# Can a Methodist be Reformed?



## TomVols (Sep 14, 2010)

No, seriously 

I wonder this because I've bumped into Reformed folks in all denoms, and one or two have been UMC. Now this question is two-sided:

Can a Reformed person be UMC?

Would the UMC tolerate a Reformed minister, specifically?

Would love to hear your thoughts and experiences.


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## FenderPriest (Sep 14, 2010)

No. Having grown up in the UMC, and having pursued ordination, I do not see a Reformed person operating within the UMC. Either he'd be pushed out, or simply not ordained.

Now can a Reformed person be _Methodist_? Yes, the first were. Whitefield and Methodism were synonymous originally, and that meant Calvinist.


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## JML (Sep 14, 2010)

I also grew up in the Methodist church:

1) No.
2) No. Calvinistic doesn't necessarily mean reformed. Plus the guy mentioned in post 2 would probably be kicked out of the Methodist church today.


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## Marrow Man (Sep 14, 2010)

Not really. When I was in seminary, I knew a few Methodists who (by the time they were finished) came to a more Reformed understanding of the Scriptures, but I'm not sure they were necessarily _Reformed_, however.


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## eqdj (Sep 14, 2010)

Whitfield and The Doctor were both Calvinistic Methodists
Calvinistic Methodists


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## Marrow Man (Sep 14, 2010)

The OP specifically asked about the UMC. Whitefield and The Doctor UMC were not!


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## PuritanCovenanter (Sep 14, 2010)

We do have a minister on the PB who is Reformed. He holds to the Westminster. He is Covenantal and a Paedo baptist. I am sure he is Reformed and operating in the UMC in which he was ordained.


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## Willem van Oranje (Sep 14, 2010)

Yes, like George Whitefield.

---------- Post added at 10:17 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:14 PM ----------

The UMC has placed a moratorium on its candidates attending Gordon-Connell Theological Seminary, probably most likely to prevent just that.


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## PuritanCovenanter (Sep 14, 2010)

Here is Pastor Lance Marshall's bio. I hope I am not crossing any lines here posting his bio. 



> I am an ordained elder in the United Methodist Church, and I have served as a pastor in that denomination for 30 years. I grew up Methodist and entered the ministry through the UMC and my M.Div. is from a UMC seminary. In 1986 as an active duty chaplain in the U.S. Army, I bought Boice's Foundations and started to become Reformed. By 1988 the change had become complete as I returned to civilian life. At that point I had to decide whether to stay UMC or transfer my credentials to a Reformed church (it would have been PCA). After a long period of prayer and seeking the council of other believers, I came to the realization that God was calling me to stay in the UMC. So, I came to view myself as missionary to the UMC. I remained so I could preach the gospel in a denomination that doesn't hear it much anymore. The road has been tough and very frustrating at times, but what mission field isn't that way. To be one of only a few Calvinists in the UMC is professionally dangerous and I have felt the persecution at times from my superiors. As an outlet of my Reformed theology, I started a webpage on which I could post what are for me the more helpful Reformed writings, in hopes they would be a help to others. Understandably, my main interest in the debate with and refutation of Arminianism; this is a center point of my webpage LG Marshall.



I have a lot of admiration for him. He is United Methodist and Reformed. In fact he would be considered Reformed much more than I would be because I am a not a paedo baptist.


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## TomVols (Sep 15, 2010)

eqdj said:


> Whitfield and The Doctor were both Calvinistic Methodists
> Calvinistic Methodists


My intitial thoughts were of the Doctor and Whitefield. 

I know Will Willimon writes for _Modern Reformation_, and there's little he writes I don't appreciate. His blurb in Christianity today about Mother's Day observances in worship services being "fluff, where we have too much sentimental fluff to start with" was like something you'd hear a good Reformed brother say  I don't know about his views personally.

Some groups have reformed factions in them (like the SBC's Founders group, and maybe one in the ABC/USA). Does the UMC have one?


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## Scott1 (Sep 15, 2010)

Reformed theology is, at minimum

doctrines of grace ("five points") + covenant theology + confession

Methodists today have something of a covenant theology (e.g. they infant baptize), but they are almost entirely, Arminian in soteriology. Whitfield and Wesley split over these points. Nor do they have a substantial historic confession (a few points) but no systematized confession.

So, no, officially at least, it is not a reformed denomination.


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## beej6 (Sep 15, 2010)

May a Methodist (a person belonging to a Methodist church) be Reformed? (eg. agree with PB's standards) Yes. Unless you are willing to say that no Methodist is following biblical Christianity.
Is the Methodist church (=denomination) Reformed? No. Others would have to say if it's Reformed-friendly or not.


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## NB3K (Oct 4, 2010)

George Whitefield was a street preacher. The Methodist Church was blessed through Whitefield, but Wesley is behind the theology at the UMC and really not Wesleyian anymore


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## JBaldwin (Oct 4, 2010)

One of my dearest sisters in the faith is a member of the UMC and almost more reformed than I am. She holds strongly to the doctrines of grace and mourns the sad spiritual condition of her denomination. To date, I have not found one point of theology on which we disagree. When I first met her, and she told me she was Methodist, I shuddered. After spending several hours a week in her company the last several months, I've discovered how wrong I was. 

Where did she learn her theology? From reading the Scriptures and trusting God to teach her.


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