Spurred on by the message of the Wesleys and the zeal of circuit riders, the Methodist movement swept across colonial America and soon established itself in a newly-created denomination, the Methodist Episcopal Church. But much of that fervor was lost as Methodists shifted from the evangelistic focus of Wesley to organizational struggles over the role of the church in society. 

Foremost among these struggles was the question of slave-holding. Could one be a true follower of Wesley if one owned other human beings as property? In this module, we will trace the actions of a small group of radical Methodists who championed the cause of abolition and broke with the Methodist Episcopal Church to create what would become a denomination that they believed was closer to the heart of Scripture and the true Wesleyans. This reforming element has embedded itself in the DNA of The Wesleyan Church today.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this module, you will be able to:

1. Tell the basic story of the founding of the Wesleyan Methodist Connection.
2. Summarize Luther Lee’s arguments for women in ministry
3. Evaluate Phoebe Palmer’s concept of the shorter way to Christian perfection.
4. Speculate on changes to Wesleyan doctrine or practice that might be problematic for your conscience.
5. Identify points of continuity and discontinuity with the spirit of the Wesleyan Methodist Church and The Wesleyan Church today.