Wesley's Churchmanship

[ReformedAnglican]

Was Wesley a High Churchman? To what extent are the Methodists today high-church?

[Diane_Windsor]

Was Wesley a High Churchman? To what extent are the Methodists today high-church?

Personally, I would not classify Wesley a high churchman. Highland Park UMC in Dallas has a worship service in their Cox Chapel (http://www.hpumc.org/pages/cox_chapel_11_am_service) that Wesley would feel right at home in. It is a formal service with processions, communion, sermon, hymns, etc., but no incense, and IIRC, no kneeling. You might want to search the religion archives of the Dallas Morning News (http://www.dallasnews.com/). Several months ago they did a report on HPUMC's three services.

I can only speak of my very limited experience in UMC churches in Texas, but I don't know any Methodist churches who use smells and bells-certainly not my parish.

DIANE
:)

[ContraMundum]

I don't think so, but much of his theology reflects a High Church emphasis. Certainly this is also true of his brother, Charles, especially regarding the sacraments.

The Wesley's stand pretty much as a bridge between the camps on just about every matter regarding the CofE.

[GK]

The UMC I grew up in didn't have "smells and bells," but it certainly had a formal liturgy and kneelers. I would classify it as "mid-church." It didn't have all the features I might expect of a high-liturgy, but came close at times.

[R.J.S]

Thanks for the info. But I thought there was quite a variety within the Methodists and Wesley himself stated he was a High-Churchman.

[ClementofRome]

RJS, you are quite right. Here is a good article on such:


"Wesley was an avowed High Churchman. He had the highest regard for the Church as an apostolic institution and did not question its civil rights."

http://www.dialspace.dial.pipex.com/town/terrace/adw03/peel/religion/method.htm

[ContraMundum]

RJS, you are quite right. Here is a good article on such:


"Wesley was an avowed High Churchman. He had the highest regard for the Church as an apostolic institution and did not question its civil rights."

http://www.dialspace.dial.pipex.com/town/terrace/adw03/peel/religion/method.htm

Good stuff...yet, oddly, he broke with the Church's practice on ordination.

I love Wesley.

[R.J.S]

RJS, you are quite right. Here is a good article on such:


"Wesley was an avowed High Churchman. He had the highest regard for the Church as an apostolic institution and did not question its civil rights."

http://www.dialspace.dial.pipex.com/town/terrace/adw03/peel/religion/method.htm

I have also been told that his High Churchmanship was more political, i.e. he was a High Tory.

[Diane_Windsor]

Thanks for the info. But I thought there was quite a variety within the Methodists and Wesley himself stated he was a High-Churchman.

Do you have any primary sources to back that up?

Regarding the term "high church". Would Wesley have understood the term as we understand the term now? IOW, how did he define "high church"?

DIANE
:wave: