INTERFAITH WISDOM

The Methodist Movement was started by John Wesley in 18th century England.  There are now about 80 million who call themselves Methodists in one form or another.

A little history.  The Methodist Movement began as a reform of the Church of England which is known as the Anglican Church in England and the Episcopal Church in America.  The Church of England broke from the Roman Catholic Church in the 16th century at the direction of King Henry VIII.  Most notably, the Anglicans renounced the authority of the Pope.

The Methodist Church in the U.S. has gone through a number of changes over the years.  In 1968, two major sects merged and now operate as the United Methodist Church (UMC).  There are still a large number of congregations that thrive in America which operate independently that call themselves Methodists or were spawned by Methodism:  e.g. African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME), Wesleyan Church, The Salvation Army,  The Church of the Nazarene, Assemblies of God, and Pentecostal Holiness Church.  

Methodism draws its roots through the Roman Catholic Church and the Anglican Church so that some of its ritual and doctrine are alike.  Unlike other denominations, the Methodists perform a ritual once each year, in early January, that is a renewal of each member's covenant (a solemn agreement) with God.  Here is the beautiful Covenant Prayer in modern language.

I am no longer my own, but yours.

Put me to what you will, rank me with whom you will;

put me to doing, put me to suffering;

let me be employed for you, or laid aside for you,

exalted for you, or brought low for you;

let me be full,

let me be empty,

let me have all things,

let me have nothing:

I freely and wholeheartedly yield all things

to your pleasure and disposal.

And now, glorious and blessed God,

Father, Son and Holy Spirit,

you are mine and I am yours. So be it.

And the covenant now made on earth, let it be ratified in heaven.

Amen.

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