Strangely Warmed

Following up on United Methodism and Apostolic Succession , I took a look at the language John Wesley used in the book of worship he sent to the new Methodist Episcopal Church in the United States. Surprisingly, I found that The Sunday Service of the Methodists in North America speaks of “making” deacons and “ordaining” elders and bishops. <!-- wp:more --> <!--more--> <!-- /wp:more --> As I previously noted, United Methodism recognizes only two orders: deacons and elders. Bishops are “consecrated,” not ordained. This is precisely the language that one finds in the current United Methodist Book of Worship.  In some of his writings, Wesley appears to state that bishops and elders belong to the same Biblical order. So why, then, did he use the word “make” with regard to deacons and “ordain” with regard to bishops in his book of worship? The answer, I think, is found is Wesley’s source: the 1662 Book of Common Prayer of the Church of England. Wesley rev...

Apostolic Ministry or Apostolic Succession The United Methodist Book of Discipline frequently uses the word “apostolic” to describe the church and its ministry. In its discussion of the ordained ministry, it says: ¶ 302. Ordination and Apostolic Ministry . . . The apostles led in prayer, teaching and preaching, ordered the spiritual and temporal life of the community, established leadership for the ministry of service, and provided for the proclamation of the gospel to new persons and in new places. The early church, through the laying on of hands, set apart persons with responsibility to preach, to teach, to administer the sacraments, to nurture, to heal, to gather the community in worship, and to send them forth in witness. But while the Book of Discipline is comfortable speaking about apostolic ministry, it never even mentions the concept known as “apostolic succession.” In its most literal sense, apostolic succession refers to the chain of authority that is passed fro...

If you attend a United Methodist communion service, chances are that you will hear that the table is open to everyone. Period. It is also likely that you won't hear anything relating to this requirement from our official statement on baptism: Unbaptized persons who receive communion should be counseled and nurtured toward baptism as soon as possible. Or this affirmation from our official statement on communion: Holy Baptism normally precedes partaking of Holy Communion. Holy Communion is a meal of the community who are in covenant relationship with God through Jesus Christ. . . Nonbaptized people who respond in faith to the invitation in our liturgy will be welcomed to the Table. They should receive teaching about Holy Baptism as the sacrament of entrance into the community of faith—needed only once by each individual—and Holy Communion as the sacrament of sustenance for the journey of faith and growth in holiness—needed and received frequently. It is a pity that s...