The Many Streams of United Methodism

There are many streams of United Methodism in the in the United States, each with its own language, customs and culture. Each stream reaches deep into Methodist history and thus expresses some of element of who we are (or at least who we have been).

In practice, the streams overlap and interact with each other. Most Methodist-related congregations and institutions combine several streams in varying proportions in their practice of Christianity.

Infinite permutations and combinations exist. And just as chemical elements, when combined in different proportions, can produce materials with vastly different properties, so the multiple streams of Methodism can combine to produces vastly different versions of "church". When you change the mix, you change the product.

And finally, each stream also draws from wider movements in church and society, creating natural partnerships and affinities with groups outside Methodism which share its interests.

Some of the streams that I see (and there may be others) include:

  • Progressive Methodism. Evolved out of Wesley's post-millennial optimism and 19th century liberalism. Abolition of slavery. Women's suffrage. The temperance movement. Child labor laws. Social Gospel. Social Creed. Social Principles. Social Justice. Book of Resolutions. Historical-critical scholarship. Liberation movements. Intersectionality.  "... for the transformation on the world."
  • Evangelical Methodism. Followed Asbury in moving American Methodism away from its Anglican roots. Heirs of early American revivalism and the Great Awakenings. Camp meetings. Conversions. Church growth. Contemporary Christian Music. Praise bands. "Make disciples of Jesus Christ ..."
  • Charismatic Methodism. Heirs of the "enthusiasm" associated with the Wesleyan revival and frontier Methodism. Direct, dynamic personal encounter with the Holy Spirit. Sanctification as an experience. Welcomes the gifts of the Spirit (in the charismatic sense of that phrase). Some branches broke off into the Holiness and Pentecostal movements in the 19th century. Reinvigorated in Methodism by the Charismatic Movement of the 20th century.
  • Wesleyan Methodism. Observes historical Wesleyan practices and teaches historical Wesleyan theology in a way that John Wesley would recognize. Articles of Religion. Wesley's sermons and notes. Journals of Wesley and Asbury. Arminian theology. Convincing, justifying and sanctifying grace. "Having the form of religion and seeking the power of godliness." Means of Grace. Classes, Bands and the General Rules as the path to entire sanctification in love.
  • Anglican Methodism. Heirs of Wesley's practice as a priest in the Church of England. Word and sacrament. Weekly communion. The daily office. The Book of Common Prayer and Wesley's Sunday Service for Methodists in North America. The post-Vatican II ecumenical liturgical renewal. The Great Tradition. The Nicene and Apostles Creeds. Early Church Fathers (and Mothers). The Revised Common Lectionary. The Consultation on Common Texts. The 1989 United Methodist Book of Worship. This Holy Mystery. By Water and the Spirit.
  • Missional Methodism. Emphasizes the works of mercy Wesley expected of Methodists. Heirs of Wesley's sending ministry and the benevolent institutions he founded. Global missions abroad, part of the broader missionary movement that reached its height in the 19th century. In the United States, the Methodist name on institutions founded in the 19th and 20th centuries. Children's homes. Homes for the elderly. Hospitals (once upon a time). Colleges. Homeless shelters. Food pantries. Immigrant ministries. Local benevolences. Extension ministries and appointments beyond the local church.
  • Eclectic Spirituality Methodism. Evolved in from the early Methodist emphasis on inward experience, Methodist involvement in the Ecumenical Movement, and contemporary multi-cultural sensibilities. Draws a wide range of spiritual practices from different regions, religions, and parts of the church - and creates new forms of spirituality for an ever-evolving context. Labyrinths. Mandalas. Meditation. Contemplation. Mindfulness. Yoga. The Camino de Santiago. Sage and holy sticks. Body prayer. "Fill in the blank" as a spiritual practice. Perceived meaning of the practices can range widely with the theology of the participants.
  • Pillar of the Community Methodism. A remnant of Methodism's once dominant social presence. The downtown or county-seat church, deeply involved in the life of the community. Community leaders sit in the pews. Christian, but without an ax to grind. Moderation in all things. Good neighbors. Benevolent citizens. The church is one of many organizations to which the members belong. Religion is good for the individual and the community.  A quiet, steady, beneficial presence.
  • Institutional Methodism. The Book of Discipline (since the 1784 founding of the Methodist Episcopal Church). Council of Bishops. General agencies. Annual conferences. Official seminaries. The Trust Clause. The established structures of the church. Open hearts, open minds, open doors. Rethink church. United Methodism as a brand.
  • Evangelical United Brethren-ism. The United Methodist Church resulted from the merger of the Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren, a Wesleyan-flavored institution with German-speaking roots and its own history and traditions.
  • Ethnic-Minority Methodism. Actually, several distinct streams. In addition to participating in the broader streams listed above, United Methodism's ethnic minorities have made their own contributions to the life of the church in the United States. Excluded by white Methodists for much of their history, some African American Methodists forged their own denominational structures. Those that remained within what would become the United Methodist Church developed unique forms of "being the church" that fit their own communities and contexts. Other ethnic minorities and did the same, including the growing number of immigrant groups in the United States.

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