Living into a less colonial way of being together. Methodism and American Empire investigates historical trajectories and theological developments that connect American imperialism since World War II to the Methodist tradition as a global movement. The volume asks: to what extent is United Methodists’ vision of the globe marred by American imperialism? Through historical analyses and theological reflections, this volume chronicles the formation of an understanding of The United Methodist Church since the mid-20th century that is both global and at the same time dominated by American interests and concerns. Methodism and American Empire provides a historical and theological perspective to understand the current context of The United Methodist Church while also raising ecclesiological questions about the impact of imperialism on how Methodists have understood the nature and mission of the church over the last century. Gathering voices and perspectives from around the world, this volume suggests that the project of global Methodism and the tensions one witnesses therein ought to be understood in the context of American imperialism and that such an understanding is critical to the task of continuing to be a global denomination. The volume tells a tale of complex negotiations happening between United Methodists across different national, cultural, and ecclesial contexts and sets up the historical backdrop for the imminent schism of The United Methodist Church.

Hempton explores the rise of Methodism from its unpromising origins as a religious society within the Church of England in the 1730s to a major international religious movement by the 1880s.

The Central Jurisdiction was created for African American members of the merger in 1939 of: The Methodist Episcopal Church, The Methodist Episcopal Church South, and The Methodist Protestant Church.

How Methodist settlers in the American West acted as agents of empire In the early years of American independence, Methodism emerged as the new republic's fastest growing religious movement and its largest voluntary association. Following the contours of settler expansion, the Methodist Episcopal Church also quickly became the largest denomination in the early American West. With Sacred Capital, Hunter Price resituates the Methodist Episcopal Church as a settler-colonial institution at the convergence of "the Methodist Age" and Jefferson's "Empire of Liberty." Price offers a novel interpretation of the Methodist Episcopal Church as a network through which mostly white settlers exchanged news of land and jobs and facilitated financial transactions. Benefiting from Indigenous dispossession and removal policies, settlers made selective, strategic use of the sacred and the secular in their day-to-day interactions to advance themselves and their interests. By analyzing how Methodists acted as settlers while identifying as pilgrims, Price illuminates the ways that ordinary white Americans fulfilled Jefferson's vision of an Empire of Liberty while reinforcing the inequalities at its core.

In 1770 there were fewer than 1,000 Methodists in America. Fifty years later, the church counted more than 250,000 adherents. Identifying Methodism as America's most significant large-scale popular religious movement of the antebellum period, John H. Wigger reveals what made Methodism so attractive to post-revolutionary America. Taking Heaven by Storm shows how Methodism fed into popular religious enthusiasm as well as the social and economic ambitions of the "middling people on the make"--skilled artisans, shopkeepers, small planters, petty merchants--who constituted its core. Wigger describes how the movement expanded its reach and fostered communal intimacy and "intemperate zeal" by means of an efficient system of itinerant and local preachers, class meetings, love feasts, quarterly meetings, and camp meetings. He also examines the important role of African Americans and women in early American Methodism and explains how the movement's willingness to accept impressions, dreams, and visions as evidence of the work and call of God circumvented conventional assumptions about education, social standing, gender, and race. A pivotal text on the role of religion in American life, Taking Heaven by Storm shows how the enthusiastic, egalitarian, entrepreneurial, lay-oriented spirit of early American Methodism continues to shape popular religion today.

The Heritage of American Methodism traces the grand legacy of American Methodism and shows how it became such a leading influence in the life of the nation. The drama of Methodism in America stands out as one of the most fascinating stories in the history of Christianity. This volume highlights the main reasons for this astonishing success and shows how the vitality of the Wesleyan way can be recovered. This illustrated history of American Methodism is presented for non-specialists in a beautifully designed, full-color format. Key Features: - A user-friendly, informative, and spell-binding account showing the impact of inspirational characters resounding today - Outstanding full-color photos and illustrations throughout - Portrays common links within the United Methodist Church and the unfolding drama of each conference - An attractive hardcover, "coffee-table" book Key Benefits: - Readers get the benefit of the history of American Methodism from a well-known expert - Can be used to help leaders prepare for classes on Methodism - An excellent gift for both young people and adults - Helps readers understand the challenges of tomorrow and the applications for the turbulence of life today