Methodism, rightly ordered, should be uniquely equipped to respond to the polemics and political polarization of today’s America.
“Rightly ordered” must be stressed, because American Methodism is not, in any of its major denominations, currently institutionally and intellectually equipped to offer healing balm to American society. But the spiritual tools are embedded in our Wesleyan DNA and should be unsheathed for the present moment.
Methodism was a healing balm in Britain during the eighteenth-century revivals. And Methodism was key to building American democracy and civil society in the nineteenth century. In the twentieth century, much of institutional American Methodism derailed from Christian orthodoxy and forgot its heritage of personal and social righteousness. And yet, even in its errors and decline, Methodism for much of the last century, if only by force of habit, was central to cohering the best of American civil society, fostering social solidarity and political reform.
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Comment by Steve Kamerick on August 7, 2020 at 9:16 pm
I’m sorry but there is nothing within American Methodism that resembles the faintest idea of John and Charles Wesley’s convictions and orthodoxy. Socializing it is quite different than abolishing the basic tennants altogether in exchange for sexual priorities with samesex partners. They will now need to write their own version of scripture and new songs that leave God and Christ Jesus out entirely.
Comment by bsdunek on August 10, 2020 at 9:58 am
If their recent direction to support the terrorist organization, BLM is any indication, they’ll just make things worse.
This from a life-long (75 yrs.) Methodist – but maybe not for much longer.