JUNE 16 - a few more updates
Well we have had a few busy moments, and to top it off my laptop is down, so I am using the local library to post a few notes.
In the last few weeks, we have experienced the following (some of which you may already know about):
++ Our son Jeremy came up for a weekend visit
++ I participated in a 3-day retreat at a Catholic retreat center
++ We went to Williamsburg/Jamestown for 3 days - wow, lots of history there!
++ Our daughter Whitney came up for a weekend visit
++ We went to New York for a brief weekend trip
Lots of blessings in all of these special experiences - and also more reading and volunteer work has taken place...
We look forward to seeing you on Sunday, June 28, and we have felt your support and prayers throughout this "time apart." See you soon!!
posted by Robert Stutes at
4:16 PM
2 Comments:
Hey Dr. Stutes,
I've just finished reading your 5 things Methodist don't believe (http://bellvilleumc.blogspot.com/2006/06/five-things-methodists-dont-believe.html). Thanks for the article. I'm not a methodist but I've been trying to understand them a bit. From other articles I've read it seems like what makes a methodist a methodist is the idea of unity and sticking together even with competeing theological perspectives. When I read your article it seems a little different to some of the other stuff I've found. Would it be possible for you to tell me what you believe makes a methodist a methodist? I'm not sure if you have another article that you wrote which answers that questions. Perhaps if you do you could point me to it. Thanks for your time either way.
Thanks for the good thoughts. As far as that particular post ("things we DON'T believe") - it is important to note that these are not - by any means - the most IMPORTANT things about Methodist beliefs. Rather they are some of the DISTINCTIVE things about Methodist beliefs compared to some other Christian traditions.
As far as your question - "What makes a Methodist a Methodist?" - wow - you hit on a piece of Methodist heritage with the focus on unity and sticking together. John Wesley's sermon "On a Catholic Spirit" (http://www.crivoice.org/cathspirit.html) hits at this notion. But, of course, this can easily be misinterpreted into a sense of "believe anything you want as long as you are good-hearted in the process!" Obviously not a very helpful approach!
This web site on "Wesleyan Theological Heritage"
http://www.umc.org/site/c.lwL4KnN1LtH/b.2310047/k.4669/Our_Wesleyan_Theological_Heritage.htm
gives a pretty good overview on how Methodist theology fits within Christianity as a whole - it could be very helpful to you! Thanks for replying to the blog!
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