United Methodism

Guide to Resources – Last Updated September 29, 2007

Introduction
Scope
Key Search Terms
Subject Headings and Related Call Numbers
Overview Sources
• Methodist History
• Methodist Theology
Key Works
• John Wesley
• Official Denominational Resources
• Statements From Our Bishops
Related Areas
• The Wesleys
• Methodist History
• Methodism and the World
Magazines and Newsletters
Indexes, Abstracts, and Databases
Websites
Professional Associations and Conferences

Introduction

This guide is designed to help United Methodists, old and new, learn more about our denomination, its traditions and heritage. The United Methodist Church traces its roots to a movement started by Anglican priest John Wesley who lived in England during the 18th Century. From there it spread to America and became its own church. Learning about our United Methodist heritage involves more than history, however. It also involves studying theology (our understanding of God, how we relate to God, and how God relates to us), doctrine (the basic tenets of our faith and belief), and polity (how our church is structured and the rules that govern it).

Scope

All resources listed in this guide are available from the William D. Thomson Library, unless otherwise specified. These are basic resources selected to provide a broad understanding of United Methodism and related subjects. It is intended to provide a starting point for further reading and research. Resources not included are those that are significantly outdated or more specialized than needed for this guide. This guide begins by introducing a few common search terms and subject headings with their related call numbers. Next, it lists printed resources organized by overview sources, key works, related works, magazines and newsletters. Following this are sections on databases and websites. It concludes with a list of organizations and boards related to the United Methodist Church along with their websites and contact information.

Key Search Terms

These are terms that can be used to easily find information in our electronic card catalog or an Internet search engine (e.g. Google).

United Methodist Church
Methodism
John Wesley
Charles Wesley
Methodist history
Methodist beliefs

Subject Headings and Related Call Numbers

This table shows some popular subject headings and the corresponding call numbers in our collection where resources on these topics are found.

Methodism?History	BX8231 to BX8328
Methodist Church?Doctrines	BX8330 to BX8331.3
Methodist Church?Government	BX8340 to BX8345.5
United Methodist Church (U.S.)	BX8379.42 to BX8389
Wesley, John, 1703-1791	BX8495.W5
Wesley, Charles, 1707-1788	BX8495.W4
Wesley, Susanna, 1669-1742	BX8495.W55

Overview Sources

These titles are broad and comprehensive resources on Methodist history and theology.

Methodist History

These resources provide good histories of Methodism. Some are slightly outdated but still offer good information on early American Methodism.

Luccock, Halford E., Paul Hutchinson and Robert W. Goodloe.?The Story of Methodism. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1949.Adult Non-fiction Call Number: BX8231 .L8 1949

Clark, Elmer T.?An Album of Methodist History. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1952.Adult Non-fiction Call Number: BX8232 .C6 1952

Harmon, Nolan B., ed.?Encyclopedia of World Methodism. 2 vols. Nashville: The United Methodist Publishing House, 1974.Reference Call Number: BX8211 .E58 1974

Methodist Theology

These resources provide a general overview of Methodist theology.

Stokes, Mack B.?Major United Methodist Beliefs. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1998.Adult Non-fiction Call Number: BX8332 .S685 1989

Klaiber, Walter & Manfred Marquardt.?Living Grace: An Outline of Methodist Theology. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2001.Adult Non-fiction Call Number: BX8331.3 .K57 2001

Key Works

These titles are considered foundational resources of The United Methodist Church. Many are published by official bodies of the Church.

John Wesley

The following are volumes containing the original writings of John Wesley:

The Works of John Wesley. 14 vols. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1958 (1872 reproduction).Reference Call Number: BX8217 .W4 W6 1958

Outler, Albert C. and Richard P. Heitzenrater.?John Wesley?s Sermons: An Anthology. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1991.Adult Non-fiction Call Number: BX8333 .W418 S39 1991

Official Denominational Resources

These are works that are produced by the church and used throughout the denomination:

The United Methodist Book of Worship. Nashville: The United Methodist Publishing House, 1992.Adult Non-Fiction Call Number: BX8337 .U54 1992

The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church. Nashville: The United Methodist Publishing House, 2004.Adult Non-fiction Call Number: BX8388 .U55 2004

The Book of Resolutions of the United Methodist Church. Nashville: The United Methodist Publishing House, 2004.Adult Non-fiction Call Number: BX8382.2 .A2 A2 2004

Statements From Our Bishops

Our Council of Bishops wrote these foundational documents to be used in every United Methodist church:

The United Methodist Council of Bishops.?In Defense of Creation: The Nuclear Crisis and a Just Peace. Nashville: Graded Press, 1986.Adult Non-Fiction Call Number: BX8349 .P43 U55 1986

The United Methodist Council of Bishops.?Vital Congregations Faithful Disciples: Vision for the Church. Nashville: Graded Press, 1990.Adult Non-Fiction Call Number: BX8382.2 .Z5 V48 1990

Related Areas

These are titles on more specialized areas of United Methodism that provide deeper insight into different aspects of the Church.

The Wesleys

Here are some short, easy-to-read biographies on members of the Wesley family:

Dallimore, Arnold A.?Susanna Wesley: The Mother of John & Charles Wesley.?Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1993.Adult Non-fiction Call Number: BX8495 .W55 D35 1993

Wellman, Sam.?John Wesley: Founder of the Methodist Church. Uhrichsville, OH: Barbour, 1996.Adult Non-fiction Call Number: BX8495 .W5 W44 1997

Methodist History

For interesting insights into American Methodism, try these books:

Maser, Frederick E. and Robert Drew Simpson.?If Saddlebags Could Talk: Methodist Stories and Anecdotes. Franklin, TN: Providence House Publishers, 1998.Adult Non-fiction Call Number: BX8231 .M36 1998

Bilhartz, Terry D., ed.?Francis Asbury?s America: An Album of Early American Methodism. Grand Rapids: Francis Asbury Press, 1984.Adult Non-fiction Call Number: BX8495 .A8 A33 1984

Methodism and the World

Methodism engages a variety of issues and topics relating to how we live and relate to each other in the world. Here are just a few examples of conversations in Methodism about broader social issues:

Holifield, E. Brooks.?Health and Medicine in the Methodist Tradition: Journey Toward Wholeness. New York: Crossroad, 1986.Adult Non-fiction Call Number: BX8349 .H4 H65 1986

Robbins, Bruce W.?A World Parish?: Hopes and Challenges of The United Methodist Church in a Global Setting. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2004.Adult Non-fiction Call Number: BX8382.2 .R63 2004

Sample, Tex and Amy E. DeLong.The Loyal Opposition: Struggling with the Church on Homosexuality. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2000.Adult Non-fiction Call Number: BX8385 .H6 L68 2000

Magazines and Newsletters

These are a few periodical publications that are available in the church library, arranged alphabetically by title. Please note that the church library does not have the space to retain many back issues of periodicals. For older issues not available at the church library, feel free to visit Pitts Theology Library at Emory University (http://www.pitts.emory.edu/?), which holds all of these titles and is open to the public.

Circuit Rider. Nashville: The United Methodist Publishing House, 1976 to present.Intended for the applied practice of Christian ministry in the United Methodist Church. Each issue has a theme.

Response. Cincinnati: Women?s Division, GBGM, 1969 to present.Official Program Journal of the United Methodist Women

The United Methodist Newscope. Nashville: The United Methodist Publishing House, 1973 to present.A national weekly newsletter for United Methodists. This is an electronic publication with print copies available in the library.

UMNS Weekly Digest. Nashville: United Methodist Communications, 1998 to present.Weekly news from the United Methodist News Service. This is an electronic publication with print copies available in the library.

Indexes, Abstracts, and Databases

These resources can help with the location of additional resources on a specific topic within United Methodism.

ATLA Religion Database?? This is the primary index resource for finding journal articles, essays, and book reviews in the field of religion. It is a subscription database that is accessible at Pitts Theology Library, Emory University (?http://www.pitts.emory.edu/?) and at the John Bulow Campbell Library, Columbia Theological Seminary (http://www.ctsnet.edu/library/index.asp?). Both of these libraries are open to the public.

Journal titles to browse:?Methodist History, The Asbury Theological Journal, Quarterly Review

Key search terms and subjects:?Subject headings and search terms in this database are slightly different from those in our library catalog.