The United Methodist Church has several sources that historically
define its “doctrinal standards.” These
include the church’s Confession of Faith, the General Rules, John Wesley’s Explanatory
Notes on the New Testament and Wesley’s Standard Sermons. Also in this roster of foundational documents
are the church’s Articles of Religion.
In 1784 when the American Church was chartered, John Wesley provided
these Articles for the church. Wesley
had composed 24 statements, and the American church added a 25th
that was America-specific. They have
always been authoritative in Methodism and the church included them in its Discipline
from 1790 on.
The first of these statements is:
Article I — Of Faith in the Holy Trinity
There is but one living and true God, everlasting,
without body or parts, of infinite power, wisdom, and goodness; the maker and
preserver of all things, both visible and invisible. And in unity of this
Godhead there are three persons, of one substance, power, and eternity—the
Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.
I have referenced this recently, (those comments are here)
and I don’t want to repeat myself. I would
make an observation that is not so much on the content as the place of this
article in the entire document. I think
it is significant that a roster of statements that includes interpretations of
scripture and the sacraments and the church that the initial paragraph
addresses the Trinity. Sure, you have to
start somewhere, but isn’t this an interesting place to begin? The article does not go into a lot of detail,
so there is not a great opportunity for dispute. It is a simple, almost elegant declaration of
faith in God and what the church has historically taught about God.
Wesley wrote (and preached) extensively on the Trinity. Affirmation of the Trinity is one of the few
essentials upon which Wesley was insistent.
So, it is here that Methodism begins.
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