Ecumenical Transformations

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Ecumenical Transformations
The Methodist movement in the 19th Century had
focused on competition with other churches on the
frontier. Challenges on the frontier, the cities
and in world mission in late 19th century showed
Methodists what they had in common with other
churches. Methodist layperson John R. Mott
(1865-1955) was the foremost leader in placing
Methodism and mission in the center of the
ecumenical movement. He presided over the World
Missionary Conference in Edinburgh (1910), and
through the IMC guided the formation of the
WCC(1948). He also led the inquiry into the
Steel Strike (1919) which advocated workers
rights on a national level. Mott greatly
stimulated Methodist mission, ecumenism and
social consciousness in the early 20th century.
John R. Mott
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WWI Methodism Follows the Flag To War
The General Conferences of the Methodist Family
in 1912 and 1914 supported pacifism, but all
idealism ended with Americas entry into WWI in
1917. That followers of Christ and Wesley fought
each other in Europe did much damage to the
Church, physically and spiritually. But
Methodisms aid after the war, brought new
mission opportunities.
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Theological Tensions/Liberalism
In the early 20th century, theological change
came to the seminaries of Methodism particularly
after WWI. Conflict was most heated in the 20s,
with liberal throught expressed in the work of
Edwin Lewis (left) of Drew and Harris Rall of
Garrett, being countered in publications by the
conservatism of Harold P. Sloan (right) of NJ
Conference. (Lewis turned more conservative
through the neo-orthodox influence of Barth in
30s, reflected in the Abingdon Bible Commentary
he edited.)
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Denominational Development1913-1939 Towards
Union
Through common service and worship (hymnals of
1905, 1935) Methodism wound towards reunion. The
MECS, MPC, and MEC reunited in 1939 in a careful
merger at KC. The 20th century growth in
Methodist beauracracy mirrored social trends.
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The Costs of 1939 Union Central Jurisdiction
A careful balance of forces through compromise
made merger possible. Northern fears of strong
Southern Bishops created Judicial Council.
Southern fears of strong Northern General
Conference created the Jurisdictional system
which protected regionalism. Southern prejudice
against joining a unified church with equal black
delegates at Annual Confrences, created the
Central Jurisdictions of black churches. Bethune
strongly resisted at the 1936 General Conference,
but lost. Central Conferences existed officially
until 1968.
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Methodist Church Through War and
Consolidation1939-1968
Due to war with Germany, the 10 German Annual
Conferences disavow German language and join
their respective Confences. The UB and EA
denominations, composed of German descendants,
find common cause during the War, and move
towards Union in 1946, forming the EUB
Church. Before WWII the General Conferences of
the Methodist family all voted strong pacifist
positions, which broke down during war and tested
the world connection, but the majority view still
held to Pacifism.
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Methodism Contributes to Post-War Order
Bishops Oxnam and Moore lead Methodist efforts
at education and aid in post-war world, through
1944 General Conference Crusade for New World
Order. Methodists helped shape the moral and
political will for the United Nations in 1945,
but new general agencies also began to erode
Bishops power.
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1968 Merger United Methodism Born in a Divided
Nation
With discussions beginning in 1956, EUB and
Methodist Church unite at Dallas, TX in April
1968, at a time when Vietnam and race had divided
our country. The unity of the UMC was surface.
The principle wasunite now and settle
differences later--which in effect favored
Methodist power and polity. It required 3
quadrennium to work out the theology and polity
that united the regionally pluralistic United
Methodism, and the work continues.
EUB barely votes to join UMC, while
Methodists vote
overwhelmingly
EUB Methodist Church UMC
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Flowering of Caucus Methodism As Expression of
Pluralism 1968-Present
Since the 1972 General Conference in Atlanta,
underrepresented groups within Methodism, such
as the Black Methodists for Church Renewal
(cover of their brochure right), Affirmation, and
Good News have organized to present their
petitions to revitalize Methodism in our
rapidly polarized and politicized society. The
Wesleyan emphasis on the social effects of
religion has been expressed in searches for new
forms of local Christian identity and justice--
often in creative tension with national and
international connectional unity. Due to distrust
of institutions, power has swung away from Boards
back to Bishops and to local church since mid-80s.
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1968-Present Strides for Women in Ministry
The Commission on the Status and Role of Women
(CSRW), fully funded from 1972, has put the
concerns of women in ministry and the church
across to the Conferences and General agencies.
Women have made contributions to United
Methodism at every level, from superintendents
(1967) to bishops (from 1980, with Marjorie
Matthews, right, first elected). Resistance to
womens leadership at local levels can be
strong, but the number of female students in UM
seminaries holds promise for future.
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20th Century Trends in Methodist Worship
The 20th century has seen a general shift
towards recovering ancient order but openess,
compared to the spontaneous and more closed
patterns of 19th century worship.The 1944 Book
of Worship first separated worship from the
Discipline, and focused on the historic rituals
of Methodism. The 1964 revision anticipated the
merger, and introduced more EUB ritual and the
Lectionary. The 1992 revision added the Anglican
liturgical legacy, offering ritual and worship
with more diversity.
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20th Century Hymnody
Whenever the debate at Conference is too hot
and about to split the Church, Methodists stand
and sing a hymn! Our hymn tradition may be the
strongest glue that keeps United Methodists
United. Finding unity among our singing has
been a long tradition, as both the 1905 and 1935
hymnals were jointly produced by the MEC and
MECS. The 1905 hymnal carried forward the shared
Methodist hymn heritage of the 19th century. The
1935 hymn (under Nolan Harmon) introduced some
hearty gospel songs, but echoed the social and
scientific principle of progress--altering and
removing some Wesleyan hymns. The 1964, under
Bishops Harmon and Cannon, moved to restore
the number and accuracy of the Wesleyan corpus,
while providing for a diversity of hymns
inclusive of the EUB tradition. Ethnic
inclusiveness was extended in the 1989 revision,
with environmental and social issue also
represented. It has proved wildly popular, when
at the time of its preparation it was
controversial.
Bishops Harmon and Cannon
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Growing Edges for the 21st Century Globalization
From Wesleys preaching in Britian to the
expansion of Methodism into America and onto the
world stage, the Methodist movement has shown a
remarkable ability to adapt the Wesleyan and
Christian tradition for new mission contexts. The
world has been our parish and will be the
direction of UMC for the future, as Methodism
joins Christianity in its shift of gravity toward
strength in the Non-Western World. Methodism is
not in crisis if we look at the global
connection, yet all too often American Methodism
operates as if it is the dominant center. The
challenge in the 21st century is to
participate in this globalization of the Church
in Gods mission in locally sensitive ways. This
also means some of our local agendas will need
to be balanced by working with our connectional
and ecumenical partners around the world. Such a
glocalization will help us refresh the Wesley
heritage as Methodism has done in each
generation. The history of Methodism will not be
repeated, but paraphrased and re-translated for
a new situation as you write new chapters in our
shared history. The shift of Christianity (and
Methodism) from majority to minority status in
American culture will challenge us to reframe
pastoral ministry as missional leadership to
empower churches and conferences to be missional
again. This will involve moving from a
maintanence mentality focused on membership
(the parish is my world) to a mission that
embraces the world as our parish, and that the
world is in our parish. We will need help from
the world-wide Christian and Methodist connection
as we witness to Gods including and
transforming love for all creation in Christ,
wherever in the world we find our parish.
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From Wesley to the World