intro methodism 1-beginnings

8/14/2019 Intro Methodism 1-Beginnings

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Introduction toMethodism

Session One - the Beginnings


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How, when and why did Methodism begin?

Who were its principal founders and what

were their motivations? How did the Methodist church in America

begin?

What is the genealogy of the UMC and

other than the UMC, what are the Methodistchurches today?

Topics


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Reform movement within C of E

Principal founders:

John WesleyCharles Whitefield (whit-field)Charles Wesley

Holy Club formed by C. Wesley &

others at Oxford; they were mockedas Methodists.

Methodisms beginnings


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General:Was more like medieval England than

modern EnglandMore than 50% of land was farmedLittle industry above cottage type

The English ContextEarly 1700s


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Population of 5M when Wesley was born,7M when he died.

London largest at 500K, Bristol second at

50K Land of hamlets and villages

Average life expectancy 35

Infant mortality 20% One-third mortality before age 5

More than half of population


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Heavily class-ridden society, strict social hierarchy

This order considered divinely ordained

Principal classes: Royalty Nobility Gentry The Middling Sort

The Poor The Abject Poor

Wesleys were of the upper middling sort

Society


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Restricted roles:wivesmothershousekeepersdomestic servants

Married women had four functions:obey husbandproduce heirs run householdbe ladylike

Place of Women


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Limited monarchy

House of Lords

House of CommonsTwo main parties:WhigsTories

Wesley leaned Tory

Politics and government


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26 dioceses, each with a bishop

2 archdioceses: Canterbury and York.

Monarch - head of Church of England.

Parliaments authority

Bishops from nobility

Clergy: 10K parishes in England.

Church of England


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Very low church attendance

1750 Manchester, pop. 50K - oneparish church.

Marlyebone, pop. 40K - one churchseating 200.

Church of England weak among the

people.No governing convocation called ofC of E between1717-1800.

The Laity


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High Church

Low Church

Wesley adhered mostly to high churchview until 1730s

Opposing views of Church


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A movement at first

Robert Strawbridge, 1760 Jacob Toogood

Philip Embury, Barbara Heck, 1766

First Methodist Societies

Methodism in America


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Father of American Methodism

Never returned to England

Pragmatic

Francis Asbury


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Wesley did not support the colonies

Wars end severed Anglican connection

Ordination decision, 1784

Revolutionary War


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In September, Wesley ordained:

Thomas Coke - superintendentRichard Whatcoat - deaconThomas Vesey - elderUnderstanding they would ordain others.

They arrived in America in the fall

1784


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Convened Dec. 24, 1784

Officially chartered the MethodistEpiscopal Church

Several key actions taken

The Christmas Conference

Founding of the Methodist Church in USA


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Philip William Otterbein, Martin Boehm1800 organized the Church of the United

Brethren in ChristJacob AlbrightThe Evangelical Association, 1803

Merged 1946 to form EUB

EUB merged with The MethodistChurch 1968 to form The UMC

EUB background


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1799 - Richard Allen & The AME Church

1830 - The Methodist Protestant Church

1844 - The MEC, South

1870 - the Colored Methodist EpiscopalChurch

1939 - The Methodist Church formed bymerger of: MEC MEC, South MPC

1840 - Southern Methodist Church

Genealogy of the UMC


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Questions

intro methodism 1-beginnings

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