The United Methodist Church’s Book of Discipline Essay

As a “cradle Methodist,” the standards and theological tasks mentioned in Part III of the Discipline are ingrained in how I understand and apply my faith. These aspects of the United Methodist tradition have been a foundation from which I have grown during my formative years. Although I have not always been able to articulate these beliefs, I have learned the power in living them in addition to teaching them. I believe that much of the affirming, teaching, and applying of our standards and theological task that I do in my ministry is out of this same foundation that was formative to my faith. It informs how I preach, the lead Bible studies I lead, how I lead youth group, and my interactions with congregants and the community.

Contemporay theology is a study of the men, movements, institutions, and trends found in the current theological world. P.15

The first chapter of Christian Thought and Practice, by Natalie Kertes Weaver introduced theology of Christianity. This was broken up into five major topics. The topics are: terms used in the study of religion, a functional understanding of Christian theology, facets of Christian theology, types of theology, and audiences and practitioners of Christian thought. The author explains the importance in detail of all of the above points.

Though McGrath did do a very good job at giving us insight on the historical background of the topics and also educated us in a very easy, elementary level on the theology, he lacked personal touch. In this I’m talking about some personal stories or experiences from his life that has helped him engage these theological terms and ideas. It was very “theological” in its approach, however the simple addition of some personal

Often times we are at a loss for words when it comes to talking about the person of the Holy Spirit. Beth Felker Jones in her work entitled “God the Spirit” serves as an introduction to the study of the Holy Spirit in a distinctly Wesleyan and Ecumenical Perspective. Jones is working against the notion that the doctrine of the Holy Spirit is often the most neglected of all Christian teachings (1). She recognizes her experience within the Wesleyan tradition as one that shapes her pneumatology and this book. She asserts that one of Wesleyan Christianity’s special gifts is it’s “leaning against any tendency to neglect the Spirit” (4). Even with this framework she aims to place the Wesleyan perspective in a larger ecumenical milieu that shows the continuity of a Wesleyan pneumatology with the Tradition of the Church. Overall, her approach is very accessible, as she assumes very little and writes in such a way that allows her to cover large dogmatic topics clearly and concisely. By merit of simply being an introduction only style book, there is the risk of glossing over topics and not providing enough in depth discussion to fully understand and comprehend the doctrine discussed. A reader should feel confident that Jones has indeed provided us with a solid introduction to Wesleyan pneumatology that has the ability to bear fruit and initiate growth in the life of the believer.

The Crucible of Life, by Timothy Crutcher, is a book that explains: the interrelationship of theological method and religious epistemology, the function of experience as an authority, the specific epistemological grounds, and the usefulness today of John Wesley’s theological method (17). The book begins by explaining an important distinction in Wesley’s usage of the word experience in comparison to our contemporary common use of the word. That is, Wesley uses the word experience to describe an outward, active process rather than a subjective and passive interpretation (23). Furthermore, it is noted that Wesley should not be assumed to be a Lockean philosopher due to his variety of philosophical roots (25).

Gloucester, England during 1714. Growing up Whitfield’s education wasn’t stable yet he managed to pull himself through Pembroke and Oxford University. While attending Oxford, Whitefield was introduced to a man by the name of Charles Wesley who was a devout Christian. Within a space of time Charles managed to convince George Whitefield to join the “Holy Club” consisting of men exercising methods to advocate personal holiness otherwise known as “Methodists”. In later years, as a result, Whitefield and Wesley progressed forwards creating the Methodist Movement.

Wesley believed that sanctification was a process that could be received as an instantaneous experience after conversion, or later on in life. No matter when sanctification was achieved, the moment someone received sanctification was the “climax” of their Christian life. He believed that the “second blessing purified the believer from his inward sin and enabled him to secure perfect love of God and of his fellowmen.” Followers of Wesley had trouble balancing the “crisis and process views” of Wesley, and the crisis view began to take “precedence over the process view.” Soon, sanctification was no longer viewed as the goal of a Christian life, but the beginning of a Christian life.

He communicates justification is by grace through faith as a qualified change in a person's conversion. Besides, he accentuates the real change that takes place in a person’s heart and life as a soul become new creatures in Christ. “I will make you a raw heart and place a young spirit in you; I will take away from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” (Ezekiel 336:26 NIV) Salvation is not a static act of God is showing towards the past; Wesley understands salvation as a revitalizing procedure. It begins with justification and new birth and stays as the Christian matures in

Additionally, the realization of an overly pragmatic theology found in chapter nineteen proved interesting; especially in consideration of Wesley’s Experiential Theology. We mustn’t become overly skeptical in our beliefs if we wish to discover as many new ideas that we possibly can. In this case, the best option would be the option that does not rule out an option unless logical necessity urges otherwise. We must remain consistent in our analysis of the hermeneutical spiral if we wish to continue through it in an appropriate, reasonable way. This sort of idea holds true for any hermeneutical process, but it is especially significant in the method that Wesley offers because of its reliance on correct understanding for scriptural, and then experiential, interpretation. Improper interpretation can lead to drastically false beliefs if carried on for too long.

The Seventh-day Adventists are one of the many different branches of Christianity. The Adventists came about during the 19th century and began with the “Millerite Movement” (“Seventh-Day Adventists”, 2013). The movement was started by an American Baptist preacher by the name of William Miller, who believed that the Second Coming - the return of Christ to Earth - would occur between March 21, 1843 and March 21, 1844 (“Seventh-Day Adventism”, 2004). This prediction was largely based off Daniel 8:14 in the Bible (See slide 4). Since he and his followers believed in this imminent advent, or return, they were called “Adventists” (“Seventh-Day Adventism”).

According to Willard, "The training required to transform our most basic habits of thought, feeling, and action will not be done for us." (345) This training is for the betterment of the people and representation of God and His love. Training was given to change a person heart from their way of thinking about the unbeliever and feelings of rejection because evangelism is not about the person but God. So, the first thing of a curriculum for Christlikeness is to change what people believe. Willard also states, "In order to become a disciple of Jesus, then, one must believe in him. To be at home in his kingdom, learning to reign with him there, we must share his beliefs." (319) Otherwise, the individual character and behavior cannot change. The disciple must live as well as believe the word /gospel taught.

What has come to be known as the Lambeth Quadrilateral defines the essential beliefs of Anglicanism? First suggested by an American, William Reed Huntington, in 1870, the Quadrilateral states four elements essential to the Anglican conception of Christian identity—the Bible, the Nicene Creed, baptism and Holy Communion, and the episcopate. The Lambeth Conference of 1930 further clarified the nature of Anglicanism when it described the Anglican Communion.

Richard Foster’s Celebration of Discipline, was first published in 1978. It presented sets of Disciplines that, if followed, would serve as vehicles for a deeper relationship with Christ as well as preparation for service. These disciplines are divided into three broad categories: the Inward Disciplines, the Outward Disciplines, and the Corporate Disciplines (Foster, 2003). Each category contains four Disciplines, which indicated by their titles, moves the disciple from the very personal to the larger congregational community (Foster, 2003). Recognizing humanity’s trend to make any process a law or regulation to follow, Foster warned against this by reminding the disciple that to do so would turn

John Wesley’s discourse, “The Means of Grace,” expresses the expedient of grace as, “outward signs, language, or actions ordained of God, and appointed for this end— to be the ordinary channels whereby he might impart to men preventing, justifying, or sanctifying grace.” Acknowledging his need and proceeding in his evangelization, Wesley could obtain the grace he needed to have both the potency and placidity that was eluding from his religion. God utilized his perpetuated participation in the ministry of Scripture to proclaim faith in Christ into Wesley’s philosophy.