What defines the UMC from other Protestant faiths?

[HandmaidenOfGod]

Hello,

I was just wondering, what defines the Methodist Church from other Protestant faiths such as Baptists, Presbyterians, Pentacostals, etc?

Just a little background on myself, I was raised in the Baptist and Orthodox Churches, so I am familiar with Protestantism, but from the surface, all Protestant Churches seem the same to me, so I was just wondering what seperated the UMC from the rest?

Your input is greatly appreciated.

In XC,

Maureen

[DesertedRose]

Other Methodists can jump in and give their .02 worth, but I believe the UMC has a strong focus/commitment to peace and social justice issues.

John Wesley was big on focusing on caring for the poor and the less fortunate.

The Salvation Army was founded by a Methodist.

[Willo]

John Wesley was big on focusing on caring for the poor and the less fortunate.


Not just that but he took the time to preach the gospel also. Not just social issues.

[HandmaidenOfGod]

Okay, so if the Salvation Army was founded by a Methodist, what seperates the Salvation Army from the UMC?

Also, no offense, but the UMC is not the only Christian organization that preaches the Gospel and does Charitable good works. After all, Catholic Charities (http://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org/), St. Vincent de Paul Society (http://www.svdpusa.org/), the IOCC (http://iocc.org/), the OCMC (http://ocmc.org/), and the Fellowship of Orthodox Stewards (http://oca.org/FOSIndex.asp?SID=10) all perform these functions as well.

What doctrinal issues seperate the Methodists from say, the Lutherans, Baptists, Episcopalians, etc?

Your help is appreciated.

In XC,

Maureen

[HandmaidenOfGod]

Just an FYI, I ask, not because I'm interested in converting, but because I am a student of History, Culture, and Religion, and enjoy learning about the faiths of others.

[alaurie]

John and Charles Wesley, founders of Methodism, were Anglican priests who added Experience to Anglican's 'Scripture, Tradition, and Reason.' The four together are referred to as the Wesley Quadrilateral. The Pentacostal/Charismatic churches are descended from Methodism but put much more emphasis on experience.

Methodist Churches are considered liturgical but the offshoots, Pentacostals, aren't.


The Methodist family tree looks like this:

Roman Catholic Church
Anglican Church
Methodist Church
/......................................\

Pentacostal Churches ...Salvation Army (I'm not that familiar with them)


You're less likely to hear Sola Scriptura argued by most Methodists due to the emphasis on the Wesley Quadrilateral which takes Tradition and Experience into account and the fact that we aren't descended from Presbyterians.

***Please note*** This is my understanding and is open to correction!

[AquilaGT]

One Wesleyan distinctive is the Arminian viewpoint of salvation. This means God allows each person freewill, or a choice, to accept or reject God. This is in contrast with the predestination viewpoint of Reformed/Calvinist churches that people do not have a choice and God predestines, or pre-decides, who accepts or rejects God, and those who accept can not renounce their orginal decision.

John Wesley was focused on practical Christianity, and the process of holy living called sanctification. Hence the emphasis on preaching and conversion coulped with teaching and following standards of Christian living, inclduing works of mercy.

As an Anglican priest, Wesley was familiar with Roman Catholic doctrine, and the Protestant (Lutheran) doctrine along with Puritan (his mother came from a Puritan family). He was also influenced by Moravian and Eastern Orthodox thought (you can see some Orthodox strains in Wesley's focus on the process of salvation and sanctification.) Wesley did not formulate any new doctrines, but presented them in a dynamic new way.

[Artos]

You are asking for the distinctive element of Methodism.

OK- here's a lineup of distinctives. Baptists, SArmy,Lutherans, Presbyterians, Pentecostals and Anglicans- please elaborate more about your church's position. Am just giving a thumbnail sketch).

Baptists- immersion baptism
Salvation Army- Christian social commitment
Presbyterians- church order with presbyters (elders) in charge.
Lutherans- salvation by grace through faith
Pentecostals- Baptism in the Holy Spirit evidenced by speaking in tongues
Anglicans- The VIA MEDIA (middle way) between the RCs and the Prots...Book of Common Prayer

Now for Methodist:

Methodists- HOLINESS IN HEART AND LIFE. John Wesley said that the sole reason why God raised the Methodists was to 'spread scriptural holiness' throughout the land. We emphasise holiness which is not just vertical dimension (me and God) but also horizontal dimension (social holiness).

Hope this helps.

[DesertedRose]

I thought of something else.

I don't know about other denominations but in Methodism the pastor is usually itinerate; that is, (s)he travels from parish to parish after serving for 'x' number of years.....they don't stay in one congregation for years and years.

My husband is a Methodist PK and he moved quite a bit as a child (for good or for ill). Our pastor has been in our church 6 years and I think this will be his last year with us. The longest I've heard of a Methodist pastor at one church is 10 years. This stems from the 'Circuit Rider' in early Methodism, when pastors would 'travel the circuit' from church to church.

http://www.gcah.org/Circuit_Riders.html

There's also the concept of 'lay speakers' - people who are not clergy who are allowed in the pulpit to deliver the message/homily/sermon. Lay speakers go through some training but not through seminary....they are not ordained clergy.

[HandmaidenOfGod]

Thanks alot for your help, I really appreciate it!

God bless,

Maureen

[DesertedRose]

The Methodist family tree looks like this:

Roman Catholic Church
Anglican Church
Methodist Church
/......................................\

Pentacostal Churches ...Salvation Army (I'm not that familiar with them)

Our Nazarene brothers and sisters are spiritual descendants of Methodism, too. Good job alaurie!

[alaurie]

Thanks! In my mind, I was thinking of UMC/Nazarene/Wesleyen when I wrote Methodist ...all the Wesley's Parish crowd. :) :sorry: It seems we're more similar than not.



Our Nazarene brothers and sisters are spiritual descendants of Methodism, too. Good job alaurie!

[contriteheart]

Hi Maureen,

I was once told by an Orthodox priest that Methodism was the closet protestant theology to Orthodoxy. This is probably, in large part, due to Wesley's understanding of sanctification, as another poster mentioned.

John Wesley was a great admirer of the early church fathers, and was heavily influenced by them. I used to have a quote from him in my signature in which he said that the ante-Nicene fathers were the best commentators on scripture, since they were so close in time-period to the apostles, and also were 'eminently imbdued with the Holy Spirit that inspired the scriptures,' (or something to that effect.) As a previous poster mentioned, Methodism is not a sola scriptura kind of church, but relies also on tradition, reason, and experience.

As an aside, if I remember correctly, Wesley would not allow a person to serve in leadership unless they fasted weekly on Wednesdays and Fridays (a practice with which you will be familiar.) :)

Blessed Advent!

With love in Christ,
Grace

[contriteheart]

A few other random things I thought of which differentiate us from some other protestant groups.

Methodists baptize infants.
Methodists have a practice called confirmation (similar to chrismation).
Methodists are more liturgical than many protestants.
Methodism has a hierarchical structure with Bishops
Methodism doesn't teach once-saved-always-saved.

Just some random thoughts.

Blessed Advent!

With love in Christ,
Grace

[contriteheart]

PS on my two posts above: Please feel free to correct me anyone, if I've misrepresented things in any way. I've only been a Methodist for a short time as an adult, but I did grow up in the church.

Blessed Advent!

With love in Christ,
Grace

[Artos]

A few other random things I thought of which differentiate us from some other protestant groups.

Methodism has a hierarchical structure with Bishops
Methodism doesn't teach once-saved-always-saved.

Grace

1 British Methodism doesnt have Bishops. They only have Presidents. Churches founded by British Methodism in Asia, Africa, Latin America do not have bishops either.

Bishops in American Methodism and bishops in the different branches of Methodism founded by American Methodism do not necessarily have the same powers. UMC bishops are for life. Some Methodist bishops in Asia (non UMC but had roots in American Methodism) are elected only for four years and are either re-elected or returned back to the ministry as a presbyter/elder(ie ordinary pastor). Bishops are not a 'third order' in Methodism...because we have only two orders- deacon and elder. Of course, UMC has now changed the position re diaconate but that is another matter....

2 "Once saved always saved" is a Calvinistic position. There are Calvinistic Methodists in the world.

[HandmaidenOfGod]

Thanks guys!

What are Methodist's beliefs about Communion?

[Artos]

Thanks guys!

What are Methodist's beliefs about Communion?

Hi. I believe we just met in another thread on Communion. Perhaps the books I suggested at the other thread would help. Try the last one. It answers the questions quite well...quite easy to read too.

A few good books:with websites to order them from.....

1 HISTORY
"The Sacrament of the Lord”s Supper in Early Methodism".London : Dacre Press. (1951) by John C Bowmer
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...glance&n=283155 (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0007HO3VI/qid=1135012536/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/104-6025417-5542356?s=books&v=glance&n=283155)

2 "THEOLOGY- a bit heavy going
John Wesley on the Sacraments: A Theological Study". Grand Rapids: Francis Asbury Press(1986) by Ole E Borgen
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/03...=books&v=glance (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0310751918/qid=1135012481/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl14/104-6025417-5542356?n=507846&s=books&v=glance)

3 PRIMARY SOURCE- THE HYMNS
"The Eucharistic Hymns of John and Charles Wesley"( American Edition 1990 )1948 by Earnest J Rattenbury. Ed. Timothy J Couch. Ohio: Order of St Luke Publications.
http://www.saint-luke.org/littheol.html#rattenbury

4. OVERVIEW OF HISTORY, THEOLOGY and EVALUATION IN SPIRITUALITY- good if you just need one book to read rather than several.
"Wesleyan Eucharistic Spirituality" Australia.Australian Theological Foundation Press (2005) by Lorna Khoo
http://www.atfpress.com/books/atfDi...Eucharistic.htm (http://www.atfpress.com/books/atfDissertation/WesleyanEucharistic.htm)

[ctay]

They probably aren't more liturgical than lutherans. The only UMC church I've been to was more like a baptist church than anything, the service was mostly hymns, prayers, offering, sermon and alter call, I probably need to visit some more or a different one. I'm not trying to debate or start something here, I'm here to learn too. Just visiting that one church and reading the stuff on here has me confused.

[Artos]

They probably aren't more liturgical than lutherans. The only UMC church I've been to was more like a baptist church than anything, the service was mostly hymns, prayers, offering, sermon and alter call, I probably need to visit some more or a different one. I'm not trying to debate or start something here, I'm here to learn too. Just visiting that one church and reading the stuff on here has me confused.

Methodism has a lot of variety. You will find some Methodists more liturgical than even the Roman Catholics! (try the Methodist liturgical and sacramental"Order of St Luke" - not to be confused with the ecumenical, healing-orienated "Order of St Luke"- webpage and you will find some Methodists of this category).More 'middle of the road' (but liturgical/traditional) type of services can be found in Highland Park UMC in Dallas, Texas.

Some are more informal than Baptists or independent churches (try some small town British Methodist churches eg those around the fringe of Oxford)....and there are others where you'd think you are at a Pentecostal service (try some of the Pentecostal Methodist churches in Chile or the Damasara Utama Methodist Church in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia). Some Methodist churches have simultanous services of different types running at the same time: Wesley Methodist Church in Singapore for example, has more than 10 services each Sunday and some on Saturdays. It has three 'traditional' (liturgical) service at its sanctuary with three 'prayer and praise' (charismatic) service at its chapel....each Sunday.

There are also 'blended' services found in different countries (ie charismatic style singing with hands lifted up and singing in tongues....of choruses, Hillsongs type music....and old hymns jazzed up....; the use of the creeds and a printed order of service, robed ministers, prophetic/healing/altar ministries at the end of the service....). Have fun discovering about us!:)

[contriteheart]

Methodism has a lot of variety. You will find some Methodists more liturgical than even the Roman Catholics! (try the Methodist liturgical and sacramental"Order of St Luke" - not to be confused with the ecumenical, healing-orienated "Order of St Luke"- webpage and you will find some Methodists of this category).More 'middle of the road' (but liturgical/traditional) type of services can be found in Highland Park UMC in Dallas, Texas.

Some are more informal than Baptists or independent churches (try some small town British Methodist churches eg those around the fringe of Oxford)....and there are others where you'd think you are at a Pentecostal service (try some of the Pentecostal Methodist churches in Chile or the Damasara Utama Methodist Church in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia). Some Methodist churches have simultanous services of different types running at the same time: Wesley Methodist Church in Singapore for example, has more than 10 services each Sunday and some on Saturdays. It has three 'traditional' (liturgical) service at its sanctuary with three 'prayer and praise' (charismatic) service at its chapel....each Sunday.

There are also 'blended' services found in different countries (ie charismatic style singing with hands lifted up and singing in tongues....of choruses, Hillsongs type music....and old hymns jazzed up....; the use of the creeds and a printed order of service, robed ministers, prophetic/healing/altar ministries at the end of the service....). Have fun discovering about us!:)

Boy, that's the truth! As a military brat, I moved around a lot, and was raised in a number of UMC's - some similar to Baptist, as well as a few more liturgical churches. I came to Christ in college in a decidedly atypical charismatic UMC. I now attend a church that offers contemporary, traditional, and blended services.

After 20 or so years as an charismatic and then a non-denominational evangelical, I have returned to the Methodist Church, and have to say that I really enjoy the liturgical service the most. Imagine that!

Blessed Advent!

With love in Christ,
Grace

[ctay]

Does the UMC say the Apostles creed and the Nicene creed during their services?

[contriteheart]

Some say the Apostles' creed during service.

Blessed Advent!

With love in Christ,
Grace

[Artos]

In my congregation, we say the Nicene Creed every Sunday since its the most accepted and 2nd oldest creed of the church (The Nicene Creed- according to the Faith and Order Commission of the World Council of Churches- is the most universal and the 2nd oldest....The oldest is the first creed of the church: ie "Jesus is Lord". The Apostles Creed is an 8th Century Western baptismal creed and is not accepted by the Eastern Churches).

[AquilaGT]

My UMC includes the Apostles' Creed in our worship liturgy each week. I think most UMCs do, but I do know of UMCs who rotate the Apostles Creed with the Nicene Creed, and some that also sometimes include other creeds that are printed in the Methodist Hymnal. I also know of some UMCs that do not include recitation of a creed in their worship service.