Methodism, like all Christian denominations, traces its roots back to the early Christian church and to the teachings of Jesus, St. Paul, St. Augustine, St. Francis, and others.

John Wesley was an ordained Anglican priest. At a prayer meeting in London on May 24, 1738, he received the new inspiration which led him to become the first teacher of "Methodism."

"I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone, for salvation; and an assurance was given me that He had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death."

After his experience in 1738, Wesley set out with his brother Charles to form societies of "Methodists," so called because the members followed a daily routine of religious observance and social work. Wesley never intended to break from the Church of England and died an Anglican priest

In America, preachers spread the gospel and Wesley's teachings to the settlers. After the Revolution, a separate church was formed--the Methodist Episcopal Church. Other Wesleyan denominations were also formed. In 1968, the Evangelical United Brethren Church and Methodist Church joined to form The United Methodist Church -- this country's second largest Protestant denomination.

The Social Creed

We believe in God, Creator of the world; and in Jesus Christ, the Redeemer of creation. We believe in the Holy Spirit, through whom we acknowledge God's gifts, and we repent of our sin in misusing these gifts to idolatrous ends.

We affirm the natural world as God's handiwork and dedicate ourselves to its preservation, enhancement, and faithful use by humankind.

We joyfully receive, for ourselves and others, the blessings of community, marriage, sexuality, and the family.

We commit ourselves to the rights of men, women, children, youth, and the aging; to improvement of the quality of life; and to the rights and dignity of ethnic and religious minorities.

We believe in the right and duty of persons to work for the good of themselves and others, and in the protection of their welfare in so doing; in the rights to property as a trust from God, collective bargaining, and responsible consumption; and in the elimination of economic and social distress.

We dedicate ourselves to peace throughout the world and to the rule of justice and law among nations.

We believe in the present and final triumph of God's Word in human affairs and gladly accept his commission to manifest the life of the gospel in the world. Amen.

"The Social Creed"
From THE BOOK OF DISCIPLINE OF THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, 1972
Copyright 1980 By The United Methodist Publishing House