The world Methodist community now numbers over 75 million people in more than 130 countries. The story of Methodism is fascinating and multi-faceted because there are so many distinct traditions within it, some stemming directly from Britain and some arising in the United States. In this book, the authors address the issue of what holds all Methodists together and examine the strengths and diversity of an influential major form of Christian life and witness. They look at the ways in which Methodism has become established throughout the world, examining historical and theological developments, and patterns of worship and spirituality, in their various cultural contexts. The book reflects both the lasting contributions of John and Charles Wesley, and the on-going contribution of Methodism to the ecumenical movement and inter-religious relations. It offers both analysis and abundant resources for further study.
The first volume in the T&T Clark Companions series, this volume is a handbook on Methodism containing an introduction, dictionary of key terms, and concentrates on key themes, methodology and research problems for those interested in studying the origins and development of the history and theology of world Methodism. The literature describing the history and development of Methodism has been growing as scholars and general readers have become aware of its importance as a world church with approximately 40 million members in 300 Methodist denominations in 140 nations. The tercentenary celebrations of the births of its founders, John and Charles Wesley, in 2003 and 2007 provided an additional focus on the evolution of the movement which became a church. This book researches questions, problems, and resources for further study.