Social Creed Then and Now

The Methodist Social Creed was first written in 1908 and has been modified since. Following the comparison handout, discuss:

• How are the iterations similar? Different?  They are similar in that they are expressions of Wesleyan Theology and social praxis.  The 1908 version was a response to the difficult and dangerous employment conditions at the time.  It is limited to speaking about that.  I also think the attitude of the creed seems male-centric. The 2008 version is much more expansive, reaching beyond the 1908 Creed.  The 2008 version also contains statements of faith.
• What does each document say about the Methodist church in their respective times? How are the churches in those eras different?  The church of 1908 was only 50 years from the Civil War. Its context included a second or third generation of freed African Americans facing the challenges of racism, joblessness, and homelessness.  Immigration is a challenge as those from other countries arrive in the United States and are seeking employment. There are no safe labor laws or any attention paid to the environment. It is a male-centric society.  The church of 2008 was encountering not only employment  fairness issues, but also an awareness of the fragility of the environment, the awareness of a need of inclusiveness, and a global economy. The society has survived two world wars and other conflicts.  It was in a consumeristic economy, and was truly a global church.
• Does Methodism need a Social Creed?  Because of Wesley’s emphasis on not only personal but social holiness and the inseparable connection between the two, I think it does need a statement of a social creed.
• What role, if any in your estimation, does such a creed help a church "make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world?"  A creed that states our common beliefs regarding the world helps us, as United Methodists to understand our place in the world and to understand how we can play a role in social praxis.  It helps us to be better disciples, and to have a direction to work to change the world.  Also, as a statement to those outside of the church, it can help to shape an understanding of who we are – an invitation to others to discipleship.