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Connexionalism, also spelledconnectionalism, is thetheological understanding and foundation ofMethodistecclesiastical polity, as practised in theMethodist Church in Britain,Ireland,Caribbean and the Americas,United Methodist Church,Global Methodist Church,Free Methodist Church,African Methodist Episcopal andEpiscopal Zion churches,Bible Methodist Connection of Churches,Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, and many of the countries where Methodism was established by missionaries sent out from these churches. It refers to the way in which Methodist churches and other institutions are connected and work together to support one another, share resources, and carry outmission andministry. The United Methodist Church definesconnection as the principle that "all leaders and congregations are connected in a network of loyalties and commitments that support, yet supersede, local concerns."[1] Accordingly, the primary decision-making bodies in Methodism areconferences, which serve to gather together representatives of various levels of church hierarchy.
In the United Methodist Church, Global Methodist Church and Free Methodist Church, wherebishops provide church leadership, connexionalism is a variation ofepiscopal polity. Many Methodist churches, such as the British Methodist Church, do not have bishops.[2] In world Methodism, a givenconnexion (that is,denomination) is usually autonomous.
In the 18th century, "connexion" (the period spelling ofconnection) referred to networks of individuals linked to a person or group, including in political, commercial, and religious spheres.[3] It was used to denote the Methodist societies connected with the person ofJohn Wesley, andconnexion remains the preferred spelling in Britain, the Commonwealth, and Ireland. "Connection" is the spellinghistorically used American Methodism and by groups descended from theMethodist Episcopal Church.
In the history ofChristianity inEngland, aconnexion was a circuit ofprayer groups who would employ travelling ministers alongside the regular ministers attached to eachcongregation. This method of organizing emerged in 18th-century Englishnonconformist religious circles. TheCountess of Huntingdon's Connexion, for instance, was founded bySelina, Countess of Huntingdon. Over time, as Methodism became a separate church, this structure of connexions came to form a new system of polity, separate from episcopal polity.
Connexional polity in Britain has always been characterized bya strong central organization which holds an annual conference.[4] The church organisation, referred to as "The Connexion", is divided into districts in the charge of a chair. Methodist districts often correspond approximately, in geographical terms, to counties – as doChurch of England dioceses. The districts are divided intocircuits governed by the circuit meeting and led and administered principally by asuperintendent minister. Ministers are appointed to circuits rather than to individual churches. Most notably, there are no bishops in the British connexion.[5] The termfull connexion is used in Great Britain and in Ireland to refer topresbyters anddeacons being "subject to the rules and discipline of the Conference of the Methodist Church", and specifically that they are subject to being stationed (i.e. appointed to ministry in a local circuit) at the direction of the conference.[6]
Free Methodist churches and United Methodist churches are generally organized on a connexional model, related but not identical to that used in Britain. Pastors are assigned to congregations by bishops, distinguishing it from presbyterian government. Methodist denominations typically give lay members representation at regional and national meetings (conferences) at which the business of the church is conducted,making it different from most episcopal government.[citation needed] This connexional organizational model differs further from thecongregational model, for example ofBaptist andCongregationalist churches.
