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United Methodist Church

2009-04-07T18:42:41Z

JCHodges83:

[[Image:United.jpg|thumb|right|300px| The cross and flame emblem is United Methodism's official symbol]]
The '''United Methodist Church''', (UMC) the largest [[Methodism|Methodist]] denomination, was formed from numerous mergers of American churches dating back to the 18th century. The Methodist Episcopal Church split North and South in 1844 over the slavery issue. They reunited in 1939 (and included the small Methodist Protestant Church) to form the "The Methodist Church (USA)." In 1968 it merged with the historically-German Evangelical United Brethren Church to form the United Methodist Church.

It is a part of the universal [[church]], a worldwide community of all true believers under the Lordship of Christ. The UMC is organized into conferences.

In the United States, it ranks as the second largest [[Protestantism|Protestant]] church (8 million and 1.5 million more worldwide).

[[John Wesley]] is honored as the founder of Methodism, and his sermons and bible commentaries are to form the basis of United Methodist doctrine according to the Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church.

==History==
The denomination grew rapidly in all parts of the U.S., especially the middle states. Methodism were about 4% of the population from 1830 to 1860; it peaked in 1925 at 6.5%. The decline accelerated after 1960, as more people died than joined. It had approximately equal appeal to blacks and whites,<ref> Most of the blacks belong to the [[Methodist Episcopal Church]] and the [[Methodist Episcopal Zion Church]], but there are large numbers affiliated with the United Methodist Church as well.</ref> and its missions were relatively successful among the many German and Scandinavian immigrants.
===Colonial Era===
The [[First Great Awakening]] was a series of religious revivals up and down the colonies, beginning in the 1720s. Different denominations took part, but none gained as many members as the newly founded Methodist sect, still considered a part of the Anglican Church. The most effective revivalist was Englishman [[George Whitefield]], who visited the colonies seven times and was largely responsible for the success of the [[First Great Awakening]].

Missionaries coming from Britain to New England in the mid- and late-18th century faced strong opposition from the established Congregational Church. Methodists held a conception of religion and its relationship to society that was fundamentally at odds with the views of the religious establishment. Beyond a struggle over religious authority, the struggle over Methodism also reveals deep-seated fears of community fragmentation and social disorder in the wake of the American Revolution.<ref> Eric Baldwin, "'The Devil Begins to Roar': Opposition to Early Methodists in New England." ''Church History'' 2006 75(1): 94-119 </ref>

The Methodists grew from a handful of preachers ministering to under 1,000 members when Francis Asbury arrived in America in 1771. At his death in 1816 he led a church with over 700 circuit riders and 200,000 formal members, and perhaps four times as many people who were more loosely-connected adherents.

===Second Great Awakening===
see also [[Methodist Episcopal Church, South]]
[[Image:US-church-1855.jpg|thumb|300px]]

The [[Second Great Awakening]] swept the frontier after 1800 with a series of revivals that made the Methodists the largest American denomination by the 1830s, with churches well distributed in every part of the country, including cities, rural areas and the frontier.

[[Image:Circuit.jpg|thumb|250px|the Circuit Rider]]

The key to growth was the revival--especially on the frontier but also in towns. Revivals , which brought together hundreds of men, women and children for several days of intense preaching, prayer, singing, soul-searching and socializing. Many became converted, and joined one of the local Methodist churches. Methodists expected revivals aimed at larger audiences to startle hearers into initial religious consciousness; they assumed the critical conversion from self to Christ would occur in private, only then to be followed by integration into the spiritual fellowship of the local, small-group, lay-led society.

Circuit riders proved to be economical and efficient agents to spread Methodism. These itinerant preachers were the first institutionalized response to the call for missionary work in the mid- to late 18th century. Circuit riders tended to be lay preachers who often lacked formal education and were young, poor, and single. Unlike the local preacher, the itinerant circuit rider was a full member of the Methodist annual conference. The circuit riders settled down in the late 19th century and the practice largely disappeared except in remote areas.<ref> Peter Feinman, "Itinerant Circuit-riding Minister: Warrior of Light in a Wilderness of Chaos." ''Methodist History'' 2006 45(1): 43-53 </ref>
[[Image:1819revival.jpg|thumb|left|300px|1819 frontier revival]]

Methodism and westward expansion grew simultaneously. Methodists shared similar values with the pioneers: self-reliant individualism, perfectibility, faith in progress, and a belief in [[Manifest Destiny]]. Methodism had less success in urban areas during the late 19th century, despite the work of evangelist Sam Jones. Urban workers did not see frontier-like individualism as a means to achieve success in the city. The complexity of urban life could not be addressed by the older ideals.<ref> Eric R. Crouse, "Methodist Encounters: Confronting the Western and Urban Frontiers of 19th-century America." ''Methodist History'' 2002 40(3): 157-167 </ref>

The Methodists developed distinctive religious and liturgical practices regarding regular" Sunday worship, various "special services" in the Methodist tradition (especially the "Love Feast", the "Watch Night Service", and the Quarterly Meeting), with adaptations of liturgies and practices related to sacraments and rites of passage, a lesser emphasis on the role of music, considerable emphasis on private and familial devotions, and a church architecture suitable for its budget and its style of worship.<ref>Tucker (2001)</ref>

===Women===
Schneider (1993) stresses the Victorian domestic ideology adopted by the Methodist women. That is, they made the ideology that defined women as "naturally" religious and sanctified the middle-class home a central part of their identity and practice. Methodism stood opposed to the intensely masculine "culture of honor" (with its deadly duels) that had previsously been rampant.

While all the ministers were men, most of the members were women. Working beside her father, Helenor Alter Davisson was a circuit rider of the Methodist Protestant Church in Jasper County, Indiana. She was ordained a minister in 1866, becoming the first female ordained in Methodism. Subsequent church conferences challenged the ordination of women. Illness confined her to her room by 1870, and she died there in 1876.<ref>Christopher M. Shoemaker, "A Small Work: the Story of Helenor Alter Davisson, Methodism's First Ordained Woman." ''Methodist History'' 2003 41(2): 3-11 </ref>
===German Americans===
Missions to the Germans in the U.S. added numerous members. Rev Wilhelm Nast, a German immigrant, was the main force in building the Methodist Church among other German-speaking immigrants during the 1830s-1880s. Nast emphasized the connection of Methodism to Reformed Lutheran theology, demonstrating the commonality of the essentials of salvation. He did go beyond Luther, in the Methodist tradition emphasizing sanctification. In 1844 he returned to Germany to explore the possibilities of evangelism and determined that the Methodists needed a permanent presence instead of relying on connections with revival movements. A formal missionary movement by the German Methodist Church began in Germany in 1849. In part this missionary movement was built on Nast's ability to make Methodism appealing to Germans from diverse denominations and his guidance to pastors on continuities and discontinuities of Methodism with continental theologies.<ref> W. Harrison Daniel, "Wilhelm Nast (1807-1899): Founder of German-speaking Methodism in America and Architect of the Methodist Episcopal Church Mission in Europe," ''Methodist History'' 2001 39(3): 154-166 </ref>

====Moral supervision====
[[Image:N-meth-1850.jpg|thumb|left|350px]]

The Methodists closely monitored the actual behavior of all their members through the "class meeting" every week. Typically twelve members met once a week to monitor how they were growing in inward spiritual experience. Their goal was to achieve "a mortifying self-knowledge" and "to replace a sense of the sporadic surveillance of the neighborhood with a sense of the omniscient eye of God"<ref> Schneider (1993) pp. 82, 115</ref>. This intense introspection was critical in moving from a traditional personality that feared external shame to a modern personality that was driven by guilt.

By the second half of the 19th century, the class meetings were forgotten and Methodist leaders viewed the novel as a threat to morals. Novels competed with religion for an audience and provided bad examples that could lead the impressionable reader to a life of crime or might distract the reader from contributing to the formation of a just society. Ministers had the duty of directing readers to more edifying literature by acting as book critics. They might also serve as book agents by selling uplifting books, such as those published by the Methodist Book Concern. In the early 20th century, some Methodist scholars came to believe that novels were necessary for faith: reading quality fiction enabled one to discover commendable values and learn how to engage the world. Radio and film would supersede the threat posed by the novel.<ref> Matthew T. Herbst, "'The Moral Hurt of Novel Reading': Methodism and American Fiction, 1865-1914." ''Methodist History'' 2006 44(4): 239-250 </ref>

[[Image:Ruin.jpg|thumb|350px|decline and fall caused by drink; 1840s]]
The Methodists aggressively campaigned against liquor before the Civil War turned their attention to slavery. From the 1870s to the 1920s the [[Prohibition]] movement enlisted enormous energy from dry ministers and laypeople, especially women.

===Modernizing the Methodists ===
Methodism was transformed in the mid-th century from a religion of poor people to one of middle class respectability. Enthusiastic groups, clustered in the Holiness Movement, broke away. The transformation is shown by the the change in roles of the presiding elder from 1792 through 1908, when the elder was redesignated district superintendent. No longer was the elder supposed to be an inspirational leader; now he was the business and administrative officer. The success of Methodism led to the formation of larger districts, and the number of administrative and managerial responsibilities of the local leaders increased dramatically.<ref>J. Dennis Williams, "From Presiding Elder to District Superintendent: the Development of an Office in Episcopal Methodism from 1792 to 1908," ''Methodist History 2002 40(4): 255-265</ref>

The transformation of Methodism in the 19th century from a religion of the 'unwashed' and uneducated to a denomination of respectability owed much to the denomination's embrace of education. Many of the frontier preachers in the Midwest prized education. Though late in supporting higher education, Methodists, by the mid-19th century, had established more colleges than all but one other denomination. Belief in the efficacy of Christian education for children also contributed to the prominence of education in Methodism.<ref>Douglas Montagna, "Education and the Refinement of 19th-century Methodism in the Midwest" ''Methodist History'' 2006 44(2): 94-104</ref>

The collapse of the institution of weekly class meetings in local churches in the late 19th century likewise shows how modernization worked. Class meetings, with a deep examination of the personal (mis)behavior of every member, were central to the frontier stage, but were phased out as Methodists moved to the city. The poor farmers who comprised early Methodism modernized themselves, moved to town, and used the moral standards and interpersonal skills they learned in church to make themselves middle class. Tensions over status arose, particularly when class members outranked their leaders in terms of wealth, education and social standing. Perhaps a mutual quest for perfection could have overcome this tension, but theological change, which emphasized the conversion experience as being absolute rather than a step on the road to perfection, eroded social bonds and lessened the importance of the class meeting. Methodism came to be perceived as a denomination with a major social role in uplifting the community, to the detriment of the class meeting. Expulsion from the meeting now meant excommunication from the church, a punishment that seemed unduly harsh. The worship service displaced the class meeting as the clergy became settled.<ref>Charles Edward Whites, "The Decline of the Class Meeting," ''Methodist History'' 2002 40(4): 207-215 </ref>

==Uplifting the youth==
As Methodism sought upwars social respectability in the mid 19th century, churches replaced the primitive emotionalism of camp meeting conversions with a more genteel, intellectual process that led incrementally to conversion. Children's literature published by the Sunday School Union taught the more respectable process of conversion, often through narratives of the lives - and deaths - of children. The Methodists were thus moving away from revivals and toward the notion of "Christian Nurture" (originally explored by Congregationalist Horace Bushnell) that showed that children were the future.<ref> David Sokol, "Portrayals of Childhood and Race in Sunday School Conversion Narratives, 1827-1852," ''Methodist History'' 2001 40(1): 3-16 </ref>

The Epworth League was established as a lay organization intended to keep adolescent boys in the church. While the Epworth League was ostensibly open to both men and women, its real aim was to masculinize a church that was perceived to be dominated by a female membership and female-led organizations. Christie (2006) explores when and how this construction of youthful piety became embedded within Methodism and the impact it had on the shape of church governance. Christie argues that social Christianity, which gained a foothold through the mechanism of the league, was an essentially male-gendered discourse.<ref> Nancy Christie, "Young Men and the Creation of Civic Christianity in Urban Methodist Churches, 1880-1914" ''Canadian Historical Association Journal'' 2006 17: 79-105 </ref>
===Politics===
Francis Asbury (1745-1816), one of the first Methodist bishops in America, had decreed that 'Our kingdom is not of this world,' but his views had been replaced on the eve of the Civil War with the notion that Methodists must participate wholeheartedly in the political process for the sake of the nation. Methodism played a part in developing sectional alienation in the years preceding the outbreak of the Civil War, as shown by the schism of 1844, when the [[Methodist Episcopal Church, South]] split away on the issue of allowing as bishop to own slaves. Voting studies indicate that before the Civil War the Methodists voted Democratic by small margins; by 1870 they were the core of the [[Republican Party]] and remain so to this day.<ref> Paul Kleppner, ''The Third Electoral System, 1853-1892: Parties, Voters, and Political Cultures'' (1979) [http://www.questia.com/library/book/the-third-electoral-system-1853-1892-parties-voters-and-political-cultures-by-paul-kleppner.jsp online in Questia]</ref> The victory of Lincoln and the Republican Party in the election of 1860 was heralded by many Methodists as the arrival of the kingdom of God in America. That victory realized a multiple vision: freedom for slaves, freedom from the terror unleashed on godly abolitionists in border states, release from the slave power's diabolical grip on church and state, and a new direction for the Union.<ref> Richard Carwardine, "Methodists, Politics, and the Coming of the American Civil War," ''Church History'' 2000 69(3): 578-609 </ref>

==Holiness Movement==
The [[Holiness movement]] rejected the middle class formalities of the mainline Methodists and sought an authentic religious experience. The leader was [[Phoebe Palmer]] (1807-1874), the most influential Methodist woman of her generation. After her death her followers broke away from the Methodists and set up their own Holiness and Pentecostal churches. Palmer's theology produced a laicized ministry and offered both parents and children of the second and third generations of believers a formula to gain assurance of total sanctification as a gift from God. Her "Altar Covenant" linked Scripture, sacred song, and physical setting to form the way to full redemption. The altar in Holiness became the focal point of worship, in accordance with Palmer's beliefs.<ref> Charles Edwin Jones, "The Posthumous Pilgrimage of Phoebe Palmer," ''Methodist History'' 1997 35(4): 203-213; Charles Edward White, ''The Beauty of Holiness: Phoebe Palmer as Theologian, Revivalist, Feminist, and Humanitarian'' (1986). </ref>

The Holiness movement influenced the transformation of the Methodist camp meeting in the later 19th century. The frontier camp meeting that had focused on the conversion experience during the first part of the century ultimately evolved into a system of summer camps and conferences. Holiness camps were established on permanent campgrounds in natural surroundings. Here families could escape the evils of urban life and renew spiritual values. The focus was on nurturing the faith of those already converted. The camps also emphasized religious education.<ref> Charles H. Lippy, "The Camp Meeting in Transition: The Character and Legacy of the Late Nineteenth Century." ''Methodist History'' 1995 34(1): 3-17. 0026-1238 </ref>
==Changing theology==
Wesley's American followers did not consider him a theologian. Initial inattention to Wesley's theology stemmed in part from the [[American Revolution]] and the desire to separate from British antecedents. Furthermore American bishop [[Francis Asbury]] lacked any formal theological education and had little interest in theology. The typical early circuit-riding preachers did not share Wesley's belief in the need to be grounded in classic theological texts, and they often claimed believers needed to rely on scripture alone to interpret true religion. Apologetics for Methodist beliefs on grace and sanctification received more attention than did the corpus of Wesley's theology. Churchmen concluded that Wesley did not have a clearly articulated and systematic theology because he had nothing comparable to [[John Calvin]]'s ''Institutes'' and because his theology on some issues changed over time. Methodists ministers saw their theology as part of the larger [[Arminian]] tradition, which allowed for everyone to get to heaven. As seminaries to train Methodist preachers emerged, the curriculum marginalized the study of Wesley's theology.<ref> Randy L. Maddox, "Respected Founder/neglected Guide: the Role of Wesley in American Methodist Theology," ''Methodist History'' 1999 37(2): 71-88 </ref>

After 1880, Methodist theologians in the United States started to question and reinterpret his doctrines. Scholarship turned away from the inerrancy and infallibility of scripture that Wesley advocated and critics challenged his ideas about original sin and Christology. Theological liberalism found favor, as the new theology responded to rationalism, philosophical idealism, and improved biblical scholarship. Unlike many other denominations, Methodism did not experience theological warfare between proponents of liberal theology and their fundamentalist counterparts. Perhaps the most influential theologian was Borden Parker Bowne (1847-1910), professor at Boston University. He was the first systematizer of American Personalism, arguing that a personal God was the cause of all things and the solution to all problems. Personalism was empirical in that self-experience was at its core. Bowne was known as the 'Socrates of the Methodist Church' for his criticisms of the church, especially its episcopal organization.<ref>Rufus Burrow, Jr., "Borden Parker Bowne: the First Thoroughgoing Personalist," ''Methodist History'' 1997 36(1): 44-54</ref>

In the 20th century, Wesley's theology received even more critical analysis. Though some sought to demonstrate how Wesley's theology applied to modern issues, his theology, as he expressed it, had little following. However, a conservative response did develop among some Methodists that remained true to religious orthodoxy and offered reasoned critiques of liberal doctrines. In the late 20th century, Methodist theologians rediscovered Wesley as they became intrigued by contemporary intellectual developments and sought to reform theology to embrace them. They used Wesley's writings selectively to show how he was connected to modern movements. <ref> H. O. (Tom) Thomas, "Whenceforth Wesley: John Wesley's Theology from Then to Now." ''Methodist History'' 2005 43(4): 258-272; Glen Spann, "Theological Transition Within Methodism: the Rise of Liberalism and the Conservative Response," ''Methodist History'' 2005 43(3): 198-212 </ref>
===Polity===
Local congregations are managed by a yearly “charge conference” and send an elected lay delegate to the annual conference in a geographic area, which includes all the local clergy. Each of the 75 annual conferences participate in one of the five jurisdictional regional conferences. A national general conference is held every four years with one thousand delegates, evenly divided between clergy and laity. It sets broad policy appoints one bishop. A Council of Bishops and numerous commissions, boards, and agencies govern the church in accord with historic traditions.

===Clergy today===
Of the Methodist clergy nationwide, 79% are men and 89% are white; the average age is 51, with 19 years experience in the ministry. Over 40% live in the South and nearly one-third in the Midwest; only about one-sixth are found in the Northeast and one-tenth in the West. About half of the UMC pastors live in small towns; a fourth live in small cities and the last quarter live in major cities. About one in five congregations are primarily working-class groups, two-fifths are middle class, and the rest mixed by class. Over 90% have graduated from college, and over 80% are seminary graduates. About one in four has attended graduate school. Methodist policy is to keep rotating ministers, spending an average of ten years with one church then being reassigned..<ref>See John C. Green, "United Methodist Church" in ''Pulpit and Politics: Clergy in American Politics at the Advent of the Millennium'' ed. by Corwin E. Smidt. (2004) pp 83-100, [http://www.questia.com/library/book/pulpit-and-politics-clergy-in-american-politics-at-the-advent-of-the-millennium-by-corwin-e-smidt.jsp online edition]</ref>

Theologically the clergy are mostly orthodox. Over 80% believe that "Jesus will return to earth one day," and more than two-thirds believe in the Virgin Birth. 60% say that the devil actually exists and that "there is no other way to salvation but through belief in Jesus Christ." Only a third say that the Bible is the "inerrant Word of God" and that "Adam and Eve were real people." Two-thirds endorsed the historical Methodist focus on individual sanctification. In terms of self-labels, 63% call themselves "mainline"; 51% say they are "evangelical"; and 49%
called themselves "ecumenical.". (The categories overlapped heavily).

Politically the clergy are mildly liberal on social issues. Democrats slightly outnumbered Republicans by 48% to 41% in 2000, but they voted 46% to 46% for Gore and Bush. Only 30% either took a stand on a political issue from the pulpit or prayed publicly for any political candidate that year

==Missions==

[[Image:METHMISS.JPG|thumb|400px|Methodist Conferences & missions in 1904]]
===Korea===
Methodist missionary and physician William Scranton established the first Methodist hospital, later named Si Pyung Won, in Seoul, Korea, in 1885. Meta Howard arrived in 1887 and established Po Kyu Nyo Koan, a woman's hospital in Seoul. Other Methodist medical missions followed. Rosetta Sherwood Hall opened Baldwin Dispensary in 1893, which became the Lillian Harris Memorial Hospital, the major hospital for women, in Seoul. Hall moved in 1894 to the medical mission at Pyeng Yang established by her husband, William J. Hall. She subsequently expanded that facility to become the women's hospital Kwang He Nyo Won. The medical mission was the main reason for the rapid growth of Korean Methodism.<ref> Gunshik Shim, "Methodist Medical Mission in Korea" ''Methodist History'' 2007 46(1): 34-46 </ref>

==Current Political Views==
The United Methodist Church believes that all economic and political systems are ultimately under the rule of God. They agree that the role of government is to protect its citizen's freedom and guarantee the rights of its people to adequate food, clothing and education. They stress that the world's wealth should be shared so that no person is in economic distress. <ref>http://www.umc.org/site/c.lwL4KnN1LtH/b.1713687/k.1AAB/MethoPedia.htm</ref> However, the members of the United Methodist Church are quite diverse politically. For example, both [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] [[Senator]] [[Hillary Rodham Clinton|Hillary Clinton]] <ref>http://pewforum.org/religion08/profile.php?CandidateID=2</ref> and [[Republican Party|Republican]] [[President]] [[George W. Bush]] <ref>http://www.adherents.com/people/pb/George_W_Bush.html</ref> are members of the church.

===Death Penalty===
The United Methodist Church is officially opposed to [[capital punishment]] and urges its elimination in the world. The church became first officially opposed to the death penalty at its 1956 General Conference in [[Minneapolis]]. They believe that "all human life is sacred and created by God" and that the death penalty limits the possibility of reconciliation with [[Jesus Christ]] <ref>http://www.umc.org/site/c.lwL4KnN1LtH/b.2248845/k.5F14/Death_Penalty_Overview.htm</ref>

===War===
John Wesley determined that war was the result of sin. Self-defense could justify the use of violence, but he generally held that Christian perfection required believers to show love and mercy to their oppressors. Wesley also thought that state power came from God, so subjects owed obedience to rulers. Therefore, Wesley believed that the [[American Revolution]] was, in effect, an effort to usurp God's power rightly invested in Britain's King [[George III]]. Some Methodists in the colonies heeded Wesley's calls for obedience to authority and pacifism, but many joined the Patriot cause because of loyalty to their region, colony, or hometown.<ref>Jessie Shuman Larkins, "John Wesley among the Colonies: Wesleyan Theology in the Face of the American Revolution." ''Methodist History'' 2007 45(4): 232-243 </ref>

Today the United Methodist Church believes that [[war]] is incompatible with Christianity. It urges that war be used only as a last resort. <ref>http://www.umc.org/site/c.lwL4KnN1LtH/b.1696621/k.8834/War_Overview.htm</ref>

Regarding war, the Social Principles state:

{{quotebox| We believe war is incompatible with the teachings and example of Christ. We therefore reject war as a usual instrument of national foreign policy and insist that the first moral duty of all nations is to resolve by peaceful means every dispute that arises between or among them; that human values must outweigh military claims as governments determine their priorities; that the militarization of society must be challenged and stopped; that the manufacture, sale, and deployment of armaments must be reduced and controlled; and that the production, possession, or use of nuclear weapons be condemned. Consequently, we endorse general and complete disarmament under strict and effective international control. }}

===Abortion===
The United Methodist Church believes in the sanctity of an unborn human life. It opposes [[abortion]] as a form of [[birth control]] and [[gender]] selection. On the other hand, the church recognizes that irreversible damage may be done to a mother after an unacceptable [[pregnancy]] and that other such tragic conflicts may justify abortion. It also opposes [[partial-birth abortion]], except when the life of the [[mother]] is threatened. The UMC believes that [[government]] [[law]]s and [[regulation]]s do not provide all the guidance required by the informed Christian [[conscience]] and urges that [[prayer]] and thoughtful consideration precede all abortions. <ref>http://archives.umc.org/interior.asp?mid=1732</ref>

===Separation of Church and State===
The United Methodist Church believes that the attempt to influence the [[public policy]] of [[government]] is the most effective means available to [[church]]es to serve the interests of [[humanity]] and to ensure that [[power]] and [[order]] are made to serve the ends of [[justice]] and [[freedom]] for all people. It supports the [[First Amendment]] to the [[United States]] [[constitution]], that ensures that no [[law]] should respect an establishment of [[religion]] or prohibit practice of religion. The UMC believes that, in a [[pluralism|pluralistic]] [[society]], churches should not seek the [[authority]] of government to conform to their particular morals. Instead they should influence [[public opinion]] and inform the consequences of [[immoral]] actions that the government does not prohibit.<ref>http://www.umc.org/site/c.lwL4KnN1LtH/b.1682267/k.6E19/Church__Politics_Overview.htm</ref>

== See also ==
[[Image:Church.jpg|right|200px]]
*[[Methodism]]
*[[John Wesley]]
*[[Holiness Movement]]

==Bibliography==
* Andrews, Dee E. ''The Methodists and Revolutionary America, 1760-1800: The Shaping of an Evangelical Culture.'' (2000) 367 pp.; stress on cities
* Cameron, Richard M., ed. ''Methodism and Society in Historical Perspective'', 4 vol., (1961)
* Clark, Robert D. ''The Life of Matthew Simpson'' (1956), leading bishop of the Civil War era
* Harmon, Nolan B., ed. ''The Encyclopedia of World Methodism'', (1974) ISBN 0-687-11784-4.
* Hatch, Nathan O. ''The Democratization of American Christianity'' (1989) credits the Methodists and Baptists for making Americans more equalitarian
* Hempton, David. ''Methodism: Empire of the Spirit'', (2005) ISBN 0-300-10614-9, major new interpretive history. Hempton concludes that Methodism was an international missionary movement of great spiritual power and organizational capacity; it energized people of all conditions and backgrounds; it was fueled by preachers who made severe sacrifices to bring souls to Christ; it grew with unprecedented speed, especially in America; it then sailed too complacently into the twentieth century.
*Johnson, Charles A. ''The Frontier Camp Meeting: Religion's Harvest Time'' (1955) [http://www.questia.com/read/3812202?title=The%20Frontier%20Camp%20Meeting%3a%20Religion's%20Harvest%20Time online edition]
* Lyerly, Cynthia Lynn. ''Methodism and the Southern Mind, 1770-1810'' (1998). intellectual history
* Mathews, Donald G. ''Slavery and Methodism: A Chapter in American Morality, 1780-1845'' (1965);
* Meyer, Donald. ''The Protestant Search for Political Realism, 1919-1941'', (1988) in ACLS e-books
* Rawlyk, G.A. ''The Canada Fire: Radical Evangelicalism in British North America, 1775-1812'' (1994)
* Richey, Russell E. et al. eds. ''United Methodism and American Culture. Vol. 1, Ecclesiology, Mission and Identity'' (1997); ''Vol. 2. The People(s) Called Methodist: Forms and Reforms of Their Life'' (1998); ''Vol. 3. Doctrines and Discipline'' (1999); ''Vol. 4, Questions for the Twenty-First Century Church.'' (1999), historical essays by scholars; focus on 20th century
* Richey, Russell E. ''Early American Methodism'' (1991)
* Richey, Russell E. and Kenneth E. Rowe, eds. ''Rethinking Methodist History: A Bicentennial Historical Consultation'' (1985), historiographical essays by scholars
* Schmidt, Jean Miller ''Grace Sufficient: A History of Women in American Methodism, 1760-1939'', (1999)
* Schneider, A. Gregory. ''The Way of the Cross Leads Home: The Domestication of American Methodism'' (1993)
* Semple, Neil ''The Lord's Dominion: The History of Canadian Methodism'' (1996) 565pp
* Sweet, William Warren ''Methodism in American History'', (1954) 472 p.
* Tucker, Karen B. Westerfield. ''American Methodist Worship'' (2001) [http://www.amazon.com/American-Methodist-Worship-Religion-America/dp/019512698X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1228197909&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search]; [http://www.questia.com/read/105480135?title=American%20Methodist%20Worship onlin at [[Questia]]]
* Wigger, John H. ''Taking Heaven by Storm: Methodism and the Rise of Popular Christianity in America'', (1998) 269pp; focus on 1770-1910
* Wigger, John H.. and Nathan O. Hatch, eds. ''Methodism and the Shaping of American Culture'' (2001) [http://www.amazon.com/Methodism-Shaping-American-Culture-Wigger/dp/0687048540/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1195465108&sr=1-2 excerpt and text search], essays by scholars
* Wigger, John H. ''Taking Heaven by Storm: Methodism and the Rise of Popular Christianity in America'' (1998) [http://www.amazon.com/Taking-Heaven-Storm-Methodism-Christianity/dp/0252069943/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1228379123&sr=8-2 excerpt and text search]

=== African Americans ===
* Campbell, James T. ''Songs of Zion: The African Methodist Episcopal Church in the United States and South Africa''], (1995) [http://hdl.handle.net/2027/heb.00589 ACLS e-book]; [http://www.questia.com/read/57035537?title=Songs%20of%20Zion%3a%20The%20African%20Methodist%20Episcopal%20Church%20in%20the%20United%20States%20and%20South%20Africa online at [[Questia]]]
* George, Carol V.R. ''Segregated Sabbaths: Richard Allen and the Rise of Independent Black Churches, 1760-1840'', (1973)
* Montgomery, William G. ''Under Their Own Vine and Fig Tree: The African-American Church in the South, 1865-1900'', (1993) * Walker, Clarence E. ''A Rock in a Weary Land: The African Methodist Episcopal Church During the Civil War and Reconstruction'', (1982)
* Wills, David W. and Newman, Richard, eds. ''Black Apostles at Home and Abroad: Afro-American and the Christian Mission from the Revolution to Reconstruction'', (1982)

=== Primary sources ===
* Richey, Russell E., Rowe, Kenneth E. and Schmidt, Jean Miller (eds.) ''The Methodist Experience in America: a sourcebook'', (2000) ISBN 0-687-24673-3 – 756 p. of original documents
* Sweet, W. W., ed. ''Religion on the American Frontier. Vol. IV, 1783-1840: The Methodists, A Collection of Source Materials'' (1964) [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0043-5597(194710)3:4:4%3C542:ROTAF1%3E2.0.CO;2-P online review] 800pp of documents

==References==
<references />

== External links ==
*[http://www.umc.org/site/c.lwL4KnN1LtH/b.1355347/k.2F4F/Our_Church.htm Our Church] Official online ministry of The United Methodist Church.
*[http://www.highlandsmethodist.org/ Highlands United Methodist Church]
*[http://www.umc.org/site/c.lwL4KnN1LtH/b.1720691/k.B5CB/History_Our_Story.htm History: Our Story]
* [http://www.historicalsocietyunitedmethodistchurch.org/publications/methodisthistory.php ''Methodist History'', scholarly journal]

[[Category:Methodism]]
[[Category:Churches]]
[[Category:Christian Denominations]]
[[Category:United States History]]
[[Category:Revivals]]

Talk:Christian persecution

2008-08-07T18:12:00Z

JCHodges83:

Whew, I was worried that this article might be a "war on Christmas" sort of thing. It's actually pretty good, if a bit short. [[User:Human|Human]] 21:05, 29 April 2007 (EDT)

== Needs lots and lots of info ==

This article omits the early persecutions of Christians which in time I hope to add. It also doesn't discuss Christophobia throughout the centuries. [[User:Scorpio|Scorpio]] 18:29, 25 May 2007 (EDT)

As far as the historical effort of this page goes, it needs to recognize that Roman persecution was sporadic. The current text implies that it was ongoing. Some additional examples of persecution might be helpful.

As far as the comment on Protestants being martyred by the Catholic Church, it is important to recognize that Catholics also met bloody ends. There is some anti-Catholic bias going on here.

Denominations

2008-04-24T02:39:47Z

JCHodges83:

A '''Denomination''' means a subset of a larger group, usually pertaining to [[religion]]. Denominations were created mainly when a group of people felt or thought differently than everyone else they worshipped with, and so they split off and start their own church.

[[Martin Luther]], for example, after reading the [[Bible]], interpreted contemporary practices of the [[Roman Catholic Church]] as inconsistent with God's Word. After being [[excommunicated]] he started his own denomination based on his interpretation of the Bible.

Those that belong to an older denomination say the newer, "daughter" denomintations are sheep that have gone astray from the fundamental truth. Espousers of the new denomintations say that, through the years the old church got away from the truth and relied more on [[tradition]]. They start a new church to get back to the fundamental truths. Different denominations are the product of different interpretations.

[[Cult]]s arise when people take scripture out of context, when people make up their own ideas, or when they don't like the ideas they've heard in other places.

All religions have different denominations, generally because one believes all the others are fatally wrong. Each person has his own [[soul]], and the freedom to think what he wants; very few people are in exact aggreement about everything.

[[Category:Religion]]

King James Bible

2008-04-24T02:36:08Z

JCHodges83:

[[Image:800px-Crop Book of Isaiah 2006-06-06.jpg|thumb|200px|right]]
The '''King James Version''' (or Authorized Version) of the [[Bible]] was the culmination of 7 years of work (1604-1611) by about 50 English scholars and 20 odd Bishops, authorized by King [[James I of England]]. The result was a poetic masterpiece that has profoundly influenced the [[English|English-speaking]] world ever since. It was not the first English translation ([[William Tyndale]] had previously [[translation|translated]] the Bible into English, and much of the Authorized Version was taken from Tyndale's version) or the most accurate (modern translations benefit from better sources). Some mistakes in the translation of the King James Bible exist in very important passages. But the King James Version of the Bible was the most majestic and it has inspired English literature from [[Herman Melville]] to [[Henry Wadsworth Longfellow]] to the [[Martin Luther King, Jr.|Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.]]

For example, many cite Rev. Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech without acknowledging its source in the translation of ''Isaiah 40:4'':

"I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together."

The King James translators described it as "Newly Translated out of the Original tongues."<ref>The actual title-page inscription is "The Holy Bible, Conteyning the Old Testament, and the New: Newly Translated out of the Originall tongues: & with the former Translations diligently compared and revised, by his Majesties Special Commandment. Appointed to be read in Churches. "</ref> The King James Version of the [[Old Testament]] was based on the Hebrew [[Masoretic text]], codified in the Middle Ages. The [[New Testament]] was primarily based on Greek texts predating the [[Latin Vulgate]]. The translators explicitly acknowledged making use of previous English translations, however, and the [[Catholic Encyclopedia]] describes it as being essentially the [[Bishops' Bible]], corrected by comparison with the Hebrew and Greek texts.<ref>[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02141a.htm The Authorized Version], Catholic Encyclopedia</ref>. F. H. A. Scrivener, however, notes many passages which correspond to the Latin Vulgate rather than the Greek.<ref>F. H. A. Scrivener, ''The New Testament in Greek according to the Text Followed in the Authorized Version''. Cambridge: University Press, 1881; The appendix on pages 655-6 gives a list of the passages corresponding exactly with the Latin version against the Greek.</ref> The King James Version is freely and fully available for searching online.<ref>http://www.bartleby.com/108/</ref>

The King James Version used italics to indicate words that had no exact equivalent in the original text, but had been supplied by the translators for various reasons, usually to make the text read properly in English. A modern reader is used to seeing italics used for emphasis; their use in the King James Version creates a strange impression. Many modern editions of the King James Version omit the italicization.

A recent attempt to "update" the King James Version was the New King James Version, which most notably modernized pronouns such as "thou" and verb forms such as "art".

Some Christians believe that the original 1611 Authorized Version of the King James Bible is the only acceptable English translation of the Bible. <ref>http://www.isitso.org/guide/kjvonly.html</ref> This is referred to by some Christians, especially those who do not hold to this viewpoint, as the "KJV-only movement". On the other side of the debate, certain liberal Christian groups attempt to avoid the King James Bible because of its archaic language, advances in scholarship's understanding of ancient languages, and discovery of more reliable manuscripts.

==References==
<references/>

==External Links==

*[http://www.ebible.org/bible/kjv/ An online version of the King James Bible]

[[Category:Bible Versions]]

Gospel of Thomas

2008-04-24T02:33:30Z

JCHodges83:

The '''Gospel of Thomas''' is a unique apocryphal work that contains 114 verses of brief sayings attributed to [[Jesus]] most of which begin with the words "Jesus said." There are some parallels to the [[New Testament]] [[Gospels]], and some areas that are contrary, and some areas of new creation. It is a gospel of sayings that is different from the narrative gospels in the New Testament.

The Gospel of Thomas was rejected by [[Cyril of Jerusalem]], an early theologian and [[Doctor of the Church]]. [[Hippolytus]] and [[Origen]] likewise make mention of a gospel of Thomas as not having biblical authority.

For many centuries, no surviving text was known. A complete [[Coptic]] text of the Gospel of Thomas was among those discovered in 1945 at [[Nag Hammadi]] in [[Egypt]]. Dated to sometime in the mid 4th Century, earlier fragments have been found that date to the end of the 2nd Century; its actual time of origin is unknown. It is not recognized as an authoritative text by any [[Christian]] denominations, but fascinates Biblical scholars who try to piece together its role in the workings of early Christianity.

==External Links==

http://www.tektonics.org/qt/thomasgospel.html

[[Category:Gnostic Writings]]

Old Testament

2008-04-24T02:31:51Z

JCHodges83:

{{Christianity}}
The '''Old Testament''' is a collection of different biblical books comprising the Jewish religious scriptures. It can be divided into three general categories: Historical, Poetic, and Prophetic.<ref>http://www.hyperhistory.net/apwh/essays/cot/t1w05otauthors.htm</ref> Inspired by [[God]], the human authors of some books is known, while for others it remains a matter of controversy.

[[Christians]] embrace the Old Testament as part of their holy scriptures, which, together with the [[New Testament]] make up the [[Bible]]. In [[Judaism]] the '''Old Testament''' is called the [[Tanakh]]. Christians have a different viewpoint than Jews in that they see the Old Testament giving prophetic references to the coming of [[Jesus Christ]]. Versions from ancient times exist in both Hebrew and [[Greek]] including the [[Dead Sea Scrolls]] giving a very ancient snapshot dating back to the time of Jesus.

The Old Testament documents the creation of the world by God, and the tribulations and errors of human beings, in particular His chosen people the [[Israelites]]. Following the history of the Jews from their earliest patriarchs to their enslavement, freedom, becoming a nation, period of the judges, ruled by kings, splitting into two nations, and eventual conquest. It continues until about 400 B.C. when God's chosen people have once again been allowed to return to the [[Holy Land]] and have come back to the worship of the Lord God. From the writing of the earliest five books, which is traditionally ascribed to [[Moses]], to the last, is believed to be a period of about 1,000 years. The New Testament doesn't pick up until 400 years later with the story of Jesus.

The Canon of the Old Testament was fixed by Judaism in the 1st century A.D. and is the same Old Testament found in Protestant Bibles (except for ordering and naming conventions.) Catholic and Orthodox Old Testaments contain different sets of additional groups referred to as the [[Apocrypha]]. Most Old Testaments go back to the earliest Hebrew translations, but the Greek Orthodox church uses the earliest Greek versions.

== See also ==

* [[Septuagint]]
* [[Pentateuch]]

== References ==

<references/>

[[Category:Judaism]]
[[Category:Bible]]
[[Category:Book of Worship]]

Methodism

2008-04-24T02:28:04Z

JCHodges83:

'''Methodism''' is a [[Christian]] denomination partly based on the teachings of [[John Wesley]]. When Wesley was at [[Oxford University]], he founded a group of Christian students dedicated to prayer and a methodical discipline. Others made fun of them calling them "Methodists."

In the United States there are several major Methodists bodies:
* The [[United Methodist Church]]
* The [[Free Methodist Church]]
* The African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME)
* The [[Christian Methodist Church]]
* The African Methodist Episcopal Church, Zion

All Methodist groups have the "connectional" form of government. They have [[bishop]]s, annual conferences and general conferences. The annual conference, presided by a bishop, is divided in districts presided by superintendents.

The bishop together with the superintendents appoint the local ministers.

John Wesley, the founder was a minister of the [[Church of England]] (Anglican) who on May 22, 1739 had a conversion experience, while listening to the reading of [[Luther]]'s commentary to the Letter to the Romans. He preached the gospel in England over 40 years after his conversion, and tens of thousands joined his lay groups. They remained in the Church of England until after Wesley's death.

In the United States, with John Wesley's permission and support, the Methodists organized themselves as a separate denomination in December, 1784. Held in Baltimore, the Christmas Conference saw the ordination of pastors and the election of Francis Asbury as Superintendent, or bishop, of the newly formed Methodist Episcopal Church.

== Beliefs ==

Methodists are [[Protestants]] and believe the [[Bible]] to be a form of revelation along with reason, church tradition, and personal experience. This fourfold act of revelation is referred to as the Wesleyan Quadrilateral. They are [[Arminianism|Arminian]] in doctrine, but unlike Arminian [[Baptists]], Methodists baptize infants. Methodists are also characterized by their belief in [[Christian Perfection]], the doctrine that teaches that a person, in his earthly life, can reach a state where he is able not to sin. Like [[Pentecostalism|Pentecostals]], Methodists also emphasize the importance of revival in the church.

== Colleges and Universities with Methodist Affiliation ==
* Northwestern University (Illinois)
* Ohio Wesleyan (Ohio)
* Baldwin Wallace (Ohio)
* Otterbein (Ohio)
* Defiance (Ohio)
* Kenyon College (Ohio)
* Ohio Northern (Ohio)
* Southern Methodist University (Texas)
* Hendrix College (Arkansas)
* Albian College (Michigan)

[[Category:Methodism]]
[[Category:Christian Denominations]]

Methodism

2008-04-24T02:24:20Z

JCHodges83: Updated forms of Methodist Revelation and Colleges

'''Methodism''' is a [[Christian]] denomination partly based on the teachings of [[John Wesley]]. When Wesley was at [[Oxford University]], he founded a group of Christian students dedicated to prayer and a methodical discipline. Others made fun of them calling them "Methodists."

In the United States there are several major Methodists bodies:
* The [[United Methodist Church]]
* The [[Free Methodist Church]]
* The African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME)
* The [[Christian Methodist Church]]
* The African Methodist Episcopal Church, Zion

All Methodist groups have the "connectional" form of government. They have [[bishop]]s, annual conferences and general conferences. The annual conference, presided by a bishop, is divided in districts presided by superintendents.

The bishop together with the superintendents appoint the local ministers.

John Wesley, the founder was a minister of the [[Church of England]] (Anglican) who on May 22, 1739 had a conversion experience, while listening to the reading of [[Luther]]'s commentary to the Letter to the Romans. He preached the gospel in England over 40 years after his conversion, and tens of thousands joined his lay groups. They remained in the Church of England until after Wesley's death.

In the United States, with John Wesley's permission and support, the Methodists organized themselves as a separate denomination in December, 1784. Held in Baltimore, the Christmas Conference saw the ordination of pastors and the election of Francis Asbury as Superintendent, or bishop, of the newly formed Methodist Episcopal Church.

== Beliefs ==

Methodists are [[Protestants]] and believe the [[Bible]] to be a form of revelation along with reason, church tradition, and personal experience. They are [[Arminianism|Arminian]] in doctrine, but unlike Arminian [[Baptists]], Methodists baptize infants. Methodists are also characterized by their belief in [[Christian Perfection]], the doctrine that teaches that a person, in his earthly life, can reach a state where he is able not to sin. Like [[Pentecostalism|Pentecostals]], Methodists also emphasize the importance of revival in the church.

== Colleges and Universities with Methodist Affiliation ==
* Northwestern University (Illinois)
* Ohio Wesleyan (Ohio)
* Baldwin Wallace (Ohio)
* Otterbein (Ohio)
* Defiance (Ohio)
* Kenyon College (Ohio)
* Ohio Northern (Ohio)
* Southern Methodist University (Texas)
* Hendrix College (Arkansas)
* Albian College (Michigan)

[[Category:Methodism]]
[[Category:Christian Denominations]]

Theistic evolution

2007-03-12T01:42:48Z

JCHodges83:

'''Theistic evolution''' or "Evolutionary Creation" is a belief that [[creationism]] is compatible with the [[Theory of Evolution|theory of evolution]].<ref>http://www.apologeticspress.org/articles/1990</ref><ref>"the first part (18 k) emphasizes that some evangelical Christians with conservative theology think God created through a process of evolution; the second part (also 18 k) begins by acknowledging that 'the greatest [perceived] problem with evolutionary creation is that it contradicts the traditional literal interpretation of the opening chapters of the Bible' and explains why, with a credible interpretation that allows good theology, this perceived problem isn't an actual problem."http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/wic.html</ref> <ref>http://www.asa3.org/ASA/education/origins/methods2.htm</ref><ref>http://www.asa3.org/ASA/education/origins/te-guided.htm#top2 "another old-earth view, evolutionary creation (also called theistic evolution), natural evolution was God's method of creation, with the universe designed so physical structures (galaxies, stars, planets) and complex biological organisms (bacteria, fish, dinosaurs, humans) would naturally evolve." </ref> In most forms it asserts that life evolved from a common ancestor and that at some point God intervened to give humans souls. Proponents of theistic evolution often emphasize the overall message of Genesis and assert that the details of the story are not meant to be taken literally.<ref>http://www.asa3.org/ASA/education/origins/methods2.htm</ref> <ref>http://www.answersingenesis.org/creation/v17/i4/theistic_evolution.asp</ref> <ref>http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/faq-god.html</ref> Theistic evolutionists reject special creation of nature and its inhabitants and mankind as declared in Genesis chapters one and two and agree that humans and apes shared a common ape-like biological ancestor. The position has come under attack from a variety of sources- Young Earth Creationists raise all of their standard objections to evolution as well as various theological and exegetical problems. Meanwhile, various agnostics and atheists have accused proponents of theistic evolution of not going far enough or of tacking on various ideas for their own emotional comfort and not for any evidence-based reasoning.

==Theistic evolution and Intelligent Design==

Although superficially similar to [[Intelligent Design]], Intelligent Design proponents have made clear that they are not the same thing, and in fact [[William Dembski]] has gone so far as to say that "As far as design theorists are concerned, theistic evolution is American evangelicalism's ill-conceived accommodation to Darwinism."<ref>''What every theologian should know about creation, evolution, and design'' Center for Interdisciplinary Studies Transactions 3(2), William Demsbki</ref>

== Criticisms of Theistic Evolution ==

Theistic evolution has been critized from a larger variety of directions, including Young Earth Creationists, Old Earth Creationists, atheists and agnostics. [[Old Earth Creationists]] and [[Young Earth Creationism|Young Earth Creationists]] generally consider Theistic Evolution to be heretical or at best, contrary to Biblical teachings and possibly dangerous. <ref>http://www.christiananswers.net/q-aig/aig-c015.html</ref><ref>http://www.answersingenesis.org/creation/v11/i4/christian.asp</ref><ref>http://www.apologeticspress.org/articles/1990</ref><ref>http://www.answersingenesis.org/creation/v11/i4/christian.asp</ref>. However, many Young Earth Creationists agree that correct knowledge of how God created humanity and such is not a necessary condition for salvation.<ref>http://www.christiananswers.net/q-aig/aig-c015.html</ref><ref name="Gish"> "belief in the historicity of Genesis is not essential to our salvation." Duane Gish ''Is it possible to be a Christian and an evolutionist?'' http://www.answersingenesis.org/creation/v11/i4/christian.asp</ref> A notable proponent of theistic evolution is biologist [[Ken Miller]].<ref>http://bioinfo.med.utoronto.ca/Evolution_by_Accident/Theistic_Evolution.html</ref>
Proponents of theistic evolution have been accused of subtly undermining science piece by piece.<ref>http://sandwalk.blogspot.com/2006/11/ed-brayton-speaks.html</ref>
Theistic Evolution can also be said to be a contradictory idea as Evolutionary theory is usually perceived as contrary to Christian Creation stories.

== References ==
<references/>