Methodist denominations

Wesleyan appellatives atomic number 18 today represented by four major(ip) churches the United Methodist Church, the Afri dirty dog Methodist Episcopal Church, the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church and the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church. The present paper describes and comp bes these four institutions.Historically, the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church is a appointment, composed of African Americans, who adopt and employ Methodism as their religious theology (Bucke, p.340). The group was organized in 1870 when several black ministers, with the full support of their white counterparts in the occasion Methodist Episcopal Church, South, met to form an arrangement that would allow them to establish and maintain their give birth polity, that is, to ordain their own bishops and ministers without the necessity of them being dinner dressly endorsed or appointive by the white-dominated body (Bucke, p. 342). Nowadays, the organization has its publishing put forward i n Memphis, Tennessee.According to internal documentation concerning leadership, bishops argon elected as superintendents of the church and can perform their duties until the suppurate of 74, importantly, there be no gender re severeion for this position, so females argon entitled to be elected. Bishops ar supposed to appoint pastors (or local clergy), protect and pre perform the beliefs of the church and perform parliamentary laws (Heitzenrater, p. 348 Bucke, p. 343). The major characteristic of this assignment is the belief in the universal redemption, under which everyone can be saved, regardless of their earthy activities.Other prominent beliefs include the immenseness of Christian perfection and spiritual development the possibility or leaving this church (for another(prenominal) one, or rejecting christian beliefs completely) the priority of faith the possibility of witnessing the Holy Spirit in this support and the importance of observing sacraments (Baptism and the Lo rds Supper) (Heitzenrater, p. 351). The church has three branches of power legislative (the General Conference), exeutive (Episcopacy) and judicial (the judicial Council).The African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church was also intended as a religious organization for individuals of color and was established in 1821. The word Zion refers to the Biblical teachings and means Church (Heitzenrater, p. 398). The guild of this new denomination called itself the Freedom Church at the time, because the founders decided to dedicate it to the liberation of the human spirit. Spiritual, social and economic immunity were very important to the founders (Wigger, p. 284).The members of this church share al about the same beliefs as those who belong to the CME, only if AME Zion seems to recruit more obligations upon its participants, as its statute claims that individuals are basically miserable and therefore should dedicate themselves to serving idol in order to receive the real blessing the ach ieve personal liberty. This denomination is extremely touch about the religious affairs in African countries and therefore its missionaries regularly visit the corresponding countries. art object the CME is administered by bishop, who has the full range of entitlements, the most critical decisions in the AME Zion are taken during the general group, but the hierarchy and bureaucracy in this denomination are also uncomplicated and actually not highly formalized (Bucke, p. 401).The United Methodist Church is among the largest Protestant denominations (Wigger, p.225 ) , as it has accepted under its roof a number of minor organizations, which nowadays know very low level of autonomy and both officially and factually belong to the single church. The United Methodist Church is organized into conferences (Wigger, p.227). The General Conference is the most influential organization, entitled to express the opinion of the whole church and to approve decisions and projects.The General Confe rence is collected every four years, and each meeting results in the publication of the Book of Resolutions, or additional principles and plans to implement. territorial and Central Conferences are hierarchically lower and therefore accountable to the General Conference (Kimbrough, p. 118). The main objectives of the jurisdictional meetings (which also take bunk every four years) are electing bishops as well as main(prenominal) administrators of the members units and planning basic activities for these executives.The Annual Conference, accordingly, is aimed at appointing minor clearly wish well pastors and (re-)interpreting the Book of Discipline. Annual conferences are further divided into Districts, each served by a District Superintendent. The district superintendents are also appointed annually from the ordained elders of the Annual Conference by the bishop.District superintendents are not superior in ordination to other elders upon completion of their service a superintend ent they routinely return to serving local congregations (Kimbrough, p. 119). Importantly, this denomination allows women to serve as bishops and in general observes the same Christian principles as the two above expound organizations, based upon the individual salvation and outreach work with the disadvantaged. On the other hand, the UM is a bureaucratic and formalized organization, which has strict leadership structure and therefore might be at risk of the monopolization of the power by the single participant (Kimbrough, p. 124).As for the clergy of the organization, they are divided into three positions bishops, elders and deacons, the last group of religious workers are amenable for technical performance of liturgies and also might be employed as educators, musicians or business administrators, i.e. they can combine their participation in the UM with more secular activities.Elders have the same responsibilities, but the main residue between these two classes of the clergy is the regulation of appointments deacons have a chance to choose the locality where they wish to serve, whereas elders are assigned directly by the Annual Conference (Kimbrough, p. 130 McEllhenney, p. 429). According to another classification, local pastors are distinguished from the other three categories.Local pastors, conversely to bishops, deacons and elders, are not required to have masters degree in theology (divinity) or related sciences. In order to avoid the misuse of entitlements in local churches, the conferences can annually make new appointments for all local congregations, but the same deacons, elders and pastors serve at the certain local organization for years.The African Methodist Episcopal Church was established in the 1850s and has almost the same organization as the UM, so the primary decision-making body is the General Conference, during which bishops are elected. The bishops are the chief Officers of the Connectional Organization. They are elected for life by a m ajority vote of the General conference which meets ever four years. Bishops are bound by the laws of the church to retire following their 75th birthday (Heitzenrater, p. 473).The Council of Bishops is also called the Executive Branch of the denomination, as it is responsible for applying the new statutes, adopted during the General Conference. The Board of Incorporators is the supervisory body that conducts analysis and partial control of the Councils activities and determines whether they match to the overall religious course, established by the organization. The General Board is the administrative body, responsible for the distribution of material resources and financial affairs of the denomination, so it approves the decisions do by the Council of Bishops and provides the resources needed for applying new rules or principles, building new churches or colleges (this denomination has sixteen higher(prenominal) education institutions).The Judicial Council is charged with resolving the conflicts within the denomination and also dealing with corresponding appellations (McEllhenney, p. 463). The major mission of the AME is supporting the nurturing physical and spiritual development of its congregations as well as the whole society in general. More specific objectives are as follows 1) preaching the gospel 2) feeding the hungry 3) vesture the naked 4) housing the homeless 5) cheering the fallen 6) providing jobs for the jobless 7) administering of the needs of those in prisons, hospitals and nursing homes 8) support thrift and economic advancement (McEllhenney, p. 658).In conclusion, it is necessary to summarize the equalities and differences between the denominations. First of all, they have approximately similar beliefs and missions, which necessarily include brotherly aid for those in need and education for the youth all churches have their own education institutions, which provide holistic training in various disciplines beyond theology. Furthermore, all these churches are concerned about the current political and social affairs and although they do not directly engulf into non-religious movements, they always state and publicize their attitudes towards such issues as terrorism, the U.S. trade deficiency and ethnic segregation, moreover, actively patron ethnic minorities.As for a parishioner, all churches are comparatively democratic in their beliefs and do not place too strict constraints upon the individuals lifestyle (fasts etc) and skillfully use the principles of social work like the empowerment and reinforcement of community capacities. On the other hand, the united Methodist church and the African Methodist Church have more complicated hierarchical structure and therefore appear more formal organizations and therefore have more prescriptions for deacons, elders and pastors, serving for local congregations.All denominations avoid gender discrimination and view females as equal to males in terms of their entitlements. Finall y, the CME and the AME Zion appear more sensitive to the recent changes in social life or recent crises, as their responses to the adversities bred by hurricane Katrina were the most rapid, even though these organizations are much little that the others.Works cited1)Bucke, E. The History of American Methodism. Nashville Abingdon Press, 1964.2)Heitzenrater, R. Wesley and the People Called Methodists. Nashville Abingdon Press, 1995.3)Kimbrough, D. Reverend Joseph Tarkington, Methodist Circuit Rider. Knoxville, University of Tennessee Press, 1997.4)McEllhenney, J. United Methodism in America A Compact History. Nashville Abingdon Press, 1992.5)Wigger, J. Taking Heaven by Storm Methodism and the Rise of usual Christianity in America. New York Oxford University Press, 1998.