Course Review: Methodist Identity: Our Story

 Information about the Course

This is a course offered by BeADisiciple.com called Methodist Identity: Our Story. This is a course offered as part of the Wesley Academy for Advanced Christian Studies, created in partnership with Wesley Theological Seminary and BeADisciple.  The course instructor is Rev. Dr. Kristen Burkhart. The course is eight weeks long. Each week a video of different experts in the field of Methodist history.  Each week students are asked to do some additional readings, post answers to 3 questions on a Discussion board, and participation in online discussion. 

The course can be part of a certification called Certificate in Advanced Christian Study.  The certificate involves completion of six courses such as this one.  The course can also be taken as a stand alone option.

Summary

From the website:  What does it mean to be Methodist? The first of Wesley Academy’s two Methodist Identity courses guides learners through a series of lessons from leading Methodist scholars and features Christian historian Justo Gonzalez. Methodism is traced through its roots in Wesleyanism to its growth as a movement in the North Atlantic and, eventually, the world. Supplemental materials cover Methodism’s growth in Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Join us in this exploration of Methodist identity, which will benefit the lifelong Methodist, the armchair scholar, and the simply curious.  

Lessons Include:

1. John and Charles Wesley: The Early Years – Paul Chilcote
2. Methodist Beginnings: 1725-1737 – Amy Oden
3. Aldersgate and Its Results: 1738 – Steve Rankin and Methodist History: 1739-1744 – Henry Knight
4. Early Methodist Revival: 1740-1760 –Hoo-Jung Lee and Methodism in Britain: 1760-1791 – Peter Forsaith
5. The Legacy of Charles Wesley – S. T. Kimbrough
6. American Methodism: 1740s-1860s – Douglas M. Strong and African Methodism in Early America – Dennis C. Dickerson
7. The Holiness Movement and Missions – Steven O’Malley and Global Methodism – Robert Hunt
8. Methodism and Social Holiness – Wendy Deichmann Edwards

Impressions

This course is one of two required courses for a Wesleyan Emphasis for the Advanced Studies certificate. 

I enjoyed the course, and am glad I signed up to complete it.  It presents United Methodist history is an organized way, which is helpful for my understanding of it. 

I believe this course will be beneficial both to my work at the Foundation and as I teach the Conference CLM Course.  I also think that it will be beneficial to me in my work as a reserve delegate to the General Conference.

In the past, I have participated in at least two courses with low enrollment;  this complicates my goal of responding to at least two other people's posts since one of the four was me.  That was not a problem with this course. There were many students, and it was easier to find posts to which to reply.  As usual, the leader's participation adds to the course.

Prior to starting the course, I read the book Wesley and the People called Methodists by Richard Heitzenrater and read at 2-4 of John Wesley's sermons each week.  I would recommend doing this if you have the time. It adds more dimensions to the course - although the course would stand alone without it.

Great course - I recommend it.

Posts about the Class

Posts about the class will have the tag Methodist Identity: Story