About Wesleyans

[9Rock9]

So, I have seen a few Wesleyan churches around and I have always been interested in them.

From what I understand, they seem similar to Methodists, but seem to lean more towards the conservative evangelical side? Am I right?

While I do not intend to switch denominations, I do wonder if Wesleyanism would be a good fit for me?

I find that the only real disagreements I have is that I think I lean Calvinist by default due to being Southern Baptist, and I believe in eternal security, but it's not necessarily a hill I'm willing to die on. I am not as convinced of Calvinism as I once was.

The other thing, that I only got from surface level research is that while the Wesleyan church does affirm infant baptism, it's actually not that commonly practiced?

I also think their polity is more connexional as opposed to Baptist Congregationalism. Either way, church polity is adiaphora for me.

Aside from their history where they broke off from Methodists over abolition, how do Wesleyans differ from Methodists?

Does anyone have experience with either Wesleyan and/or Baptist churches?

 

[seeking.IAM]

I have no knowledge of present-day Wesleyan's difference from Methodists other than an expectation that they are more conservative. I can offer a view from the mid 1950's. Dad was a Wesleyan preacher as were several of his cousins. Dad decided to throw in with the Methodists because they offered fulltime ministry and appointment for life. The day he announced his change of denominations, my mother and sisters went uptown to buy slacks, make-up, and jewelry. I was a mere lad lucky to have not been killed in the stampede.

 

[Andrewn]

From what I understand, they seem similar to Methodists, but seem to lean more towards the conservative evangelical side? Am I right?

While I do not intend to switch denominations, I do wonder if Wesleyanism would be a good fit for me?

I find that the only real disagreements I have is that I think I lean Calvinist by default due to being Southern Baptist, and I believe in eternal security, but it's not necessarily a hill I'm willing to die on. I am not as convinced of Calvinism as I once was.

The other thing, that I only got from surface level research is that while the Wesleyan church does affirm infant baptism, it's actually not that commonly practiced?

I'm more familiar with Free Methodists and assume they are similar to Wesleyans. Free Methodists do lean more toward the conservative evangelical side. Eternal security is only forfeited if one chooses to reject God and Christ. So, it is not a big issue as it may be in Catholicism. And what you say about infant baptism is true. It is only practiced if the parents of an infant insist on it.

In my view, Free Methodists (and I assume Wesleyans) are far more theologically solid than Baptists.

 

[Pavel Mosko]

Does anyone have experience with either Wesleyan and/or Baptist churches?

A little bit. I find Wesley interesting because he had some of the earliest interest in something that we Eastern Christians refer to as Theosis, that is sort of just being discovered by some contemporary Evangelicals in recent times.

He also has a more positive take on tradition when it comes to theology, than most Protestants, especially Evangelicals (some Magisterial Protestants like Lutheran's, Anglicans and some Calvinists are kind of decent with that too).


I also know some of his heritage did help contribute to other movements like Pentecostalism.

 

[Tolworth John]

I do wonder if Wesleyanism would be a good fit for me?

My advice would be to go and try one out.
Going to a different church does not asign one to that church for all of eternity. If people miss you, tell them the truth you were couriose about church x so gave it a try, if you were not missed start trying different churches every sunday untill you find one you like.

 

[seeking.IAM]

You may find this video helpful. I rather like this chap's summary of various religious groups which seems to be presented factually as he understands it without much bias.

 

[9Rock9]

You may find this video helpful. I rather like this chap's summary of various religious groups which seems to be presented factually as he understands it without much bias.

I haven't watched him yet, but have heard good things about him. I will be sure to check out the video.

 

[riesie]

You may find this video helpful. I rather like this chap's summary of various religious groups which seems to be presented factually as he understands it without much bias.

Yes this man is very good in explaining denominational differences! A very good recommendation.

 

[Bob Crowley]

I'm Catholic now so I may seem like an intruder.

However I did spend a couple of years in the Wesleyan Methodist Church (in Australia, not the US). I'm assuming that is what the OP is asking about. The original Methodist church in Australia disappeared in the Uniting Church merger in 1977 (Methodist, Congregationalist and some Presbyterians).

I left my original Presbyterian Church when I got married and moved away. The pastor died just four months later. But he'd already told me that he thought a certain pastor would get hold of his Presbyterian Church after he'd gone and wreck it. That's precisely what happened.

Most of the people left within a short time, and quite a number of them moved to a Wesleyan Methodist Church, possibly in part because the Presbyterian pastor had been originally Methodist himself and so his family at least would have been familiar with Methodist theology and practices.

Later I was talking to one of his sons, and he remarked "The Wesleyan Methodists are pretty switched on". So I decided to give them a go, and joined up but in a different parish.

But I still felt frustrated about protestant divisions and eventually became Catholic.

That said, my experience is that has been that there are good Christians in the Presbyterian Church, Wesleyan Methodist Church, Baptist Church (my wife is Baptist) and the Catholic Church which is pretty much the limit of my experience.

When we front up to the judgement seat, I don't think God is going to be very interested in whether we were Calvinistic, Arminian, Molinists or Thomists. What He will be interested in will be how we thought, spoke and acted, and also how we treated other people (and no doubt animals, the environment and anything else where we had an influence).

 

[actionsub]

I'm more familiar with Free Methodists and assume they are similar to Wesleyans. Free Methodists do lean more toward the conservative evangelical side. Eternal security is only forfeited if one chooses to reject God and Christ. So, it is not a big issue as it may be in Catholicism. And what you say about infant baptism is true. It is only practiced if the parents of an infant insist on it.

In my view, Free Methodists (and I assume Wesleyans) are far more theologically solid than Baptists.

Free Methodists, the Wesleyan Church, and the Church of the Nazarene are all splinter groups that began in the aftermath of the Civil War.
The "holiness movement" had begun, re-emphasizing the doctrine of "entire sanctification", leading to the establishment of "camp
meetings" for fellowship of holiness adherents in addition to their local church. Leaders of the National Camp Meeting Association
discouraged their people from "come-outism", or leaving their denomination in order to form independent holiness churches. It fell
on deaf ears in many cases.
Another impetus was a general sentiment that the established Methodist Church had gotten a bit too "establishment" for its own good and
catered more to the upper class than the poor, especially true in the case of the Free Methodists and the Nazarenes.
Doctrinally, Wesleyans, Free Methodists, and Nazarenes are quite similar. The main differences are more in regard to various aspects of church government.

 

[Andrewn]

Doctrinally, Wesleyans, Free Methodists, and Nazarenes are quite similar. The main differences are more in regard to various aspects of church government.

Would you include the African Methodist Episcopal Church with this group? Also, Do you (or anyone) have an update about the split in the United Methodist Church?

 

[Pioneer3mm]

Another impetus was a general sentiment that the established Methodist Church had gotten a bit too "establishment" for its own good and
catered more to the upper class than poor,

Good point.
---
I like stories..during the early days of..
- Methodist Movement/Revival.
---
I was involved in UMC (United Methodist)..
- 1970's.

 

[actionsub]

Would you include the African Methodist Episcopal Church with this group? Also, Do you (or anyone) have an update about the split in the United Methodist Church?

I'm not quite sure about where the AME, AME Zion, or CME churches stand with regard to these issues. I knew two or three students in seminary who were connected with the AME or AME Zion churches, but we never got too deeply into their individual positions.

As for an update on the UMC split, the splintering is happening slowly and on a regional level as individual congregations choose either to stay or disaffiliate. For instance, while the Texas conferences have already met to approve requests for disaffiliating churches, our conference in Illinois is just getting warmed up with our special conference scheduled for May with another in December. The new Global Methodist Church is accepting many of these departing churches. Some are choosing to go independent. A small group of former UMC megachurches has formed their own confederation called The Foundry Network. At present, a little over 2000 congregations nationwide have completed the process of disaffiliation.