The Second Article of Religion of The United Methodist Church

A further look at the United Methodist Church’s Articles of Religion -- as stated in a previous post:

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 second article is:

Article II — Of the Word, or Son of God, Who Was Made Very Man

The Son, who is the Word of the Father, the very and eternal God, of one substance with the Father, took man's nature in the womb of the blessed Virgin; so that two whole and perfect natures, that is to say, the Godhead and Manhood, were joined together in one person, never to be divided; whereof is one Christ, very God and very Man, who truly suffered, was crucified, dead, and buried, to reconcile his Father to us, and to be a sacrifice, not only for original guilt, but also for actual sins of men.

The church packs a lot into this article.  The early portion is an almost painfully careful Trinitarian statement that builds on the first article.  The nature of the Trinity has always been confusing for the church.  The greater church has struggled to find its balancing point in affirming the co-equal essence of all three Persons.  It is frequently the case that other elements in a personal or denominational theology weight one member – Father, Son, Spirit – to the detriment of the other two.  Or, some groups “demote” the role of one – usually the Holy Spirit – and emphasize the Person or function of the other two.  In this article Methodism tries to say all it can say without going in circles.  For John Wesley, faith in the co-equal members of the Trinity as well as in the unified whole was an essential element in Christian belief.

The conclusion of Article Two is a statement of function rather than essence.  It is a reminder of what it is that Jesus accomplished – and continues to accomplish – in his atonement.  The credal elements of “suffered, crucified, dead, buried” take in much of the fulness of the Wesleyan understanding of Jesus’ presence in the world.  We should not let the concluding statement elude us, either.  Jesus’ sacrifice was sufficient to remove “not only original guilt, but also for actual sins.”  That Jesus’ act removed the nature of original sin is again a cornerstone belief for Wesley.  But the statement further reminds us that Christ’s efficacy is ongoing, that Jesus’ death addresses our daily individual sins as well.

Article Two addresses, in a fairly succinct fashion, two foundational ideas for Wesley and the Wesleyan tradition.  One cannot comprehend Wesleyan belief or Methodist doctrine without an understanding of the precepts of this Article.