THE REVISED CATECHISM OF THE EVANGELICAL METHODIST CHURCH The 25 Articles of Religion proposed by John Wesley at the first conference of Methodists are the official Creed of the Evangelical Methodist Church. These articles do not replace the historic Christian Creeds (see Appendix C) but build on them. They are the sacred embodiment of the communal history of the Evangelical Methodist Church, and they define what we believe it means to be a Christian within the Wesleyan-Methodist tradition. For John Wesley, true religion was an evangelical, Bible-centric Christianity. He adapted the 39 Articles of Religion from the Anglican Church, omitting or modifying those he believed went beyond the basic tenets of biblical Christianity. In this regard, it is just as fascinating to take note of what Wesley did not include as it is to consider what he did. Ultimately, Wesley and the original Methodists settled on 25 Articles. Later, the EMC found it necessary to add a 26th Article on the doctrine of Perfect Love, for clarification of this doctrine in the stream of historic Methodism. Together, we consider these doctrines to be the twenty-six most essential elements of Christian belief and how the Faith is best expressed in the Wesleyan-Arminian theological tradition. One of the responsibilities of the General Board of Christian Education is to curate and develop the best possible resources for the EMC. So, several years ago when we reviewed our catechism, we determined that it needed updating to ensure that it remained a useful tool for discipling our people in the twenty-first century. As a part of this discussion, we considered the content of our catechism, its structure and the ways in which it was disseminated. Regarding its content, we reflected on the educational approach used and how it could be improved. Historically, a catechism focuses on rote learning, providing a series of questions with corresponding answers to be memorized. In some cases, these answers would be accompanied by proof texts for referencing the biblical sources of the answers. What we have endeavored to do in the Revised Catechism is to innovate this approach, focusing instead on critical engagement with the Holy Scripture, rather than memorizing a series of theological answers. Regarding its structure, we have divided the Revised Catechism into four sections: Those articles dealing with the Nature of God, those dealing with the Word of God, those dealing with the Purposes of God, and those dealing with the Plan of God. Within each section, we have chosen to show each Article as it appears in the EMC Discipline, adapted from Wesley’s 25 Articles of Religion. An explanation of the Article in more contemporary language follows each of these entries. Then, there are corresponding scriptures to guide personal study, an array of access points to aid you in further engagement, and finally, questions adapted from Wesley’s own adaptation of the shorter Westminster Catechism in 1750 (see Appendix B). Following the Revised Catechism is a Glossary of key theological terms and several Appendices, including Wesley’s original 25 Articles of Religion, his 1750 Catechism, and a small selection of other historical writings. While every aspect of the approach we have taken with the Revised Catechism is innovative, the inclusion of Access Points is particularly exciting. The Access Points are intentionally differentiated across multiple learning styles and learning levels. So, while not every access point will be helpful for every person, it creates a dynamic responsiveness that draws the learner in deeper at each stage of learning. In this way, the Revised Catechism will not only serve as a tool for new Christians exploring the Faith and for families seeking to train their children in the way they should go, but it will also act as a tool for continued discipleship. Regarding its dissemination, the Revised Catechism was conceived of as a living document. Our doctrines cannot change, nor should they, but the way in which we communicate and learn is always changing. So, in order to make certain that the dynamic responsiveness we developed in the structure continued into the future, we focused on a model of dissemination that prioritized quick revision and expansion. Thus, while the Revised Catechism can be purchased in print form, it can also be viewed online, downloaded as a PDF, or interacted with online.
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