Methodist vs. Nazarene

Lee52

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One of my questions I get in reading the forum names and descriptions here is this one. What's the difference between a Methodist Church and a Nazarene Church in terms of how the services are done, and other practices and beliefs?

Wow, good question.
I have worshipped in both.
It varies from region to region geographically. In some areas of the USA you will find no difference in worship services. In other areas you might find UMC to be more of a liturgical-high church in nature of worship. Though I am neither, I am quite comfortable, when visiting areas that do not have my affiliation, with attending worship with either Nazarene or UMC, unless I find myself in one of the very, very liberal congregations. Those happen in any denomination, including my own.

I think the differences are above local congregational levels. More about governance than worship. But those are areas for the experts in each to address.
Be blessed,
Lee52
 
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Lee52

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One of my questions I get in reading the forum names and descriptions here is this one. What's the difference between a Methodist Church and a Nazarene Church in terms of how the services are done, and other practices and beliefs?

Wow, good question.
I have worshipped in both.
It varies from region to region geographically. In some areas of the USA you will find no difference in worship services. In other areas you might find UMC to be more of a liturgical-high church in nature of worship. Though I am neither, I am quite comfortable, when visiting areas that do not have my affiliation, with attending worship with either Nazarene or UMC, unless I find myself in one of the very, very liberal congregations. Those happen in any denomination, including my own.

I think the differences are above local congregational levels. More about governance than worship. But those are areas for the experts in each to address.
Be blessed,
Lee52
 
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Maid Marie

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One of my questions I get in reading the forum names and descriptions here is this one. What's the difference between a Methodist Church and a Nazarene Church in terms of how the services are done, and other practices and beliefs?

As a general rule, the CotN will be less liturgical, more conservative religious and politically. But as Lee said, it can really vary.

While both churches are based Wesleyan in theology, the CotN is also influenced by the American Holiness Movement. This difference may not be as readily apparent as it was when I was a kid in the 70s, it can be seen in a greater emphasis on holiness preaching and teaching.

Organizationally, the UMC government is episcopal in nature while the CotN is more presbyterian [I think that's the term] - it is a mixture of episcopal and congregational government.

You don't state where you are from, so I am answering from an American perspective. While the CotN will be the same for the most part around the world, I don't know how the Methodist church is done in other nations.
 
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Amisk

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As a general rule, the CotN will be less liturgical, more conservative religious and politically. But as Lee said, it can really vary.

While both churches are based Wesleyan in theology, the CotN is also influenced by the American Holiness Movement. This difference may not be as readily apparent as it was when I was a kid in the 70s, it can be seen in a greater emphasis on holiness preaching and teaching.

Organizationally, the UMC government is episcopal in nature while the CotN is more presbyterian [I think that's the term] - it is a mixture of episcopal and congregational government.

You don't state where you are from, so I am answering from an American perspective. While the CotN will be the same for the most part around the world, I don't know how the Methodist church is done in other nations.

I was saved in the Church of the Nazarene and also attended Canadian Nazarene College but I never heard nor saw the term "CotN" applied to the church. What is the full term and what does it stand for?

I have not attended the Church of the Nazarene with any regularity in many years but I still agree with the old line doctrine of being "Born Again" and the need to live a life of Holiness in one's community.

I know nothing at all about the UMC church since I am unaware of any churches in Canada by that name.
 
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Maid Marie

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I was saved in the Church of the Nazarene and also attended Canadian Nazarene College but I never heard nor saw the term "CotN" applied to the church. What is the full term and what does it stand for?

I have not attended the Church of the Nazarene with any regularity in many years but I still agree with the old line doctrine of being "Born Again" and the need to live a life of Holiness in one's community.

I know nothing at all about the UMC church since I am unaware of any churches in Canada by that name.

CotN -Church of the Nazarene
UMC - United Methodist Church

I think the UMC only exists in the USA. In Canada the Methodists joined with other denominations and is now a part of the United Church of Canada.
 
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RedTulipMom

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Nazarene is a branch off of the Methodist church and therefore less liturgical. Atleast in the midwest the UMC is similiar to the Catholic church, they put ashes on your head on Ash Wednesday, they do special services during holy week, They light advent candles, they have the Pastors wearing robes and acolytes carrying up the candles, etc. Whereas most Nazarene churches are similar to evangelical or non-denominational where they are very lax on liturgy and its like praise music and a sermon with a guy in a suit up front...thats my experience around here...very different, yet when it comes to theology much similiar due to John Wesley's teachings.
 
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Amisk

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CotN -Church of the Nazarene
UMC - United Methodist Church

I think the UMC only exists in the USA. In Canada the Methodists joined with other denominations and is now a part of the United Church of Canada.

Do the Methoidist in the U.S. teach the same doctrine as the United Church of Canada?
 
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Mr Dave

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Do the Methoidist in the U.S. teach the same doctrine as the United Church of Canada?

I imagine that for the most part the doctrine is the same.
American Methodists, UCC, and others represented here are all part of the World Methodist Council. World Methodist Council - Directory Component

I think the UCC is more congregational in structure than most 'Methodist' Churches, being a mix of Methodist and other traditions.
 
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Maid Marie

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I imagine that for the most part the doctrine is the same.
American Methodists, UCC, and others represented here are all part of the World Methodist Council. World Methodist Council - Directory Component

I think the UCC is more congregational in structure than most 'Methodist' Churches, being a mix of Methodist and other traditions.

Although I would have thought that the United Church of Canada would be so influenced by the other traditions that it wouldn't be as overtly Methodist as the United Methodist church in the USA is. But, since I have never attended a United Church of Canada service and only attended a few conservative UMC services I can't really say.
 
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GraceSeeker

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Do the Methoidist in the U.S. teach the same doctrine as the United Church of Canada?


I've never attended a UCC (United Church of Canada) service. So, it's really hard for me to say. I had a good friend in seminary who was out of the UCC (United Church of Canada) -- I keep adding that because for me UCC means United Church of Christ -- and he thought that the United Church of Canada was pretty liberal, certainly more so than we were at Asbury Theological Seminary anyway. Yet, I never got the feeling that he viewed them as anti-Wesleyan in character.

I do look at the UCC family tree and see a lot of groups that represent Reformed theology and congregational structure.
http://www.united-church.ca/files/history/overview/uccfamilytree.pdf

On reading the UCC's basis of union, I would say that there is a great deal in common with the doctrine of the UMC (and I think other Methodist/Wesleyan bodies as well). Then I read more recent stuff, and say "WHOA!!", what changed. Not that I don't hear some of these same voices in the UMC but, at least at present, they are not the majority voice. And actually, even then, I don't disagree with where they are coming from, but I do fear where they may be headed.

So, on the whole, I would say YES, that Methodists in the US do teach the same doctrine as the UCC teaches in Canada. What may be different is the application of those teachings in ways that while some are similarly trying to apply them in the US, they are also meeting some resistance to what to some might be seen as "liberal" changes.
 
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GraceSeeker

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I think the UMC only exists in the USA. In Canada the Methodists joined with other denominations and is now a part of the United Church of Canada.

The UMC is a global church. For instance we have United Methodist Churches in Liberia that use the very same Book of Discipline that we use in Illinois. (They don't even have to have it translated as English is the official language of Liberia.)

In other places there are indigenous Methodist churches. Chile would be an example of this. La Igelsia Metodista de Chile is in fellowship with the United Methodist Church and receives missionaries sent through our General Board of Global Ministries, but they are autonomous and cannot send representatives to our General Conference in the same way that Liberian United Methodists can and do.

Then we have place like in Canada, where the Methodist Churches that existed there merged with other bodies to create a new denomination. To my knowledge, there are no United Methodist Churches in Canada. And if there are any Methodist churches of some other flavor, they too are not affiliated with the United Methodist Church other than having the same historical origins.
 
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Shane R

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As an outsider, my general perception of the worship practices of these two churches are that the UMC is 'liturgical lite' and the Nazarenes are 'pentecostal lite'. They both had some significant scholars in their beginnings, but that knowledge has long been lost to the modern expressions of their churches.
 
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Maid Marie

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The UMC is a global church. For instance we have United Methodist Churches in Liberia that use the very same Book of Discipline that we use in Illinois. (They don't even have to have it translated as English is the official language of Liberia.)

In other places there are indigenous Methodist churches. Chile would be an example of this. La Igelsia Metodista de Chile is in fellowship with the United Methodist Church and receives missionaries sent through our General Board of Global Ministries, but they are autonomous and cannot send representatives to our General Conference in the same way that Liberian United Methodists can and do.

Then we have place like in Canada, where the Methodist Churches that existed there merged with other bodies to create a new denomination. To my knowledge, there are no United Methodist Churches in Canada. And if there are any Methodist churches of some other flavor, they too are not affiliated with the United Methodist Church other than having the same historical origins.

Thanks for the background info :thumbsup:
 
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GadFly

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I love it!

Liturgical lite

Pentecostal lite

Too funny!
Nice observation Lee52 but being a Church of God(Anderson) man you'll get the full meaning of what I say:

there is only one Church universal, catholic and there are no differences in that church or denominations;

there is only One Spirit, one God, one Way, and one Truth;

there is one Body and one Gospel Model;

With so many denominations, doctrines, and types of Christians, just whom are we casting our eyes upon ?
 
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