2008 Book of Discipline - TOC, UM Bishops, Historical Stmt (pgs 1-20)

THE BOOK OF DISCIPLINEOF

THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

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“The Book Editor, the Secretary of the General Conference, the Pub-lisher of The United Methodist Church, and the Committee on Corre-lation and Editorial Revision shall be charged with editing the Book ofDiscipline. . . . The editors, in the exercise of their judgment, shall havethe authority to make changes in wording as may be necessary toharmonize legislation without changing its substance. The editors, inconsultation with the Judicial Council, shall also have authority todelete provisions of the Book of Discipline that have been ruled uncon-stitutional by the Judicial Council.”

—Plan of Organization and Rules of Order of the General Confer-ence, 2008

See Judicial Council Decision 96, which declares the Discipline to be abook of law.

Errata can be found at Cokesbury.com, word search for Errata.

L. Fitzgerald ReistSecretary of the General Conference

Neil M. AlexanderPublisher and Book Editor of The United Methodist Church

Judith E. SmithExecutive Editor

Marvin W. CropseyManaging Editor

The Committee on Correlation and Editorial RevisionEradio Valverde, Chairperson

Richard L. Evans, Vice ChairpersonAnnie Cato Haigler, Secretary

Naomi G. Bartle

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THEBOOK OF DISCIPLINE

OF THEUNITED METHODIST

CHURCH2008

The United Methodist Publishing HouseNashville, Tennessee

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Copyright © 2008 The United Methodist Publishing House.

All rights reserved.United Methodist churches and other official United Methodist bodies may reproduce upto 1,000 words from this publication, provided the following notice appears with theexcerpted material: “From The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church—2008.Copyright © 2008 by The United Methodist Publishing House. Used by permission.”Requests for quotations that exceed 1,000 words should be addressed to the PermissionsOffice, The United Methodist Publishing House, 201 Eighth Avenue South, Nashville, TN37202.

This book is printed on elemental, chlorine-free, acid-free paper.

Scripture quotations, unless otherwise noted, are from the New Revised Standard Versionof the Bible, copyright © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Coun-cil of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission.

ISBN 978-0-687-64785-9

Leather Edition ISBN 978-0-687-64775-0CD-Rom Edition (with Book of Resolutions) ISBN 978-0-687-64749-1

2-PACK Discipline and Resolutions ISBN 978-0-687-64795-8Discipline eBook ISBN 978-0-687-65260-0Korean Edition ISBN 978-0-687-65165-8Spanish Edition ISBN 978-0-687-65185-6

08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17—10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

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EPISCOPAL GREETINGS

To all people and pastors of United Methodism:“Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord JesusChrist.”

—1 Corinthians 1:3

The Discipline of The United Methodist Church is the product ofover 200 years of the General Conferences of the denominations thatnow form The United Methodist Church.

The Discipline as the instrument for setting forth the laws, plan,polity, and process by which United Methodists govern themselvesremains constant. Each General Conference amends, perfects, clari-fies, and adds its own contribution to the Discipline. We do not see theDiscipline as sacrosanct or infallible, but we do consider it a documentsuitable to our heritage. It is the most current statement of howUnited Methodists agree to live their lives together. It reflects ourunderstanding of the Church and articulates the mission of TheUnited Methodist Church: To make disciples of Jesus Christ for thetransformation of the world. The Discipline defines what is expectedof its laity and clergy as they seek to be effective witnesses in theworld as a part of the whole body of Christ.

This book of covenant sets forth the theological grounding of TheUnited Methodist Church in biblical faith, and affirms that we go for-ward as “loyal heirs to all that [is] best in the Christian past.” Itmakes clear that The United Methodist Church is an inclusive societywithout regard to ethnic origin, economic condition, gender, age, orthe disabilities of its constituents. It asserts that all who are baptized

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and confirmed are ministers of Jesus Christ. It affirms the conciliarprinciple and connectionalism as distinctive marks of UnitedMethodist ecclesiology, makes clear the global character of theChurch’s mission, and declares interdependence with other Christianbodies both in spirit and cooperation. It affirms with John Wesleythat solitary religion is invalid and that Christ lays claim upon thewhole life of those who accept him as Lord and Savior.

We therefore commend this Discipline to all in our constituencyand to friends beyond our bounds who would seek to understandwhat it means to be a United Methodist. Communication is essentialfor understanding what the Church is and does. We expect the Disci-pline to be found in libraries of local churches, colleges, universities,and seminaries, as well as in the homes of ordained, diaconal, andlicensed ministers and lay members of The United Methodist Church.We pray that it will enable all persons to celebrate God’s grace, exaltthe meaning of faithful discipleship, align with the mission, andinspire on the part of many a deeper desire to be more effective wit-nesses for the Head of the Church, even Jesus Christ our Lord.

The Council of BishopsGregory V. Palmer, PresidentLarry Goodpaster, President

DesignateRobert E. Hayes, Jr., Secretary

EPISCOPAL GREETINGS

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CONTENTS

Note: The basic unit in The Book of Discipline is the paragraph ( ¶ )rather than page, chapter, or section. The paragraphs are numberedconsecutively within each chapter or section, but many numbers areskipped between parts, chapters, and sections in order to allow forfuture enactments and to fit with the following plan:

1– 99 The Constitution101– 199 Doctrine, Doctrinal Statements, General Rules, The

Ministry of All Christians, and Social Principles201– 299 The Local Church301– 399 The Ministry of the Ordained401– 499 The Superintendency501– 699 The Conferences701–2499 Administrative Order

2501–2599 Church Property2601–2799 Judicial Administration

Episcopal Greetings ...................................................................... page vUnited Methodist Bishops ........................................................... page 1Historical Statement...................................................................... page 9

PART ITHE CONSTITUTION

¶¶ 1–61

Preamble ......................................................................................... page 21Division One—General (¶¶ 1–7) ................................................. page 21

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Division Two—Organization (¶¶ 8–44)..................................... page 23I. Conferences (¶¶ 8–12)

II. General Conference (¶¶ 13–16)III. Restrictive Rules (¶¶ 17–22)IV. Jurisdictional Conferences (¶¶ 23–27)V. Central Conferences (¶¶ 28–31)

VI. Annual Conferences (¶¶ 32–36)VII. Boundaries (¶¶ 37–41)

VIII. District Conferences (¶ 42)IX. Charge Conferences (¶¶ 43–44)

Division Three—Episcopal Supervision (¶¶ 45–54)................. page 35Division Four—The Judiciary (¶¶ 55–58) .................................. page 38Division Five—Amendments (¶¶ 59–61)................................... page 38

PART IIDOCTRINAL STANDARDS AND OUR THEOLOGICAL TASK

¶¶ 101–104

I. Our Doctrinal Heritage (¶ 101) ......................................... page 41II. Our Doctrinal History (¶ 102) ........................................... page 50

III. Our Doctrinal Standards and General Rules: The Articles ofReligion of The Methodist Church, the Confession of Faith ofthe Evangelical United Brethren Church, and The General Rulesof the Methodist Church (¶ 103)........................................ page 59

IV. Our Theological Task (¶ 104) ............................................. page 74

PART IIITHE MINISTRY OF ALL CHRISTIANS

¶¶ 120–142

I. The Churches (¶¶ 120–124) ................................................ page 87II. The Ministry of All Christians (¶¶ 125–131).................... page 89

III. Servant Ministry and Servant Leadership (¶¶ 132–133) page 91IV. Servant Ministry (¶¶ 134–136) ........................................... page 91V. Servant Leadership (¶¶ 137–138) ...................................... page 92

VI. Called to Inclusiveness (¶ 139)........................................... page 93VII. The Fulfillment of Ministry

Through The United Methodist Church (¶¶ 140–142) ... page 94

CONTENTS

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PART IVSOCIAL PRINCIPLES

¶¶ 160–166

Preface.................................................................................... page 97Preamble................................................................................ page 97

I. The Natural World (¶ 160).................................................. page 98II. The Nurturing Community (¶ 161)................................... page 101

III. The Social Community (¶ 162)........................................... page 108IV. The Economic Community (¶ 163).................................... page 118V. The Political Community (¶ 164)....................................... page 123

VI. The World Community (¶ 165).......................................... page 127VII. Our Social Creed (¶ 166) ..................................................... page 129

PART VORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION

¶¶ 201–2719

Chapter OneTHE LOCAL CHURCH

I. The Church and Pastoral Charge (¶¶ 201–205) .......... page 133II. Cooperative Parish (¶ 206)............................................. page 135

III. Ecumenical Shared Ministries (¶¶ 207–211)................ page 137IV. Churches in Transitional Communities (¶¶ 212–213) page 139V. Church Membership (¶¶ 214–242) ............................... page 140

The Meaning of Membership (¶¶ 216–221)Admission into the Church (¶¶ 222–226)Affiliate and Associate Membership (¶ 227)Care of Members (¶¶ 228–229)Membership Records and Reports (¶¶ 230–234)Changes in Church Membership or Local Church

Membership (¶¶ 235–242)VI. Organization and Administration (¶¶ 243–258)......... page 157

The Charge Conference (¶¶ 246–251)The Church Council (¶ 252)Specialized Ministries (¶¶ 253–257)Administrative Committees (¶ 258)

VII. Method of Organizing a New Local Church (¶ 259).. page 187VIII. Transfer of a Local Church (¶ 260) ............................... page 189

IX. Protection of Rights of Congregations (¶ 261) ............ page 190

CONTENTS

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VIIIX. Special Sundays (¶¶ 262–265) ..................................... page 190Churchwide Special Sundays with Offerings (¶ 263)Special Sundays Without Churchwide Offerings(¶¶ 264–265)

VIIXI. Lay Speaking Ministries (¶¶ 266–271) ....................... page 197

Chapter TwoTHE MINISTRY OF THE ORDAINED

XVIII. The Meaning of Ordination and Conference Membership (¶¶ 301–304) ........................................... page 203

XVIII. Clergy Orders in The United Methodist Church (¶¶ 305–309) ................................................................... page 206

XVIII. Candidacy for Licensed and Ordained Ministry(¶¶ 310–314) ................................................................... page 209

XIIIV. License for Pastoral Ministry (¶¶ 315–320) ............... page 213XIIIV. Associate Membership (¶¶ 321–323).......................... page 220XIIVI. Provisional Membership (¶¶ 324–327) ...................... page 223XIVII. The Ordained Deacon in Full Connection

(¶¶ 328–331) ................................................................... page 230XVIII. The Ordained Elder in Full Connection (¶¶ 332–336) . page 240

Admission and Continuance of Full Membershipin the Annual Conference (¶¶ 336)

VIIIX. Appointments to Various Ministries (¶¶ 337–342) .. page 247VIIIX. Appointments to Extension Ministries (¶¶ 343–345) .. page 254

Provisions for Appointments to Ecumenical SharedMinistries (¶ 345)

VIIXI. Clergy from Other Annual Conferences, OtherMethodist and Christian Denominations(¶¶ 346–348) ................................................................... page 261

VIXII. Mentoring and Mentors (¶ 349) .................................. page 265VXIII. Evaluation for Continuing Formation for Full

Members and Local Pastors (¶¶ 350–352) ................. page 266IIXIV. Changes of Conference Relationship (¶¶ 353–360).. page 269IIIXV. Complaints (¶ 361)........................................................ page 283IIXVI. Administrative Complaints, Fair Process, Referral, and

Disposition (¶¶ 362–363) ................................................. page 285IXVII. Readmission to Conference Relationship (¶¶ 364–368) . page 291XVIII. General Provisions (¶ 369)........................................... page 293

CONTENTS

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Chapter ThreeTHE SUPERINTENDENCY

I. The Nature of Superintendency (¶ 401)........................ page 295II. Offices of Bishop and District Superintendent

(¶¶ 402–403)...................................................................... page 295III. Election, Assignment, and Termination of Bishops

(¶¶ 404–413)...................................................................... page 297IV. Specific Responsibilities of Bishops (¶¶ 414–416) ....... page 309V. Selection, Assignment, and Term of

District Superintendents (¶¶ 417–418) ......................... page 311VI. Specific Responsibilities of District Superintendents

(¶¶ 419–425)...................................................................... page 311VII. Expressions of Superintendency (¶¶ 426–429) ............ page 316

VIII. Appointment-Making (¶¶ 430–435) .............................. page 318

Chapter FourTHE CONFERENCES

I. The General Conference (¶¶ 501–511) .......................... page 325II. The Jurisdictional Conference (¶¶ 512–537) ................ page 332

Jurisdictional Agencies (¶¶ 529–537)III. Central Conferences (¶¶ 540–548) ................................. page 342IV. Provisional Central Conferences (¶¶ 560–567) ............ page 351V. Autonomous Methodist Churches, Affiliated

Autonomous Methodist Churches, AffiliatedUnited Churches, Covenanting Churches, Concordat Churches (¶¶ 570–575) ................................ page 352

Becoming an Autonomous Methodist, AffiliatedAutonomous Methodist, or Affiliated United Churchfrom Central Conferences (¶ 572)

Becoming a Covenanting Church (¶ 573)Concordat Agreements (¶ 574)Joining The United Methodist Church (¶ 575)

VI. Provisional Annual Conferences (¶¶ 580–583)............ page 359VII. The Missionary Conference (¶¶ 585–588) .................... page 360

VIII. Mission (¶¶ 590–591) ....................................................... page 364IX. The Annual Conference (¶¶ 601–656)........................... page 366

Conference Agencies (¶ 610)The Conference Council on Finance and

Administration (¶¶ 611–619)Pastoral Support (¶¶ 620–628)Other Conference Agencies (¶¶ 629–656)

CONTENTS

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X. The District Conference (¶¶ 657–671) ........................... page 460

Chapter FiveADMINISTRATIVE ORDER

I. General Provisions (¶¶ 701–723) ................................... page 473II. General Council on Finance and Administration

(¶¶ 801–823)...................................................................... page 495General Funds (¶¶ 810–816)The Episcopal Fund (¶ 817)Financial Appeals Beyond the General Funds

(¶¶ 818–823)III. Connectional Table (¶¶ 901–907)................................... page 534IV. General Board of Church and Society

(¶¶ 1001–1011).................................................................. page 538V. General Board of Discipleship (¶¶ 1101–1127)............ page 541

VI. Division on Ministries With Young People(¶¶ 1201–1212).................................................................. page 567

VII. General Board of Global Ministries (¶¶ 1301–1327) ... page 575Mission Program Areas (¶ 1313)Office of Deaconess and Home Missioner

(¶¶ 1314–1317)Women’s Division (¶¶ 1318–1326)Health and Relief (¶ 1327)

VIII. General Board of Higher Education and Ministry(¶¶ 1401–1423).................................................................. page 599

Division of Higher Education (¶¶ 1410–1413)University Senate (¶¶ 1414–1418)United Methodist Higher Education Foundation(¶ 1419)Council of Presidents of the Black Colleges (¶ 1420)Division of Ordained Ministry (¶ 1421)Schools of Theology of The United MethodistChurch (¶¶ 1422–1423)

IX. General Board of Pension and Health Benefits (¶¶ 1501–1509).................................................................. page 626

General Administration (¶¶ 1501–1505)Annual Conference Administration (¶¶ 1506–1509)

X. The United Methodist Publishing House (¶¶ 1601–1642).................................................................. page 652

XI. General Commission on Archives and History(¶¶ 1701–1712).................................................................. page 661

CONTENTS

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XII. General Commission on Communication (¶¶ 1801–1808)............................................................... page 669

XIII. General Commission on Christian Unity andInterreligious Concerns (¶¶ 1901–1912) .................... page 676

XIV. General Commission on Religion and Race(¶¶ 2001–2008)............................................................... page 684

XV. General Commission on the Status and Roleof Women (¶¶ 2101–2109) ........................................... page 688

XVI. Standing Committee on Central ConferenceMatters (¶ 2201) ............................................................ page 692

XVII. General Commission on United Methodist Men(¶¶ 2301–2303)............................................................... page 693

XVIII. Ecumenical Organizations (¶¶ 2401–2405) ............... page 697XIX. JUSTPEACE Center for Mediation and Conflict

Transformation (¶ 2406) .............................................. page 701

Chapter SixCHURCH PROPERTY

I. All Titles—In Trust (¶¶ 2501–2505)............................ page 703II. Compliance with Law (¶¶ 2506–2510)....................... page 706

III. Audits and Bonding of Church Officers (¶ 2511)..... page 708IV. Annual Conference Property (¶¶ 2512–2516)........... page 708V. District Property (¶¶ 2517–2523) ................................ page 713

VI. Local Church Property (¶¶ 2524–2550)...................... page 717VII. Requirements—Trustees of Church Institutions

(¶ 2551) ........................................................................... page 741

Chapter SevenJUDICIAL ADMINISTRATION

I. The Judicial Council (¶¶ 2601–2612) .......................... page 743II. Investigations, Trials, and Appeals (¶¶ 2701–2719)...... page 750

Fair Process in Judicial Proceedings (¶ 2701)Chargeable Offenses and the Statute of Limitations

(¶ 2702)Procedures for Referral and Investigation of a

Judicial Complaint (¶¶ 2703–2706)Trials (¶¶ 2707–2714)Appeals (¶¶ 2715–2718)Miscellaneous Provisions (¶ 2719)

Index ......................................................................................... page 783

CONTENTS

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Thomas Coke............................... 1784Francis Asbury ............................ 1784Richard Whatcoat ....................... 1800Phillip William Otterbein .......... 1800Martin Boehm.............................. 1800Jacob Albright.............................. 1807William M’Kendree .................... 1808Christian Newcomer .................. 1813Enoch George .............................. 1816Robert Richford Roberts ............ 1816Andrew Zeller ............................. 1817Joseph Hoffman .......................... 1821Joshua Soule ................................ 1824Elijah Hedding ............................ 1824Henry Kumler Sr......................... 1825John Emory .................................. 1832James Osgood Andrew .............. 1832Samuel Heistand......................... 1833William Brown ............................ 1833Beverly Waugh............................ 1836Thomas Asbury Morris.............. 1836Jacob Erb ...................................... 1837John Seybert................................. 1839Henry Kumler Jr. ........................ 1841John Coons................................... 1841Joseph Long ................................. 1843Leonidas Lent Hamline.............. 1844Edmund Storer Janes.................. 1844John Russel .................................. 1845Jacob John Glossbrenner............ 1845William Hanby............................ 1845William Capers............................ 1846Robert Paine ................................ 1846David Edwards ........................... 1849Henry Bidleman Bascom ........... 1850Levi Scott...................................... 1852Matthew Simpson....................... 1852

Osman Cleander Baker .............. 1852Edward Raymond Ames ........... 1852Lewis Davis ................................. 1853George Foster Pierce................... 1854John Early..................................... 1854Hubbard Hinde Kavanaugh ..... 1854Francis Burns............................... 1858William W. Orwig ...................... 1859Jacob Markwood......................... 1861Daniel Shuck................................ 1861John Jacob Esher ......................... 1863Davis Wasgatt Clark................... 1864Edward Thomson ....................... 1864Calvin Kingsley........................... 1864Jonathan Weaver......................... 1865William May Wightman ............ 1866Enoch Mather Marvin ................ 1866David Seth Doggett .................... 1866Holland Nimmons McTyeire .... 1866John Wright Roberts................... 1866John Dickson ............................... 1869John Christian Keener ................ 1870Reuben Yeakel............................. 1871Thomas Bowman ........................ 1872William Logan Harris ................ 1872Randolph Sinks Foster ............... 1872Isaac William Wiley.................... 1872Stephen Mason Merrill .............. 1872Edward Gayer Andrews............ 1872Gilbert Haven.............................. 1872Jesse Truesdell Peck ................... 1872Rudolph Dubs ............................. 1875Thomas Bowman ........................ 1875Milton Wright.............................. 1877Nicholas Castle............................ 1877Henry White Warren.................. 1880Cyrus David Foss........................ 1880

UNITED METHODIST BISHOPS

A List Compiled for The Book of Disciplineby the Council of Bishops

NAME ELECTED NAME ELECTED

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John Fletcher Hurst .................... 1880Erastus Otis Haven..................... 1880Ezekiel Boring Kephart .............. 1881Alpheus Waters Wilson ............. 1882Linus Parker ................................ 1882John Cowper Granbery.............. 1882Robert Kennon Hargrove .......... 1882William Xavier Ninde ................ 1884John Morgan Walden ................. 1884Willard Francis Mallalieu .......... 1884Charles Henry Fowler................ 1884William Taylor ............................ 1884Daniel Kumler Flickinger .......... 1885William Wallace Duncan ........... 1886Charles Betts Galloway.............. 1886Eugene Russell Hendrix ............ 1886Joseph Stanton Key..................... 1886John Heyl Vincent....................... 1888James Newbury FitzGerald....... 1888Isaac Wilson Joyce ...................... 1888John Philip Newman.................. 1888Daniel Ayres Goodsell ............... 1888James Mills Thoburn .................. 1888James W. Hott.............................. 1889Atticus Greene Haygood ........... 1890Oscar Penn Fitzgerald................ 1890Wesley Matthias Stanford ......... 1891Christian S. Haman .................... 1891Sylvanus C. Breyfogel ................ 1891William Horn............................... 1891Job S. Mills ................................... 1893Charles Cardwell McCabe......... 1896Joseph Crane Hartzell ................ 1896Earl Cranston............................... 1896Warren Akin Candler................. 1898Henry Clay Morrison ................. 1898David Hastings Moore............... 1900John William Hamilton.............. 1900Edwin Wallace Parker................ 1900Francis Wesley Warne................ 1900George Martin Mathews............ 1902Alexander Coke Smith ............... 1902

Elijah Embree Hoss..................... 1902Henry Burns Hartzler ................ 1902William Franklin Heil ................ 1902Joseph Flintoft Berry................... 1904Henry Spellmeyer....................... 1904William Fraser McDowell.......... 1904James Whitford Bashford .......... 1904William Burt ................................ 1904Luther Barton Wilson................. 1904Thomas Benjamin Neely............ 1904Isaiah Benjamin Scott ................. 1904William Fitzjames Oldham........ 1904John Edward Robinson.............. 1904Merriman Colbert Harris........... 1904William Marion Weekley........... 1905William Melvin Bell.................... 1905Thomas Coke Carter................... 1905John James Tigert III................... 1906Seth Ward .................................... 1906James Atkins................................ 1906Samuel P. Spreng ........................ 1907William Franklin Anderson ...... 1908John Louis Nuelsen .................... 1908William Alfred Quayle............... 1908Charles William Smith ............... 1908Wilson Seeley Lewis................... 1908Edwin Holt Hughes.................... 1908Robert McIntyre .......................... 1908Frank Milton Bristol ................... 1908Collins Denny.............................. 1910John Carlisle Kilgo...................... 1910William Belton Murrah.............. 1910Walter Russell Lambuth ............ 1910Richard Green Waterhouse ....... 1910Edwin DuBose Mouzon............. 1910James Henry McCoy .................. 1910William Hargrave Fouke ........... 1910Uriah Frantz Swengel................. 1910Homer Clyde Stuntz................... 1912William Orville Shepard............ 1912Theodore Sommers

Henderson .............................. 1912


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Naphtali Luccock........................ 1912Francis John McConnell............. 1912Frederick DeLand Leete............. 1912Richard Joseph Cooke ................ 1912Wilbur Patterson Thirkield ....... 1912John Wesley Robinson ............... 1912William Perry Eveland............... 1912Henry Harness Fout ................... 1913Cyrus Jeffries Kephart................ 1913Alfred Taylor Howard ............... 1913Gottlieb Heinmiller..................... 1915Lawrence Hoover Seager........... 1915Herbert Welch ............................. 1916Thomas Nicholson...................... 1916Adna Wright Leonard................ 1916Matthew Simpson Hughes........ 1916Charles Bayard Mitchell ............ 1916Franklin Elmer Ellsworth

Hamilton ................................. 1916Alexander Priestly Camphor .... 1916Eben Samuel Johnson................. 1916William H. Washinger ............... 1917John Monroe Moore ................... 1918William Fletcher McMurry........ 1918Urban Valentine Williams

Darlington............................... 1918Horace Mellard DuBose............. 1918William Newman Ainsworth ... 1918James Cannon, Jr......................... 1918Matthew T. Maze ........................ 1918Lauress John Birney.................... 1920Frederick Bohn Fisher ................ 1920Charles Edward Locke............... 1920Ernest Lynn Waldorf.................. 1920Edgar Blake.................................. 1920Ernest Gladstone Richardson.... 1920Charles Wesley Burns ................ 1920Harry Lester Smith ..................... 1920George Harvey Bickley .............. 1920Frederick Thomas Keeney......... 1920Charles Larew Mead .................. 1920Anton Bast ................................... 1920

Robert Elijah Jones...................... 1920Matthew Wesley Clair ............... 1920Arthur R. Clippinger .................. 1921William Benjamin Beauchamp . 1922James Edward Dickey ................ 1922Samuel Ross Hay ........................ 1922Hoyt McWhorter Dobbs ............ 1922Hiram Abiff Boaz........................ 1922John Francis Dunlap................... 1922George Amos Miller ................... 1924Titus Lowe ................................... 1924George Richmond Grose ........... 1924Brenton Thoburn Badley ........... 1924Wallace Elias Brown................... 1924Arthur Biggs Statton................... 1925John S. Stamm ............................. 1926Samuel J. Umbreit....................... 1926Raymond J. Wade ....................... 1928James Chamberlain Baker ......... 1928Edwin Ferdinand Lee................. 1928Grant D. Batdorf ......................... 1929Ira David Warner........................ 1929John W. Gowdy........................... 1930Chih Ping Wang.......................... 1930Arthur James Moore................... 1930Paul Bentley Kern ....................... 1930Angie Frank Smith...................... 1930George Edward Epp................... 1930Joshwant Rao Chitamber........... 1930Juan Ermete Gattinoni................ 1932Junius Ralph Magee ................... 1932Ralph Spaulding Cushman ....... 1932Elmer Wesley Praetorius ........... 1934Charles H. Stauffacher ............... 1934Jarrell Waskom Pickett............... 1935Roberto Valenzuela Elphick...... 1936Wilbur Emery Hammaker......... 1936Charles Wesley Flint................... 1936Garfield Bromley Oxnam .......... 1936Alexander Preston Shaw ........... 1936John McKendree Springer ......... 1936F. H. Otto Melle........................... 1936


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Ralph Ansel Ward ...................... 1937Victor Otterbein Weidler ........... 1938Ivan Lee Holt ............................... 1938William Walter Peele.................. 1938Clare Purcell ................................ 1938Charles Claude Selecman .......... 1938John Lloyd Decell ....................... 1938William Clyde Martin ................ 1938William Turner Watkins ............ 1938James Henry Straughn ............... 1939John Calvin Broomfield ............. 1939William Alfred Carroll

Hughes .................................... 1940Lorenzo Houston King .............. 1940Bruce Richard Baxter.................. 1940Shot Kumar Mondol................... 1940Clement Daniel Rockey ............. 1941Enrique Carlos Balloch............... 1941Z. T. Kaung .................................. 1941Wen Yuan Chen .......................... 1941George Carleton Lacy................. 1941Fred L. Dennis ............................. 1941Dionisio Deista Alejandro ......... 1944Fred Pierce Corson ..................... 1944Walter Earl Ledden .................... 1944Lewis Oliver Hartman ............... 1944Newell Snow Booth.................... 1944Willis Jefferson King................... 1944Robert Nathaniel Brooks ........... 1944Edward Wendall Kelly .............. 1944William Angie Smith.................. 1944Paul Elliott Martin ...................... 1944Costen Jordan Harrell ................ 1944Paul Neff Garber......................... 1944Charles Wesley Brashares ......... 1944Schuyler Edward Garth ............. 1944Arthur Frederick Wesley ........... 1944John Abdus Subhan.................... 1945John Balmer Showers ................. 1945August Theodor Arvidson ........ 1946Johann Wilhelm Ernst

Sommer ................................... 1946

John Wesley Edward Bowen..... 1948Lloyd Christ Wicke..................... 1948John Wesley Lord ....................... 1948Dana Dawson .............................. 1948Marvin Augustus Franklin........ 1948Roy Hunter Short........................ 1948Richard Campbell Raines .......... 1948Marshall Russell Reed................ 1948Harry Clifford Northcott ........... 1948Hazen Graff Werner ................... 1948Glenn Randall Phillips ............... 1948Gerald Hamilton Kennedy........ 1948Donald Harvey Tippett.............. 1948Jose Labarrete Valencia.............. 1948Sante Uberto Barbieri ................. 1949Raymond Leroy Archer ............. 1950David Thomas Gregory ............. 1950Frederick Buckley Newell ......... 1952Edgar Amos Love ....................... 1952Matthew Wesley Clair Jr............ 1952John Warren Branscomb............ 1952Henry Bascom Watts.................. 1952D. Stanley Coors.......................... 1952Edwin Edgar Voigt ..................... 1952Francis Gerald Ensley ................ 1952Alsie Raymond Grant ................ 1952Julio Manuel Sabanes ................. 1952Friedrich Wunderlich................. 1953Odd Arthur Hagen ..................... 1953Ferdinand Sigg ............................ 1954Reuben Herbert Mueller ............ 1954Harold Rickel Heininger............ 1954Lyle Lynden Baughman ............ 1954Prince Albert Taylor Jr. .............. 1956Eugene Maxwell Frank .............. 1956Nolan Bailey Harmon ................ 1956Bachman Gladstone Hodge....... 1956Hobart Baumann Amstutz ........ 1956Ralph Edward Dodge ................ 1956Mangal Singh .............................. 1956Gabriel Sundaram....................... 1956Paul E. V. Shannon ..................... 1957


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John Gordon Howard ................ 1957Hermann Walter Kaebnick........ 1958W. Maynard Sparks.................... 1958Paul Murray Herrick .................. 1958Bowman Foster Stockwell ......... 1960Fred Garrigus Holloway............ 1960William Vernon Middleton ....... 1960William Ralph Ward Jr. ............. 1960James Kenneth Mathews ........... 1960Oliver Eugene Slater................... 1960William Kenneth Pope ............... 1960Paul Vernon Galloway............... 1960Aubrey Grey Walton.................. 1960Kenneth Wilford Copeland....... 1960Everett Walter Palmer................ 1960Ralph Taylor Alton..................... 1960Edwin Ronald Garrison ............. 1960Torney Otto Nall Jr. .................... 1960Charles Franklin Golden............ 1960Noah Watson Moore Jr. ............. 1960Marquis LaFayette Harris.......... 1960James Walton Henley................. 1960Walter Clark Gum ...................... 1960Paul Hardin Jr. ............................ 1960John Owen Smith........................ 1960Paul William Milhouse .............. 1960Pedro Ricardo Zottele ................ 1962James Samuel Thomas ............... 1964William McFerrin Stowe............ 1964Walter Kenneth Goodson .......... 1964Dwight Ellsworth Loder............ 1964Robert Marvin Stuart ................. 1964Edward Julian

Pendergrass Jr. ....................... 1964Thomas Marion Pryor................ 1964Homer Ellis Finger Jr.................. 1964Earl Gladstone Hunt Jr............... 1964Francis Enmer Kearns ................ 1964Lance Webb ................................. 1964Escrivao Anglaze Zunguze ....... 1964Robert Fielden Lundy ................ 1964Harry Peter Andreassen ............ 1964

John Wesley Shungu .................. 1964Alfred Jacob Shaw ...................... 1965Prabhakar Christopher

Benjamin Balaram.................. 1965Stephen Trowen Nagbe ............. 1965Franz Werner Schäfer................. 1966Benjamin I. Guansing................. 1967Lineunt Scott Allen..................... 1967Paul Arthur Washburn .............. 1968Carl Ernst Sommer ..................... 1968David Frederick Wertz............... 1968Alsie Henry Carleton ................. 1968Roy Calvin Nichols..................... 1968Arthur James Armstrong........... 1968William Ragsdale Cannon......... 1968Abel Tendekayi Muzorewa....... 1968Cornelio M. Ferrer ...................... 1968Paul Locke A. Granadosin......... 1968Joseph R. Lance ........................... 1968Ram Dutt Joshi ............................ 1968Eric Algernon Mitchell............... 1969Federico Jose Pagura .................. 1969Armin E. Härtel........................... 1970Ole Edvard Borgen ..................... 1970Finis Alonzo

Crutchfield Jr. ......................... 1972Joseph Hughes Yeakel ............... 1972Robert E. Goodrich Jr. ................ 1972Carl Julian Sanders ..................... 1972Ernest T. Dixon Jr........................ 1972Don Wendell Holter ................... 1972Wayne K. Clymer........................ 1972Joel Duncan McDavid ................ 1972Edward Gonzalez Carroll.......... 1972Jesse Robert DeWitt .................... 1972James Mase Ault ......................... 1972John B. Warman .......................... 1972Mack B. Stokes ............................ 1972Jack Marvin Tuell........................ 1972Melvin E. Wheatley Jr. ............... 1972Edward Lewis Tullis .................. 1972Frank Lewis Robertson .............. 1972


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Wilbur Wong Yan Choy ............ 1972Robert McGrady Blackburn ...... 1972Emilio J. M. de Carvalho............ 1972Fama Onema ............................... 1972Mamidi Elia Peter ....................... 1972Bennie de Quency Warner ........ 1973J. Kenneth Shamblin ................... 1976Alonzo Monk Bryan ................... 1976Kenneth William Hicks.............. 1976James Chess Lovern ................... 1976Leroy Charles Hodapp .............. 1976Edsel Albert Ammons................ 1976C. Dale White .............................. 1976Ngoy Kimba Wakadilo .............. 1976Almeida Penicela ........................ 1976LaVerne D. Mercado .................. 1976Hermann Ludwig Sticher .......... 1977Shantu Kumar A. Parmar .......... 1979Thomas Syla Bangura ................ 1979John Alfred Ndoricimpa............ 1980William Talbot Handy Jr. .......... 1980John Wesley Hardt ..................... 1980Benjamin Ray Oliphint............... 1980Louis Wesley

Schowengerdt......................... 1980Melvin George Talbert ............... 1980Paul Andrews Duffey ................ 1980Edwin Charles Boulton.............. 1980John William Russell .................. 1980Fitz Herbert Skeete ..................... 1980George Willis Bashore................ 1980Roy Clyde Clark.......................... 1980William Boyd Grove................... 1980Emerson Stephen Colaw............ 1980Marjorie Swank Matthews ........ 1980Carlton Printess

Minnick Jr ............................... 1980Calvin Dale McConnell.............. 1980Kainda Katembo ......................... 1980Emerito P. Nacpil........................ 1980Arthur Flumo Kulah .................. 1980Felton Edwin May ...................... 1984

Ernest A. Fitzgerald.................... 1984R. Kern Eutsler ............................ 1984J. Woodrow Hearn...................... 1984Walter L. Underwood ................ 1984Richard B. Wilke ......................... 1984J. Lloyd Knox............................... 1984Neil L. Irons ................................. 1984Roy Isao Sano .............................. 1984Lewis Bevel Jones III .................. 1984Forrest C. Stith............................. 1984Ernest W. Newman .................... 1984Woodie W. White........................ 1984Robert Crawley Morgan ............ 1984David J. Lawson.......................... 1984Elias Gabriel Galvan................... 1984Rueben Philip Job ....................... 1984Leontine T. Kelly......................... 1984Judith Craig ................................. 1984Rüdiger Rainer Minor ................ 1986Jose Castro Gamboa Jr................ 1986Thomas Barber Stockton............ 1988Harold Hasbrouck

Hughes Jr. ............................... 1988Richard Carl Looney .................. 1988Robert Hitchcock Spain ............. 1988Susan Murch Morrison .............. 1988R. Sheldon Duecker .................... 1988Joseph Benjamin Bethea............. 1988William B. Oden.......................... 1988Bruce P. Blake.............................. 1988Charles Wilbourne

Hancock .................................. 1988Clay Foster Lee Jr........................ 1988Sharon A. Brown

Christopher............................. 1988Dan E. Solomon........................... 1988William B. Lewis ......................... 1988William W. Dew Jr...................... 1988Moises Domingos Fernandes.....1988Joao Somane Machado................1988Walter Klaiber ..............................1989Heinrich Bolleter..........................1989


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Hans Växby ..................................1989Alfred Lloyd Norris.....................1992Joe Allen Wilson ..........................1992Robert Eugene Fannin.................1992Amelia Ann B. Sherer..................1992Albert Frederick Mutti ................1992Raymond Harold Owen .............1992Joel Neftali Martinez ...................1992Donald Arthur Ott.......................1992Kenneth Lee Carder ....................1992Hae Jong Kim ...............................1992William Wesley Morris ...............1992Marshall LeRoy Meadors Jr. ......1992Charles Wesley Jordan................1992Sharon Zimmerman Rader.........1992S. Clifton Ives ...............................1992Mary Ann Swenson.....................1992Done Peter Dabale .......................1992Joseph Humper ............................1992Christopher Jokomo ....................1992Daniel C. Arichea Jr. ....................1994Benjamin Gutierrez......................1994G. Lindsey Davis..........................1996Joseph E. Pennel Jr. ..................... 1996Charlene Payne Kammerer ........1996Alfred Johnson .............................1996Cornelius L. Henderson..............1996Susan Wolfe Hassinger ...............1996J. Lawrence McCleskey ...............1996Ernest S. Lyght .............................1996Janice Riggle Huie .......................1996Marion M. Edwards ....................1996C. Joseph Sprague........................1996Peter D. Weaver ...........................1996Jonathan D. Keaton......................1996Ray W. Chamberlain, Jr. .............1996John L. Hopkins ...........................1996Michael J. Coyner.........................1996Edward W. Paup..........................1996Ntambo Nkulu Ntanda...............1996Larry M. Goodpaster...................2000Rhymes H. Moncure Jr................2000

Beverly J. Shamana ......................2000Violet L. Fisher .............................2000Gregory Vaughn Palmer.............2000William W. Hutchinson ..............2000B. Michael Watson .......................2000D. Max Whitfield .........................2000Benjamin Roy Chamness ............2000Linda Lee ......................................2000James R. King ...............................2000Bruce R. Ough ..............................2000Warner H. Brown Jr.....................2000José Quipungo..............................2000Gaspar Joao Domingos ...............2000Leo A. Soriano..............................2000Benjamin A. Justo ........................2000John G. Innis .................................2000Øystein Olsen...............................2001Timothy W. Whitaker .................2001Solito K. Toquero .........................2001Marcus Matthews ........................2004Sudarshana Devadhar.................2004Jeremiah J. Park............................2004Hope Morgan Ward ....................2004William H. Willimon...................2004James E. Swanson Sr....................2004Hee-soo-Jung................................2004Robert E. Hayes Jr........................2004Alfred W. Gwinn Jr .....................2004John R. Schol.................................2004Richard J. Wills Jr.........................2004Robert C. Schnase ........................2004Deborah L. Kiesey........................2004Jane Allen Middleton ..................2004Thomas J. Bickerton.....................2004Scott J. Jones..................................2004Charles N. Crutchfield ................2004Robert T. Hoshibata.....................2004Mary Virginia Taylor ..................2004Sally Dyck .....................................2004Minerva G. Carcaño ....................2004Eben K. Nhiwatiwa .....................2004


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8

Hans Växby ................................. 2005David K. Yemba.......................... 2005Rosemarie J. Wenner .................. 2005Benjamin Boni ............................. 2005Patrick Ph. Streiff ........................ 2005Daniel A. Wandabula................. 2006Kefas K. Mavula.......................... 2007Paul Lee Leeland......................... 2008

Wilbert Earl Bledsoe................... 2008Peggy A. Johnson........................ 2008John Michael Lowry ................... 2008Julius Calvin Trimble ................. 2008Grant J. Hagiya............................ 2008James E. Dorff.............................. 2008Elaine J. W. Stanovsky ............... 2008Joaquina Filipe Nhanala ............ 2008



HISTORICAL STATEMENT

On April 23, 1968, The United Methodist Church was createdwhen Bishop Reuben H. Mueller, representing The EvangelicalUnited Brethren Church, and Bishop Lloyd C. Wicke of TheMethodist Church joined hands at the constituting General Confer-ence in Dallas, Texas. With the words, “Lord of the Church, we areunited in Thee, in Thy Church and now in The United MethodistChurch,” the new denomination was given birth by two churchesthat had distinguished histories and influential ministries in variousparts of the world.

Theological traditions steeped in the Protestant Reformation andWesleyanism, similar ecclesiastical structures, and relationships thatdated back almost two hundred years facilitated the union. In theEvangelical United Brethren heritage, for example, Philip WilliamOtterbein, the principal founder of the United Brethren in Christ,assisted in the ordination of Francis Asbury to the superintendency ofAmerican Methodist work. Jacob Albright, through whose religiousexperience and leadership the Evangelical Association was begun,was nurtured in a Methodist class meeting following his conversion.

Roots, 1736–1816

The United Methodist Church shares a common history and her-itage with other Methodist and Wesleyan bodies. The lives and min-istries of John Wesley (1703–1791) and of his brother, Charles(1707–1788), mark the origin of their common roots. Both John andCharles were Church of England missionaries to the colony of Georgia,

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arriving in March 1736. It was their only occasion to visit America.Their mission was far from an unqualified success, and both returnedto England disillusioned and discouraged, Charles in December 1736,and John in February 1738.

Both of the Wesley brothers had transforming religious experi-ences in May 1738. John’s heart “was strangely warmed” at a prayermeeting on Aldersgate Street in London. In the years following, theWesleys succeeded in leading a lively renewal movement in theChurch of England. As the Methodist movement grew, it becameapparent that their ministry would spread to the American coloniesas some Methodists made the exhausting and hazardous Atlanticvoyage to the New World.

Organized Methodism in America began as a lay movement.Among its earliest leaders were Robert Strawbridge, an immigrantfarmer who organized work about 1760 in Maryland and Virginia,Philip Embury and his cousin, Barbara Heck, who began work inNew York in 1766, and Captain Thomas Webb, whose labors wereinstrumental in Methodist beginnings in Philadelphia in 1767.African Americans participated actively in these groundbreaking andformational initiatives though much of that contribution wasacknowledged without much biographical detail.

To strengthen the Methodist work in the colonies, John Wesleysent two of his lay preachers, Richard Boardman and Joseph Pilmore,to America in 1769. Two years later Richard Wright and FrancisAsbury were also dispatched by Wesley to undergird the growingAmerican Methodist societies. Francis Asbury became the mostimportant figure in early American Methodism. His energetic devo-tion to the principles of Wesleyan theology, ministry, and organiza-tion shaped Methodism in America in a way unmatched by any otherindividual. In addition to the preachers sent by Wesley, someMethodists in the colonies also answered the call to become laypreachers in the movement.

The first conference of Methodist preachers in the colonies washeld in Philadelphia in 1773. The ten who attended took severalimportant actions. They pledged allegiance to Wesley’s leadershipand agreed that they would not administer the sacraments becausethey were laypersons. Their people were to receive the sacraments ofbaptism and the Lord’s Supper at the local Anglican parish church.They emphasized strong discipline among the societies and preachers.A system of regular conferences of the preachers was inaugurated


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similar to those Wesley had instituted in England to conduct thebusiness of the Methodist movement.

The American Revolution had a profound impact on Methodism.John Wesley’s Toryism and his writings against the revolutionarycause did not enhance the image of Methodism among many whosupported independence. Furthermore, a number of Methodistpreachers refused to bear arms to aid the patriots.

When independence from England had been won, Wesley recog-nized that changes were necessary in American Methodism. He sentThomas Coke to America to superintend the work with Asbury. Cokebrought with him a prayer book titled The Sunday Service of theMethodists in North America, prepared by Wesley and incorporatinghis revision of the Church of England’s Thirty-Nine Articles of Reli-gion. Two other preachers, Richard Whatcoat and Thomas Vasey,whom Wesley had ordained, accompanied Coke. Wesley’s ordina-tions set a precedent that ultimately permitted Methodists in Americato become an independent church.

In December 1784, the famous Christmas Conference of preacherswas held in Baltimore at Lovely Lane Chapel to chart the futurecourse of the movement in America, a gathering that organized themovement as The Methodist Episcopal Church in America. Most ofthe American preachers attended, probably including two AfricanAmericans, Harry Hosier and Richard Allen. The conference took aforceful stand against slavery and made that witness a featured com-mitment in the new church’s Discipline. Regrettably the churchsteadily retreated from that courageous stand.

In the years following the Christmas Conference, The MethodistEpiscopal Church published its first Discipline (1785), adopted a qua-drennial General Conference, the first of which was held in 1792,drafted a Constitution in 1808, refined its structure, established apublishing house, and became an ardent proponent of revivalism andthe camp meeting.

As The Methodist Episcopal Church was in its infancy, two otherchurches were being formed. In their earliest years they were com-posed almost entirely of German-speaking people. The first wasfounded by Philip William Otterbein (1726–1813) and Martin Boehm(1725–1812). Otterbein, a German Reformed pastor, and Boehm, aMennonite, preached an evangelical message and experience similarto the Methodists. In 1800 their followers formally organizedthe Church of the United Brethren in Christ. A second church, The


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Evangelical Association, was begun by Jacob Albright (1759–1808), aLutheran farmer and tilemaker in eastern Pennsylvania who hadbeen converted and nurtured under Methodist teaching. The Evan-gelical Association was officially organized in 1803. These twochurches were to unite with each other in 1946 and with TheMethodist Church in 1968 to form The United Methodist Church.

By the time of Asbury’s death in March 1816, Otterbein, Boehm,and Albright had also died. The churches they nurtured had survivedthe difficulties of early life and were beginning to expand numeri-cally and geographically.

The Churches Grow, 1817–1843

The Second Great Awakening was the dominant religious devel-opment among Protestants in America in the first half of the nine-teenth century. Through revivals and camp meetings sinners werebrought to an experience of conversion. Circuit riding preachersand lay pastors knit them into a connection. This style of Christianfaith and discipline was very agreeable to Methodists, UnitedBrethren, and Evangelicals, who favored its emphasis on the experi-ential. The memberships of these churches increased dramaticallyduring this period. The number of preachers serving them also multi-plied significantly.

Lay members and preachers were expected to be seriously com-mitted to the faith. Preachers were not only to possess a sound con-version and divine calling but were also to demonstrate the gifts andskills requisite for an effective ministry. Their work was urgentand demanding. The financial benefits were meager. But, as they oftenreminded one another, there was no ore important work than theirs.

The deep commitment of the general membership was exhibitedin their willingness to adhere to the spiritual disciplines and stan-dards of conduct outlined by their churches. Methodists, for example,were to be strictly guided by a set of General Rules adopted at theChristmas Conference of 1784 and still printed in United Method-ism’s Book of Discipline. They were urged to avoid evil, to do good,and to use the means of grace supplied by God. Membership in thechurch was serious business. There was no place for those whomWesley called the “almost Christians.”

The structure of the Methodist, United Brethren, and EvangelicalAssociation churches allowed them to function in ways to support,


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consolidate, and expand their ministries. General Conferences, meet-ing quadrennially, proved sufficient to set the main course for thechurch. Annual Conferences under episcopal leadership provided themechanism for admitting and ordaining clergy, appointing itinerantpreachers to their churches, and supplying them with mutual sup-port. Local churches and classes could spring up wherever a fewwomen and men were gathered under the direction of a class leaderand were visited regularly by the circuit preacher, one who had a cir-cuit of preaching placed under his care. This system effectivelyserved the needs of city, town, village, or frontier outpost. Thechurches were able to go to the people wherever they settled.

The earlier years of the nineteenth century were also marked bythe spread of the Sunday school movement in America. By 1835 Sun-day schools were encouraged in every place where they could bestarted and maintained. The Sunday school became a principalsource of prospective members for the church.

The churches’ interest in education was also evident in theirestablishment of secondary schools and colleges. By 1845 Methodists,Evangelicals, and United Brethren had also instituted courses ofstudy for their preachers to ensure that they had a basic knowledgeof the Bible, theology, and pastoral ministry.

To supply their members, preachers, and Sunday schools withChristian literature, the churches established publishing operations.The Methodist Book Concern, organized in 1789, was the first churchpublishing house in America. The Evangelical Association andUnited Brethren also authorized the formation of publishing agenciesin the early nineteenth century. From the presses of their printingplants came a succession of hymnals, Disciplines, newspapers, maga-zines, Sunday school materials, and other literature to nurture theirmemberships. Profits were usually designated for the support andwelfare of retired and indigent preachers and their families.

The churches were also increasingly committed to missionarywork. By 1841 each of them had started denominational missionarysocieties to develop strategies and provide funds for work in theUnited States and abroad. John Stewart’s mission to the Wyandotsmarked a beginning of the important presence of Native Americansin Methodism.

The founding period was not without serious problems, espe-cially for the Methodists. Richard Allen (1760–1831), an emancipatedslave and Methodist preacher who had been mistreated because of


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his race, left the church and in 1816 organized The African MethodistEpiscopal Church. For similar reasons, The African Methodist Episco-pal Zion Church was begun in 1821. In 1830 another rupture occurredin The Methodist Episcopal Church. About 5,000 preachers andlaypeople left the denomination because it would not grant represen-tation to the laity or permit the election of presiding elders (districtsuperintendents). The new body was called The Methodist ProtestantChurch. It remained a strong church until 1939, when it united withThe Methodist Episcopal Church and The Methodist EpiscopalChurch, South, to become The Methodist Church.

The Slavery Question and Civil War, 1844–1865

John Wesley was an ardent opponent of slavery. Many of theleaders of early American Methodism shared his hatred for this formof human bondage. The United Brethren in Christ took a strong standagainst slavery, as church members could not sell a slave, and by1837 ruled that slave owners could not continue as members. As thenineteenth century progressed, it became apparent that tensions weredeepening in Methodism over the slavery question. In this matter, asin so many others, Methodism reflected a national ethos because itwas a church with a membership that was not limited to a region,class, or race. Contention over slavery would ultimately splitMethodism into separate northern and southern churches.

The slavery issue was generally put aside by The Methodist Epis-copal Church until its General Conference in 1844, when the pro-slav-ery and anti-slavery factions clashed. Their most serious conflict con-cerned one of the church’s five bishops, James O. Andrew, who hadacquired slaves through marriage. After acrimonious debate the Gen-eral Conference voted to suspend Bishop Andrew from the exerciseof his episcopal office so long as he could not, or would not, free hisslaves. A few days later dissidents drafted a Plan of Separation,which permitted the annual conferences in slaveholding states to sep-arate from The Methodist Episcopal Church in order to organize theirown ecclesiastical structure. The Plan of Separation was adopted, andthe groundwork was prepared for the creation of The MethodistEpiscopal Church, South.

Delegates from the southern states met in Louisville, Kentucky, inMay 1845, to organize their new church. Their first General Confer-ence was held the following year in Petersburg, Virginia, where a


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Discipline and hymnbook were adopted. Bitterness between northernand southern Methodists intensified in the years leading to AbrahamLincoln’s election in 1860 and then through the carnage of the CivilWar. Each church claimed divine sanction for its region and prayedfervently for God’s will to be accomplished in victory for its side.

Reconstruction, Prosperity, and New Issues, 1866–1913

The Civil War dealt an especially harsh blow to The MethodistEpiscopal Church, South. Its membership fell to two-thirds its pre-war strength. Many of its churches lay in ruins or were seriouslydamaged. A number of its clergy had been killed or wounded in theconflict. Its educational, publishing, and missionary programs hadbeen disrupted. Yet new vitality stirred among southern Methodists,and over the next fifty years its membership grew fourfold to morethan two million.

The African American membership of The Methodist EpiscopalChurch, South, had declined significantly during and after the war.In 1870 its General Conference voted to transfer all of its remainingAfrican American constituency to a new church. The ColoredMethodist Episcopal Church (now called The Christian MethodistEpiscopal Church) was the product of this decision.

It was during this period that Alejo Hernandez became the firstordained Hispanic preacher in Methodism, although Benigno Carde-nas had preached the Methodist message in Spanish in Santa Fe, NewMexico, as early as 1853.

The Methodist Episcopal Church did not suffer as harshly assouthern Methodism did during the war. By the late 1860s it was onthe verge of major gains in membership and new vigor in its pro-gram. Between 1865 and 1913 its membership also registered a 400percent increase to about four million. Methodist Protestants, UnitedBrethren, and Evangelicals experienced similar growth. Church prop-erty values soared, and affluence reflected generally prosperoustimes for the churches. Sunday schools remained strong and active.Publishing houses maintained ambitious programs to furnish theirmemberships with literature. Higher educational standards for theclergy were cultivated, and theological seminaries were founded.

Mission work, both home and overseas, was high on the agendasof the churches. Home mission programs sought to Christianize the


15


city as well as the Native American. Missionaries established schoolsfor former slaves and their children. Missions overseas were effectivein Asia, Europe, Africa, and Latin America. Women formed mission-aries societies that educated, recruited, and raised funds for theseendeavors. Missionaries like Isabella Thoburn, Susan Bauernfeind,and Harriett Brittan, and administrators like Bell Harris Bennett andLucy Rider Meyer, motivated thousands of church women to supporthome and foreign missions.

Significant Methodist ministries among Asian Americans wereinstituted during this period, especially among Chinese and Japaneseimmigrants. A Japanese layman, Kanichi Miyama, was ordained andgiven full clergy rights in California in 1887.

Two critical issues that caused substantial debate in the churchesduring this period were lay representation and the role of women.First, should laity be given a voice in the General Conference and theannual conference? The Methodist Protestants had granted the laityrepresentation from the time they organized in 1830. The clergy inThe Methodist Episcopal Church, The Methodist Episcopal Church,South, The Evangelical Association, and the Church of the UnitedBrethren in Christ were much slower in permitting the laity an offi-cial voice in their affairs. All finally granted lay people voting privi-leges in their General and annual conferences with the exception ofThe Methodist Episcopal Church, which did not grant this right inannual conference decisions before the 1939 union. Even more con-tentious was the question of women’s right to ordination and eligibil-ity for lay offices and representation in the church. The UnitedBrethren General Conference of 1889 approved ordination forwomen, but The Methodist Episcopal Church and The MethodistEpiscopal Church, South, did not grant full clergy rights until wellafter their reunion in 1939. The Evangelical Association neverordained women. Laity rights for women were also resisted. Womenwere not admitted as delegates to the General Conferences of TheMethodist Protestant Church until 1892, the United Brethren until1893, The Methodist Episcopal Church until 1904, and The MethodistEpiscopal Church, South, until 1922.

The period between the Civil War and World War I also wasmarked by other theological developments and controversies. Theholiness movement, the rise of liberal theology, and the Social Gospelmovement were sources of considerable theological debate. The


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Methodist Episcopal Church demonstrated its regard for social issuesby adopting a Social Creed at its 1908 General Conference. Socialproblems were also a spur in the movement toward ecumenism andinterchurch cooperation. Each of the denominations now included inThe United Methodist Church became active in the Federal Councilof Churches, the first major ecumenical venture among AmericanProtestants. The era closed with the world on the threshold of a greatand horrible war.

World War and More Change, 1914–1939

In the years immediately prior to World War I, there was muchsympathy in the churches for negotiation and arbitration as visiblealternatives to international armed conflict. Many church membersand clergy openly professed pacifism. However, when the UnitedStates officially entered the war in 1917, pacifism faded. Theantecedent churches of United Methodism were not unlike otherAmerican denominations in expressing their national loyalties.

When the war ended, the churches were again free to expendtheir energies in other directions. One of their perennial concerns wastemperance, and they were quick to recognize it among their highestpriorities. They published and distributed large amounts of temper-ance literature. Members were asked to pledge that they wouldabstain from alcoholic beverages. The United Methodist Church stillencourages such abstinence.

There was significant theological ferment during this period. Lib-eral Protestant theology, an important school of thought in the latenineteenth and early twentieth centuries, was questioned. It wasattacked by a militant fundamentalism and later by neo-orthodoxy,which accused it of undermining the very essence of the Christianmessage. Since all three of these theological parties—liberal, funda-mentalist, and neo-orthodox—were well represented in the forerun-ners of United Methodism, it is not surprising that heated doctrinaldisputes were present in these churches.

Despite the internal theological differences that the churchesexperienced, they continued to cooperate with other denominationsand acted to heal schisms that had taken place earlier in their ownhistories. For example, a division that had occurred in The Evangeli-cal Association in 1894 was repaired in 1922, when two factionsunited as The Evangelical Church. A more important union, at least


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by statistical measurement, took place among three Methodist bodies—The Methodist Episcopal Church, The Methodist Protestant Church,and The Methodist Episcopal Church, South. Representatives of thesechurches began meeting in 1916 to forge a plan of union. By the 1930stheir proposal included partitioning the united church into sixadministrative units called jurisdictions. Five of these were geograph-ical; the sixth, the Central Jurisdiction, was racial. It included AfricanAmerican churches and annual conferences wherever they weregeographically located in the United States. African AmericanMethodists and some others were troubled by this prospect andopposed the plan of a racially segregated jurisdiction.

The majority of Methodist Protestants favored the union,although it meant accepting episcopal government, which they hadnot had since their church was organized in 1830. Following over-whelming approvals at the General Conferences and annual confer-ences of the three churches, they were united in April 1939, into TheMethodist Church. At the time of its formation the new churchincluded 7.7 million members.

Movement Toward Union, 1940–1967

Although Methodists, Evangelicals, and United Brethren eachhad published strong statements condemning war and advocatingpeaceful reconciliation among the nations, the strength of their posi-tions was largely lost with American involvement in the hostilities ofWorld War II. Nevertheless, throughout the war many churches con-tinued to express their disdain for violence and their support for con-scientious objection.

As the war ended, the churches actively worked to secure worldpeace and order. Many laypeople, pastors, bishops, and church agen-cies supported the establishment of a world organization to serve as aforum for the resolution of international social, economic, and politi-cal problems. In April 1945, their labors contributed to the foundingof the United Nations.

During this era, 1940–1967, there were at least three other impor-tant matters that occupied the attention of the churches that nowcompose United Methodism. First, they maintained their concern forecumenicity and church union. On November 16, 1946, in Johnstown,Pennsylvania, The Evangelical Church and The United BrethrenChurch were united into The Evangelical United Brethren Church,


18


after twenty years of negotiation. At the time of union, the newchurch included about 700,000 members. The Methodist Church wasalso interested in closer ties with other Methodist and Wesleyan bod-ies. In 1951 it participated in the formation of the World MethodistCouncil, successor to the Ecumenical Methodist Conferences thatwere begun in 1881. As expressions of their wider ecumenical com-mitment, Methodists and the Evangelical United Brethren becameactive members of the World Council of Churches, founded in 1948,and the National Council of Churches, founded in 1950. These assem-blies provided a means for their members to engage in cooperativemission and other ministries. The two churches also cooperated withseven other Protestant denominations in forming the Consultation onChurch Union in 1960.

Second, the churches demonstrated growing uneasiness with theproblem of racism in both the nation and the church. ManyMethodists were especially disturbed by the manner in which racialsegregation was built into the fabric of their denominational struc-ture. The Central Jurisdiction was a constant reminder of racial dis-crimination. Proposals to eliminate the Central Jurisdiction wereintroduced at the General Conferences from 1956 to 1966. Finally,plans to abolish the Central Jurisdiction were agreed upon with thecontemplated union with the Evangelical United Brethren in 1968,although a few African American annual conferences continued for ashort time thereafter.

Third, clergy rights for women were debated by the churches.The issue was especially critical in the creation of The EvangelicalUnited Brethren Church. The Evangelical Church had never ordainedwomen. The United Brethren had ordained them since 1889. In orderto facilitate the union of these two churches, the United Brethrenaccepted the Evangelical practice, and women lost their right to ordi-nation. Methodists debated the issue for several years after their uni-fication in 1939. Full clergy rights for women were finally granted in1956, but it took a decade more before the number of women in semi-naries and pulpits began to grow significantly. When Methodists andthe Evangelical United Brethren united in 1968, the right of women tofull clergy status was included in the plan of union.

As this period ended, negotiations between The MethodistChurch and The Evangelical United Brethren Church were proceed-ing toward their anticipated union into The United MethodistChurch.


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Developments and Changes Since 1968

When The United Methodist Church was created in 1968, it hadapproximately 11 million members, making it one of the largestProtestant churches in the world.

Since its birth, United Methodism has experienced a number ofchanges in its life and structure. It has become increasingly aware ofitself as a world church with members and conferences in Africa,Asia, Europe, and the United States. While its membership in Europeand the United States has declined noticeably since 1968, member-ship in Africa and Asia has grown significantly.

An increasing number of women have been admitted to theordained ministry, appointed to the district superintendency, electedto positions of denominational leadership, and consecrated as bish-ops. In 1980 Marjorie Matthews was the first woman elected to theChurch’s episcopacy.

The Church has endeavored to become a community in which allpersons, regardless of racial or ethnic background, can participate inevery level of its connectional life and ministry.

United Methodism has struggled with a number of critical issues.It has created and refined theological and mission statements. It hasdiscussed and acted on matters of social importance such as nuclearpower and world peace, human sexuality, the environment, abortion,AIDS, evangelism, and world mission.

The Church has been concerned with the faithfulness and vitalityof its worship. It published a hymnal in 1989, which included a newPsalter and revised liturgies for baptism, the Lord’s Supper, wed-dings, and funerals. Its 1992 General Conference authorized a newBook of Worship. A Spanish language hymnal, Mil Voces Para Celebrar,was published in 1996. A Korean language hymnal, Come, Let UsWorship: The Korean-English United Methodist Hymnal, was publishedin 2000.

The United Methodist Church represents the confluence of threestreams of tradition: Methodism, the Church of the United Brethrenin Christ, and The Evangelical Association. With other churches thatare also members of the body of Christ, it humbly and gratefullyoffers up its praise to God through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spiritfor creating and sustaining grace. It seeks further grace as its minis-ters to the world.


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Documents

2008 Book of Discipline - TOC, UM Bishops, Historical Stmt (pgs 1-20)