Polity, Practice, and the Mission of the United Methodist Church
"Commissioned by the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry for use in United Methodist doctrine/polity/history courses." This in-depth analysis of the connection between United Methodist polity and theology addresses ways in which historical developments have shaped—and continue to shape—the organization of the church.\ This revised edition incorporates the actions of The United Methodist General Conference, 2004. The book discusses continuing reforms of the church's plan for baptism...
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"Commissioned by the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry for use in United Methodist doctrine/polity/history courses." This in-depth analysis of the connection between United Methodist polity and theology addresses ways in which historical developments have shaped—and continue to shape—the organization of the church.This revised edition incorporates the actions of The United Methodist General Conference, 2004. The book discusses continuing reforms of the church's plan for baptism and church membership, as well as the emergence of deacon's orders and other changes to ordained ministry procedures. The text is now cross-referenced to the Book of Discipline, 2004, including the revised order of disciplinary chapters and paragraph numbering. Denominational statistics are updated, along with references to recent works on The United Methodist Church and American religious life.
Acknowledgments11Foreword: On Learning the Connection15Introduction: The Rhetoric of Crisis and United Methodist Polity21Ch. 1Polity as Ecclesial Practice and Practical Discipline41Ch. 2Denomination and Polity in America: The Case of United Methodism69Ch. 3The Constitution of United Methodism115Ch. 4History, Theology, and the Discipline141Ch. 5The Ministry of All Christians159Ch. 6The Local Church in United Methodism173Ch. 7Called and Set Apart: Ordered Ministry in United Methodism195Ch. 8Superintendency in United Methodism229Ch. 9General, Jurisdictional, and Central Conferences and the General Agencies255Ch. 10Annual Conference285Ch. 11Church Property299Ch. 12Judicial Administration309Conclusion: Issues for the Future of United Methodist Polity319Notes327Index353
