Sir,
In considering the four options that are before Evangelical Anglicans seeking to resist and rebuild in the face of the global meltdown of Anglicanism, David Baker again repeats the glaring oversight of those recommending ‘Remain and resist’ in claiming that ‘previous breakaways… are miniscule’ (Anglican Update, July en ).
Whether we agree with its original or present theology, world Methodism is witness to a once-powerful orthodox evangelical movement, admittedly now in decline. But even in decline, the World Methodist Council represents 80.5 million; comparing well with the 85 million represented by the Anglican Communion (Wikipedia.org: List _of_the_largest_Protestant_denominations). Hardly minuscule!
That good can still come out of world Methodism is proven by the accomplishments of the late Professor Thomas C. Oden, who died last year. He not only stimulated a new generation of Methodists to return to their evangelical roots, but was also important in the Paleo-orthodox movement for reviving historic Christianity across the Protestant denominations.
For those who may question whether we can see Wesley’s unPelagianised Arminians as fellow Evangelicals it is well to remember how closely the Wesleyan Methodists were involved in the Scottish Disruption of 1843, being seen by the Disruption leaders as the English denomination that most understood and seconded its fight for their common Evangelical faith and Scriptural churchman-ship. Both equally supported Establishment in principle and wished to return to an uncompromised establishment.
This is not the first time Anglicans have been blind to the importance of Anglican-ethos Methodists. As American Methodist historian Abel Stevens has pointed out: ‘The Colonial English Church being dissolved by the [American] Revolution, its dwindled fragments were yet floating, as had been the Methodistic societies, on the stormy tide of events. Methodism preceded [Anglicanism] in reorganisation. The Methodist bishops were the first Protestant bishops, and Methodism the first Protestant Episcopal Church of the New World; and as Wesley had given it the Anglican Articles of Religion (omitting the 17th on Predestination) and the Liturgy, wisely abridged, it became both by its precedent organization and its subsequent numerical importance, the real successor to the Anglican Church in America.’ Again, a remarkable success.
Yours sincerely,
