Conservative Methodists?

[jinc1019]

Are there any conservative Methodist/Wesleyan denominations in the United States? The United Methodist Church is conservative in some areas, but quite liberal in others.

Also, if there are any conservative churches, how are they different from the United Methodist Church in terms of theology?

Thanks for your time as always!

Justin

 

[CB_Catholic]

Are there any conservative Methodist/Wesleyan denominations in the United States? The United Methodist Church is conservative in some areas, but quite liberal in others.

Also, if there are any conservative churches, how are they different from the United Methodist Church in terms of theology?

Thanks for your time as always!

Justin

My father’s side of the family belongs to the Church of the Nazarene, which grew out of the Wesleyan Holiness Movement in the early part of the 20th century. I believe they still affiliate themselves with the Wesleyans, but they are not Methodists. They have aways been quite conservative, and I believe they are still are. Their website gives their position on abortion–they strongly oppose it. My cousin is a minister in that denomination, and he spoke about holiness of life as being important.

Their theology is basic traditional Christianity of the Protestant type. They believe in the Trinity, Original Sin, Baptism (they will baptize infants) which they consider a Sacrament, sanctification by the Holy Spirit. I am not real knowledgeable about their theology, but I recall my grandparents speaking about being “saved”, but they are not OSAS, they do not embrace that doctrine and if one is finally impenitent, they can be lost. They do place an emphasis on holiness of life. They, (at least when I was growing up) were pretty fundamental in their approach to the Bible. I don’t know too much about the Methodists, but the ones I know are fairly liberal in their social policies.

If I am in error, perhaps some member or ex-member can correct me.

 

[jinc1019]

My father’s side of the family belongs to the Church of the Nazarene, which grew out of the Wesleyan Holiness Movement in the early part of the 20th century. I believe they still affiliate themselves with the Wesleyans, but they are not Methodists. They have aways been quite conservative, and I believe they are still are. Their website gives their position on abortion–they strongly oppose it. My cousin is a minister in that denomination, and he spoke about holiness of life as being important.

Their theology is basic traditional Christianity of the Protestant type. They believe in the Trinity, Original Sin, Baptism (they will baptize infants) which they consider a Sacrament, sanctification by the Holy Spirit. I am not real knowledgeable about their theology, but I recall my grandparents speaking about being “saved”, but they are not OSAS, they do not embrace that doctrine and if one is finally impenitent, they can be lost. They do place an emphasis on holiness of life. They, (at least when I was growing up) were pretty fundamental in their approach to the Bible. I don’t know too much about the Methodists, but the ones I know are fairly liberal in their social policies.

If I am in error, perhaps some member or ex-member can correct me.

Thanks so much for the information. I will look into them!

 

[CB_Catholic]

Are there any conservative Methodist/Wesleyan denominations in the United States? The United Methodist Church is conservative in some areas, but quite liberal in others.

Also, if there are any conservative churches, how are they different from the United Methodist Church in terms of theology?

Thanks for your time as always!

Justin

My father’s side of the family belongs to the Church of the Nazarene, which grew out of the Wesleyan Holiness Movement in the early part of the 20th century. I believe they still affiliate themselves with the Wesleyans, but they are not Methodists. They have aways been quite conservative, and I believe they are still are. Their website gives their position on abortion–they strongly oppose it. My cousin is a minister in that denomination, and he spoke about holiness of life as being important.

Their theology is basic traditional Christianity of the Protestant type. They believe in the Trinity, Original Sin, Baptism (they will baptize infants) which they consider a Sacrament, sanctification by the Holy Spirit. I am not real knowledgeable about their theology, but I recall my grandparents speaking about being “saved”, but they are not OSAS, they do not embrace that doctrine and if one is finally impenitent, they can be lost. They do place an emphasis on holiness of life. They, (at least when I was growing up) were pretty fundamental in their approach to the Bible. I don’t know too much about the Methodists, but the ones I know are fairly liberal in their social policies.

If I am in error, perhaps some member or ex-member can correct me.

 

[Publisher]

Weslyan Church, Church of the Nazarene, Free Methodist Church. The Church of the Nazarene wouldn’t consider themselves “Methodist”…but defintely “Weslyan”.

I believe the Pilgrim Holiness Chruch also traces itself back to Weslyan teaching of personal Holiness and disipline.

Growing up in the Nazarene church, the doctrine of “entire sanctification” was strongly taught along with certain “disiplines”…no movies, no theater, no dancing, no drinking, no use of tobacco, no “mixed bathing”…ie “swimming”; No excess jewlery or makeup, women were to wear dresses, not pants. Bible study daily, prayer daily, fasting weekly…the money saved by not purchasing or using food on that day was to be put in the “alabaster box” and given as a special offering when full. TV program restrictions also followed., as well as restrictions of music and reading material. No buying or selling on Sunday…when I was growing up Christians didn’t go out to restaurants on Sunday because our participation in such things caused employers to require people to work on Sundays…and we were not to be complicit in causing them to miss church. No “worldly” reading material either on Sunday…such as the Sunday paper and “secular” books. Defintely no profanity or coarse speech.

 

[ltwin]

Are there any conservative Methodist/Wesleyan denominations in the United States? The United Methodist Church is conservative in some areas, but quite liberal in others.

Also, if there are any conservative churches, how are they different from the United Methodist Church in terms of theology?

Thanks for your time as always!

Justin

There are many Wesleyan Pentecostal churches in the United States. These were originally part of the Holiness movement, so similar to the Church of the Nazarene, except that they adopted Pentecostal beliefs about baptism in the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues.

These are the Pentecostal Holiness Church, Church of God (Cleveland, TN) and its various offshoots, and the Church of God in Christ.

My church (which is Pentecostal) used to go on summer camping trips sponsored by the Wesleyan Church. They seemed to be pretty evangelical and socially conservative.

 

[jinc1019]

Thanks to everyone for their posts…very interesting stuff. Is there no denomination that is similar to the United Methodist Church theologically but just more orthodox? It seems that a lot of these other churches tend to have a different theology, at least to some extent.

 

[CB_Catholic]

Thanks to everyone for their posts…very interesting stuff. Is there no denomination that is similar to the United Methodist Church theologically but just more orthodox? It seems that a lot of these other churches tend to have a different theology, at least to some extent.

I do not mean to be disrespectful here, but it is difficult to find two Protestant churches with the same theology. Denominations are mostly formed when people disagree with something in the theology or practice of the parent denomination and break off, or when people claim a revelation or insight and start their own denomination, or non-denomination. Without a central authority, this is what happens, even within the same denomination. So I think you are going to have a problem finding what you are asking about. As I said, this is not meant to be disrespectful, it is historical fact, and easily observable.

 

[jinc1019]

I do not mean to be disrespectful here, but it is difficult to find two Protestant churches with the same theology. Denominations are mostly formed when people disagree with something in the theology or practice of the parent denomination and break off, or when people claim a revelation or insight and start their own denomination, or non-denomination. Without a central authority, this is what happens, even within the same denomination. So I think you are going to have a problem finding what you are asking about. As I said, this is not meant to be disrespectful, it is historical fact, and easily observable.

I don’t mean identical theology…and I don’t agree with you. There are many denominations who have VERY similar theology but split or developed for other reasons. Europe is full of them and even the U.S. has many as well.

 

[cajunhillbilly]

The Southern Methodist Church tends to be more conservative that the United Methodist Chruch en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Methodist_Church

 

[cajunhillbilly]

The Southern Methodist Church tends to be more conservative that the United Methodist Chruch en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Methodist_Church

 

[cajunhillbilly]

Then there is the Bible Methodist Conference biblemethodist.org/index.htm and the Evangelical Methodist Church en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evangelical_Methodist_Church

 

[jinc1019]

Excellent, thanks for the information!

 

[Publisher]

Thanks to everyone for their posts…very interesting stuff. Is there no denomination that is similar to the United Methodist Church theologically but just more orthodox? It seems that a lot of these other churches tend to have a different theology, at least to some extent.

If you’re looking for a “conservative Methodist” fellowship…the Free Methodist or the Weslyans would fit the bill.

I attended a Free Methodist meeting for a while when there was no Friend’s Meeting within a reasonable driving distance…not too much difference between the “order of service” and the Methodist church I attended some years later when I was in the same boat.

 

[Publisher]

I don’t mean identical theology…and I don’t agree with you. There are many denominations who have VERY similar theology but split or developed for other reasons. Europe is full of them and even the U.S. has many as well.

Agreed…most of the differences are administrative…some will sprinkle…others immerse…some groups find more importance on a specific doctrinal point…like sanctification…and stress that aspect…not that other groups don’t have an understanding of “sanctification”…but the focus of it is not as…well…focused.

There are disagreements between “Calvinist” and “Arminian”…what most of us consider “non-essentials” Catholics see it in a whole different light.

I have worshipped with many different groups…except for the name on the building or sign in front of the meeting house…I wouldn’t know I was not among Christian brothers and sisters…I KNOW I am not among Friends…but “Friend” is a convienient label…I am a Christian first and a Friend second.

 

[jinc1019]

If you’re looking for a “conservative Methodist” fellowship…the Free Methodist or the Weslyans would fit the bill.

I attended a Free Methodist meeting for a while when there was no Friend’s Meeting within a reasonable driving distance…not too much difference between the “order of service” and the Methodist church I attended some years later when I was in the same boat.

I appreciate the suggestion and the information. I have found that among the various worship services I have been to, there is also very little differing one group from another. On paper, denominations have a lot of difference. On Sunday, the differences are minor. In fact, the biggest differences today are largely political in my opinion, with conservative Christians on one side and liberals on the other side.

 

[Indifferently]

In fact, the biggest differences today are largely political in my opinion, with conservative Christians on one side and liberals on the other side.

This is basically true. A lot of the big debates that happen on this forum over doctrine might be important (well, they are important) but the main differences you will notice from the pew on Sunday have very little to do with that.

Does the priest/minster/pastor teach, and is the service orientated towards, the idea that man is a sinner in need of being saved? That Jesus Christ’s blood has wrought our salvation? That we need to repent of our sins and turn to him? Or do they teach ‘social justice’ - that we ‘as a society’ suffer from various issues, which have secular solutions, usually involving coercive state action? Are we broken, in need of God’s mending love, or are we here to mend God’s broken world?

 

[jinc1019]

This is basically true. A lot of the big debates that happen on this forum over doctrine might be important (well, they are important) but the main differences you will notice from the pew on Sunday have very little to do with that.

Does the priest/minster/pastor teach, and is the service orientated towards, the idea that man is a sinner in need of being saved? That Jesus Christ’s blood has wrought our salvation? That we need to repent of our sins and turn to him? Or do they teach ‘social justice’ - that we ‘as a society’ suffer from various issues, which have secular solutions, usually involving coercive state action? Are we broken, in need of God’s mending love, or are we here to mend God’s broken world?

A perfect summation of the differences. Theologically, Christianity in the West is basically the same from the perspective of the person in the pew…In fact, I think the big theological battle of the day really is whether Jesus was God at all and whether we need Him. I see more “Christian” churches talking about this than I do about any specific Christian doctrine.

 

[andrewstx]

Let’s not be so fast in labeling the UMC as being totally liberal. For one thing there is the almost fundamental, very conservative Asburry (sp) movement within the UMC.

They have their own seminary in the south which is large and influential, I have a friend who graduated from Asburry (sp), and they have many followers mostly in the south.

Also the UMC in general is becoming more conservative due to a huge influx of Africans.

 

[AbideWithMe]

Let’s not be so fast in labeling the UMC as being totally liberal. For one thing there is the almost fundamental, very conservative Asburry (sp) movement within the UMC.

They have their own seminary in the south which is large and influential, I have a friend who graduated from Asburry (sp), and they have many followers mostly in the south.

Also the UMC in general is becoming more conservative due to a huge influx of Africans.

Is that “Asbury”, as in Bishop Francis Asbury?

I feel very fortunate in growing up in what was a conservative evangelical Methodist church. The denomination I grew up in is called the Evangelical Congregational Church; originally it was called the Evangelical Association. It was organized by Jacob Albright/Jakob Albrecht in the late 1700’s-early 1800’s primarily for the German-speaking settlers of Pennsylvania.

Bishop Francis Asbury, the story goes, gave Albright his informal blessing while they were crossing the Susquehanna river together, IIRC. However, initially Albright was discouraged from the Methodist ordination he desired because he wanted to preach in his native German tongue. Still, even without Methodist ordination, the Evangelical Association was strongly Methodist in its teaching. Albright’s group underwent a merger with the United Brethren, but then a later split. The larger portion among the Albright/UB evangelicals merged with the Methodist church to become today’s United Methodist Church. The smaller portion stayed out of that merger to become the Evangelical Congregational Church I grew up in—conservative Methodist in all but name, while the larger group, with the Methodist name, became more theologically liberal in a way that I doubt the Wesleys, Asbury, or Albright would have recognized as what they intended the church to be.

Today, some ECC churches are generically Evangelical, but when I was younger, the services were more distinctly Methodist in theology and semi-liturgical. (Some ECC churches are returning now to more use of liturgy.)