updated Friday morning
Ruth Gledhill in the Times Methodists declare ‘we’re ready to merge’ with CofE
Maria Mackay in Christian Today Methodist Church ‘prepared to go out of existence’ for mission
Martin Beckford in the Telegraph General Synod: Methodists likely to merge with Church of England
Jerome Taylor in The Independent Leader signals end of Methodism
Steve Doughty in the Mail Methodist church ‘prepared to go out of existence’
Note The above items refer to an address by the President and the Vice-President of the Methodist Conference to the General Synod on Thursday morning. The Methodist Church of Great Britain have released this press release.
President and Vice-President address General Synod
The text of the address is available here.
Stephen Bates in The Guardian Church of England General Synod extends pension rights for gay partners
The BBC has Synod votes to give gay clergy equal pension rights
Maria Mackay in Christian Today Church grants full pension rights to gay clergy
Ruth Gledhill in the Times Partners of gay clergy win same pensions as spouses
Martin Beckford in the Telegraph General Synod: Church of England backs equal pension rights for gay clergy partners
Stephen Bates in The Guardian Anglican church calls for tighter regulation of violent computer games
Martin Beckford in the Telegraph General Synod: Church expresses ‘concern’ about effects of computer games on children
“… In other words, we are prepared to be changed and even to cease having a separate existence as a Church – if that will serve the needs of the Kingdom – The Revd. David Gamble, President of the Methodist Conference – How different an attitude from that of a certain other Church body in North America. Here we have the English Methodists offering to re-join their parent Church of England, while, in the United States and Canada, we have Anglicans who have separated themselves out from their parent Churches – on the claims of doctrinal purity. Which of these… Read more »
Nevertheless, the alternative to merging and going out of business for the Methodists is decline and going out of business. In most cases the Methodist congregation in a locality can easily be absorbed by an Anglican congregation or vice versa, with one building to maintain rather than two. It would represent a huge increase in assets but, quite rapidly, more or less the same size of active Church as is now in the C of E. Nevertheless, some of the worship and governance habits of Methodists would have to be adopted.
“Nevertheless, some of the worship and governance habits of Methodists would have to be adopted.”
– Pluralist, on Thursday –
So what’s new? In parts of the Church of England the ‘worship and governance habits of Methodists’ are already being practised – in some of the more evangelical parishes of the C.of E. Also, with the behaviour of some of the Bishops of the Church of England, one might well long for a non-episcoapl form of government. Just imagine the vast piles of Winchester Cathedral and Palace being made available for active ministry?
Fascinating. Here in the US the United Methodist Church is the second largest Protestant group, with 8 million adherents. If they merged with us they’d swamp us!
fwiw, is there such a thing as ‘a methodist’? Or if you prefer, what is the distinctive charism of methodism? There are, certainly, Christians who worship in Methodist churches, but the idea of them all being subsumed into Ecclesia Anglicana (rather like religious Cadbury Creme Eggs being rebranded as ‘Kraft’) – does that hold water? What I guess would happen is that in those places where Methodism is a ‘soft’ tradition, the congregations would disperse to different places. In this parish, I can see four or five different destinations, only two of them Anglican – here, some will head for… Read more »
“Or if you prefer, what is the distinctive charism of methodism?”
Well, it used to be Arminianism, tee-totalism, and a rather high view of the Sacraments.
Interesingly, Methodist bishops here in the US seem to have much more power than our Episcopal ones do. They tell their clergy which church they will serve in, and they do it.
Of course, that was then, this is now, and I’m not sure what they’re up to these days.
Methodism is a wonderful tradition of spirituality and mission. We are very lucky they have been prepared to put up with C of E capers for so long.Like a long suffering spouse , really.
I expect Church Union and Forward in Faith will start harrumping before too long, that Methodism isn’t Catholic enough for them (But who is ?!). And then be joined by Reform who will declare them to be insufficiently protty. (Remember what Michael Ramsey had to contend with and the Methodist Conference back then )