Alife is still a life no matter how small it is. Horton hears a whooAnamchara,
My discussion on the Methodists beliefs is by no means an opinion of the Catholic Church and you should not generalize it to the Church in general. Rather, my opinions come from my several discussions with Methodists and ministers of the church. It is great that your church general conference says about late term abortion, but what about early first trimester? Is achild with sever disabilities any laess of a human. Also your church is against openly gay ministers but there are many who go against this teaching including the methodist minister in our town. So the teachings of the methodist church is not surely followed by many in the church. I work with a colleague that is a member of the church that openly counsels people to have an abortion. Again my opinions of the differences are based on the encounters I have had with methodists, but what good is the general counsel if the ministers do not follow it teachings, or have a consistency with defrocking these individuals.
Huh? I guess I missed this. I am Catholic my friend. I was just putting up info I found on the Methodist Church because I thought we were dicussing the differences. I did grow up in the Methodist Church though.Anamchara,
My discussion on the Methodists beliefs is by no means an opinion of the Catholic Church and you should not generalize it to the Church in general. Rather, my opinions come from my several discussions with Methodists and ministers of the church. It is great that your church general conference says about late term abortion, but what about early first trimester? Is achild with sever disabilities any laess of a human. Also your church is against openly gay ministers but there are many who go against this teaching including the methodist minister in our town. So the teachings of the methodist church is not surely followed by many in the church. I work with a colleague that is a member of the church that openly counsels people to have an abortion. Again my opinions of the differences are based on the encounters I have had with methodists, but what good is the general counsel if the ministers do not follow it teachings, or have a consistency with defrocking these individuals.
Generalizing about the Methodist Church is difficult because it is a 'big tent' denomination. It has never emphasized a need for uniform doctrine but has focused more upon living a life committed to Christ, open to the working of the Holy Spirit in individual lives. There are very liberal Methodists, but also Methodist fundamentalists, often worshiping in the same local church.
There is a wide variety of worship styles, ranging all the way from quite heavy liturgy in some instances to great informality. Hymns always have played a central role in Methodist worship.
Roughly 25,000,000 Americans self-identify as Methodists. These include several African-American denominations - AME, AME Zion, and CME. At the time of the Civil War the majority of African-Americans were Methodists but they became outnumbered by the Baptists in large part because educational Here are a few differences between Methodists and Catholics.
1.** Papacy**. While Methodism has a hierarchial structure, it considers only Christ as head of the church. Bishops are regarded more as administrators than bearers of some special God-given spiritual authority.
2. **Mary and Saints**. Methodists do not pray to Mary or the saints. As among other Protestants, Mary is honored, but not venerated.
3. **Clergy**. Clergy generally finish seven years of college, including three years at seminary. They do not need to attend a Methodist seminary, though 14 such seminaries exist, including Boston University, Duke, Emory, and SMU. (Methodists began several hundred colleges in the USA.) Roughly 10,000 women have been ordained - of the 40,000 or so pastors serving United Methodist parishes. Of the 50 or so US bishops, perhaps 10 are women, perhaps an equal number (or more) are African-American. These figures change regularly. Contrary to other postings, practicing homosexuals are not ordained. Clergy, of course, may marry. It is favored among most laity.
4. **Communion**. Communion normally is distributed at the altar, with those receiving often kneeling, sometimes in a line (intinction). Both the cup (grapejuice, not wine) and bread are distributed. Methodists do not believe in transubstantiation. Communion is important, but not nearly as central as in the RC tradition. The communion table welcomes all worshipers, regardless of denomination, who profess Christ.
5. **Social issues**. Methodists traditionally have been very interested in a better society. John Wesley forbid early Methodists owning slaves (although some in the South eventually did). The main Methodist bodies split over slavery in 1845, came back together in 1939. The leaders are often more liberal than the rank and file. The Council of Bishops, for example, will issue sharp statements against the Iraq War and such, while many members will support that war, etc. Abortion, ordination of gays, and gay marriage are three hot issues among Methodists. For years Methodists opposed drinking alcohol, smoking, and gambling - positions that have modified over the years, though most clergy and many laity would still avoid such activities.
A book could be written, but this is a primer to go along with what others may have written. Among prominent US Methodists today - for example - are George Bush, **** Cheney, Hillary Clinton, John Edwards and many in Congress. Methodists elsewhere include Mandela in South Africa and Thatcher in Great Britain The largest Methodist parishes in the world are in Korea, and there are several million Methodists in South America, Africa, Europe (especially England) and Asia. The World Methodist Council counts 80,000,000 'Wesleyans' around the world, not counting constituents who are not official members. Wesleyans would include a variety of other denominations, among them the Salvation Army, Church of the Nazarene and the Church of God.