakening on May 24 at a Moravian meeting in Aldersgate Street, London, later recording in his journal that his "heart was strangely warmed" as he felt assured of God's pardoning love through faith. This event, paralleling Charles's similar assurance days earlier, shifted Wesley's focus from external discipline to experiential justification by faith alone, drawing from Reformation emphases in Martin Luther's writings read aloud that evening.^[10]^[11] By 1739, George Whitefield, an Oxford contemporary ordained in the Church of England and influenced by the Holy Club, pioneered open-air preaching after church doors closed to his Calvinist-leaning revivals, attracting crowds of thousands in fields and streets starting April 27 in London. Whitefield urged John Wesley to adopt this approach, leading Wesley to deliver his first outdoor sermon on April 2, 1739, to colliers in Bristol's Kingswood district, where he addressed unchurchgoing miners with messages of repentance and grace. These field preachings bypassed Anglican structures, reaching industrial workers neglected by established parishes amid England's social upheavals.^[12]^[13]^[14] In response to growing followings, Wesley organized informal religious societies for mutual support, beginning in London, Bristol, and Kingswood, where members covenanted for regular class and band meetings focused on accountability, scriptural reflection, and practical holiness. These groups, numbering hundreds by 1740, emphasized "social holiness"—personal piety expressed in community—without initially seeking separation from Anglicanism, though tensions arose over lay preaching and evangelical fervor. Wesley's itinerant ministry, covering 250,000 miles on horseback over decades, systematized these origins into a structured movement by the 1740s.^[15]^[16]^[17]

Early Organizational Developments

Following initial field preaching and conversions, John Wesley organized adherents into structured societies to foster accountability and spiritual growth. In 1739, he acquired and converted an abandoned cannon foundry in Moorfields, London, into the first dedicated Methodist chapel, known as the Foundry, which served as a central hub for meetings and preaching.^[18] This venue facilitated the expansion of societies, with early groups like the Fetter Lane Society drawing Moravian influences for communal worship. To maintain discipline and support within societies, Wesley introduced smaller subgroups. Bands, voluntary intimate groups typically segregated by gender and marital status, emerged around 1738, modeled on Moravian practices to promote personal confession and renewal.^[19] Classes, larger mandatory units of about twelve members led by lay class leaders, were formalized on February 15, 1742, in Bristol, initially to collect weekly contributions for debt relief but evolving into forums for mutual encouragement and oversight of Christian living.^[20] Wesley increasingly relied on lay preachers to extend the movement's reach, authorizing figures like Thomas Maxfield after initial reluctance, as opposition from Anglican pulpits grew. These itinerant lay helpers were grouped into circuits, geographic territories covered by traveling preachers on horseback, mirroring Wesley's own extensive journeys of thousands of miles annually.^[21] The first Methodist conference convened on June 25, 1744, at the Foundry, attended by John and Charles Wesley alongside four other clergymen, totaling six participants. This gathering addressed doctrinal uniformity, preaching methods, and disciplinary rules, establishing a precedent for annual conferences as the movement's governing body under Wesley's presidency.^[22]

Expansion and Separation from Anglicanism

Methodism expanded across Britain in the mid-to-late 18th century through John Wesley's organization of local societies, class meetings, and itinerant preaching circuits, supplemented by open-air evangelism beginning in 1739.^[14] This structure enabled lay preachers to extend the movement into industrial and rural areas, including mining districts in Cornwall and Wales, where it gained traction amid social upheaval.^[14] By the time of Wesley's death on March 2, 1791, the movement included 294 preachers and 71,668 members in England, reflecting sustained growth from initial Oxford groups to a nationwide network.^[23] In the American colonies, Methodism arrived via Irish immigrants in the 1760s and expanded under preachers sent by Wesley, particularly Francis Asbury after 1771, who organized circuits amid the Revolutionary War's disruptions.^[24] The war's conclusion in 1783 severed formal ties with the Church of England, as Anglican clergy loyal to the Crown departed and no bishops remained for ordinations.^[24] In response, Wesley instructed Thomas Coke in a September 1784 letter to travel to America and ordain suitable leaders, bypassing Anglican hierarchy to ensure sacramental continuity.^[25] The pivotal Christmas Conference convened from December 24, 1784, to January 3, 1785, at Lovely Lane Chapel in Baltimore, attended by about 60 American preachers averaging 35 years old.^[24] Coke ordained Asbury as deacon, elder, and superintendent on consecutive days, with Asbury then elected by acclamation to lead; twelve lay preachers were also ordained as elders.^[24] This assembly formalized the Methodist Episcopal Church as an independent denomination, adopting Wesley's Sunday Service for liturgy and prohibiting slavery among members, thereby completing separation from Anglicanism in America.^[24]^[26] In Britain, Wesley maintained nominal allegiance to Anglicanism until his death, relying on lay preachers and occasional ordinations for overseas work, but the movement's parallel structures fostered practical autonomy.^[14] Following his passing, the Methodist Conference adopted the Plan of Pacification in 1795, authorizing preachers to administer sacraments independently, which constituted formal separation from the Church of England.^[27] This step resolved tensions over sacramental access and governance, allowing Methodism to consolidate as a distinct body while internal schisms, such as the formation of the New Connexion in 1797, soon emerged over democratic reforms.^[14]

19th-Century Missionary Growth

The Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society was formally established in October 1818 in Britain, unifying earlier district societies formed from 1813 to coordinate fundraising and deployment of personnel overseas.^[28]^[29] This organization built on sporadic 18th-century efforts, such as Thomas Coke's 1786 mission to Antigua and his 18 transatlantic voyages reaching 13 Caribbean islands, to systematize expansion amid growing evangelical fervor and imperial opportunities.^[29] In the United States, the Methodist Episcopal Church created its own missionary society in 1820, focusing initially on domestic frontiers but soon extending abroad.^[30] Early 19th-century missions targeted Africa prominently, with John Morgan arriving in Bathurst, Gambia, in 1821 to establish the first station amid competition from Islam and local traditions.^[31] Thomas Birch Freeman expanded Wesleyan work from the Gold Coast (modern Ghana) in the 1830s and 1840s to Togo, Dahomey (Benin), and Nigeria, pioneering inland evangelism and local preacher training that laid foundations for self-sustaining circuits.^[29] In South Africa, missions commenced in 1820, growing to include stations like those among the Xhosa and Zulu by mid-century, despite conflicts like the frontier wars.^[32] The U.S. society dispatched missionaries to Liberia in 1833, establishing churches among freed slaves, and to South America in 1835, targeting Portuguese- and Spanish-speaking regions.^[30] Asian outreach accelerated later in the century, with U.S. Methodists sending Judson Dwight Collins and Moses Clark White to China in 1847, leading to the Foochow Conference organized in 1867 with over 2,000 members by that year.^[30] British efforts reached India by the 1810s through Coke's planned (but unrealized due to his death en route in 1814) expedition, with formal stations established in Madras and elsewhere by the 1870s.^[30] Missions also extended to Australia from 1788 convicts' chapels, evolving into organized circuits by the 1820s, and to New Zealand via the English Wesleyan Mission in the 1820s.^[29] Funding surged, with British foreign mission contributions reaching £94,000 by 1846, reflecting broad lay support through auxiliary societies. By 1900, these efforts had planted Methodist communities across continents, emphasizing Bible translation, schools, and medical work—such as Dr. Porter Smith's 1864 hospital in China—while adapting to local cultures and facing setbacks from disease, wars, and colonial policies.^[29] Women's auxiliaries, formed in 1858, enabled female missionaries' deployment, enhancing educational outreach.^[29] This phase marked Methodism's transition from a chiefly Anglo-American movement to a global network, with circuits in Africa and Asia demonstrating indigenous leadership potential despite reliance on European and American personnel.^[30]^[29] ![Methodist Mission Church in Leliefontein, South Africa][float-right]

20th-Century Unifications and Challenges

In Britain, the major unification of Methodist denominations occurred in 1932, when the Wesleyan Methodist Church, the Primitive Methodist Church, and the United Methodist Church—itself a 1907 amalgamation of smaller groups including the Methodist New Connexion and Bible Christians—merged to form the Methodist Church of Great Britain.^[33] The Uniting Conference convened on September 20, 1932, at the Royal Albert Hall in London, adopting a Deed of Union that established a common doctrinal basis rooted in Wesleyan theology while preserving local circuits and conferences.^[33] This merger reduced fragmentation from 19th-century schisms over issues like lay representation and centralized authority, creating a unified body with approximately 800,000 members at the time.^[34] In the United States, reunification efforts culminated in 1939 with the formation of The Methodist Church through the merger of the Methodist Episcopal Church (northern branch), the Methodist Episcopal Church, South (southern branch, separated since 1844 over slavery), and the Methodist Protestant Church (which had split in 1828 over episcopal polity).^[35] The union, ratified on May 10, 1939, involved over 7 million members but compromised on racial integration by establishing the segregated Central Jurisdiction for African American conferences, reflecting prevailing Southern pressures despite northern advocacy for equality.^[36] A further merger in 1968 united The Methodist Church with the Evangelical United Brethren Church—a German-American pietist group formed in 1946—to create the United Methodist Church (UMC), formalized on April 23, 1968, at the General Conference in Dallas, Texas, with an initial membership exceeding 10 million.^[37] This union abolished the Central Jurisdiction and emphasized ecumenism, though it retained tensions over regional autonomy.^[38] These unifications faced immediate challenges from lingering doctrinal and social divisions. Theologically, Methodism grappled with the fundamentalist-modernist controversy, as liberal influences eroded emphasis on Wesleyan distinctives like entire sanctification and scriptural inerrancy, with 20th-century seminaries increasingly prioritizing social ethics over personal conversion.^[39] In the UMC, post-1968 doctrinal ambiguity—evident in declining adherence to the Articles of Religion—correlated with internal polarization, as conservative factions criticized bishops and agencies for advancing progressive causes like pacifism and economic redistribution at the expense of evangelism.^[40] Racial integration efforts, while progressive in intent, provoked backlash; the 1939 Central Jurisdiction institutionalized segregation until 1968, and subsequent desegregation led to white flight in southern conferences without fully resolving inequities.^[36] ^[41] Membership trends highlighted structural vulnerabilities. In the U.S., Methodism peaked at around 11 million in the late 1960s but began annual losses exceeding 1% by the 1970s, dropping to 9.7 million by 1978 amid cultural secularization and competition from evangelical alternatives.^[42] Globally, while African and Asian missions expanded—adding millions through indigenous leadership—the Western core stagnated, with British Methodism falling from 800,000 in 1932 to under 300,000 by century's end due to aging demographics and urban decline.^[43] Ecumenical engagements, such as the World Methodist Council's promotion of dialogues with Anglicans and Lutherans, yielded limited mergers but strained resources amid debates over sacramental practices.^[44] These pressures underscored causal links between theological drift and institutional erosion, as empirical data showed conservative Methodist bodies retaining vitality where orthodoxy prevailed.^[40] ^[42]

Recent Schisms and Demographic Shifts

In the early 2020s, the United Methodist Church (UMC) experienced a major schism primarily over disagreements regarding human sexuality, culminating in the formation of the Global Methodist Church (GMC) on May 1, 2022, by congregations adhering to traditional Wesleyan orthodoxy. This division arose from decades of tension, intensified after the UMC's 2019 General Conference reinforced prohibitions on ordaining "self-avowed practicing homosexuals" and performing same-sex unions, measures rooted in the denomination's longstanding affirmation that the practice of homosexuality is "incompatible with Christian teaching" since 1972. By June 2023, over 5,800 U.S. congregations had disaffiliated from the UMC under Paragraph 2553 of the Book of Discipline, which allowed exits with property retention until the end of 2023 amid the COVID-19 pandemic and internal strife, representing roughly one-quarter of U.S. UMC churches. The GMC, emphasizing fidelity to Scripture and the historic Methodist emphasis on personal holiness, attracted these departing groups seeking to preserve doctrinal standards against what traditionalists viewed as progressive erosion influenced by Western cultural shifts. The schism deepened in May 2024 when the UMC General Conference, with reduced conservative participation due to prior exits, voted to remove bans on LGBTQ+ clergy and same-sex marriages, shifting toward regional autonomy on such matters. This prompted further departures, including potential alignments by African conferences, where leaders have consistently upheld biblical prohibitions on homosexual practice as incompatible with African cultural and theological contexts. For instance, the United Methodist Africa Forum denounced the UMC's liberalization in 2023, affirming that African Methodism rejects endorsements of homosexuality. Related bodies like the African Methodist Episcopal Church reaffirmed their bans on same-sex marriage in September 2024, underscoring a broader resistance among Methodist groups with strong African ties. Demographically, U.S. UMC membership plummeted from approximately 6.9 million in 2010 to about 5.7 million by 2022, with accelerated declines of 8.8% from 2020 to 2021, 5.1% from 2021 to 2022, and 9.1% from 2022 to 2023, largely attributable to disaffiliations rather than secularization alone. Globally, while the UMC reported over 12 million members as of recent years, with non-U.S. growth offsetting Western losses, the center of gravity has shifted southward; African UMC membership expanded significantly, prompting celebrations by bishops in September 2025 of new episcopal areas and central conferences amid vows to maintain unity on core doctrines. However, this growth faces risks from ongoing theological rifts, as evidenced by the GMC's establishment of six national conferences in the Democratic Republic of Congo by early 2025, drawing traditionalist African Methodists wary of UMC regionalization proposals that could formalize doctrinal divergence. These shifts reflect a pattern wherein conservative, biblically literalist adherence correlates with vitality in the Global South, contrasting with progressive adaptations linked to stagnation or decline in North America and Europe.

Theology and Doctrine

Core Wesleyan Principles

Wesleyan theology, as articulated by John Wesley in the 18th century, emphasizes a synergistic understanding of salvation where human free will cooperates with divine grace, rejecting strict predestination in favor of universal atonement available to all. Central to this is prevenient grace, which Wesley described as God's antecedent action restoring the capacity for moral choice to all humans affected by original sin, enabling them to respond freely to the gospel without necessitating irresistible grace.^[45]^[46] This grace precedes conscious faith, countering total depravity by illuminating conscience and inclining the will toward God, as Wesley argued in sermons like "On Working Out Our Own Salvation" published in 1785.^[47] Justification follows as an instantaneous act of pardon through faith alone, whereby the believer is reckoned righteous in Christ, often accompanied by a witness of the Spirit assuring personal salvation—a doctrine Wesley stressed as experiential evidence rather than mere intellectual assent.^[48] Sanctification then proceeds as a lifelong process of growth in grace, empowered by the Holy Spirit, aiming toward entire sanctification or Christian perfection, defined by Wesley in his 1741 sermon "The Circumcision of the Heart" as the full cleansing of the heart from willful sin and the perfection of love for God and neighbor.^[49] This perfection, attainable in this life according to Wesley's 1767 treatise A Plain Account of Christian Perfection, involves no sinless impeccability but a state of holy tempers where inbred sin is eradicated, fostering ongoing reliance on grace.^[50] Wesley integrated these soteriological elements with practical divinity, insisting on "social holiness" where personal piety manifests in communal accountability and good works, as outlined in his General Rules of 1743 for Methodist societies: avoiding evil, doing good, and attending the means of grace such as prayer, scripture, and sacraments.^[51] Theological authority in Wesleyan thought prioritizes Scripture as the sole rule of faith, with tradition (early church fathers and Anglican formularies), reason (logical coherence), and experience (verified spiritual fruits) serving interpretive roles, a framework later formalized as the Wesleyan Quadrilateral though not termed as such by Wesley himself.^[52] This approach underscores Wesley's Arminian orientation, affirming unlimited atonement and conditional perseverance, as evidenced in his Explanatory Notes Upon the New Testament (1755).^[53]

Soteriology and the Order of Salvation

Methodist soteriology, as articulated by John Wesley, posits salvation as an act of divine grace extended to all humanity, enabling free response through faith rather than irresistible predestination. This framework rejects the Calvinist doctrine of total depravity in its strongest form, instead affirming that God's grace universally mitigates the effects of original sin, restoring human capacity for moral choice. Wesley's understanding, drawn from his Arminian influences and scriptural exegesis, emphasizes salvation not as a singular event but as a dynamic process culminating in holiness of heart and life.^[45]^[54] Central to this is the concept of prevenient grace, which Wesley described as God's initiating work that precedes any human effort, awakening conscience and inclining the will toward repentance without coercing assent. In his sermon "The Scripture Way of Salvation" (1765), Wesley outlined how this grace operates prior to conscious faith, countering human bondage to sin by enabling all persons—regardless of background—to respond to the gospel call. This universal provision underscores Methodism's optimistic anthropology, where grace "goes before" to prevent wholesale rejection of divine overtures, differing from Reformed views that limit efficacious grace to the elect.^[45]^[55] The order of salvation (ordo salutis) proceeds from prevenient grace to repentance and justifying faith, wherein forgiveness of sins occurs instantaneously upon belief in Christ's atoning work. Justification, Wesley taught, imputes Christ's righteousness and effects the new birth, marking initial sanctification as a rebirth into spiritual life. This aligns with Article IX of Wesley's Articles of Religion (1784), which declares justification by faith alone, excluding human merit, yet Wesley integrated it with experiential assurance—inner witness of the Holy Spirit confirming pardon.^[56]^[57]^[54] Subsequent to justification lies sanctification, a lifelong growth in grace toward entire sanctification, or Christian perfection, where the heart is cleansed from willful sin and perfected in love for God and neighbor. Wesley distinguished initial sanctification (at new birth), progressive sanctification (through disciplines and means of grace), and entire sanctification (a second work of grace attainable in this life, not sinless impeccability but freedom from inward sin dominating the will). He insisted faith remains the sole condition, as in justification, rejecting works-righteousness while urging evidential holiness as fruit of salvation.^[54]^[45]^[58] The process culminates in glorification at death or Christ's return, where believers are fully conformed to Christ's image, freed from all sin's remnants. Assurance of salvation, attainable through Scripture, reason, and spiritual experience, motivates perseverance, though Wesley allowed for the possibility of apostasy, emphasizing ongoing reliance on grace. This holistic soteriology integrates personal transformation with social holiness, influencing Methodist emphasis on practical piety.^[57]^[55]^[54]

Sacraments and Means of Grace

In Methodist theology, two sacraments are recognized as divinely instituted by Jesus Christ: baptism and Holy Communion, also known as the Lord's Supper or Eucharist.^[59] These sacraments serve as outward and visible signs of inward and spiritual grace, functioning as assured channels through which God's grace is conveyed to believers.^[60] John Wesley, drawing from Anglican tradition, defined a sacrament as "an outward sign of a inward grace, and a means whereby we receive the same," emphasizing their role in both signifying and effecting grace.^[61] Baptism marks the initiation into the Christian covenant community, symbolizing cleansing from sin and new birth in Christ, available to infants and adults alike.^[59] Holy Communion, observed frequently, reenacts Christ's sacrificial death and invites participants to partake of his real spiritual presence, fostering union with God and fellow believers while nourishing faith and combating sin.^[62] Wesley insisted that sacraments are not mere memorials but efficacious means where grace is objectively offered, contingent upon the recipient's faith and disposition.^[61] Beyond sacraments, Methodist doctrine encompasses a broader category of "means of grace," defined by Wesley in his 1746 sermon as "outward signs, words, or actions, ordained of God, and appointed for this end, to be the ordinary channels whereby he might convey to men, preventing, justifying, or sanctifying grace."^[63] These include instituted practices such as public and private prayer, searching the Scriptures, the Lord's Supper, fasting or abstinence, and Christian fellowship or conference, which Wesley urged believers to pursue diligently rather than awaiting grace passively.^[64] Such engagement, Wesley argued, aligns with God's design to strengthen faith and advance holiness, rejecting both neglect of these means and superstitious reliance upon them apart from faith.^[63] While sacraments hold a privileged status as directly commanded by Christ, all means of grace operate as instruments of prevenient, justifying, and sanctifying grace in the Wesleyan ordo salutis.^[64]

Sources of Authority and Ethical Framework

In Methodism, the primary source of authority is the Holy Bible, regarded as the foundational and supreme rule of faith and practice, containing all things necessary for salvation. John Wesley, Methodism's founder, affirmed in his sermons and writings that Scripture provides the ultimate standard against which all doctrines and actions must be tested, stating that no doctrine can be true if it contradicts the Bible. While Wesley did not explicitly formulate the "Wesleyan Quadrilateral," this interpretive framework—comprising Scripture, tradition, reason, and experience—reflects his methodological approach, with Scripture holding primacy over the other three as subordinate aids to understanding divine revelation.^[53]^[65] Tradition encompasses the historic witness of the Christian church, including creeds, councils, and patristic writings, which Wesley drew upon extensively in his Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament (1755) and Notes on the Old Testament (1765) to elucidate biblical texts. Reason involves logical analysis and empirical observation, enabling believers to apply scriptural principles coherently, as Wesley employed in defending doctrines like free will against predestination. Personal and communal experience, informed by the Holy Spirit's work, validates theological truths through the fruits of faith, such as assurance of pardon and growth in holiness, though always subordinate to Scripture to prevent subjective distortion. This quadrilateral structure, later articulated by theologian Albert Outler in the 20th century, underscores Methodism's Anglican roots while emphasizing experiential piety, but critiques note its potential to dilute scriptural authority if the other elements are elevated unduly.^[65]^[66] Methodist ethical framework derives principally from biblical commands, particularly the dual mandate to love God with all one's heart and neighbor as oneself (Matthew 22:37-40), integrated through the quadrilateral to promote personal and social holiness. Wesley's doctrine of Christian perfection—or entire sanctification—posits that believers, empowered by grace, can achieve freedom from willful sin and grow in love, informing ethical imperatives like opposition to slavery (as in Wesley's 1774 Thoughts on Slavery) and advocacy for temperance and education. Ethics emphasize prevenient grace enabling moral responsibility for all, rejecting determinism, and extend to social duties such as poverty alleviation and justice, yet remain anchored in scriptural accountability rather than autonomous human constructs. This framework prioritizes transformative grace over mere rule-keeping, fostering virtues like humility and compassion, while cautioning against antinomianism through disciplined obedience.^[3]^[67]

Worship, Sacraments, and Piety

Liturgical Forms and Prayer

Methodist liturgical forms originated with John Wesley's 1784 abridgment of the Anglican Book of Common Prayer, titled The Sunday Service of the Methodists, which supplied orders for public worship including Morning Prayer, Evening Prayer, the Litany, and Holy Communion services tailored for American Methodist circuits.^[68] This adaptation excised elements deemed non-essential, such as certain feasts and fasts, while preserving core structures like collects, psalms, and creeds to maintain continuity with Anglican heritage amid separation from the Church of England.^[69] Wesley's revisions emphasized simplicity and accessibility for lay preachers and itinerant ministry, subordinating ritual to scriptural proclamation and personal conversion.^[70] Subsequent Methodist bodies refined these forms through denominational service books, blending fixed liturgy with evangelical flexibility. In the United Methodist Church, the Book of Worship (1992) structures Sunday services around a fourfold pattern: gathering with opening prayers and hymns; proclaiming the Word via scripture and sermon; responding through offering, confession, and intercessions; and sending with benediction.^[71] British Methodism's Methodist Worship Book (1999) similarly integrates authorized prayers, responsive readings, and seasonal collects, drawing from Wesley's precedents while allowing local adaptations.^[72] Hymns, often composed by Charles Wesley with over 6,000 published between 1736 and 1788, function as doctrinal prayers and confessions, sung congregationally to unify theology and devotion.^[73] Prayer practices in Methodism stress both corporate structure and individual spontaneity, rooted in Wesley's directives for daily offices and communal accountability. Early societies incorporated extemporaneous prayers in class meetings—weekly gatherings of 5–12 members for mutual exhortation and intercession—alongside liturgical forms to cultivate "heart religion."^[74] Personal disciplines included morning and evening prayers using adapted prayer book devotions, family altars for household petitions, and love feasts for informal prayer sharing, practices that persisted into the 19th century despite frontier improvisations.^[75] Modern Methodist prayer maintains this duality, with services featuring the Lord's Prayer in traditional form and opportunities for free prayers, prioritizing efficacy through faith over ceremonial precision.^[76]

Administration of Sacraments

Methodist churches recognize two sacraments instituted by Christ: baptism and the Lord's Supper, both understood as outward and visible signs through which divine grace is ordinarily conveyed to believers.^[59] These sacraments align with John Wesley's doctrine of the means of grace, defined as "outward signs, words, or actions, ordained of God" to strengthen faith and foster spiritual growth.^[63] Administration is typically reserved for ordained elders, emphasizing apostolic succession in the episcopal tradition of most Methodist bodies, such as the United Methodist Church (UMC), where bishops ordain elders specifically for sacramental ministry.^[77] Baptism signifies initiation into the covenant community and the rejection of sin, available to infants and adults alike, reflecting Wesley's affirmation of infant baptism as a conveyance of prevenient grace while requiring personal faith for adults.^[78] The rite employs water applied by sprinkling, pouring, or immersion, with the Trinitarian formula, and is performed once only; Methodist denominations recognize valid baptisms from other Christian traditions that use water in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.^[79]^[80] Parents or sponsors profess faith on behalf of infants, committing to their Christian nurture, a practice rooted in early Methodist circuits where baptism occurred in Anglican parishes before full separation in 1784.^[81] The Lord's Supper, or Holy Communion, commemorates Christ's sacrificial death and affirms his real spiritual presence, serving as a means of grace that nourishes believers toward sanctification without implying transubstantiation.^[61] Wesley advocated frequent reception—ideally weekly—as essential for discipleship, though contemporary practice in many congregations, such as UMC churches, occurs monthly on the first Sunday or during special services.^[82]^[83] Elements include unleavened bread or wafers and unfermented grape juice, reflecting Methodist temperance commitments formalized in the 19th century; distribution involves intinction or separate elements passed by clergy or ushers to communicants at the rail or in pews.^[84] Eligibility follows an open-table policy in bodies like the UMC, inviting all persons regardless of membership or baptism status, underscoring grace extended to seekers, though early Methodist societies restricted access to those holding class meeting tickets evidencing repentance.^[85]

Personal and Communal Disciplines

In Methodism, personal and communal disciplines form the core practices through which adherents pursue holiness and experience the means of grace, as articulated by John Wesley in his sermons and organizational rules. These disciplines encompass works of piety—devotional acts fostering inward spiritual growth—and works of mercy—outward acts addressing human needs—categorized as instituted means (such as prayer and sacraments) and prudential means (contextual practices like class meetings). Wesley emphasized their necessity for salvation's full realization, warning that neglecting them hinders grace's conveyance, as detailed in his Sermon 16 on the means of grace.^[64]^[86] Personal disciplines, primarily individual works of piety, include daily reading, meditation, and study of Scripture to discern God's will; private and family prayer for communion with the divine; fasting or abstinence to discipline the body and heighten spiritual sensitivity; and regular self-examination through journaling or reflection to confess sins and track progress in holiness. Wesley prescribed these as habitual, integrating them with healthy living—such as moderation in diet and exercise—to counteract bodily excesses that impede grace. He viewed fasting, for instance, not as meritorious but as a biblically mandated aid to prayer, practiced on Wednesdays and Fridays in early Methodist societies. These practices align with Wesley's General Rules of 1743, which mandate "attending upon all the ordinances of God," including private devotionals to sustain faith amid worldly distractions.^[87]^[88]^[89] Communal disciplines extend works of piety through collective worship, the Lord's Supper as a primary sacrament for grace's assurance, and Christian conferencing—mutual exhortation in small groups. Central to this is the class meeting, instituted by Wesley in 1742 in Bristol to manage society debts and foster accountability; groups of 12-15 members met weekly under a lay leader to confess faults, share struggles, and encourage adherence to the faith, evolving from financial necessity into a engine of spiritual formation. Smaller band societies, typically same-sex and voluntary, emphasized deeper vulnerability and mutual support for overcoming specific sins. Works of mercy in community involve organized relief—visiting the imprisoned, feeding the hungry, and advocating against injustice—as Wesley's societies did through soup kitchens and debt relief in 18th-century England, embodying the rule to "do good to all." These structures ensured disciplines were not solitary but interdependent, with leaders reporting to circuits for oversight.^[90]^[91]^[64]

Governance and Organization

Connectional Polity and Conferences

Connectional polity in Methodism refers to a governance system emphasizing the interconnection of local churches within a broader denominational network, fostering mutual accountability, resource sharing, and collective decision-making rather than congregational independence or strict episcopal rule. This structure traces its origins to John Wesley, who organized early Methodist societies into circuits and convened the first conference in 1744 to deliberate on doctrine, preaching methods, and discipline, establishing a pattern of conferencing as a means for unified oversight.^[92] By 1784, the Christmas Conference in Baltimore formalized this into the Methodist Episcopal Church, appointing superintendents (later bishops) and embedding connectionalism as a core principle for maintaining doctrinal consistency and missionary expansion.^[93] In the United Methodist Church (UMC), the largest Methodist body with over 12 million members globally as of 2020, connectional polity operates through a tiered conference system that integrates clergy and laity in governance. The charge conference serves as the foundational unit, overseeing a single church or pastoral charge and handling local matters like membership and property under the guidance of the pastor-in-charge.^[94] Annual conferences, typically organized by geographic regions, comprise clergy members and equal lay delegates who meet yearly to appoint pastors, approve budgets, and address regional ministries; for instance, the Dakotas Annual Conference includes clergy and laity from multiple districts.^[95] Higher levels include jurisdictional conferences in the United States, which coordinate five regional bodies and elect bishops every four years, and central conferences outside the U.S., adapting policies to local contexts while upholding global standards.^[96] The General Conference stands as the supreme legislative authority, convening biennially (or as scheduled, such as the 2024 session delayed from 2020) with equal clergy and lay delegates from all annual conferences worldwide to amend the Book of Discipline, establish doctrines, and set administrative policies.^[97] This body, numbering around 1,000 delegates, requires a two-thirds vote for constitutional changes, ensuring broad consensus in a system designed to prevent fragmentation while allowing contextual flexibility.^[98] Bishops provide episcopal oversight but lack veto power, serving as symbols of unity and administrators within this connectional framework, a polity that distinguishes Methodism from both presbyterian and congregational models by prioritizing relational interdependence over centralized hierarchy or local autonomy.^[99] Similar connectional principles persist in other Methodist denominations, such as the African Methodist Episcopal Church and the Global Methodist Church, where annual conferences facilitate clergy deployment and doctrinal alignment, though adaptations reflect historical schisms and regional needs.^[100] This polity has enabled Methodism's global spread, with conferences adapting to cultural variances while preserving Wesley's emphasis on accountable discipleship through structured communal discernment.^[101]

Clergy Orders and Laity Involvement

In early Methodism, John Wesley relied heavily on lay preachers to disseminate the movement's teachings, as he organized societies with class leaders—lay members tasked with prayer, Bible reading, and organization but initially barred from preaching—while authorizing select unordained individuals to proclaim the gospel in open-air settings and societies.^[102]^[103] By 1769, Wesley dispatched lay preachers Richard Boardman and Joseph Pilmore to the American colonies to bolster Methodist work, reflecting the tradition's emphasis on accessible evangelism over formal clerical hierarchies.^[104] This lay involvement persisted amid resistance from Anglican authorities, culminating in Wesley's 1784 ordinations of elders Thomas Coke and Francis Asbury for America to administer sacraments, as the Church of England withheld such authorization for Methodist adherents.^[105] Contemporary Methodist polity, particularly in bodies like the United Methodist Church, maintains two primary clergy orders: deacons and elders, both ordained by bishops following candidacy, education, and examination processes. Deacons are commissioned for lifelong ministries of word, service, compassion, and justice, often bridging church and world through diaconal roles without full sacramental authority.^[106]^[107] Elders, by contrast, receive full ordination to preach, teach, provide pastoral care, administer sacraments like baptism and Holy Communion, and oversee church order, embodying the itinerant superintendency central to Wesleyan connectionalism where clergy appointments occur via episcopal oversight rather than congregational election.^[108]^[109] Bishops, elected from elder ranks for fixed terms, function as administrative symbols of unity, ordaining clergy and appointing elders to charges, though not forming a third order; this episcopal structure, adapted by Wesley from Anglican precedents, varies in non-episcopal branches like British Methodism, which employs presbyters without bishops.^[110] Laity participation integrates deeply into Methodist governance through connectional conferences, where lay members—elected proportionally alongside clergy—deliberate doctrine, budgets, and appointments at annual, jurisdictional, and general levels, ensuring shared authority beyond clerical dominion.^[111] Local churches feature lay leaders coordinating ministries, while certified lay ministers and servants extend preaching and pastoral duties in underserved areas, echoing Wesley's class meeting model for accountability and discipleship.^[112] This structure fosters laity as gospel advocates executing the Great Commission via service, witness, and partnership with clergy, with bodies like annual conference lay leader associations amplifying lay voices in policy formation.^[113]^[114]

Membership Standards and Discipline

Membership in Methodist societies originated with John Wesley's establishment of accountability structures in the 1740s, requiring participants to demonstrate evidence of a desire for salvation through adherence to basic Christian practices.^[115] The General Rules of 1743, formulated by Wesley, served as foundational guidelines: members were to "do no harm" by avoiding evil in word and action, "do good" through works of mercy and piety, and "attend upon the ordinances of God" including public worship, sacraments, Scripture reading, fasting, and class meetings for mutual support.^[116] These rules emphasized experiential faith over mere doctrinal assent, with quarterly tickets issued to affirm continued compliance, effectively functioning as early membership credentials.^[117] In contemporary Methodist denominations, such as the United Methodist Church (UMC), membership standards build on this Wesleyan heritage but formalize it through baptism and public profession of faith. Baptized members include infants and those baptized in other traditions, while professing members—typically youth and adults—must affirm vows renouncing sin and evil, accepting God's grace through the Holy Spirit, confessing Jesus Christ as Savior, pledging to serve in the church and world, and committing to uphold the church's mission via prayer, study, worship, service, and stewardship.^[118]^[119] These vows, rooted in Wesley's emphasis on personal holiness, require ongoing evidence of transformed living rather than nominal affiliation, distinguishing Methodist membership from mere attendance.^[120] Affiliate and associate statuses allow temporary ties for those maintaining primary membership elsewhere, but full professing membership entails voting rights and eligibility for leadership roles.^[121] Disciplinary processes enforce these standards, reflecting Methodism's covenantal view of the church as a community accountable to scriptural holiness. For laity, violations of vows or unchristian conduct—such as persistent immorality, neglect of means of grace, or disruption of church order—may lead to administrative review by pastoral staff or charge conferences, potentially resulting in withdrawal of membership after due process, including written accusations and opportunities for restoration.^[122] Clergy face stricter oversight under chargeable offenses outlined in denominational codes, including incompetence, immorality, doctrinal infidelity, or disobedience to church order; complaints trigger supervisory responses like mediation, suspension (up to 90 days initially), or trial by a judicial council, with penalties ranging from reprimand to involuntary termination.^[123]^[124] In the Methodist Church of Great Britain, similar procedures address complaints against members or officers via formal investigation and possible sanctions, prioritizing reconciliation where feasible.^[125] Enforcement has historically varied, with Wesley personally intervening to expel non-compliant members from societies, underscoring discipline's role in preserving communal purity amid growth.^[126] Recent denominational splits, such as the UMC's 2023-2024 exits over inconsistent application of standards on sexual ethics, highlight tensions between stated rules and interpretive leniency in progressive-leaning bodies.^[127]

Global Presence

Europe and Origins

Methodism emerged in England during the early 18th century as a revivalist movement within the Church of England, initiated by John Wesley, an Anglican cleric.^[128] Wesley, born in 1703, collaborated with his brother Charles and others to promote disciplined Christian living and personal piety amid perceived spiritual decline in the established church.^[129] A key turning point occurred on May 24, 1738, when John Wesley experienced a profound spiritual assurance during a Moravian society meeting on Aldersgate Street in London, describing his "heart strangely warmed" and faith in Christ confirmed.^[16] This event catalyzed his evangelistic preaching, initially within Anglican parishes but soon extending to open-air fields due to opposition from church authorities.^[15] Wesley organized small groups known as societies and classes for mutual accountability and spiritual growth, establishing the first Methodist society in London around 1739.^[14] In that year, he acquired The Foundry in Moorfields, London, as a central meeting place for worship, preaching, and society administration, which served as an early prototype for Methodist chapels.^[17] By 1744, Wesley convened the first annual conference of preachers at The Foundry on June 25, formalizing leadership and doctrinal oversight among itinerant lay preachers organized into circuits across England.^[17] These structures emphasized Arminian theology, universal atonement, and "social holiness"—practical Christian duties like visiting the poor and opposing vice—distinguishing Methodism from stricter Calvinist influences.^[15] The movement spread rapidly in the British Isles, with Wesley undertaking extensive preaching tours totaling over 250,000 miles on horseback, establishing societies in Ireland by the 1740s and circuits in Scotland and Wales.^[14] George Whitefield, an early associate, contributed through charismatic open-air preaching, though theological divergences over predestination led to a split by 1741, with Whitefield favoring Calvinism.^[16] Methodism remained legally tied to Anglicanism during Wesley's lifetime, requiring members to attend parish churches, but practical separation grew through parallel structures.^[128] Continental Europe's adoption of Methodism occurred later and more modestly, influenced by British exports and migration rather than widespread indigenous revival.^[130] British Methodist outreach reached Scandinavia in the 19th century, starting with missions in Stockholm as extensions of English circuits, while in Germany and Eastern Europe, Pietist precedents facilitated small Methodist communities by the late 1800s.^[131] Finnish Methodist work began in Saint Petersburg in 1889, evolving into organized churches by 1909, though overall European growth relied heavily on self-evangelization by local converts and transatlantic ties rather than mass conversions.^[132]^[133] By Wesley's death in 1791, Methodism's European footprint centered in Britain, with limited but foundational extensions elsewhere shaping its global trajectory.^[129]

Americas

Methodism arrived in the American colonies in the mid-18th century through Irish immigrants converted by John Wesley and early preachers dispatched by him, including Philip Embury and Barbara Heck, who established the first society in New York in 1766.^[104] Francis Asbury, arriving in 1771, became the leading figure, organizing circuits and conferences amid the Revolutionary War, which necessitated separation from the Church of England.^[1] The Methodist Episcopal Church formed in 1784 at the Christmas Conference in Baltimore, marking organized independence, with rapid expansion via circuit riders reaching frontier areas and enslaved populations, growing from fewer than 5,000 members in 1784 to over 200,000 by 1810.^[104] Schisms shaped Methodist denominations in the US, including the African Methodist Episcopal Church founded in 1816 by Richard Allen in Philadelphia due to racial discrimination, and the Methodist Protestant Church in 1828 over lay representation.^[134] The slavery divide led to the Methodist Episcopal Church, South in 1844. Mergers culminated in the Methodist Church in 1939 and the United Methodist Church (UMC) in 1968, but recent disputes over sexuality prompted mass disaffiliations, with over 7,400 US congregations leaving by 2024, forming bodies like the Global Methodist Church.^[135] UMC US membership plummeted 22% in 2023 alone, losing 1.2 million to reach approximately 4.6 million, reflecting broader declines from 11 million in 1967.^[136] ^[137] In Canada, Methodism took root among Loyalist settlers in Upper Canada from the 1790s, with preachers like William Losee and circuit systems fostering growth to become the largest Protestant denomination by the late 19th century.^[138] Various groups, including Wesleyan Methodists and Episcopal Methodists, merged into the Methodist Church of Canada in 1874, which united with Presbyterians and Congregationalists to form the United Church of Canada in 1925, absorbing most Methodist congregations.^[138] Smaller bodies like the Free Methodist Church persist, but Methodism's influence largely resides within the United Church, which reports declining membership amid secularization.^[139] Methodism entered Latin America via Caribbean missions to enslaved Africans in Antigua in the 1760s, with formal expansion from the late 19th century through US and British missionaries establishing churches in Brazil (1870s), Mexico, and Argentina.^[140] Autonomous Methodist denominations grew, often aligned with the UMC, emphasizing social justice and education, though facing competition from Pentecostalism and political instability.^[141] By the early 21st century, Methodist presence includes about 500,000 adherents across the region, with stronger footholds in Brazil and Central America, supported by joint mission efforts among 40 churches as of 2025.^[142]

Africa

Methodism reached Africa in the early 19th century, initially through British settlers and soldiers in South Africa in 1806, with formal missionary work commencing in 1816 under Barnabas Shaw at the Cape.^[143] William Shaw expanded efforts in 1820, establishing missions beyond the Orange River.^[144] In West Africa, influences emerged earlier via figures like William Wadé Harris, who propagated Methodist-inspired evangelism in Côte d'Ivoire starting in 1914 after arriving from Liberia.^[145] Sub-Saharan missions from the United States began late in the 19th and early 20th centuries, excluding Liberia, with the United Brethren entering Nigeria in 1922, later integrating into the United Methodist Church (UMC) by 1980.^[146] The Methodist Church of Southern Africa (MCSA), encompassing Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, and Eswatini, reports approximately 2.6 million members as of recent World Methodist Council data.^[5] The UMC maintained around 6-7 million African members in 2022, contributing to its global presence before significant departures.^[147] Growth accelerated post-colonial independence, driven by indigenous leadership and evangelistic efforts, positioning Africa as a demographic stronghold for Methodism amid declines elsewhere.^[148] Doctrinal tensions have prompted schisms, particularly over Western UMC shifts toward affirming same-sex marriage and ordination of homosexual clergy. In 2024, Nigeria's conference resolved to exit with 1.8 million members based on 2022 figures, while Côte d'Ivoire's Methodists, numbering over 800,000 by 2019, departed earlier, reflecting conservative African stances prioritizing biblical prohibitions on homosexuality.^[149] ^[150] These exits, totaling over 1 million in some reports, underscore causal divergences: African conferences emphasize scriptural authority and traditional morality, contrasting with U.S.-led liberalizations that alienated traditionalists.^[151] Independent Methodist bodies, like the Methodist Church Ghana, continue growth through episcopal structures formalized in the late 1990s.^[152]

Asia and Oceania

Methodist missions extended to Asia in the early 19th century, with Thomas Coke's involvement in India marking an initial connection, followed by organized efforts from American and British societies.^[153] The Methodist Church in India, established through these missions, maintains 648,000 members across 2,460 congregations as of recent reports.^[5] In China, Methodism arrived in 1847 via missionaries Judson Dwight Collins and Moses Clark White in Foochow, though contemporary presence is constrained by governmental restrictions, limiting United Methodist activities primarily to recent initiatives in Southeast Asia and Mongolia.^[154] ^[155] Japan saw its first Methodist missionary in 1873, contributing significantly to the formation of the United Church of Christ in Japan, where Methodist traditions persist as a foundational stream.^[156] In Korea, R. S. Maclay initiated Methodist work in 1884, leading to the autonomous Korean Methodist Church by 1930, which now claims approximately 1.5 million members and emphasizes evangelism amid historical challenges like Japanese occupation and post-war reconstruction.^[154] ^[157] The Philippines hosts a robust United Methodist presence, stemming from early 20th-century missions, while Singapore's Methodist Church operates 46 congregations focused on regional outreach to Cambodia, China, Nepal, Thailand, and Vietnam.^[155] In Oceania, Methodism took root through British and Australian missionaries in the early 19th century, with Samuel Leigh establishing the first Wesleyan work in Australia in 1815.^[158] The Methodist Church of Australasia, unified in 1902, merged into the Uniting Church in Australia in 1977, incorporating Methodist structures alongside Presbyterian and Congregational elements; a conservative branch, the Wesleyan Methodist Church of Australia, persists separately since 1946, upholding traditional doctrines.^[159] New Zealand's Methodist Church, introduced via similar missionary channels, maintains active parishes and contributes to ecumenical dialogues, though membership has declined from historical peaks.^[160] Pacific Island nations exhibit strong Methodist adherence, particularly in Fiji, where the Methodist Church of Fiji and Rotuma, founded by British Wesleyan missionaries in 1835, represents 36.2 percent of the population and influences national life through social services.^[161] In Tonga, the Free Wesleyan Church, rooted in 1826 missions, dominates as the state-supported faith, blending Methodist polity with Polynesian customs. Samoa saw Methodist planting in the 1830s, though Congregationalism later prevailed; Methodist communities endure in cooperative ventures across Papua New Guinea, Tonga, and Samoa under Australasian oversight until the early 20th century.^[162] These Pacific expressions emphasize communal disciplines and missions, adapting Wesleyanism to indigenous contexts while facing modern secular pressures.

Controversies and Schisms

Historical Theological Disputes

The primary historical theological dispute within early Methodism centered on the compatibility of Calvinist predestination with Methodist evangelism, pitting John Wesley's Arminian emphasis on free will and universal atonement against George Whitefield's adherence to particular election and limited atonement.^[163]^[164] This "Free Grace" controversy erupted publicly in 1740 when Wesley published Free Grace, a sermon arguing that predestination undermines moral accountability and the universal offer of salvation, directly challenging Whitefield's Calvinist preaching during his American revival tours.^[165] Whitefield responded with open letters accusing Wesley of antinomianism, asserting that divine sovereignty in election ensures true assurance rather than fostering complacency, a view rooted in his exposure to Reformed theology at Oxford and through contacts like the Countess of Huntingdon.^[163]^[166] The rift deepened in 1741 upon Whitefield's return to England, where he preached at Kennington Common and found Methodist societies divided, with Wesley's brother Charles actively opposing Calvinist influences to preserve the movement's focus on universal prevenient grace enabling human response to the gospel.^[166] Personal tensions exacerbated the divide, as Whitefield had previously mediated family disputes among the Wesleys, but theological incompatibility led to separate circuits: Whitefield aligned with Calvinistic groups, including Howell Harris's Welsh Methodists, who formalized as the Calvinistic Methodist Church in 1811, while English Calvinists formed the Countess of Huntingdon's Connexion in 1768.^[163]^[167] Wesley convened the first Methodist Conference in 1744 to codify Arminian doctrines, excluding predestinarian views and affirming conditional election based on foreseen faith, which solidified Methodism's soteriological trajectory against Calvinist determinism.^[164] Subsequent disputes echoed these tensions, such as the 1770 Minutes controversy, where Wesley's conference statements on perfection and resisting sin "not by the power of the Holy Ghost, but by nature" provoked accusations of denying entire sanctification, prompting a brief schism among lay preachers like Thomas Maxwell who favored stricter Calvinist or antinomian interpretations.^[168] These conflicts, resolved through Wesley's authoritative clarifications emphasizing cooperative grace over irresistible decree, prevented total fragmentation but entrenched Methodism's rejection of five-point Calvinism, influencing its evangelistic practices and doctrinal standards into the 19th century.^[169]^[170] The debates underscored causal tensions between divine initiative and human agency, with empirical outcomes showing Arminian Methodism's broader appeal in fostering widespread revivals, as evidenced by its rapid societal penetration compared to more insular Calvinist offshoots.^[171]^[172]

Modern Divisions over Doctrine and Morality

In the early 21st century, the United Methodist Church (UMC) experienced deepening divisions over interpretations of biblical doctrine on human sexuality and marriage, culminating in widespread disaffiliations and the formation of the Global Methodist Church (GMC) on May 1, 2022.^[173] These tensions arose from long-standing UMC policies, codified in the Book of Discipline, that deemed the practice of homosexuality "incompatible with Christian teaching" and prohibited the ordination of "self-avowed practicing homosexuals" as clergy or the performance of same-sex unions by its ministers.^[174] Conservatives within the UMC argued that such stances aligned with scriptural authority and John Wesley's emphasis on personal holiness and repentance from sin, viewing progressive shifts as a departure from Methodist orthodoxy.^[175] The GMC emerged explicitly to preserve traditional Methodist theology, affirming marriage as between one man and one woman, upholding the authority of Scripture over cultural trends, and enforcing accountability for clergy adherence to these standards.^[173] By 2023, over 7,400 U.S. congregations—approximately one-fifth of UMC churches in the United States—had disaffiliated, often citing moral and doctrinal erosion as the primary catalyst, with financial exit costs totaling hundreds of millions of dollars under Paragraph 2553 of the Book of Discipline.^[176] Proponents of disaffiliation, including networks like the Wesleyan Covenant Association, contended that the UMC's progressive factions had prioritized institutional unity over fidelity to Wesleyan quadrilateral reasoning (Scripture, tradition, reason, experience), where experience was increasingly interpreted through secular lenses on sexuality.^[177] At the UMC's General Conference in April-May 2024, delegates voted by margins exceeding 90% to remove bans on ordaining LGBTQ+ clergy and officiating same-sex marriages, alongside excising references to homosexuality as incompatible with Scripture.^[178] This followed a decade of deferred decisions and regional opt-outs, but accelerated exits among remaining traditionalists, who viewed the changes as formalizing a theological liberalization incompatible with global Methodist heritage.^[179] In Africa, where UMC membership exceeds 12 million and constitutes about 30% of global delegates, resistance has been pronounced; conferences in nations like Nigeria and Zimbabwe have protested the revisions, with some leaders predicting mass departures to the GMC or independent bodies due to cultural and biblical commitments to traditional marriage and sexual ethics.^[180] Violence linked to these disputes erupted in Nigeria in late 2024, underscoring the moral stakes in regions where Western progressive policies clash with local understandings of sin and holiness.^[181] Broader moral divides persist over issues like abortion, where UMC policy opposes it except in cases of rape, incest, or life-threatening conditions but allows congregational discretion, leading to accusations of inconsistency from both pro-life conservatives and pro-choice progressives.^[174] The GMC, by contrast, mandates affirmation of the sanctity of life from conception, reflecting a stricter doctrinal enforcement.^[182] These fractures highlight a global Methodist landscape bifurcated between those prioritizing scriptural literalism and traditional morality versus those emphasizing inclusivity and contextual adaptation, with ongoing schisms likely as African and Asian conferences navigate post-2024 autonomy proposals.^[183]

Achievements in Reform and Missions

Methodists under John Wesley pioneered social reforms addressing 18th-century England's industrial and moral crises, emphasizing practical Christianity through acts of mercy. Wesley established free clinics dispensing medicine to the poor, treating thousands annually, and founded schools such as Kingswood School in 1748 for colliers' children, providing education otherwise unavailable to working-class youth.^[102] These initiatives stemmed from Wesley's conviction that faith required alleviating physical suffering, influencing broader philanthropic efforts. In prison reform, Wesley's regular visits to Newgate Prison from 1738 exposed systemic abuses, inspiring John Howard's 1777 State of Prisons report and subsequent legislative changes like the Penitentiary Act of 1779.^[184] Methodists advocated temperance early, with Wesley decrying alcohol's role in poverty and vice; by the 19th century, circuits promoted total abstinence societies, contributing to reduced gin consumption amid England's "gin epidemic."^[185] On slavery, Wesley's 1774 pamphlet Thoughts Upon Slavery condemned the trade as contrary to Christianity, urging boycotts and influencing abolitionists like William Wilberforce, though American Methodists initially tolerated slaveholding before stricter 1780 rules.^[186] Missionary endeavors expanded Methodism globally, beginning with Wesley's support for informal preachers abroad. The Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society, formalized in 1813 from district funds, dispatched agents to Ceylon in 1814 and Madras in 1815, establishing chapels and schools that educated thousands despite opposition.^[187] In America, Francis Asbury's circuits from 1771 covered vast frontiers, growing membership from 4,921 in 1784 to over 200,000 by 1810 through camp meetings that drew massive crowds for evangelism.^[188] African missions, starting in Sierra Leone in 1811, built self-sustaining communities and translated scriptures, fostering indigenous leadership by the 1820s.^[29] These efforts prioritized holistic mission—preaching, education, and healthcare—yielding enduring churches in colonies where European oversight waned.

Criticisms and Institutional Challenges

Methodism has faced criticisms for departing from its foundational emphasis on personal conversion, scriptural holiness, and experiential faith, with observers attributing institutional stagnation to a shift toward gradualism and cultural accommodation rather than transformative piety.^[189] This perceived erosion of Wesleyan orthodoxy, influenced by the adoption of biblical higher criticism in seminaries during the 19th and 20th centuries, has been cited as contributing to doctrinal ambiguity and weakened evangelistic fervor.^[189] Critics from within conservative Methodist circles argue that such trends prioritize institutional maintenance over Wesley's call to "spread scriptural holiness over the land," leading to a denomination described as "a mile wide and an inch deep" in spiritual depth.^[189] In the 19th century, Wesleyan Methodism encountered significant internal challenges during the Reform crisis of 1849–1856, where disputes over lay representation, democratic governance, and clerical authority resulted in the secession of approximately 100,000 members, fracturing the denomination's unity in Britain.^[190] These tensions highlighted early institutional vulnerabilities, including rigid hierarchical structures resistant to reform, which echoed broader criticisms of Methodism as overly authoritarian despite its evangelical roots.^[190] Modern institutional challenges are exemplified by the sharp decline in membership of the United Methodist Church (UMC), the largest Methodist body in the United States, which lost 1.2 million members in 2023 alone—a 22% drop and the most significant single-year loss recorded for any American denomination.^[136] This decline, accelerating from prior years (e.g., over 180,000 lost in 2021), stems from factors including aging congregations, bureaucratic inertia, and failure to enforce measurable standards for clergy effectiveness.^[191] ^[192] A major catalyst for recent disaffiliations has been doctrinal divisions over human sexuality, culminating in the UMC's 2024 removal of its 40-year ban on ordaining LGBTQ+ clergy and performing same-sex marriages, prompting traditionalist congregations to exit en masse.^[179] Between 2019 and 2023, roughly one-fourth of U.S. UMC churches—over 7,600 congregations—disaffiliated under a temporary provision tied to these disputes, often joining bodies like the Global Methodist Church that uphold traditional biblical standards on marriage and ordination.^[193] ^[194] Critics contend this schism reflects deeper institutional failures, including progressive theological drifts that alienate biblically conservative members, particularly from global conferences in Africa and Asia where Methodism remains more orthodox.^[44] Broader institutional critiques point to entrenched bureaucracy and vested interests—such as entrenched leadership and underperforming seminaries—that resist adaptation, exacerbating decline amid broader Protestant trends of secularization and competition from nondenominational churches.^[195] ^[196] These challenges have strained finances, with reduced apportionments funding denominational structures, and prompted calls for radical restructuring to prioritize mission over maintenance.

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In 1939, the Methodist Episcopal Church, the Methodist Episcopal Church, South and the Methodist Protestant Church reunited and formed the Methodist Church.
[36]
50 years on, Central Jurisdiction's shadow looms | ResourceUMC
It was an earlier 1939 merger that created The Methodist Church from the Methodist Episcopal Church, Methodist Episcopal Church South and Methodist Protestant ...
[37]
Formation of The United Methodist Church | UMC.org
On April 23, 1968, The United Methodist Church was created when Bishop Reuben H. Mueller, representing The Evangelical United Brethren Church, and Bishop Lloyd ...
[38]
Methodist History: The Uniting Conference of 1968 | UMC.org
Fifty years ago, at General Conference in Dallas, Texas, The United Methodist Church was formed. On April 23, 1968, the 10.3 million-member Methodist Church ...Missing: date | Show results with:date
[39]
Doctrinal Standards in American Methodism | UMC.org
At the beginning of the twentieth century, however, the waning force of doctrinal discipline and the decreasing influence of the Wesleyan theological heritage ...
[40]
Theological Liberalism and United Methodist Decline
Mar 22, 2022 · Today we have less than 6.9 million members, a loss of 3.8 million members. What has happened to us? The roots of our problem did not begin 30, ...
[41]
Segregationism and the Corruption of Methodist Discipline (or How ...
Jul 20, 2020 · The problems of our United Methodist Church are not of recent making, nor are they related, except tangentially, to human sexuality.
[42]
Fifty Years Since Methodism Grew in America - Juicy Ecumenism
Jan 28, 2015 · Although becoming an 11 million member church, losses increased initially to sometimes over 150,000 annually. Today United Methodism in the U.S. ...
[43]
Global United Methodist membership tops 12 million
The church's membership in Africa, Europe, and Asia grew from 3.5 million to 4.4 million in the five years ending in 2009, according to the United Methodist ...
[44]
Why the United Methodist Church is REALLY Splitting
Jan 21, 2021 · Why is the United Methodist Church REALLY splitting? Here is some big-picture history recently shared by UM Action Director John Lomperis.Missing: unifications | Show results with:unifications
[45]
A Wesleyan understanding of grace | ResourceUMC
As The Book of Discipline affirms, "While the grace of God is undivided, it precedes salvation as 'prevenient grace,' continues in 'justifying grace,' and is ...
[46]
John Wesley on Prevenient Grace | Holiness Today
Sep 1, 2020 · Justifying grace allows us to trust in Christ for our salvation. Sanctifying grace brings our salvation to its fullness—salvation from the power ...
[47]
Total Depravity and Prevenient Grace - Kenneth J. Collins | Free
Wesley teaches the total depravity of humans and the sovereign act of God in salvation. He uses prevenient grace in two distinct ways.
[48]
What is justifying grace? | GotQuestions.org
Mar 23, 2022 · Traditionally, justifying grace is listed as coming between prevenient grace and sanctifying grace in the order of salvation. The United ...<|control11|><|separator|>
[49]
A Wesleyan Account of Sanctifying Grace - Seedbed
Feb 15, 2024 · Justification is the work that God does for us; the new birth or initial sanctification is the work that God does in us. The God of holy love ...
[50]
Articles of Religion - The Wesleyan Church
But through Jesus Christ the prevenient grace of God makes possible what humans in self effort cannot do. It is bestowed freely upon all, enabling all who ...
[51]
Our Wesleyan Heritage | UMC.org
Wesley offered the early Methodists three General Rules to help us live out our faith. Do no harm is the first rule, followed by do good. The final rule is to ...Missing: core | Show results with:core
[52]
Glossary: Wesleyan Quadrilateral, the | UMC.org
The resulting four components or "sides" of the quadrilateral are (1) Scripture, (2) tradition, (3) reason, and (4) experience.
[53]
The Wesleyan Quadrilateral
Jan 24, 2022 · The Wesleyan Quadrilateral is a four-sided approach to Christian belief using Scripture, tradition, reason, and experience, with Scripture as ...
[54]
A Wesleyan Order of Salvation (Ordo Salutis) - Seedbed
Apr 18, 2024 · The Methodist tradition describes sanctification as three distinct movements of grace: (1) initial sanctification or the new birth, (2) the ...Missing: soteriology | Show results with:soteriology
[55]
Distinctive Wesleyan Emphases | UMC.org
While the grace of God is undivided, it precedes salvation as "prevenient grace," continues in "justifying grace," and is brought to fruition in "sanctifying ...Missing: ordo salutis<|separator|>
[56]
The Articles of Religion of the Methodist Church | UMC.org
When Methodism became a church, John Wesley provided a liturgy and a doctrinal statement, which contained twenty-four basic statements of belief.
[57]
The Order of Salvation in John Wesley's Theology - Dane's Place
According to Wesley, salvation from original sin begins with justification, continues in sanctification and ends with glorification.Missing: soteriology | Show results with:soteriology
[58]
Wesleyan – Ordo Salutis (Order of Salvation) - Kendell Healy
Mar 18, 2021 · Already stated, prevenient grace consists of that grace that comes before justification and sanctification. From this, then, the Wesleyan ...
[59]
United Methodist sacraments, rites and rituals | UMC.org
The United Methodist Church recognizes two sacraments: baptism and communion. Confirmation and confession are not sacraments.Open table for Communion · Renewing waters · Christian marriage
[60]
The Sacraments | Fumcsf
In the United Methodist tradition, sacraments are understood as "outward signs of inward grace." In other words, they are an assured "means" or avenue by which ...
[61]
Wesleyan Theology: The Sacraments as Means of Grace
For Wesley, a sacrament was the outward sign of God's gift of inward grace, to which Humans have the responsibility of outward response.
[62]
This Holy Mystery: A United Methodist… - Discipleship Ministries
Adopted by the 2004 General Conference, This Holy Mystery is the official interpretive statement of theology and practice. United Methodists share with many ...
[63]
The Means Of Grace - The Wesley Center Online: Sermon 16
By "means of grace" I understand outward signs, words, or actions, ordained of God, and appointed for this end, to be the ordinary channels whereby he might ...
[64]
The Wesleyan Means of Grace | UMC.org
John Wesley taught that God's grace is unearned and that we were not to be idle waiting to experience grace but we are to engage in the means of grace. The ...
[65]
Our four theological guidelines | UMC.org
Feb 19, 2020 · Presented to me as “The Wesleyan Quadrilateral,” it seemed like the device came from one of the founders of Methodism, John Wesley. It was ...
[66]
The Global Methodist Church and the Quadrilateral
Mar 21, 2023 · The Wesleyan Quadrilateral uses Scripture, tradition, reason, and experience in theological deliberation, as a fourfold locus of religious ...
[67]
Exploring the Ethical Implications of Wesley's Doctrine of Perfection
Nov 21, 2023 · This article will argue that Wesley's ethics, as found in his teaching and the work of the Methodist movement, are built on the view that the life of the ...
[68]
Horrors! John Wesley had a Prayer Book! - Positive Infinity
Oct 3, 2022 · Not only did Wesley have a very high opinion of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer, but in 1784 he prepared an abridged version of same for Methodist churches.
[69]
Prayer books - Ken Collins
The United Methodist Book of Worship: John Wesley adapted the Book of Common Prayer for the needs of American Methodists, but it was too cumbersome, and so ...
[70]
John Wesley's Liturgical Theology: His Sources, Unique ...
Wesley's incorporation of the traditional liturgical resources of the Church of England, specifically the Book of Common Prayer, and his own adaptation of ...
[71]
AN ORDER OF SUNDAY WORSHIP USING THE BASIC…
This order expands upon An Order of Sunday Worship Using the Basic Pattern on pages 3-5 of The United Methodist Hymnal in showing some of the variety that is ...
[72]
Methodist liturgies
Methodist liturgies include selected liturgies from the Methodist Worship Book, and newer liturgies. Examples include Holy Communion, Daily Prayer, and ...
[73]
Matthew Sigler ~ Knowing What We Have: A Look at the Methodist ...
Jul 17, 2014 · The use of liturgical forms, for Wesley, actually led to freedom in worship—a fact quickly lost on his American descendants. Indeed, American ...
[74]
Wesley's Method Part II: Frequent Prayer and the Daily Office
Oct 4, 2021 · John Wesley's Oxford Holy Club participated in frequent prayer or sometimes frequent worship, depending on the author describing it.
[75]
Commentary: American Methodist worship - FLUMC.org
May 14, 2009 · It describes the history of the rites and practices of the Methodist ... It also includes the history of family worship, the prayer meeting and ...<|separator|>
[76]
[PDF] With Reference to Historic Practice, The Methodist Worship Book ...
The thesis traces the history and the development of this pattern on through the use of the different service books, the latest of which is The. Methodist ...
[77]
Worship and Sacrament Resources - Discipleship Ministries
Apr 3, 2017 · And as The United Methodist Church recognizes two sacraments in which Christ himself participated, baptism and the Lord's Supper, we are called ...
[78]
Renewing waters: How United Methodists understand baptism
Oct 12, 2015 · In baptism, we reject sin and begin our journey as disciples of Jesus Christ. Learn more of what United Methodists teach about the ...
[79]
Sacraments - Haygood Memorial United Methodist Church
In the United Methodist Church, we offer two sacraments: Baptism and Holy Communion. ... Baptism may be administered by sprinkling, pouring, or full immersion.
[80]
FAQs about Baptism, Membership, and Salvation
Our church's position is expressed in the services of the Baptismal Covenant (especially Baptismal Covenant I) in The United Methodist Hymnal, 1989, and The ...
[81]
Infant baptism in The United Methodist Church | ResourceUMC
Jan 14, 2025 · United Methodists have long practiced baptism for both adults and infants. Infant baptism is an ancient and well-established practice rooted ...
[82]
How often do we have communion? | UMC.org
Aug 6, 2019 · Many churches celebrate communion once a month, often on the first Sunday. Communion is also part of other special worship services during the year.
[83]
A Wesleyan Practice of Holy Communion - Discipleship Ministries
Wesley believed regular and frequent participation in the Lord's Supper is essential to Christian discipleship because Christ commands it.<|control11|><|separator|>
[84]
God's grace: Presented/re-presented through the sacraments
Communion and baptism are sacraments where God's grace is present. Communion helps abide in God, while baptism brings us into the body of Christ. God is the ...
[85]
What do I need to know about communion in the UMC?
Jun 9, 2025 · Holy Communion in the UMC is an open table, meaning all are welcome. It signifies God's grace, forgiveness, and the unity of believers, ...Missing: frequency | Show results with:frequency
[86]
Means of Grace - The Wesley Works Digitization Project
Prudential means of grace include works of mercy—outward works to other's bodies and souls that convey God's mercy. Wesley's continual injunction to use the ...
[87]
Spiritual Disciplines & John Wesley | Here I Sit
Feb 3, 2015 · 1. Meditation. Listed as an essential for holiness, meditation made Wesley's list of necessary disciplines. · 2. Prayer. · 3. Fasting. · 4. Study.
[88]
How Keystone Habits Help Me Grow as a Spiritual Leader
Jul 5, 2017 · Wesley combined Spirit and discipline through regular habits of prayer, fasting, journaling, meditation, Bible reading and good works, both ...
[89]
Living faithfully: John Wesley's Three General Rules for a Christlike life
Do No Harm, Do Good, and Stay in Love with God — offer practical guidance for living faithfully, ...
[90]
What's the Class Meeting Got To Do With Mission?
Jun 16, 2017 · Class meetings were small groups of 12-15 members of a Methodist society who met weekly with their class leader. The leader was a mature ...Missing: communal | Show results with:communal
[91]
The Methodist Class Meeting for the 21st Century: The Foundation
Jul 30, 2010 · The class meeting was started in 1742 when a group of Methodists were trying to figure out how to pay off a building debt in Bristol.
[92]
Chapter XIII - In Conference with the Preachers
The first conference in 1744 considered what to teach, how to teach, and how to regulate doctrine, discipline, and practice.
[93]
Connectionalism in The United Methodist Church
The 1784 Christmas Conference in Baltimore birthed a connectional structure in the new Methodist Episcopal Church. Superintendents (later called bishops) ...<|separator|>
[94]
Book of Discipline: ¶ 246 ff. The Charge Conference | UMC.org
Within the pastoral charge the basic unit in the connectional system of The United Methodist Church is the charge conference. The charge conference shall ...
[95]
What is annual conference? | ResourceUMC
Apr 29, 2025 · In The United Methodist Church, “annual conference” refers to two related, but distinct entities: An organizational body: A geographic unit ...
[96]
02.0 - The United Methodist Connection - North AL
Our structure includes local churches, districts, annual conferences, jurisdictional conferences, central conferences (outside the United States), and a ...
[97]
How does the General Conference work? | UMC.org
Mar 27, 2024 · The General Conference, comprising delegates worldwide, determines UMC's policies, doctrines, and organizational structure every four years.
[98]
What is ... the General Conference? | ResourceUMC
The General Conference is the body that sets official policy and speaks as the entire denomination. What does General Conference do? As the highest legislative ...
[99]
The governance of the Methodist Church - Dalton and Tomich
Jun 30, 2020 · Thus, the Methodist polity is congregational – a network of interconnected gatherings for consultation and discernment. Within this structure, ...
[100]
Annual Conferences - Global Methodist Church
Each annual conference is led by a bishop and includes clergy and lay delegates who gather regularly to make decisions, encourage ministry collaboration, and ...Missing: polity | Show results with:polity
[101]
Connection - Discipleship Ministries
The United Methodist Church is a connectional denomination. The idea of connection is rooted in the movement led by John Wesley in England, beginning in 1739.
[102]
John Wesley: Father of Methodism
' The British Methodist Wesleyan Church came into being four years after Wesley's death by the Plan of Pacification in 1795 a plan agreed to by most parties.
[103]
Whither Mr. Wesley's Preachers? - Theology Everywhere
Jul 25, 2022 · John Wesley conceded that lay preachers were essential to the spiritual wellbeing of the people of his time and place. Let us do the same for ...Missing: organization | Show results with:organization
[104]
Roots (1736–1816) | UMC.org
To strengthen the Methodist work in the colonies, John Wesley sent two lay preachers, Richard Boardman and Joseph Pilmore, to America in 1769. Two years later, ...
[105]
[PDF] John Wesley's Ordinations for America in 1784 Calmly Reconsidered
He for a long time resisted Methodist services on Sunday morning because this would interfere with attendance by Methodists at their parish church. He did say ...
[106]
Deacons & Diaconal Ministers
Jun 17, 2025 · Deacons are clergy leaders who are called by God, authorized by the church and ordained by a bishop to a lifetime ministry of word, service, compassion and ...
[107]
Order of Deacons - NGUMC
Deacons are persons called by God, authorized by the church, and ordained by a bishop to a lifetime ministry of word, service, compassion, and justice.<|separator|>
[108]
Spirit empowered, church authorized: United Methodist ordination
Jan 29, 2016 · The United Methodist Church has two clergy orders, deacons and elders. Elders are ordained and authorized to serve the church in ministries of ...
[109]
[PDF] The Orderly Exchange of Ordained Ministers of Word and ...
Elders are authorized to preach and teach the Word, to provide pastoral care and counsel, to administer the sacraments, and to order the life of the church for ...
[110]
Understanding the Global Methodist Appointment Process for Clergy ...
Sep 8, 2025 · Bishops in the Global Methodist Church can appoint a clergy person as a supply pastor, transitional local pastor, deacon, or elder. There is ...
[111]
What lay members should know about annual conference
It's important for laity attending annual conference to view themselves as members of the conference, not as delegates. While the distinction may seem subtle, ...
[112]
Laity Ministry | ResourceUMC
Laity ministry involves non-clergy leaders fulfilling the Great Commission through service, with roles like lay servant, missioner, and certified lay minister.
[113]
The Role of Laity in The United Methodist Church
Jun 16, 2025 · Laity are called to be advocates of the gospel, carry out the Great Commission, share Christ's love, be examples, and partner with clergy in ...Missing: governance | Show results with:governance
[114]
Association of Annual Conference Lay Leaders
The purpose of the Association shall be to initiate strategies and policies to strengthen the presence and voice of laity in the United Methodist Church.
[115]
The General Rules - Discipleship Ministries
They were developed by John Wesley in 1743 as guidelines for membership in the Methodist societies. The Rules are a simple and concise description of basic ...
[116]
The General Rules of the Methodist Church | UMC.org
John Wesley advised early church members at class meetings and set guidelines for ways to be godly and work toward salvation.
[117]
[PDF] John-Wesley-General-Rules-and-Rules-of-Band-Societies.pdf
From 1741 discipline was exercised by renewing or withholding the quarterly ticket of membership, but something more was needed. This became apparent after ...
[118]
Book of Discipline 215 Definition of Membership | UMC.org
The membership of a local United Methodist church shall include all people who have been baptized and all people who have professed their faith.
[119]
Book of Discipline: ¶ 217. Membership Vows | UMC.org
Feb 21, 2025 · Membership vows include renouncing evil, accepting God's power, confessing Jesus, serving as Christ's representative, and participating in ...
[120]
The Meaning of Membership in The United Methodist Church
Membership is shaped Christian discipleship which requires intentional support and accountability for following and serving with Jesus Christ in the world.
[121]
Professing Membership: A Tale of Three Paragraphs (and a Judicial…
May 3, 2013 · The United Methodist Book of Discipline offers a consistent standard for the acts required to become a professing member.
[122]
¶ 915 DISCIPLINE AND RESTORATION OF LAY MEMBERS OF ...
Accusations of unchristian conduct or of a violation(s) of membership vows which are made against lay members must be in writing, dated, signed by the accuser(s) ...
[123]
Book of Discipline ¶ 341 Unauthorized Conduct | UMC.org
All clergy have the right to exercise and preserve their conscience when requested to perform any marriage, union, or blessing of any couple. 4. No pastor shall ...
[124]
Book of Discipline Complaint Process & Judicial Process
Suspension – The bishop may suspend the person from all clergy responsibilities, but not the appointment, for a period of up to ninety days. The clergy would ...
[125]
[PDF] COMPLAINTS & DISCIPLINE PROCEDURES : A guide for those ...
What is a complaint? A statement objecting to the words, acts or omissions of a member or office holder of the. Methodist Church and requesting that action.
[126]
[PDF] john wesley's use of church discipline
He said that at the beginning of Methodism the lack of discipline encouraged laxness and caused people to question whether God was behind the movement:
[127]
United Methodist Disciplines: Boundaries vs. Ideals
Jul 31, 2024 · Boundaries set limits of acceptable actions, while ideals set standards and goals for desired actions. Boundaries are yes/no, ideals are on a ...Missing: disciplinary | Show results with:disciplinary<|separator|>
[128]
1. Life of John Wesley and the origin of Methodism - Osteopedia
The Methodist movement was initiated by John Wesley during the first decades of the eighteenth century in England. He was first an Anglican pastor and later ...
[129]
History of the Methodist Church - Fairmont State University Library
May 5, 2023 · The Methodist Church was founded by John Wesley in 1738. Wesley was a religious reformer who believed that all people could achieve salvation only through ...Missing: definition key beliefs
[130]
A short history of The United Methodist Church in Europe | UMC.org
In Europe, the mission of The United Methodist Church and its predecessor bodies developed most strongly through migration between Europe and the U.S..
[131]
Our History - UMC Northern Europe
Methodism in Northern Europe & Eurasia: Methodist ministry in Scandinavia began in Stockholm as an outreach of British Methodism.
[132]
130 years of Methodism in Eurasia - UMC CSE -
The history of the Methodists in Eurasia began in the year 1889, when Finnish mission started its work in Saint-Petersburg. In 1909, Episcopal Methodist Church ...
[133]
European United Methodists emphasize connectionalism - UM News
Apr 12, 2022 · Methodism grew in Europe primarily through the efforts of Europeans, making the continent largely self-evangelized. • Connectionalism in Europe ...
[134]
Methodist Church in the United States - FamilySearch
Oct 27, 2024 · The history of Methodism in the United States dates back to the mid-18th century. Following the American Revolution, most of the Anglican ...History in the United States · Finding the Records · Correspond with or visit the...
[135]
3 Methodist Denominations: Core Commonalities & Big Differences
This article explains the Methodist religion and some of their bigger churches. You will learn about origins, beliefs, and what to expect at a Sunday service.<|separator|>
[136]
United Methodist Collapse? - Juicy Ecumenism
The United Methodist Church in the US lost 1.2 million members in 2023, or about 22 percent, the most that any denomination has ever lost in one year in ...
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https://www.facebook.com/ryanburgewrites/posts/in-1967-the-united-methodist-church-had-about-11m-members-in-2004-they-had-about/828245706452022/
[138]
Methodism | The Canadian Encyclopedia
Jan 18, 2010 · Methodism exercised its strongest influence in Upper Canada. Methodists were among the Loyalist founders and many more among "late Loyalists" ...Methodism · Influences · Religious Emphases · Methodist Commitment to...
[139]
Historical TImeline - The Free Methodist Church in Canada
The Free Methodist Church in Canada is granted status as a General Conference, meeting for the first time as such on August 6. 1993. Bishop Gary Walsh is ...
[140]
Methodism has history in Latin America, Caribbean - UMC.org
The first Methodist congregation established outside of England and Ireland was in the Caribbean and its members were slaves.
[141]
Daniel Bruno: The Challenges for Methodism in Latin America in ...
Aug 17, 2022 · Argentine Methodist scholar Daniel Bruno describes how Latin America's unique political and economic pressures affect Methodism.
[142]
Methodists across Americas reimagine mission | UMNews.org
Aug 5, 2025 · Leaders from 40 Methodist churches and ecumenical organizations met to identify areas for joint work to strengthen mission in Latin America ...
[143]
African Methodism: South Africa - LibGuides at Drew University
Aug 13, 2025 · 1806: British soldiers brought Methodism to South Africa. 1816: Barnabas Shaw reached the Cape and launched the mission. 1820: William Shaw ( ...
[144]
Methodist Church of Southern Africa | World Council of Churches
Methodism arrived in South Africa with British soldiers in 1806 but the mission began in 1816. Missionaries ventured across the Orange River into ...
[145]
A brief history of Methodism in Côte d'Ivoire | UMNews.org
The United Methodist Church's roots in Côte d'Ivoire date back to 1914, when William Wadé Harris arrived in the country from neighboring Liberia.
[146]
A short history of The United Methodist Church in Africa | UMC.org
In sub-Saharan Africa, the Methodist mission from the U.S. began towards the end of the 19th and the early 20th century, with the exception of Liberia ( ...Missing: statistics | Show results with:statistics
[147]
One Million United Methodists Exit in One Day - Juicy Ecumenism
May 29, 2024 · In 2022, United Methodism reported nearly 7 million members in Africa, where the church often grows by several hundred thousand members annually ...
[148]
Africa and the Future of Methodism - Firebrand Magazine
Sep 21, 2021 · Faithful Methodist missionaries provided a basis for the growth of Christian faith in Africa, and along the way, Africans still longed for both ...Missing: demographics | Show results with:demographics
[149]
Another Half Million Reportedly Exit United Methodism
Jun 13, 2024 · 1.8 million church members in Africa have resolved to exit United Methodism, based on 2022 data, if the report of Nigeria's vote is accurate.
[150]
As Ivory Coast Methodists depart UMC over LGBTQ+ issues, Africa's ...
Jun 7, 2024 · By 2019, the church had 1,000 congregations with a total Methodist community of more than 800,000, far outstripping the UMC community. The U.S.- ...
[151]
1 million-plus Africans vote to leave UMC after liberal delegates ...
May 31, 2024 · Tooley, himself a UMC member, says there are another 4 to 7 million United Methodists on the African continent, where the vast majority of them ...
[152]
African Methodism: Ghana - LibGuides at Drew University
Aug 13, 2025 · 1999-2000: At the Methodist Conference held at Koforidua, articles of Episcopacy were signed and a Proclamation Service for the Episcopacy was ...Missing: growth facts
[153]
Methodism in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries
The two centuries following the death of John Wesley saw spread, splits, and reunions of the Methodist movement, and its development from a tiny group of ...
[154]
Asia - World Methodist Council
Republic of China, Methodist Church. Methodism was introduced into China in 1847 by Judson Dwight Collins and Moses Clark White in Foochow with the purpose of ...
[155]
A short history of The United Methodist Church in Asia | UMC.org
On the continent of Asia, the United Methodist presence has become limited to the Philippines and to recent missions in South-East Asia and Mongolia.
[156]
Methodist Mission in Japan: A historical perspective
May 25, 2011 · A mission story which began in 1873, the year the first Methodist missionary arrived in Japan. Methodism is a major stream in the United Church of Christ of ...
[157]
Toward a Regional Methodist Mission Approach in Southeast Asia
Aug 16, 2018 · The Korean Methodist Church, founded by American missionaries in the late 19th century and autonomous since 1930, has 1.5 million members in ...<|separator|>
[158]
Wesleyan Methodist Church, Australia - Museums Victoria Collections
The Wesleyan Methodist Church in Australia began with Reverend Samuel Leigh in 1815, later becoming part of the Uniting Church in 1977, and grew to almost 100 ...
[159]
About the Wesleyan Methodist Church of Australia
Jan 23, 2025 · The Wesleyan Methodist Church of Australia, formed in 1946, is rooted in John Wesley's desire to spread scriptural holiness, and is part of a ...
[160]
Te Hāhi Weteriana » The Methodist Church of New Zealand
Welcome to the home page of the Methodist Church of New Zealand Te Hāhi Weteriana o Aoteroa. Please explore our site and have a blessed day.Contact us · Resources · Methodist websites · On Being Methodist
[161]
METHODIST CHURCH IN FIJI - ABOUT US - Google Sites
The Methodist Church of Fiji and Rotuma is the largest Christian denomination in Fiji, with 36.2 percent of the total population.
[162]
Fijian and Tongan Methodism
Pacific islanders have made Christianity their own, including the Methodism introduced by British missionaries in the early nineteenth century.
[163]
Wesley Vs. Whitefield | Christian History Magazine
In 1736 John Wesley entrusted the newly ordained Whitefield with the oversight of the Oxford methodists, while he was away in Georgia. Whitefield soon soared to ...
[164]
[PDF] Wesley, Whitefield, and the 'Free Grace' Controversy
“The controversy between Whitefield and Wesley over predestination in the early. 1740s had a profound effect on the emergence and shape of both Methodism ...
[165]
Wesley, Whitefield, and the “Free Grace” Controversy: The Crucible ...
The paper explores John Wesley's formulation of Methodist evangelical Arminianism during the 'free grace' controversy with George Whitefield from 1739 to 1749.
[166]
Chapter XI - Two Sorts of Methodists - The Wesley Center Online
When Whitefield reached England, in March, 1741, and preached at Kennington Common, he was greatly distressed to find that his letters to Wesley had alienated ...<|separator|>
[167]
Cooperation, Conflict, and Controversy During the Early Years of the ...
Theological differences and a considerable element of personal rivalry were also at the centre of the conflict between the Wesleys and their old friend George ...
[168]
[PDF] 6. 'Calvinism' and 'arminianism' - The Methodist Church
The Calvinist consensus in the Church of England was challenged from the 16 0s onwards by Arminian theologians such as Richard Montague, later Bishop of ...
[169]
Are Methodists Arminians? - David F. Watson
Apr 15, 2020 · I often hear that Methodists are Arminians, rather than Calvinists. This is true, but only in a limited sense.
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Why We Believe in Arminianism Over Calvinism (Part 1)
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How Whitefield Defended the Truth - Reformation Bible College
Jul 26, 2018 · Methodism—the scene upon which the drama of Whitefield and Wesley's controversy played out—was a torpid movement characterized not by ...
[172]
The spiritual dangers of Calvinism and Arminianism - Ministry Matters
Jan 31, 2017 · The spiritual danger of Arminianism is in believing that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit is not sovereign enough, not powerful enough, to save all.Missing: controversies | Show results with:controversies
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Who We Are - Global Methodist Church
The Global Methodist Church aims to make disciples of Jesus, spread scriptural holiness, and multiply disciples globally, rooted in the Methodist tradition.
[174]
What is The United Methodist Church's position on homosexuality?
The United Methodist Church has a long history of differing views about homosexuality. Ask The UMC explains the current positions.<|separator|>
[175]
Seven Reasons to Align with the Global Methodist Church
Aug 4, 2022 · The GMC embraces, nurtures and proclaims evangelical Wesleyan Christianity. · The GMC practices a vigorous and grace-filled accountability to ...
[176]
United Methodists lose churches in schism over LGBTQ rights - PBS
Jul 6, 2023 · With these departures, progressives are expected to propose changing church law at the next General Conference in 2024 to allow for same-sex ...
[177]
Reasons for Affiliating with the Global Methodist Church
The Global Methodist Church was formed by people who want to see the GM Church committed to making disciples for Jesus Christ. They have served in leadership in ...
[178]
Historic shift LGBTQ inclusion United Methodist Church | UMC.org
May 15, 2024 · 93% of the delegates voted to lift long-standing bans on the ordination of LGBTQ+ clergy and the hosting of same-sex weddings by clergy and churches.
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May 2, 2024 · The United Methodist Church overturned its 40-year ban on gay clergy Wednesday, marking a historic shift in the church's stance on homosexuality.
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Africa Will Exit from United Methodism - Juicy Ecumenism
Sep 3, 2023 · Disaffiliation from the United Methodist Church is our best option, write the leaders of the independent Africa UMC Initiative.
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Violence in Nigeria tied to United Methodist Church over LGBTQ ...
Deadly violence in Nigeria tied to United Methodist Church schism over LGBTQ policies. December 18, 20241:13 AM ET. By. The Associated Press.
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What is the Global Methodist Church? | GotQuestions.org
Oct 25, 2022 · Formally launched in May of 2022, the Global Methodist Church is a Protestant denomination that separated from the United Methodist Church.
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Much of Africa Will Join Global Methodist Church - Juicy Ecumenism
Apr 16, 2021 · At least much of African United Methodism is likely to ultimately join the emerging Global Methodist Church rather than the liberalized post-separation UMC ( ...
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At the Roots of Methodism: Wesley fought for Prison Reform
Jan 25, 2012 · The appalling conditions of the prison system were a cause of great concern to Wesley, who was an inspiration to the movement for prison reform in the late 18 ...Missing: education | Show results with:education
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Social Justice and Revival - Armagh Methodist Circuit
In the 19th century Methodism identified itself with the 'total abstinence' temperance movement. This was at a time when 'social evils' such as poverty and ...Missing: contributions | Show results with:contributions
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Wesley, Wilberforce and the battle against slavery
'” (Genesis 4:10) (Thoughts on Slavery is available to read in full online.) In 2007, the year that marked the bicentenary of the Abolition of the Slave Trade ...
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Methodist Missionary Society archive
After the establishment in 1814 of missions on the island of Ceylon [Sri Lanka] the first Wesleyan Methodist mission in India was founded at Madras [Chennai] in ...Missing: achievements | Show results with:achievements
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History | Global Ministries
The first Methodist missionary society of the MEC, in the line that developed into the current Global Ministries, was founded in 1819. It was organized by a ...
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Methodism: How We Went Wrong - Firebrand Magazine
Oct 5, 2020 · Methodism's decline is attributed to shifting from conversion to "gradualism," eroding Wesleyan orthodoxy, and becoming "a mile wide and an ...
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The Wesleyan Reform Crisis in Mid-Victorian Oxford
May 20, 2025 · Between 1849 and 1856, the Reform controversy cost the Wesleyan Methodist denomination an estimated 100,000 members.
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Major Challenges Facing The United Methodist Church - Wesleyan
Jun 24, 2022 · The previous year, the decline was more than 180,000. At that rate, the UM Church will lose another million members in the U.S. by the end of ...
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The 'Wicked Problem' of The United Methodist Church
Sep 20, 2016 · For some the problem is theology. The denomination has strayed from its biblical roots, offering a blurred gospel with a bland or culture-bound ...
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One fourth of United Methodist churches in the US have left in a ...
Dec 15, 2023 · United Methodist churches had a five-year window to leave the denomination over disputes involving its bans on same-sex marriage and ...
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United Methodists Lose 1,800 Churches in Split Over LGBT Stance
Jan 24, 2023 · Update: Disaffiliations approved by UMC conferences now total more than 5,800 churches as of June 16, 2023. Nearly four years ago, ...
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The UMC and Institutional Decline: Opposition from Vested Interests
Sep 30, 2021 · Part of the reason for the decline of UMC institutions comes from the actions of four different (and largely distinct from one another) groups ...Missing: challenges | Show results with:challenges
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The Future of the United Methodist Church – Part III - Juicy Ecumenism
Mar 25, 2025 · The groups that today make up the United Methodist Church have for some time been trending more and more toward institutionalism, liberalism, and bureaucracy.