| The Methodist Church[1] | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Classification | Protestant |
| Orientation | Methodist |
| Theology | Wesleyan |
| Governance | Connexionalism |
| President | Helen Cameron[2] |
| Vice-President | Carolyn Godfrey[2] |
| Associations | |
| Region | Great Britain Channel Islands · Isle of Man · Gibraltar · Malta |
| Headquarters | Methodist Church House, 25Tavistock Place, London[3] |
| Origin | 1932 (Methodist Union)1 Great Britain |
| Merger of | |
| Local churches | 4,110 (as of 2019[update])[4] |
| Members | 136,891 (as of 2022[update])[5] |
| Ministers | 3,459 |
| Aid organization | All We Can |
| Official website | methodist |
| 1. The Methodist movement originated in the 18th century | |
TheMethodist Church of Great Britain is aProtestantChristian denomination in Britain, and themother church toMethodists worldwide.[6] It participates in theWorld Methodist Council, and theWorld Council of Churches among otherecumenical associations.
Methodism began primarily through the work ofJohn Wesley, who led anevangelicalrevival in 18th-century Britain. AnAnglican priest, Wesley adopted unconventional and controversial practices, such asopen-air preaching, to reach factory labourers and newly urbanised masses uprooted from their traditional village culture at the start of theIndustrial Revolution. His preaching centred upon the universality of God'sgrace for all, thetransforming effect of faith on character, and the possibility ofperfection in love during this life. He organised the new converts locally and in a "Connexion" across Britain. Following Wesley's death, the Methodist revival became a separate church andordained its ownministers; it was called aNonconformist church because it did not conform to the rules of theestablishedChurch of England. In the 19th century, theWesleyan Methodist Church experienced many revivals and secessions, with the largest of the offshoots being thePrimitive Methodists. The main streams of Methodism werereunited in 1932, forming the Methodist Church as it is today.
Methodist circuits, containing severallocal churches, are grouped into thirty districts. The supreme governing body of the church is the annual Methodist Conference; it is headed by thepresident of Conference, apresbyteral minister, supported by a vice-president who can be alocal preacher ordeacon. The denominationordains women andopenly LGBT ministers.
The Methodist Church isWesleyan in itstheology and practice. It uses the historiccreeds and bases itsdoctrinal standards on Wesley'sNotes on the New Testament and hisForty-four Sermons.[7]: 213 Church services can be structured withliturgy from aservice book, especially for the celebration ofHoly Communion, but commonly include free forms of worship.
The 2009British Social Attitudes Survey found that around 800,000 people, or about 1.3 per cent of the British population, identified as Methodist.[8] As of 2022[update], active membership stood at approximately 137,000,[5] representing an 32 per cent decline from the 2014 figure.[9] Methodism is the fourth-largestChristian group in Britain.[10] Around 202,000 peopleattend a Methodist church service each week, while 490,000 to 500,000 take part in some other form of Methodist activity, such as youth work and community events organised by local churches.[11]
The movement that would become the Methodist Church originated in the early 18th century within theChurch of England. A small group of students atOxford University, includingJohn Wesley (1703–1791) and his younger brotherCharles (1707–1788), met together for the purpose of mutual improvement; they focused on studying theBible and living a holy life. Other students mocked the group, saying they were the "Holy Club" and "the Methodists",[note 1] being methodical and exceptionally detailed in theirBible study, opinions and disciplined lifestyle.[13][14]
The first Methodist movement outside the Church of England was associated withHowell Harris (1714–1773),[15] who launched theWelsh Methodist revival in the 1730s.[16] This was to become the Calvinistic Methodist Church (today known as thePresbyterian Church of Wales).[17] Another branch of the Methodist revival was under the ministry ofGeorge Whitefield (1714–1770), a friend of the Wesleys from the Oxford Holy Club—resulting in theCountess of Huntingdon's Connexion.[18]
The largest branch of Methodism in England was organised by John Wesley. In May 1738 he claimed to have experienced a profound discovery of God in his heart,a pivotal event that has come to be called hisevangelical conversion.[19] From 1739, Wesley took toopen-air preaching, and converted people to his movement.[20] He formedsmall classes in which his followers would receive religious guidance and intensive accountability in their personal lives.[21] Wesley also appointeditinerant evangelists to travel and preach as he did and to care for these groups of people. It is a tribute to Wesley's powers of oratory and organisational skills that the termMethodism is today assumed to meanWesleyan Methodism unless otherwise specified.[17]Theologically, Wesley held to theArminian belief thatsalvation is available to all people,[22] in opposition to theCalvinist ideas of election andpredestination that were accepted by theCalvinistic Methodists.[17]
Methodistpreachers were famous for their impassioned sermons, though opponents accused them of "enthusiasm", i.e. fanaticism.[23] During Wesley's lifetime, many members of England's established church feared that new doctrines promulgated by the Methodists, such as the necessity of anew birth for salvation, and of the constant and sustained action of theHoly Spirit upon the believer's soul, would produce ill effects upon weak minds.Theophilus Evans, an early critic of the movement, even wrote that it was "the natural Tendency of their Behaviour, in Voice and Gesture and horrid Expressions, to make People mad."[24] In one of his prints,William Hogarth likewise attacked Methodists as enthusiasts full of "Credulity, Superstition, and Fanaticism".[25] Other attacks against the Methodists were physically violent—Wesley was nearly murdered by a mob atWednesbury in 1743.[26] The Methodists responded vigorously to their critics and thrived despite the attacks against them.[27]
As Wesley and his assistants preached around the country they formed localsocieties, authorised and organised through Wesley's leadership and conferences of preachers. Wesley insisted that Methodists regularly attend their localparish church as well as Methodist meetings.[28] In 1784, Wesley made provision for the continuance as a corporate body after his death of the 'Yearly Conference of the People called Methodists'.[29] He nominated 100 people and declared them to be its members and laid down the method by which their successors were to be appointed. The Conference has remained the governing body of Methodism ever since.[29]
As his societies multiplied, and elements of anecclesiastical system were successively adopted, the breach between Wesley and the Church of England (Anglicanism) gradually widened. In 1784, Wesley responded to the shortage of priests in the American colonies due to theAmerican Revolutionary War by ordaining preachers for America with power to administer thesacraments.[30] Wesley's actions precipitated the split between American Methodists and the Church of England (which holds that only bishops can ordain persons to ministry).[31]
With regard to the position of Methodism withinChristendom, "John Wesley once noted that what God had achieved in the development of Methodism was no mere human endeavor but the work of God. As such it would be preserved by God so long as history remained."[32] Calling it "the grand depositum" of the Methodist faith, Wesley specifically taught that the propagation of the doctrine ofentire sanctification was the reason that God raised up the Methodists in the world (see§ Wesleyan theology).[33]
British Methodism separated from the Church of England soon after the death of Wesley. There were early contentions over the powers of preachers and the Conference, and the timing of chapel services.[34] At this point in time a majority of Methodist members were not attending Anglican church services.[34] The 1795 Plan of Pacification permitted Methodist chapels to celebrate Holy Communion where both a majority of trustees and a majority of thestewards and leaders allowed it.[35] (These services often usedWesley's abridgement of theBook of Common Prayer.[35]) This permission was later extended to the administration of baptism, burial and timing of services, bringing Methodist chapels into direct competition with the local parish church. Consequently, known Methodists were excluded from the Church of England.[34]Alexander Kilham and his 'radicals' denounced the Conference for giving too much power to the ministers of the church at the expense of thelaity. In 1797, following the Plan of Pacification, Kilham was expelled from the church. The radicals formed theMethodist New Connexion, while the original body came to be known as theWesleyan Methodist Church.[34]
Early Methodists were systematic in collecting statistics on membership.[36] Their growth was rapid, from 58,000 in 1790 to 302,000 in 1830 and 518,000 in 1850.[37] Those were the official members, but the national census of 1851 counted people with an informal connection to Methodism, and the total was 1,463,000.[37] Growth was steady in both rural and urban areas, despite disruption caused by numerousschisms; these resulted in separate denominations (or "connexions") such as the Wesleyan Methodist Church, the first and largest, followed by the New Connexion, theBible Christian Church and thePrimitive Methodist Church.[37] Some of the growth can be attributed to the failure of the established Church of England to provide church facilities.[38] In the later 19th century a programme of church building by the established church, in competition with the Nonconformists, increased the number of church-attending Anglicans.[39] This reduced the opportunities for the Nonconformists in general and the Methodists in particular to keep growing. Membership reached 602,000 in 1870 and peaked at 841,000 in 1910.[40][41]
Early Methodism was particularly prominent inDevon andCornwall, which were key centres of activity by the Bible Christian faction.[42] The Bible Christians produced many preachers, and sent many missionaries to Australia.[43] Methodism as a whole grew rapidly in the oldmill towns ofYorkshire andLancashire, where the preachers stressed that the working classes were equal to the upper classes in the eyes of God.[44] In Wales, three elements separately welcomed Methodism: Welsh-speaking, English-speaking, andCalvinistic.[45]
The independent Methodist movement did not appeal to England'slanded gentry; they favoured the developingevangelical movement inside the Church of England. However, Methodism became popular among ambitiousmiddle class families.[46] For example, the Osborn family of Sheffield, whosesteel company emerged in the mid-19th century in Sheffield's period of rapid industrialisation. Historian Clyde Binfield says their fervent Methodist faith strengthened their commitment to economic independence, spiritual certainty and civic responsibility.[46]
Methodism was especially popular among skilled workers and much less prevalent among labourers. Historians such asÉlie Halévy,Eric J. Hobsbawm,E. P. Thompson, andAlan D. Gilbert have explored the role of Methodism in the early decades of the making of the Britishworking class (1760–1820). On the one hand it provided a model of how to efficiently organise large numbers of people and sustain their connection over a long period of time, and on the other it diverted and discouragedpolitical radicalism.[47] In explaining why Britain did not undergo asocial revolution in the period 1790–1832, a time that appeared ripe for violent social upheaval, Halévy argued that Methodism forestalled revolution among the working class by redirecting its energies toward spiritual affairs rather than workplace concerns.[48] Thompson argues that overall it had a politically regressive effect.[49]
John Wesley was the longtime president of the Methodist Conference, but after his death it was agreed that in future, so much authority would not be placed in the hands of one man. Instead, the president would be elected for one year, to sit in Wesley's chair.[2] Successive Methodist schisms resulted in multiple presidents, before a united conference assembled in 1932.
Wesley wrote, edited or abridged some 400 publications. As well as theology he wrote about music, marriage, medicine,abolitionism and politics.[50] Wesley himself and the senior leadership were political conservatives. Although manytrade union leaders were attracted to Methodism—theTolpuddle Martyrs being an early example[51]—the church itself did not actively support the unions. HistoriansPatrick K. O'Brien and Roland Quinault argue:
John Wesley's own Tory sympathies and autocratic instincts had been strong and genuine, and as far as possible he had instilled into his followers deference toward established social and religious authorities. He emphasised political quietism. His mission he saw as strictly spiritual, and his own inherently conservative political instincts and social values reinforced a pragmatic concern to give as little offense as possible to a suspicious wider society. These same motives influenced the ministerial oligarchy...."Methodism" said Jabez Bunting...hates democracy as it hates sin."[52]
Jabez Bunting (1779–1858) was the most prominent leader of the Wesleyan Methodist movement after Wesley's death. He preached successfulrevivals until 1802, when he saw revivals leading to dissension and division. He then became dedicated to church order and discipline, and vehemently opposed revivalism.[53] He was a popular preacher in numerous cities. He was four times chosen to be president of the Conference and held numerous senior positions as administrator and watched budgets very closely. Bunting and his allies centralised power by making the Conference the final arbiter of Methodism, and giving it the power to reassign preachers and selectsuperintendents. He was zealous in the cause of foreign missions. In English politics he was conservative. He had little tolerance for liberal elements or for Sunday schools and temperance crusades, which led to expulsion of his opponents, whereupon a third of the members broke away in 1849. Numerous alliances with other groups failed and weakened his control.[53][54]
William Bramwell (1759–1818) was a preacher who engendered controversy due to his intense revivalist preaching style, which spurred awakenings throughout the north of England—including the 1793–97 Yorkshire Revival—and his association withAlexander Kilham (1762–1798). Kilham was a revivalist who led the New Connexion secession from mainstream Wesleyan ministry.[55]
Hugh Price Hughes (1847–1902) was the first superintendent of theWest London Methodist Mission, a key Methodist organisation. Recognised as one of the greatest orators of his era, he also founded and edited an influential newspaper, theMethodist Times in 1885. Hughes played a key role in leading Methodists into the Liberal Party coalition, away from the Conservative leanings of previous Methodist leaders.[56][57]
John Scott Lidgett (1854–1953) achieved prominence both as a theologian and reformer by stressing the importance of the church's engagement with the whole of society and human culture. He promoted theSocial Gospel and founded theBermondsey Settlement to reach the poor of London, as well as theWesley Guild, a social organisation aimed at young people which reached 150,000 members by 1900.[58][59]
Early Methodism experienced a radical and spiritual phase that allowed women authority in church leadership. In 1771,Mary Bosanquet (1739–1815) wrote to John Wesley to defend hers andSarah Crosby's work preaching and leading classes at her orphanage, Cross Hall.[60] Her argument was that women should be able to preach when they experienced an "extraordinarycall".[60][61] Wesley accepted Bosanquet's argument, and formally began to allow women to preach in Methodism in 1771.[61] In general, the role of the woman preacher emerged from the sense that the home should be a place of community care and should foster personal growth. Women gained self-esteem at this time when members were encouraged to testify about the nature of their faith. Methodist women formed a community that cared for the vulnerable, extending the role of mothering beyond physical care.[62] However the centrality of women's role sharply diminished after 1790 as the Methodist movement became more structured and more male dominated.[61]
In the 18th centurySelina Hastings, Countess of Huntingdon, (1707–91) played a major role in financing and guiding early Methodism. Hastings was the first female principal of a men's college in Wales,Trevecca College, for the education of Methodist ministers.[63] She financed the building of 64 chapels in England and Wales, wrote often to George Whitefield and John Wesley, and funded mission work in colonial America. She is best remembered for her adversarial relationships with other Methodists who objected to a woman having power.[63][64]
Methodists placed a high priority on close guidance of their youth, as seen in the activities ofSunday schools and theBand of Hope (whose members signed a pledge to "abstain from all intoxicating liquors").[65][66]
Wesley himself opened schools atThe Foundery in London, andKingswood School. A Wesleyan report in 1832 said that for the church to prosper the system of Sunday schools should be augmented by day-schools with educated teachers. It was proposed in 1843 that 700 new day-schools be established within seven years. Though a steady increase was achieved, that ambitious target could not be reached, in part limited by the number of suitably qualified teachers. Most teachers came from one institution in Glasgow. The Wesleyan Education Report for 1844 called for a permanent Wesleyan teacher-training college. The result was the foundation ofWestminster Training College at Horseferry Road,Westminster in 1851.[68]
19th-century England lacked a state school system; the major supplier was the Church of England. The Wesleyan Education Committee, which existed from 1838 to 1902, has documented Methodism's involvement in the education of children. At first most effort was placed in creating Sunday schools. In 1837 there were 3,339 Sunday schools with 59,297 teachers and 341,443 pupils.[69] In 1836 the Wesleyan Methodist Conference gave its blessing to the creation of 'Weekday schools'.[70][71] In 1902 the Methodists operated 738 schools, so their children would not have to learn from Anglican teachers. The Methodists, along with other Nonconformists, bitterly opposed theEducation Act 1902, which funded Church of England schools and funded Methodists schools too but placed them underlocal education authorities that were usually controlled by Anglicans.[72] In the 20th century the number of Methodist Church-operated schools declined, as many became state-run schools, with only 28 still operating in 1996.[73]
Through vigorousmissionary work, Methodism spread throughout the British Empire. It was especially successful in the new United States, thanks to theSecond Great Awakening of the early 19th century. English emigrants brought Methodism to Canada and Australia.[74] British and Americanmissionaries reached out to India and some other imperial colonies.[75] In general the conversion efforts were only modestly successful, but reports back to Britain did have an influence in shaping how Methodists understood the wider world.[76]
Historians group Methodists together with other Protestant groups as "Nonconformists" or "Dissenters", standing in opposition to the established Church of England. In the 19th century the Dissenters who went to chapel comprised half the people who actually attended services on Sunday. The "Nonconformist conscience" was their moral sensibility which they tried to implement in British politics.[77][78] The two categories of Dissenters, or Nonconformists, were in addition to the evangelicals or "Low Church" element in the Church of England. "Old Dissenters", dating from the 16th and 17th centuries, includedBaptists,Congregationalists,Quakers,Unitarians, andPresbyterians outside Scotland. "New Dissenters" emerged in the 18th century and were mainly Methodists, especially the Wesleyan Methodists.[77]
The "Nonconformist conscience" of the "Old" group emphasisedreligious freedom and equality, pursuit of justice, and opposition to discrimination, compulsion and coercion. The "New Dissenters" (and also theAnglican evangelicals) stressed personal morality issues, including sexuality, family values,temperance, andSabbath-keeping. Both factions were politically active, but until the mid-19th century the Old group supported mostlyWhigs andLiberals in politics, while the New generally supportedConservatives. However the Methodists changed and in the 1880s moved into the Liberal Party, drawn in large part by Gladstone's intense moralism. The result was a merging of the Old and New, strengthening their great weight as a political pressure group.[79][80] They joined on new issues especially supporting temperance and opposing theEducation Act 1902, with the former of special interest to Methodists.[81][82] By 1914 the conscience was weakening and by the 1920s it was virtually dead politically.[83]
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In the early days of Methodism chapels were sometimes built octagonal, largely to avoid conflict with the established Church of England. The first was inNorwich (1757); it was followed byRotherham (1761),Whitby (1762),Yarm (1763),Heptonstall (1764) and nine others. John Wesley personally approved the design of the octagonal chapels, stating, "It is better for the voice and on many accounts more commodious than any other." He is also said to have added—"there are no corners for the devil to hide in".[84]
Methodist Heritage records theYarm chapel as the oldest in England in continual use as a place of Methodist worship.[85] Its design and construction were overseen by Wesley, who preached at the chapel frequently and declared it as his "favourite".[85]
Nevertheless, theHeptonstall chapel has also contested for the title of oldest octagon chapel in continual use.[86] The building featured in theBBC television seriesChurches: How to Read Them. PresenterRichard Taylor named it as one of his ten favourite churches, saying: "If buildings have an aura, this one radiated friendship."[87]
The Wesleyan Methodists' rejection ofrevivals andcamp meetings led to the founding in 1820 of the Primitive Methodist Connexion in England and Scotland, which emphasised those practices. It was a democratic,lay-oriented movement. Its social base was among the poorer members of society; they appreciated both its content (damnation, salvation, sinners and saints) and style (direct, spontaneous, and passionate). It offered an alternative to the more middle class Wesleyan Methodists and the upper class controlled Anglican established church, and in turn sometimes led adherents toPentecostalism.[88] The Primitive Methodists were poorly funded and had trouble building chapels or schools and supporting ministers.[89] Growth was strong in the middle 19th century. Membership declined after 1900 because of growing secularism in society, a resurgence of Anglicanism among the working classes, competition from other Nonconformist denominations (including former Methodist ministerWilliam Booth'sSalvation Army), and competition among different Methodist branches.[90]
The leading theologian of the Primitive Methodists wasArthur Peake (1865–1929), professor of biblical criticism at the University of Manchester, 1904–29. He was active in numerous leadership roles and promotedMethodist Union that came about in 1932 after his death. He popularised modern biblical scholarship, including the newhigher criticism. He approached the Bible not as theinfallible word of God, but as the record of revelation written by fallible humans.[91]
The second half of the 19th century saw many of the small schisms reunited to become theUnited Methodist Free Churches, and a further union in 1907 with the Methodist New Connexion and Bible Christian Church brought theUnited Methodist Church into being. In 1908 the major three branches were theWesleyan Methodists, thePrimitive Methodists, and the United Methodists. Membership of the various Methodist branches peaked at 841,000 in 1910, then fell steadily to 425,000 in 1990.[41]
After the late 19th century evangelical approaches to theunchurched were less effective and less used. Methodists paid more attention to their current membership, and less to outreach, while middle-class family size shrank steadily.[92] There were fewer famous preachers or outstanding leaders. The theological change that emphasised the conversion experience as being a one-time lifetime event rather than as a step on the road to perfection lessened the importance of class-meeting attendance and made revivals less meaningful.[93] The growth mechanisms that had worked so well in the expansion phase in the early 19th century were largely discarded, including revivals and the personal appeal in class meetings, as well as thelove feast, the Sunday nightprayer meeting, and the open-air meeting. The failure to grow was signalled by the flagging experience of the Sunday schools, whose enrolments fell steadily.[94][95]
With theMethodist Union of 1932 the three main Methodist connexions in Britain—the Wesleyans, Primitive Methodists, and United Methodists—came together to form the present Methodist Church.[96] Some offshoots of Methodism, such as theIndependent Methodist Connexion, remain totally separate organisations.[97]
After the union of 1932 many towns and villages were left with rival Methodist churches and circuits that were slow to amalgamate.[98] Methodist historianReginald Ward states that because unification was unevenly implemented until the 1950s, it distracted attention away from the urgent need to revive the fast-shrinking movement. The hoped-for financial gains proved to be illusory, and Methodist leaders spent the earlypost-war era vainly trying to achieve union with the Church of England.[99] Multiple approaches were used to turn around the membership decline and flagging zeal in the post-war era, but none worked well. For example, Methodistgroup tours were organised, but they ended when it was clear they made little impact.[100]
During the 20th century Methodists increasingly embracedChristian socialist ideas.Donald Soper (1903–1998) was perhaps the most widely recognised Methodist leader. An activist, he promoted pacifism andnuclear disarmament in cooperation with theLabour Party.[101] Prime MinisterMargaret Thatcher was a moralistic Methodist; Soper denounced her policies as unchristian. However, in "the battle for Britain's soul" she was reelected over and over.[102] Methodist historian Martin Wellings says of Soper:
His combination of modernist theology, high sacramentalism, and Socialist politics, expressed with insouciant wit and unapologetic élan, thrilled audiences, delighted admirers, and reduced opponents to apoplectic fury.[101]
In 1967, Soper, then the only Methodist minister in theHouse of Lords, lamented that:
To-day we are living in what is the first genuinely pagan age—that is to say, there are so many people, particularly children, who never remember having heard hymns at their mother's knee, as I have, whose first tunes are fromRadio One, and not from any hymn book; whose first acquaintance with their friends and relations and other people is not in the Sunday School or in the Church at all, as mine was.[103]
Scholars have suggested multiple possible reasons for the decline, but have not agreed on their relative importance. Wellings lays out the "classical model" ofsecularization, while noting that it has been challenged by some scholars.
The familiar starting-point, a classical model of secularization, argues that religious faith becomes less plausible and religious practice more difficult in advanced industrial and urbanized societies. The breakdown or disruption of traditional communities and norms of behavior; the spread of a scientific world-view diminishing the scope of the supernatural and the role of God; increasing material affluence promoting self-reliance and this-worldly optimism; and greater awareness and toleration of different creeds and ideas, encouraging religious pluralism and eviscerating commitment to a particular faith, all form components of the case for secularization. Applied to the British churches in general by Steve Bruce and to Methodism in particular by Robert Currie, this model traces decline back to the Victorian era and charts in the twentieth century a steady ebbing of the sea of faith.[101][104]
Over the ten-year period from 2006 to 2016 membership decreased from 262,972 to 188,398. This represents a decline at a rate of 3.5 per cent year-on-year.[11][105] There were 4,512 local churches in the denomination.[11] Over the following three years to 2019 the rate of decline slowed slightly, as membership reduced to under 170,000, and church numbers to 4,110.[4]
Methodism was endowed by the Wesley brothers withworship characterised by a twofold practice: thesacramentalliturgy of the AnglicanBook of Common Prayer on the one hand and the free form "service of the word", i.e. a Nonconformistpreaching service, on the other.[106][107] Listening to the reading of Scripture and a sermon based upon the biblical text is virtually always included in Methodist worship.[106] The Methodist Church follows theRevised Common Lectionary, in common with other major denominations in Britain.[108] Similar to most historic Christian churches, the Methodist Church has official liturgies for services such asHoly Communion (the Lord's Supper),Baptism,Ordination, andMarriage. These and other patterns of worship are contained in theMethodist Worship Book, the most recent Methodistservice book.[109] It states in its preface that worship is "agracious encounter between God and the Church. God speaks to us, especially through scripture read and proclaimed and through symbols and sacraments. We respond chiefly throughhymns andprayers and acts of dedication."[110] Methodism has typically allowed for freedom in how the liturgy is celebrated—theWorship Book serves as a guideline, but ministers, preachers and other worship leaders are not obligated to use it.[note 2]
The Methodist Church has used a succession ofhymnals (hymn books) and service books. TheMethodist Hymn-Book (1933) was the first hymnal published after the 1932 union.[109] In 1936 the church authorised theBook of Offices,[note 3] including an "Order for Morning Prayer", which followed the precedent ofWesleyan liturgies based on theBook of Common Prayer (1662).[112][113] Later, theMethodist Service Book (1975) modernised the language used in the Communion prayers; its widespread usage has been cited as a cause for more frequent celebration of Communion in the Methodist Church.[114] The publication of a new hymnal,Hymns and Psalms (1983), expanded the repertoire of 20th-century compositions.[109]
TheMethodist Worship Book (1999) includes a wider range of services for everyseason; it continues the 1975 service book's intention of preserving Methodist traditions while taking into account the insights of theliturgical renewal movement.[113][114] News media took interest in its publication due to the utilisation ofgender-neutral language and the inclusion of a prayer addressed to "God our Father and ourMother ".[114] This prayer was viewed by some traditionalists as a "challenging" departure from themasculine language which is traditionally used when referring to God.[115]
Hymnody is used to communicate doctrine, and is recognised as a central feature of Methodism's liturgical identity.[116] The church is known for its rich musical tradition, andCharles Wesley was instrumental in writing many of the popular hymns sung by Methodist congregations.[117][118][119]Singing the Faith is the current hymnal, published by the church in 2011.[120] It contains 748 hymns and songs and 42 liturgical settings (such as theKyrie, theSanctus and theLord's Prayer, as well as material from theTaizé andIona traditions).[120] There are also 50canticles andpsalms, selected on the basis of their use within liturgy.[120] The collection of 89 hymns by Charles Wesley[121] is a reduction from over 200 in the 1933Hymn-Book.[109]
Methodist congregations celebrate Holy Communion within a Sunday service generally at least once a month.[122] The practice of anopen table is now widespread in the Methodist Church. Although the phrasing and exact requirements in a particular local church may vary, generally "all those who love the Lord Jesus Christ"[123]: 7 are invited to receivebread andwine, irrespective of age or denominational identity. However this is not historic Methodist practice.Guidelines about Children and Holy Communion, issued in 1987, affirmed that those receiving communion should, if not already baptised, be encouraged to be baptised—though acknowledging that this "theological principle" was not widely adhered to.[123]
A distinctive liturgical feature of British Methodism is the Covenant Service. Methodists annually follow the call of John Wesley for a renewal of theircovenant with God.[124] In 1755, Wesley crafted the original Covenant Service usingmaterial from the writings of eminent clericsJoseph andRichard Alleine. In 1780, Wesley printed an excerpt from Richard Alleine'sVindiciae Pietatis, which is prayer for renewal of a believer's covenant with God.[125] This excerpt, known in modified form as the Wesley Covenant Prayer, remained in use—linked with Holy Communion and observed on the first Sunday of the New Year—among Wesleyan Methodists until 1936.[125] In the 1920s, Wesleyan minister George B. Robson expanded the form of the Covenant Service by replacing most of the exhortation with prayers of adoration, thanksgiving and confession. Robson's Covenant Service was revised and officially authorised for use in theBook of Offices (1936). Further revisions, strengthening the link with Communion andintercession for the wider church and the world, appeared in theService Book (1975) andWorship Book (1999).[125] This Covenant Prayer, which has been adopted by other Christian traditions, has been described as "a celebration of all that God has done and an affirmation that we give our lives and choices to God".[126]
A summary of Methodistdoctrine is contained in theCatechism for the Use of the People Called Methodists.[127] Some core beliefs that are affirmed by most Methodists include:
Wesleyan tradition stands at a unique cross-roads betweenevangelical andsacramental, between liturgical andcharismatic, and betweenAnglo-Catholic andReformed theology and practice.[131] It has been characterised asArminian theology with an emphasis on the work of the Holy Spirit to bringholiness into the life of the participating believer. The Methodist Church teaches the Arminian concepts offree will,conditional election, andsanctifying grace. John Wesley was perhaps the clearest English proponent of Arminianism.[132][133] Wesley taught thatsalvation is achieved through "divine/human cooperation" (which is referred to assynergism),[134][135] however, one cannot either turn to God nor believe unless God has first drawn a person and implanted the desire in their heart (the Wesleyan doctrine ofprevenient grace).[136]
Wesley believed that certain aspects of the Christian faith required special emphasis.[137] Wesleyan Methodist minister William Fitzgerald (1856–1931) summarised the core emphases of Wesleyan doctrine by using four statements that collectively are called the 'Four Alls'.[138] These are expressed:
Wesley described the mission of Methodism as being "to spread scriptural holiness over the land".[140] Traditionally Methodists believe that inner holiness (sanctification) should be evidenced by external actions (that is,outward holiness), such as avoiding ostentation, dressing modestly,[141] and acting justly, mercifully and truthfully.[142] Wesley made much of the ongoing process or "journey" of sanctification, occasionally even seeming to claim that believers could to some degree attain perfection in this life.[143][note 4]
It is a traditional position of the Methodist Church that any disciplined theological work calls for the careful use ofreason by which to understand God's action and will.[113] However, Methodists also look toChristian tradition as a source of doctrine. Wesley himself believed that the living core of the Christian faith was revealed in the Bible as the sole foundational source. The centrality of Scripture was so important for Wesley that he called himself "a man of one book".[145] Methodism has also emphasised a personal experience of faith; this is linked to the Methodist doctrine ofassurance. These four elements taken together form theWesleyan Quadrilateral.[146]
According to a conference report,A Lamp to my Feet and a Light to my Path (1998),[note 5][147] there are different perspectives onbiblical authority which are held within the Methodist Church. The report summarises a range of views, as follows:[148]
The Methodist Church understands itself to be part of theone, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church.[149] It recognises the historiccreeds—theApostles' Creed and theNicene Creed—as two statements of belief which have been in use since the earliest days of the Christian Church,[150] and which may be used in church services; alongside these a short "affirmation of faith" is also set out in theMethodist Worship Book.[151]
Although Methodist practices and interpretation of beliefs have evolved over time, these practices and beliefs can be traced to the writings, hymns, and sermons of the church's founders,[152] especially John Wesley and Charles Wesley. The Methodist Church does not possess a strict set of doctrines comparable to that of theWestminster Confession, but it does specify general doctrinal standards, as follows:
The Methodist Church claims and cherishes its place in the Holy Catholic Church which is the Body of Christ. It rejoices in the inheritance of the apostolic faith and loyally accepts the fundamental principles of the historic creeds and of the Protestant Reformation. It ever remembers that in the providence of God Methodism was raised up to spread scriptural holiness through the land by the proclamation of the evangelical faith and declares its unfaltering resolve to be true to its divinely appointed mission.
The doctrines of the evangelical faith which Methodism has held from the beginning and still holds are based upon the divine revelation recorded in the Holy Scriptures. The Methodist Church acknowledges this revelation as the supreme rule of faith and practice. These evangelical doctrines to which the preachers of the Methodist Church are pledged are contained in Wesley'sNotes on the New Testament and thefirst four volumes of his sermons.
The Notes on the New Testament and the 44 Sermons are not intended to impose a system of formal or speculative theology on Methodist preachers, but to set up standards of preaching and belief which should secure loyalty to the fundamental truths of the gospel of redemption and ensure the continued witness of the Church to the realities of the Christian experience of salvation.
— Deed of Union (1932)[7]: 213
The church is alsoevangelistic, i.e. concerned with spreading theChristian gospel. Being an evangelistic church is considered an integral part of the Methodist calling. The church offers a course calledEveryone an evangelist, reflecting the church's evangelism and growth strategy and its focus on personaltestimony.[153][154]
TheMethodist Conference statement of 1976 says that the termination of any form of human life cannot be regarded superficially.[155] The church has also stated that the "unborn human" should be accorded rights progressively as it develops through the stages of gestation, from embryo to fetus, culminating with full respect as an individual at birth.[156] The 1976 statement gives examples of circumstances in whichabortion may be permissible; these include situations where the life or health of the mother is at risk, in cases of serious abnormality where the child is incapable of survival, and in cases where the right of the unborn child to be healthy and wanted may not be met.[155] The Methodist Church believes that its members should work toward the elimination of the need for abortion by advocating for social support for mothers. The conference statement argues that "abortion must not be regarded as an alternative to contraception", and disagrees withcomplete legalisation, recommending that abortion "should remain subject to a legal framework and to responsible counselling and to medical judgement."[155] Within this legal framework, it advocates limiting elective abortions to 20 weeks of pregnancy.[157] The church generally approved of theAbortion Act 1967 which made abortion legal only under certain circumstances.[157][155] It also supports the use of "responsible contraception" andfamily planning as ways to prevent unwanted pregnancies.[158]
The Methodist Church opposesassisted suicide andeuthanasia. The conference statement of 1974 states: "The final stage of an illness is not one which need represent the ultimate defeat for the doctor or nurse, but a supreme opportunity to help the patient at many levels, including those relating to emotional and spiritual well-being ... Dedicated workers in this field of care, including specialisedhospices, demonstrate that it is possible to deal with all the symptoms which cause problems to the patient ... Euthanasia, assisted dying – both are artificial precipitation of death. Many Christians believe this idea is wrong. An approach to death as outlined above makes euthanasia inappropriate and irrelevant."[159]
The Methodist Church supported the campaign to abolishcapital punishment in the United Kingdom, and since then has totally opposed its reintroduction.[160]
Within the Methodist Church members have a broad range of views aboutsexual morality, relationships, and thepurpose of marriage.[161] The church condemns all practices of sexuality "which are promiscuous, exploitative or demeaning in any way".[162] In his 1743tract "Thoughts on Marriage and a Single Life", John Wesley taught that the ability to live asingle life is given by God to all believers, although few people are able to accept this gift. He also taught that no one should forbid marriage.[163]
In 1993 the Methodist Conference met in Derby and passed six resolutions covering issues related with human sexuality (known as the "Derby Resolutions" or "1993 Resolutions"). Among these, the conference at the time reaffirmed the traditional Christian teaching of "chastity for all outside marriage and fidelity within it".[162] The Derby Resolutions also agreed that the church "recognises, affirms and celebrates the participation and ministry of lesbians and gay men" and allows theordination of openly LGBT ministers.[162]
The Methodist Church historically has had a mixed position on theblessing of same-sex couples. In 2005 the Methodist Conference meeting in Torquay recommended that ministers be allowed to bless same-sex relationships, subject to local approval.[164][165] It affirmed that the church should be "welcoming and inclusive" and not turn people away because of their sexual orientation.[165] However, in 2006 the Methodist Conference decided not to authorise formal blessings in local churches, although ministers were allowed to offer informal private prayers.[166][167] The 2013 conference set up a working party to oversee a process of "deep reflection and discernment" before reporting back to the conference in 2016 with recommendations about whether the definition of marriage should be revised.[168] Subsequently, in 2016 the conference voted to "revisit" the church's position onsame-sex marriage, with a mandate from members "expressing a desire to endorse same-sex relationships".[169]
On 3 July 2019 the Methodist Conference approved a report,God in Love Unites Us, and voted in principle to permit same-sex weddings in Methodist premises by Methodist ministers—the report was then sent to district synods for consultation.[170] A final decision, initially scheduled for the July 2020 conference,[171] was postponed to 2021 due to theCOVID-19 pandemic hindering grassroots discussions.[172] On 30 June 2021 the Conference, presided over bySonia Hicks, overwhelmingly approved (254 votes in favour with 46 against) the recognition of same-sex marriage in the church. Ministers are not forced to conduct such weddings if they disagree.[173] The Conference also affirmedcohabitation.[174] The traditionalist caucus, Methodist Evangelicals Together, dissented from recognition of same-sex marriage.[175]
Prior to this, the Methodist Church already permittedtransgender individuals who had undergone a legalgender transition to marry in the church. This was because it allowed persons to be married based on their legal gender rather than their assigned sex at birth. The church has stated, "[t]here is no clear theological or Scriptural position on matters of gender reassignment."[176]
Dignity and Worth is a campaign group within the Methodist Church which aims to strengthen the Methodist Church's position as anLGBT-affirming denomination.[173][177] The chair of the group described the church's decision to recognise same-sex marriage as a "momentous step on the road to justice".[173]
In 1744, the directions the Wesleys gave to the Methodist societies required them "to taste no spirituousliquor ... unless prescribed by a physician."[178] Methodists, in particular the Primitives, later took a leading role in theBritish temperance movement of the 19th and early 20th centuries,[179] and Methodism remains closely associated with temperance in many people's minds.[180]: 3 Methodists saw social issues such as poverty and violence in the home as exacerbated by drunkenness andalcoholism, and sought to persuade people toabstain totally from alcoholic beverages.[66][181] Temperance appealed strongly to the Methodist doctrines of sanctification and perfection. At one time, ministers had to take a pledge not to drink, and encouraged their congregations to do the same.[182] To this day, alcohol remains banned in most Methodist premises.[note 6] The choice to consume alcohol outside of church is now a personal decision for any member: the 1974 conference recognised the "sincerity and integrity of those who take differing views on whether they should drink or abstain".[180]: 4 [184] The conference of 2000 later recommended that all Methodists should "consider seriously the claims of total abstinence", and "make a personal commitment either to total abstinence or to responsible drinking".[7]: 817
The Methodist Church uses non-alcoholic wine (grape juice) in the sacrament of Holy Communion.[185] In 1869, a Methodist dentist namedThomas Welch developed a method ofpasteurising grape juice in order to produce anunfermented communion wine for his church.[186] He later foundedWelch's grape juice company.[187] By the 1880s this non-alcoholic wine had become commonplace in Methodist churches worldwide.[188]
From the start Methodism was sympathetic towards poor people. In 1753, John Wesley bemoaned, "So wickedly, devilishly false is that common objection, 'They are poor, only because they are idle'."[189] In aJoint Public Issues Team report issued with theBaptist Union of Great Britain, theChurch of Scotland andUnited Reformed Church, the Methodist Church stated this misconception is also prevalent today.[190]
Daleep Mukarji, the former director of the charityChristian Aid,[191] who was vice-president of the Methodist Conference in 2013, statedeconomic inequality was more prevalent in 21st-century Britain than at any time sinceWorld War II. He highlighted the response of Methodists:
Working with others, people of faith or no faith, we need to work for justice, inclusion and development that benefits the poor and marginalised here in the UK and across the world. This requires that we be prepared for the education, organisation and equipping of our members so that we build the necessary energy and commitment to see changes in our society. (...) We must hold our leaders, the structures and systems accountable so that we see that the weak and vulnerable are given a better deal. (...) Many Methodists in our local churches and circuits have outstanding programmes that serve people in need. At this time when poverty, deprivation and neglect seem to have got worse we should do more. (...) Our Methodist church is known for our service, our commitment to social justice and our willingness to act to transform society.
— Daleep Mukarji[192]
Some Methodist churches hostfood banks, distributing food to those in need.[193][194]
In 2016 there were 3,459 Methodist ministers, with 1,562 active in circuit ministry.[11] The church recognises two orders ofordained ministry—that ofpresbyter anddeacon.[195][note 7] Church documents refer to both as "Minister", though common usage often limits this title to presbyters.[195][198]: 149 Presbyters are styled "The Reverend",[199] while "Deacon" is used as a title by members of the diaconate. Deacons (both women and men) also belong to a community of deacons in theMethodist Diaconal Order.[200] The Deed of Union (the key foundation document of the Methodist Church since union in 1932[1]) describes the roles of presbyters and deacons and the purpose of their ministries:
Christ's ministers in the church are stewards in the household of God and shepherds of his flock. Some are called and ordained to this occupation as presbyters or deacons. Presbyters have a principal and directing part in these great duties but they hold no priesthood differing in kind from that which iscommon to all the Lord's people and they have no exclusive title to the preaching of the gospel or the care of souls. These ministries are shared with them by others to whom also the Spirit divides his gifts severally as he wills.[7]: 213
Both the diaconal and presbyteral orders in the Methodist Church are considered equal, playing distinct yet complementary roles in the ministry.[198] Deacons are called to a ministry of service andwitness: specifically to "assist God's people in worship and prayer" and "to visit and support the sick and the suffering".[200] Presbyters are called to a ministry of word and sacrament: "to preach by word and deed the Gospel of God's grace" and "to baptise, to confirm, and to preside at the celebration of thesacrament of Christ's body and blood."[200] Presbyters historically areitinerant preachers, and the current rules mandate that presbyters in active work are stationed in a circuit for typically five years before transferring to another circuit.[201]
Methodist presbyters are usually givenpastoral charge of several local churches within the circuit. Ordinary presbyters are in turn overseen by asuperintendent, who is the most senior minister in the circuit. Unlike many other Methodist denominations the British church does not havebishops. A report,What Sort of Bishops? to the conference of 2005, was accepted for study and report.[202] This report considered whether this should now be changed, and if so, what forms ofepiscopacy might be acceptable. Consultation at grassroots level during 2006 and 2007 revealed overwhelming opposition from those who responded. As a consequence, the 2007 conference decided not to move towards having bishops at present.[203]
Without bishops, the Methodist Church does not subscribe to the idea of anhistorical episcopate. It does, however, affirm the doctrine ofapostolic succession.[204] In 1937 the Methodist Conference located the "true continuity" with the church of past ages in "the continuity of Christian experience, the fellowship in the gift of the one Spirit; in the continuity in the allegiance to one Lord, the continued proclamation of the message; the continued acceptance of the mission;..." [through a long chain which goes back to] "the first disciples in the company of the Lord Himself ... This is our doctrine of apostolic succession" [which neither depends on, nor is secured by,] "an official succession of ministers, whether bishops or presbyters, from apostolic times, but rather by fidelity to apostolic truth".[204]
The Primitive Methodist Church always allowed female preachers and ministers, although there were never many of them.[205] The Wesleyan Methodist Church established an order ofdeaconesses in 1890. The Methodist Church has re-allowedordination of women as presbyters since 2 July 1974, when 17 women were received into full connexion at the Methodist Conference in Bristol.[206][207] The Methodist Church, along with some other Protestant churches, holds that when the historical contexts involved are understood, a coherent biblical argument can be made in favour of women's ordination.[208]
A distinctive feature of British Methodism is its extensive use of "local preachers" ('local' because they stay in the same circuit, as opposed to 'itinerant' preachers who move to different circuits, in the case of presbyters).[209] They arelaypeople who have been trained and accredited to preach and lead worship services in place of a presbyter; however, local preachers cannot ordinarily officiate at services of Holy Communion.[210] Local preachers are thus similar tolay readers in the Church of England.[211] It is estimated that local preachers conduct seven out of every ten Methodist services, either in their own circuit or in others where they are invited as "visiting preachers".[211]
Local preachers played an important role in English and Welsh social history, especially among the working class andlabour movement.[212] Prominent 20th- and 21st-century public figures who preached includeGeorge Thomas, Speaker of the House of Commons from 1976 to 1983;[213]David Frost, television broadcaster;[214][215]Len Murray, General Secretary of theTrades Union Congress from 1973 to 1983;[216] andDavid Blunkett,Home Secretary from 2001 to 2004.[214]
Other appointments may include pastoral and administrative roles. Church standing orders prohibit the appointment of anyone being appointed to undertake work with children, young people or vulnerable adults in the life of the church if they have a criminal conviction or caution under a number of laws, including theSexual Offences Act 2003, or who is barred by theDisclosure and Barring Service from work with vulnerable people or who the Safeguarding Committee has concluded poses a risk to vulnerable groups.[7]: SO 010
Methodists belong to local churches orlocal ecumenical partnerships but also feel part of a larger connected community, known as 'The Connexion'. This sense of being connected makes a difference to how the Methodist Church as a whole is structured. From its inception under John Wesley, Methodism has always laid strong emphasis on theinterdependence and mutual support of one local church for another.[217] The church community has never been seen in isolation either from its immediately neighbouring church communities or from the centralised national organisation. When ministers are ordained in the Methodist Church, they are also "received into full Connexion".[218]
A quarterly magazine entitledthe connexion is published by the church.[219]
Membership of the Methodist Church is held in a particular local church, or in a local ecumenical partnership.[220] For people who wish to become members of the church there is a period of instruction and, once the local church council is satisfied with the person's sincere acceptance of the basis of membership of the Methodist Church, a service ofconfirmation and reception into membership is held; if they have not previously been baptised, the service will include baptism.[220] (Each member of a local church receives amembership ticket at least once a year; in early Methodism, tickets were issued by Wesley every three months as evidence of a member's good standing.[221][222]) As at October 2016[update], church members are dispersed over 4,512 local churches—unevenly distributed over a small number of large churches and a large number of small churches.[11]
Local church can refer to both thecongregation and thebuilding in which it meets (though the building may also be called achapel).[223][224] It is the whole body of members of the Methodist Church linked with one particular place of worship. The concept of the local church is based on the original Methodist "societies" that existed within the Church of England during the time of John Wesley's ministry.[225] A local church is normally led by a presbyter, usually referred to as "the minister".
Some church members belong to a church council, either because they have been elected by the local church members, or because they hold one of a number of offices within the local church. The church council, with a minister, has responsibility for running the local church. Members of the church council are alsotrustees of the local church.[226] The church council appoints two or morechurch stewards, who exercise pastoral responsibility in conjunction with the minister and together provide a leadership role across "the whole range of the church's life and activity".[7]: 530
Local churches are grouped into 368circuits (as of 2016[update]) of various sizes.[11] The responsibilities of the circuit are exercised through the circuit meeting, led by the superintendent minister.[227] It is responsible for managing the finances, property and officeholders within the circuit. Most circuits have many fewer ministers than churches and the majority of services are led by local preachers, or bysupernumerary ministers—retired ministers who are not officially counted in the number of ministers for the circuit in which they are listed.[228] The superintendent and other ministers are assisted in the leadership and administration of the circuit by lay circuit stewards, who together form the leadership team.[227][229]
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Some large inner-city Methodist buildings, called 'central halls', are designated as circuits in themselves.[230] About a hundred such halls were built in Britain between 1886 and 1945, many in aRenaissance orBaroque style.[231] They were designated as multi-purpose venues; in their heyday they presented low-cost concerts and shows to entertain the working classes on Saturdays—encouraging them to avoiddrinking establishments and therebyabstain from alcohol—as well as hosting church congregations on Sundays. However, many were bombed during theSecond World War, and others declined as people moved out of the city centres; as of 2012[update] only sixteen remain in use as Methodist churches.[232] Others, such as the landmarkBirmingham Central Hall, andLiverpool's Grand Central Hall, have been sold and adapted as retail or nightclub venues.[232] One of the remaining halls isMethodist Central Hall inWestminster (close toParliament Square andWestminster Abbey), established in 1912 to serve as a church with additional use "for conferences on religious, educational, scientific, philanthropic and social questions".[233]
The Connexion is divided into thirty districts (as at 2018[update]) covering the whole of Great Britain, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islands.[234] The district is a drawing together of a variable number of circuits in a geographic locality. Wales is covered by two districts: aWelsh-language synod and an English-language synod. Methodism has never been prevalent in Scotland, and there are only around 40 local churches gathered into one Scotland District.[235]
The governing body of a district is the twice-yearlysynod.[236] Each district is presided over by achair, except the large London District which has three chairs.[237] A chair was, at first, a superintendent of a circuit within the district, but now ministers are appointed exclusively to the separated role.[238] The prime function of the chair ispastoral—the care of ministers and lay workers, and their families, within the district; the appointment of ministers to circuits; candidates for the ministry and the oversight ofprobationer (trainee) ministers.[237] The district chair is also the person to whom other denominations relateecumenically at regional or national level.[239]
The central governing body of the Connexion is the Methodist Conference, which meets in June or July each year in a different part of the country.[7]: 216 [240] It represents both ministers and laypeople, and determines church policy.[240] The conference is a gathering of representatives from each district, along with some who have been elected by the conference and someex officio members and representatives of the youth assembly. It is held in two sessions: a presbyteral session and a representative session including lay representatives.[7]: 216 The 2019 conference was held in Birmingham.[241] The 2020 conference took place as avirtual conference due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.[242] The 2021 conference took place in Birmingham and online. The 2022 conference was held inTelford,[243] and the 2023 conference returned to Birmingham.[244] The 2024 conference took place in Leeds,[245] and the 2025 conference will take place in Telford again.[246]
The Methodist Conference is the formal authority on all matters of belief and practice.[247] Proposals for a change or development of Methodist teaching about personal, social or publicChristian ethics can be initiated:
If, by methods one and two above, the proposed change or development is significant, the conference will usually direct the Methodist Council to look into the issues and to present a report at a subsequent conference.[247]
In the course of preparing the report, staff who are appointed or employed by the council will be responsible for developing the church's thinking with the help of professional and theological expertise; and must undertake a wide range of consultations, both within the Methodist Church and with partner denominations. Then the report, with or without specific recommendations, will be presented to Conference for debate.
Examples of issues dealt with in this way are: abortion; civil disobedience; nuclear deterrence; the manufacture and sale of arms; disarmament; care of the environment; family and divorce law; gambling; housing; overseas development and fair trading; poverty; racial justice; asylum and immigration issues; human sexuality; political responsibility.[248]
Sometimes the conference will attempt a definitive judgement on an important theme which is intended to represent the Methodist Church's viewpoint for a decade or more. In such cases a final decision is made after two debates in conference, separated by at least a year, to allow for discussion in all parts of the church's life. Topics of personal, social or public Christian ethics dealt with in this way become official "Statements" or "Declarations" of the Methodist Church on the subject concerned, for example,Family Life, the Single Person and Marriage.[249]
The Methodist Conference is presided over by the president of conference, a presbyter. The president is supported by the vice-president, who is a layperson or deacon. The president and vice-president serve a one-year term, travelling across the Connexion—following the example of Wesley—and preaching in local churches.[250]
TheConstitutional Practice and Discipline of the Methodist Church (CPD) is published annually by order of the conference. Its contents are prepared by the church's Law and Polity Committee and reviewed each year. Volume 1 contains a set of fixed texts, includingacts of Parliament,[note 8] other legislation and historic documents; the 1988 preface has been retained in later revisions because, along with abridged versions of earlier forewords, its "value as a general introduction to Methodist constitutional practice and discipline remains unsurpassed".[251]: vi Volume 2 includes the Deed of Union and Model Trusts, along with the conferencestanding orders which are updated annually after amendments by the conference.[7]: 261
There is an annual assembly for children and youth, called 3Generate. It represents children and young adults aged 8 to 23.[252] There is also a youth president,[253] elected annually to serve a paid full-time role.[254]
The Methodist Church is closely associated with several charitable organisations: namely,Action for Children (formerly the National Children's Home),[255]Methodist Homes (MHA) andAll We Can (the Methodist Relief and Development Fund).[256]The church also helps to run a number offaith schools, both state and independent. These include two leadingprivate schools in East Anglia,Culford School andThe Leys School.[257] It helps to promote an all round education with a strongChristian ethos.
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The Methodist Church participates in various ecumenical forums and associations with other denominations. The church is a founding member ofChurches Together in Britain and Ireland (since 1990)[258] and the three national ecumenical bodies in Great Britain, namelyChurches Together in England,[259]Cytûn in Wales,[260] andAction of Churches Together in Scotland.[261] Since 1975, the Methodist Church is one of theCovenanted Churches in Wales, along with theChurch in Wales, thePresbyterian Church of Wales, the United Reformed Church and certainBaptist churches.[262] It participates in theConference of European Churches and theWorld Council of Churches. The church has sent delegates to every Assembly of the World Council and has at various times been represented on its Central Committees and its Faith and Order Commission.[263]
The Methodist Church is officially committed to "seek opportunities to work in partnership with other denominations" and "seek opportunities to join with other Christians in sharing the Good News of the Gospel and to make more followers of Jesus Christ through together bearing witness to the unity of the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church."[149] From the 1970s onward, the Methodist Church has been involved in nearly 900local ecumenical partnerships (LEPs) with neighbouring denominations,[10] such as theChurch of England, theBaptist Union and theUnited Reformed Church.Christ Church inNelson, Lancashire, is an unusual example of a joint Methodist–Catholic church in Britain.[264]
In April 2016 the World Methodist Council opened an Ecumenical Office inRome, Italy. International Methodist leaders andPope Francis met together to dedicate the new office.[265] It exists to offer a resource in Rome for the worldwide Methodist family and to help facilitate Methodist relationships with the widerChristian Church, especially theRoman Catholic Church.[266]
In the 1960s the Methodist Church made ecumenical overtures to the Church of England, aimed at church unity.[267] In February 1963, a report,Conversations between the Church of England and the Methodist Church, was published. This gave an outline of a scheme to unite the two churches. The scheme was not without opposition, for four Methodist representatives—Barrett, Meadley, Snaith and Jessop—issued a dissentient report.[268][269] Through much of the 1960s, controversy spread in the two churches. Central in the debate was the need for Methodist ministers to be ordained under the Anglicanhistoric episcopate, which opponents characterised as "reordination" of Methodist ministers.[267] Discussions ultimately failed when the proposals for union were rejected by the Church of England'sGeneral Synod in 1972.[270]
In 1982, the Methodist Conference endorseda covenant with the Church of England, the United Reformed Church and theMoravian Church, but the plan faltered after theHouse of Bishops in the General Synod vetoed it.[271][272] Bilateral discussions between the Anglicans and Methodists were renewed in the mid-1990s, with a series of Informal Conversations held in 1995 and 1996. These meetings concluded with the publication of a common statement in December 2000 which highlighted common beliefs and potential areas of cooperation between the two denominations.[267]
In 2002, the Methodist Conference voted on the proposals inAn Anglican–Methodist Covenant, sending it to its districts for discussion. On 1 November 2003, in the presence of QueenElizabeth II, the President and other leaders of the Methodist Conference and Archbishops of the Church of England signed the covenant atMethodist Central Hall in Westminster.[273] The covenant affirms the willingness of the two churches to work together at a diocesan/district level in matters ofevangelism and joint worship.[274]
In 2021, the churches agreed to move ahead with the covenant and set up a new body to encourage cooperation between Anglicans and Methodists, despite opposition from the Church of England toward the Methodist Church's decision to allow same-sex weddings.[275]
Following the submission of a report entitledJustice for Palestine and Israel in June 2010,[276] the Methodist Conference was reported to have questioned whether "Zionism was compatible with Methodist beliefs".[277]Christian Zionism was broadly characterised as believing that Israel "must be held above criticism whatever policy is enacted", and Conference called for aboycott of selected goods fromIsraeli settlements.[278] TheChief Rabbi of Britain'sOrthodox Jewish community described the report as "unbalanced, factually and historically flawed" and charged that it offered "no genuine understanding of one of the most complex conflicts in the world today. Many in both communities will be deeply disturbed."[277]
Methodism is a worldwide movement with around 80 million adherents (including members ofunited and uniting churches).[279] Its largest denomination is theUnited Methodist Church,[280] which has congregations on four continents, although the majority are in the United States.[281] Delegates from almost all Methodist denominations (and many uniting churches) meet together every five years in a conference of theWorld Methodist Council.[279]
St Andrew's Scots Church,Malta, is a joint congregation of the Methodist Church of Great Britain and theChurch of Scotland situated inValletta. It serves Britishexpats.[282] There are also Methodist congregations in theCrown Dependencies of theIsle of Man and theChannel Islands (each forming a district).[230]
Methodist churches inNorthern Ireland are part of theMethodist Church in Ireland,[283] a separate connexion which is historically associated with the British Methodist Church. John Wesley visited Ireland on twenty-one occasions between 1747 and 1789, establishing societies there.[284]
British Methodism therefore holds an inescapable chronological priority in the history of world Methodism and it has also often been accorded a courteous priority of esteem, being regard still as the 'mother church' by Methodists from many parts of the globe. The story of the origins and development of Methodism in what is now the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, therefore, is the story, first, of an eighteenth-century movement which gave birth to the whole Methodist enterprise and then of a nineteenth-century church whose influence reached out across the world through the missionary endeavours of the various British Connexions within and beyond the British Empire.
John Wesley particularly identified his understanding of salvation with the theology and writings of the seventeenth century Dutch theologian, Jacob Arminius.
So when George Whitefield and John Wesley began their ministry, they were called enthusiasts because they preached the Holy Spirit.
In 1806 the Independent Methodist Church came into being near Warrington, after the Circuit authorities decreed that cottage meetings were not permissible. (The Independent Methodist Church in Grappenhall, Warrington, still exists, complete with its own website.)
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link){{cite book}}:ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)'Once a month' or 'less than once a week but more than once a month' were by far the most common frequencies for Sunday celebrations, accounting between them for nearly 90% of responses. More frequent celebrations were very uncommon. 5% reported 'less than once a month'.
The primacy of grace was central to their position, though the implication of divine/human cooperation (synergism) led many to criticize the Arminians for stressing human activity in salvation. The controversies that developed over this issue toward to end of the seventeenth century led to some interesting name calling that is important to an understanding of the name 'Methodist.'
Two examples of Christian synergism are the Catholic reformer Erasmus, who was roughly contemporary with Luther, and the seventeenth-century Dutch theologian Arminius. John Wesley, founder of the Methodist tradition, was also a synergist with regard to salvation.
The Apostles' Creed, (see, page 107 in The Methodist Worship Book), and the Nicene Creed, (page 190 in The Methodist Worship Book) are two statements of belief that have been used since the early Church. The Methodist Church along with many other Churches accepts the fundamental principles of these historic creeds.
Dr. Thomas B. Welch, a teetotaling New Jersey dentist, came up withDr. Welch's Unfermented Wine - later renamed Welch's Grape Juice - to be used as a substitute for wine in church communion service.
A Circuit which considers that any of its churches or a significant number of church members or other Christians in the local community is deprived of reasonably frequent and regular celebration of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper through lack of ordained ministers may apply for the authorisation of persons other than ministers to preside at that sacrament when appointed to do so on the circuit plan, or on other occasions when authorised by the Superintendent.
A Methodist lay preacher, he held strong ethical opinions about the role of trades unions in a free society.
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