Where does the Methodist Church Stand?

[billt9]

Methodists (I’m speaking of the United Methodist Church) are all over the place theologically and liturgically. They range from very conservative to very liberal. Broadly speaking, I would say that United Methodists in the South are more theologically conservative than in other regions of the country.

This

My personal perspective (I am a conservative Methodist living in the South) is that the big majority of the Methodist Church members are traditional conservative (Apostle’s Creed believing) Christians. The NE and the far west are virtually Unitarian, and they are declining rapidly. The mid-west is more conservative (meaning traditionally Christian)

The Methodist spokesmen (they most certainly are not leaders) living in Washington get all the national publicity and are extremely liberal, doubtful even Christian (not that its my place to judge, mind you, but you asked; they certainly do not believe in traditional Christianity)

By traditional Christianity I mean the Nicene Creed. The Methodist Church to its disgrace tolerates bishops who do not believe in the virgin birth, who do not belief that Jesus is God (the son), and who do not believe that Jesus rose from the dead, and who lied about their beliefs when they were consecrated.

There is been a struggle for the soul of the Methodist Church for all my life. In the 1970s I was afraid it was a goner, but more recently it is moving back into grace (probably because the liberal Methodist congregations are on their death bed membership wise, but their pastors of course think that if they were only more liberal, if they only jettisoned more traditional Christianity, they would flourish).

 

[jinc1019]

This

My personal perspective (I am a conservative Methodist living in the South) is that the big majority of the Methodist Church members are traditional conservative (Apostle’s Creed believing) Christians. The NE and the far west are virtually Unitarian, and they are declining rapidly. The mid-west is more conservative (meaning traditionally Christian)

The Methodist spokesmen (they most certainly are not leaders) living in Washington get all the national publicity and are extremely liberal, doubtful even Christian (not that its my place to judge, mind you, but you asked; they certainly do not believe in traditional Christianity)

By traditional Christianity I mean the Nicene Creed. The Methodist Church to its disgrace tolerates bishops who do not believe in the virgin birth, who do not belief that Jesus is God (the son), and who do not believe that Jesus rose from the dead, and who lied about their beliefs when they were consecrated.

There is been a struggle for the soul of the Methodist Church for all my life. In the 1970s I was afraid it was a goner, but more recently it is moving back into grace (probably because the liberal Methodist congregations are on their death bed membership wise, but their pastors of course think that if they were only more liberal, if they only jettisoned more traditional Christianity, they would flourish).

Very interesting analysis of things, I greatly appreciate your opinion and insights! I find the Methodist Church to be a very nice balance of things (more traditional Methodism that is). I don’t agree with everything the United Methodist Church teaches as a hole, but I don’t agree with everything any church teaches as a whole, so I guess that doesn’t mean a whole lot. I do love much of John Wesley’s writings though.

I sincerely hope your church does not lose its soul to far-left liberalism in the Church that rejects even the very basic precepts of Christianity.