Methodism, also known as the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity which derive their inspiration from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's brother Charles Wesley were also significant early leaders in the movement. It originated as a revival movement within the 18th-century Church of England and became a separate denomination after Wesley's death. The movement spread throughout the British Empire, the United States, and beyond because of vigorous missionary work, today claiming approximately 80 million adherents worldwide.
A deacon is a member of the diaconate, an office in Christian churches that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions. Some Christian churches, such as the Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Anglican church, view the diaconate as part of the clerical state; in others, the deacon remains a layperson.
In Christian denominations that practice infant baptism, confirmation is seen as the sealing of Christianity created in baptism. Those being confirmed are known as confirmands. In some denominations, such as the Anglican Communion and Methodist Churches, confirmation bestows full membership in a local congregation upon the recipient. In others, such as the Roman Catholic Church, Confirmation "renders the bond with the Church more perfect", because, while a baptized person is already a member, "reception of the sacrament of Confirmation is necessary for the completion of baptismal grace".
The African Methodist Episcopal Church, usually called the A.M.E. Church or AME, is a predominantly African-American Methodist denomination. It is the first independent Protestant denomination to be founded by black people. It was founded by the Rt. Rev. Richard Allen in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1816 from several black Methodist congregations in the mid-Atlantic area that wanted independence from white Methodists. It was among the first denominations in the United States to be founded on racial rather than theological distinctions and has persistently advocated for the civil and human rights of African Americans through social improvement, religious autonomy, and political engagement. Allen, a deacon in Methodist Episcopal Church, was consecrated its first bishop in 1816 by a conference of five churches from Philadelphia to Baltimore. The denomination then expanded west and south, particularly after the Civil War. By 1906, the AME had a membership of about 500,000, more than the combined total of the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church in America and the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, making it the largest major African-American Methodist denomination. The AME currently has 20 districts, each with its own bishop: 13 are based in the United States, mostly in the South, while seven are based in Africa. The global membership of the AME is around 2.5 million and it remains one of the largest Methodist denominations in the world.
Kentucky Wesleyan College (KWC) is a private Methodist college in Owensboro, Kentucky. The college is known for its liberal arts programs. Fall 2016 enrollment was 785 students.
The conservative holiness movement is a loosely defined group of conservative Wesleyan-Holiness Christian denominations that trace their origin back to Methodist roots and the teachings of John Wesley. This movement became distinct from other Wesleyan-Holiness bodies in the mid-20th century amid disagreements over modesty in dress, entertainment, and other "old holiness standards" reflective of the Wesleyan-Arminian doctrine of outward holiness. Recent estimates put the size of the movement at less than seven hundred congregations in the U.S.
The Queen's Foundation, for Ecumenical Theological Education, is an ecumenical theological college which, with the West Midlands Ministerial Training Course, forms the Centre for Ministerial Formation of the Queen's Foundation for Ecumenical Theological Education. It serves the Church of England, the Methodist Church and the United Reformed Church, and its courses thus have a strong ecumenical emphasis.
Methodist University, known until 2006 as Methodist College, is a private university that is historically related to the North Carolina Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church and located in Fayetteville, North Carolina. It is regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
Roberto Valenzuela Elphick was a British-Chilean Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church, elected in 1936. He was born 29 August 1873 in Antofagasta, Chile. He was the son of a British nitrate producer, Donald E. Elphick, and Tomasa Valenzuela, a Chilean Roman Catholic. Roberto was converted to the Evangelical Church by reading a New Testament given him by a Methodist Sunday School teacher, Mina Fawcett. Later his father, mother, and most of his brothers were also converted.
United Theological Seminary is a United Methodist seminary in Trotwood, Ohio, which is part of the Dayton metropolitan area. Founded in 1871 by Milton Wright, it was originally sponsored by the Church of the United Brethren in Christ. In 1946, members of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ merged with the Evangelical Church to form the Evangelical United Brethren Church, with which the seminary then became affiliated. When that denomination merged with The Methodist Church in 1968, United Theological Seminary became one of the thirteen seminaries affiliated with the new United Methodist Church.
The South African Council of Churches (SACC) is an interdenominational forum in South Africa. It was a prominent anti-apartheid organisation during the years of apartheid in South Africa. Its leaders have included Desmond Tutu, Beyers Naudé and Frank Chikane. It is a member of the Fellowship of Christian Councils in Southern Africa.
The Boar's Head Feast is a festival of the Christmas season.
Methodist viewpoints concerning homosexuality are diverse because there is no one denomination which represents all Methodists. The World Methodist Council, which represents most Methodist denominations, has no official statements regarding sexuality. British Methodism holds a variety of views, and permits ministers to bless same-gender marriages. American Methodism concentrates on the position that the same-sex relations are incompatible with "Christian teaching", but extends ministry to persons of a homosexual orientation, holding that all individuals are of sacred worth. The following denominations are members of the World Methodist Council.
The ordination of lesbian, gay, bisexual and/or transgender (LGBT) clergy who are open about their sexuality, are sexually active if lesbian, gay, or bisexual, or are in committed same-sex relationships is a debated practice within some contemporary Christian Church communities.
Methodist Church in India is a Protestant Christian denomination of India. Its seat is in Mumbai. The Church shares it roots with American Methodism brought by American missionaries distinguished from traditional British Methodism. The Methodist Churches joined Church of South India and the Church of North India are the results of mergers involving Church of England, British Methodist Churches and other Protestant denominations under episcopal Anglican orientation. The Methodist Church of India remained affiliated with United Methodist Church in USA. It has hundreds of thousands of members. It is a member of the World Council of Churches, Christian Conference of Asia, the National Council of Churches in India and World Methodist Council. It runs schools.
The Presbyterian Church in Chile was founded in June 7, 1868 in the city of Santiago and was the first Protestant church in the country. The Chile mission was coordinated by Dr. Rev. David Trumbull and the United Presbyterian Church in the USA. On June 13, 1883 the first Presbytery was organised in Chile. It adopted the Constitution of the United Presbyterian Church in the USA. Till 1963 the church was dependent on the United Presbyterian Churches Synod of New York. With the creating of 3 more Presbyteries, the church become independent from the American Presbyterian church in January 1964.
The United Church in Zambia is the largest Protestant church in Zambia with coverage of all the ten provinces of the country The church formed in 1965, this is a result of the union of Church of Central Africa, Rhodesia, the Union Church of Copperbelt, the Copperbelt Free Church Council, the Church of Barotseland and the Methodist church.
The Tamil Methodist Church is a church in Melaka City, Melaka, Malaysia.