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).

Learn what it means to “submit to be more vile” for today’s Methodists.Wesleyan Vile-tality calls us back to the roots of our identity. Centered on the moment John Wesley “submitted to be more vile" in spreading the love of God to all people, Ashley Boggan argues that Wesleyan vile-tality is at the core of who we are as Methodists. As rule-benders, rabble-rousers, and outcast-embracers, those early Methodists stood out and stood up. She traces how that original identity was lost as the predecessor denominations to The United Methodist Church grew and began to embrace respectability over “vile-tality.” In an accessible and engaging account of a fascinating history, these stories of our past call us to understand who we were, question who we are, and reclaim who we should be. Each chapter includes questions for personal reflection or group study.

The United Methodist impasse over human sexuality has its roots in two dichotomous ideologies of history and theology.This book maps how American Methodists have responded to sexual change since World War II. It argues that the current United Methodist impasse over human sexuality has its root in the existence of two dichotomous ideologies of Methodist history and theology--one liberal and one evangelical, which come to the foreground in discussions of human sexuality. It offers evidence about how these ideologies have sought to reconcile their sexual ethic with sexual change since the birth control movement of the 1920s. In post-WWII America, most Methodists upheld a limited notion of family life and sexuality, one that allowed for the use of artificial contraception within marriage and for divorce. In response to the sexual revolution, liberal-leaning Methodists upheld a new sexual ethic, "the new morality," which peaked with radical new approaches to sex education, a full endorsement of abortion rights, and support of the homophile movement. However, "the new morality" coincided with an increased presence of and a new voice for evangelical Methodists, Charles Keysor and the Good News Movement. Evangelical Methodists critiqued "the new morality" as value-neutral and anti-Scripture. The evangelical desire for a rules-based morality solely reliant on Scripture collided with "the new morality" and led to intense debates over sex education, abortion, and the inclusion of LGBTQ persons within the United Methodist denomination from the 1970s onward. Since 1972, United Methodists have continually debated "human sexuality" at each General Conference, primarily through the advocacy efforts of political caucus groups. This author hopes that an historical examination of how Methodists have confronted sexual change will enlighten current conversations about human sexuality.

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).

Learn what it means to “submit to be more vile” for today’s Methodists.Wesleyan Vile-tality calls us back to the roots of our identity. Centered on the moment John Wesley “submitted to be more vile" in spreading the love of God to all people, Ashley Boggan argues that Wesleyan vile-tality is at the core of who we are as Methodists. As rule-benders, rabble-rousers, and outcast-embracers, those early Methodists stood out and stood up. She traces how that original identity was lost as the predecessor denominations to The United Methodist Church grew and began to embrace respectability over “vile-tality.” In an accessible and engaging account of a fascinating history, these stories of our past call us to understand who we were, question who we are, and reclaim who we should be. Each chapter includes questions for personal reflection or group study.

The United Methodist impasse over human sexuality has its roots in two dichotomous ideologies of history and theology.This book maps how American Methodists have responded to sexual change since World War II. It argues that the current United Methodist impasse over human sexuality has its root in the existence of two dichotomous ideologies of Methodist history and theology--one liberal and one evangelical, which come to the foreground in discussions of human sexuality. It offers evidence about how these ideologies have sought to reconcile their sexual ethic with sexual change since the birth control movement of the 1920s. In post-WWII America, most Methodists upheld a limited notion of family life and sexuality, one that allowed for the use of artificial contraception within marriage and for divorce. In response to the sexual revolution, liberal-leaning Methodists upheld a new sexual ethic, "the new morality," which peaked with radical new approaches to sex education, a full endorsement of abortion rights, and support of the homophile movement. However, "the new morality" coincided with an increased presence of and a new voice for evangelical Methodists, Charles Keysor and the Good News Movement. Evangelical Methodists critiqued "the new morality" as value-neutral and anti-Scripture. The evangelical desire for a rules-based morality solely reliant on Scripture collided with "the new morality" and led to intense debates over sex education, abortion, and the inclusion of LGBTQ persons within the United Methodist denomination from the 1970s onward. Since 1972, United Methodists have continually debated "human sexuality" at each General Conference, primarily through the advocacy efforts of political caucus groups. This author hopes that an historical examination of how Methodists have confronted sexual change will enlighten current conversations about human sexuality.