American Methodism Revised and Updated

by Kenneth E Rowe, Jean Miller Schmidt, Russell E Richey PH D, Ashley Boggan D

Overview

The essential guide to American Methodism revised and updated through 2020. Four of Methodism’s most respected teachers give us a vivid picture of 260 years of Methodist experience in America. The revised edition updates the Methodist movement’s story through 2020, including the social, political, economic, technological, and global disruptions that cause faith communities and denominations to pull apart. American Methodism Revised and Updated begins with the explosion of evangelical Pietism and revolutionary Methodism, the First Great Awakening, as an independent nation was formed. It then highlights key 19th century themes and Methodist contributions, such as spreading scriptural holiness through missions and literature, planting tens of thousands of Sunday schools and churches by Circuit Riders, the pivotal Methodist schism between abolitionists and enslavers, the innovative building of schools and hospitals into the next century, and the revivalism of the Second Great Awakening. Finally it explores the movements of 20th century Methodism, including the expansion of home and foreign missions, the Methodist drive for Prohibition, the decision for nationwide reunification on the cusp of World War II, reunification with the United Brethren during the Vietnam War, the Methodist ordination of women during the 1950s, Black Methodist leadership in the 1960s Civil Rights movement, and the liturgical renewal or reformation of worship (ancient and future).

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781791016593
Publisher:	Abingdon Press
Publication date:	11/15/2022
Edition description:	American Methodism Revised and Updated ed.
Pages:	284
Sales rank:	810,151
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.30(d)

About the Author

Kenneth E. Rowe, a retired clergy member of the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference, the premier bibliographer of American United Methodism, was for 31 years Methodist Librarian and Professor of Church History at Drew University, as well as Professor of Church History in the Theological and Graduate Schools. He is also Emeritus Professor of Church History and Methodist Archives Librarian at Drew University Theological School in Madison, New Jersey.

Jean Miller Schmidt is Gerald L. Schlessman Professor Emerita of Methodist Studies, The Iliff School of Theology in Denver, Colorado.

(2011) Russell E. Richey is Dean Emeritus of Candler School of Theology and the William R. Cannon Distinguished Professor of Church History Emeritus in Atlanta, Georgia.

Table of Contents

Preface xiii

Methodist History in a Digital Age xiii

Using This Narrative with the Two MEA Volumes xiv

Complementary United Methodist Resources xv

Introduction: Spontaneous Beginnings: 1760-68 xvii

Conversionist Religion xvii

Colonial Awakenings xix

Otterbein and Boehm xx

Wesleyan Initiatives xxii

Spontaneity and Order xxv

Chapter I Revolutionary Methodism: 1769-84 1

Pilmore and Boardman 1

Order(s) 2

Liberty 4

Conferencing 6

Discipline 7

Tensions and Controversies as Revolution Looms 9

Collaborators, Loyalists, Pacifists, Persecuted, Patriots 11

Americanization 14

A First Schism 16

Slavery and Revival 18

Awaiting Wesleyan Directives 20

Provisioning an American Church 21

Planting an American Church 23

Chapter II Reforming the Continent and Spreading Scriptural Holiness: 1792-1816 25

The Christmas Conference 25

Otterbein in Baltimore 27

Race, Gender, and Gentility 29

Bishops and Conference 31

Multiple Conferences and the Council 33

General Conference 35

Republican, Primitive, and African Methodists 36

Denominationalism 38

United Brethren and Evangelical Association 39

Annual Conferences and General Conference (MEC) 42

Spirituality: In the Home and in Camp Meetings 45

The Early MEC and Racism 49

A New Day Dawns 50

Chapter III Print, Nurture, Missions: 1816-50s 53

Which Wesley to Emulate? 53

Apologetics and the Course of Study 55

Book Agents 56

A Print Church 58

Parsonages and Pastoring 61

Sunday Worship, the Sunday School, and the Sunday School Union 63

Missionary Societies 66

A New Connectionalism 68

Holiness Promoted 70

Collegiate Enterprise 73

Theological Seminaries and Brush Colleges 75

Chapter IV Connectional Strains and Contests: 1816-50s 77

Racial Divisions 78

German Methodisms 80

Women's Ministries 81

Indigenous Missions 83

Colonization and Mission to the Slaves 86

German, Spanish, and International Missions 89

Democratic and Anti-Episcopacy Divisions 91

A New Church 96

Chapter V Methodism and Slavery: 1830-60s 99

Sectionalized Methodism 100

Methodist Abolition and an Antislavery Church 101

General Conference 1844 104

Methodist Episcopal Church, South 107

MEC vs. MECS 109

Further Division over Slavery 110

Chapter VI A Methodist Civil War: 1860-65 115

Methodist Confederacy 116

Military Defeat and Moral Victory 118

Northern Methodist Patriotism 120

Ministry in the Army 123

Mobilizing Methodist Women 124

New Caring Institutions 125

African American Conferences 129

National Churches 130

Chapter VII Reconstructions: 1866-84 135

Looking Back and Looking Forward 135

Lay Rights in Episcopal Methodism 138

Denominational Accountability 141

Women's Organizational Revolution 144

Seminaries 148

Women in Seminary and in the Pulpit 150

Foreign and Home Missions 153

Southern African American Methodisms 155

"Fraternal" Relations Among Methodists 158

Local Methodism 160

Chapter VIII Rethinking Mission(s): 1884-1939 163

Reordering Foreign Missions 163

Lay Ministries at Home 165

Korean Missions and Asian American Methodists 169

Deaconess Movements 174

Hospitals 177

Social Christianity 180

MFSS and the Social Creed 182

Rethinking Missions 184

Chapter IX Methodism Conflicted: 1884-1939 187

Laity Rights for Women 187

Conflicts over Holiness 190

A Methodist Social Gospel 193

Drying up America 195

Red Scare 197

Liberalism and Fundamentalism 198

MECS Women and Racial Reform 201

Women's Ordination: Another Round 204

Worship and Architecture 205

Mission(s) in War and of Peace 210

Reunification and Race 214

Chapter X Unifications and Wars: 1939-68 221

War and a New World Order 221

Holocaust, Japanese Internment, Hiroshima and Nagasaki 225

Ordering the New Methodist Church 227

Jurisdictions and the Central Jurisdiction 231

Segregated Methodism-Segregated America 235

Progress Toward Integration 237

Uniting Methodist Women 239

Full Clergy Rights for Women 241

Youth Ministries 243

The Evangelical United Brethren Church 245

Worship: EUBC and Methodist 248

Cold and Korean Wars 253

Social Activism and Another "Red Scare" 254

Ecumenical Efforts 257

The United Methodist Church 259

Mission Churches Exercise Options 262

Chapter XI The United Methodist Church: 1968-84 265

Caucus and Commission 266

African Americans in United Methodism 268

Asian American United Methodists 272

Latino/Hispanic United Methodism 275

Native American United Methodism 278

The UMC and the Vietnam War 282

Merger Commissions-Social Principles, Structure, Doctrine 284

New Women's Organizations 288

Homosexuality: Cause and Caucus 292

Elder Care 298

Divorce 300

Abortion 302

Good News, a Forum for Scriptural Christianity 304

Spirituality and the Language of Praise 308

Chapter XII From Bicentennial to Century's End: 1984-2000 311

New Doctrinal Standards 313

Episcopal Initiatives 315

Native American Ministries 318

Latino/Hispanic Ministries 320

Korean American Ministries 322

Abortion Policy 324

Homosexuality 326

Political Theologizing 332

Christian Unity 334

Sacraments, Worship, Hymnody 337

Women Lead in Church and Nation 343

Chapter XIII Polity Pushed to the Breaking Point: 2000-2022 347

Realignment Attempts and Global Membership Shift 347

Budget Cuts and the General Agencies 353

Theological and Ecumenical Developments 359

The Bible and Ecumenism 363

Acts of Repentance 365

Division(s) Based on Sexuality 369

The Commission on a Way Forward (CWF) 381

A Virtual Connection 391

Together/Apart: COVID-19 396

Cliffhanger 404

Abbreviations 407