Is the Wesleyan denomination considered to be mainline or liberal?

[Ave Maria]

I was talking to someone yesterday and they told me that the Wesleyan denomination was considered to be mainline or liberal. Is that true? I had always assumed that they were more conservative or even fundamentalist.

 

[Gwynne]

There are several Wesleyan denominations, the United Methodist, the Nazarene, Free Methodists, etc. In my experience they all tend to be more on the mainline or even liberal side, although, especially in the United Methodist, there are those of all persuasions. Consider that George W. Bush and John Edwards are both members of the United Methodist church, as is Hillary Clinton. Wesleyan denominations tend to be very open minded, with a lot of room for variation. I attend a small United Methodist church and while I'm quite liberal, there are several conservatives who go there, including my grandmother.

 

[WesleyJohn]

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[Ave Maria]

I'm talking about the actual "Wesleyan" denomination, not denominations that follow Wesleyan theology. Yes, a "Wesleyan" denomination actually exists:

http://directory.google.com/Top/Soc...ituality/Christianity/Denominations/Wesleyan/

 

[herev]

Hello Holly, yes, I think we all know that However, to answer your question, I believe the Wesleyan denomination is pretty conservative (at least in my experience with them)

 

[Ave Maria]

Hello Holly, yes, I think we all know that However, to answer your question, I believe the Wesleyan denomination is pretty conservative (at least in my experience with them)

Sorry about that. I just wanted to clear up that I was talking specificially about the Wesleyan denomination and not denominations in the Wesleyan tradition. It has also been my experience that they are pretty conservative. My Mom and our family visited a Wesleyan church once. It was really nice.

 

[WiredSpirit]

My mom attended a Wesleyan church for awhile. Compared to us they might as well be Southern Baptists

 

[Ave Maria]

My mom attended a Wesleyan church for awhile. Compared to us they might as well be Southern Baptists

Ah ok cool. I was raised Southern Baptist.

 

[Rebirth In Flames]

I belong to the Salvation Army.. 98 percent of our theology is from John Wesley, and we are very conservative and "fundamentalist." In my opinion, I'd take offense to someone who called me liberal. We strive to live a life of holiness and purity which inturn requires conservative/biblical ways of life. I think to an extent that this results from Wesley aswell... I'd be suprised to see a church who held very liberal views and still said that they were Wesleyans.

 

[DiscipleOfIAm]

I have attended all three, Wesleyan, Nazarene, and UMC. It depends on the indvidual church, I think. I attended a UMC in Florida that was very liberal and contemporary. Jumping up and down loud music, you'd think you were in a Pentecostal church. Then, I've attended a UMC in Indiana that felt almost Episcopal, sleepy and very conservative.

Same with Nazarene and Wesleyan. I've attended a service at Indiana Wesleyan University's Chapel and it was very exciting, then a church service a few miles away, was very conservative and if you said Amen too loud or clapped, you were shushed!!

Just my experience that each individual church is different. But, as a whole, I think UMC is considered the most liberal, then Nazarene and Wesleyan.

God Bless

 

[whoopiepie]

From what I have observed Wesleyans and Nazarenes are evangelical.

 

[WiredSpirit]

I have attended all three, Wesleyan, Nazarene, and UMC. It depends on the indvidual church, I think. I attended a UMC in Florida that was very liberal and contemporary. Jumping up and down loud music, you'd think you were in a Pentecostal church. Then, I've attended a UMC in Indiana that felt almost Episcopal, sleepy and very conservative.

Same with Nazarene and Wesleyan. I've attended a service at Indiana Wesleyan University's Chapel and it was very exciting, then a church service a few miles away, was very conservative and if you said Amen too loud or clapped, you were shushed!!

Just my experience that each individual church is different. But, as a whole, I think UMC is considered the most liberal, then Nazarene and Wesleyan.

God Bless

I'm not sure how, but I think you're confusing charismatic with liberal. From my experiences, the most charismatic churches are the most conservative, like the Pentacostals. For most of my life I attended a large conservative church that held concerts several times a year, had nothing but contemporary music, used a ton of media during the services, etc. It was all done to create a very specific atmosphere. When I realized that the entire church was rich, white, and Republican and that the congregation leaned far more to the right that I did I left and joined a relatively small (about 600 people) Methodist church that had traditional main services and an alternative service on Saturday nights. It was far more traditional and somber than the other church, but much more liberal.

I visited several large contemporary churches and they all seem to fit the same demographic.

 

[Lutherrunner]

... a large conservative church that held concerts several times a year, had nothing but contemporary music, used a ton of media during the services, etc. It was all done to create a very specific atmosphere. When I realized that the entire church was rich, white, and Republican and that the congregation leaned far more to the right that I did I left and joined a relatively small (about 600 people) Methodist church that had traditional main services and an alternative service on Saturday nights. It was far more traditional and somber than the other church, but much more liberal.

I visited several large contemporary churches and they all seem to fit the same demographic.

I have noticed that too, in my limited experience, and find it so oxymoronic that the most conservative churches try to use pop culture to draw people.....

 

[Gumdrop71]

I have noticed that too, in my limited experience, and find it so oxymoronic that the most conservative churches try to use pop culture to draw people.....
===============
How is a contemporary service pop culture? They need to do soemthing to bring young people in.

 

[ClementofRome]

We have a large independent church here locally that is quite charismatic, very contemporary (pastor even uses a mic w/earpiece headset thingy)...Powerpoint overhead....rock music, AND conservative both in the theological sense and the political sense (and don't get these two confused cause they do not necessarily go together, though many times they do).

Across town is 1st Baptist Church....very traditional in every sense...theologically liberal and politically mixed.

I attend a small rural UMC (100 folks) and it is theologically moderate and tends to be politically mixed. So, I guess that there are some trends to be observed as Wired stated.

As for "pop culture" drawing in....this has been going on since the founding of the church, and has been especially influential since the 1960's. Remember that it was an OUTRAGE when the first organ was introduced into the church!

 

[growingupinhim]

go to a rural nazarene church in the mainland..holiness, santifaction and conservative!

Though its not good to label anyone..we need to be one body..with love for all who confess Christ..without love its all just religon!

 

[Jennifer615]

I think it depends on the church. I attend the Uniting Church of Australia, which is basically Methodist, Presbyterian and Congregational, and I like it because it is more accepting than alot of other churches. For example, I am divorced and remarried, and alot of churches won't accept me, because I left my ex-husband because of mental, emotional and spiritual abuse, and alot of fundys think that is irrelevant and doesn't qualify me for a divorce. The Uniting Church understand me and love me as I am. I like that.

 

[stofo]

I go to a Nazarene univeristy. All the religion proffesors there are extremely liberal. One even told me that everybody gets into heaven, just becuase thats what a loving God would do and he says the Bible is NOT the innerant infallable word of God. Nazarenes are conservative in what they do. they dont dance, drink, etc. The theology is very liberal.

 

[WesleyJohn]

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[Lutherrunner]

I don't believe the words "extremely liberal" can be used until they start denying the resurrection, deity of Christ, or miracles.

I also would like to point out that there is a difference between: a) stating that the Bible is not inerrant, and b) not stating that the Bible is inerrant. The Church of the Nazarene does b, but not a (at least not officially).

I disagree that Nazarene theology is "very liberal" (again, see my first paragraph). Nazarenes are not fundamentalist...but that doesn't make them (us) liberal.



Grace and Peace,

WJ

I like the way you put that!.....growing up Lutheran, we always did b, never really considered a until I moved to Texas and heard it quite frequently.....