Sermon Notes February 4, 2007

The Roots of Methodism

The English Reformation

Henry VIII 1491-1547
Catherine of Aragon (Mary’s mother) Spanish royal, aunt of Charles V of the Holy Roman Empire. After failure to have a male heir, Henry seeks divorce to be approved by the Pope. British parliament allows for the divorce in 1533, formally breaking British relations with the Pope.
Anne Boleyn (Elizabeth’s mother) married Henry VIII in 1533. After failure to produce a male heir Henry charges her with treason (on trumped up infidelity charges) and she is beheaded in 1536.
Jane Seymour (Edward’s mother) married Henry soon after Anne’s death. Dies from complications giving birth to Edward.

Articles of Religion, Book of Prayer and Homilies are issued by the Archbishop of Canterbury. Henry dissolves monasteries and issues orders to eliminate images of the Roman church.

Edward VI (reign 1547 – 1553) 9 years old when his father died and he became King. His reign was mired by a weak regency.

Mary I (reign 1553 -1558) Comes home determined to restore the Catholic Faith. Some 300 church leaders are executed during her reign.

Elizabeth I (reign 1558 – 1603) Very much the politician, Elizabeth seeks out “via media” or middle way between Rome and Geneva. The theologian Richard Hooker expresses this middle way with Scripture (not “sola scriptura”), tradition (not Roman) and reason

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Arminians
Followers of Jacob Arminius (1560-1609) who opposed Calvinist ideas of predestination and ‘the elect’ by claiming Christ died for all. Arminians came to be known as people who stressed free will and holy living as a sign of accepting God’s grace. Calvinists opponents came to calling them “New Methodists.”

With the act of toleration in 1689 religious groups who would not conform to the 39 articles of religion of the Church were officially tolerated. Nonconformists could only meet in licensed places (not homes), and dissenting preachers were to be licensed. Roman Catholics and Unitarians were not allowed.

Moravians
Czech protestants, followers of Jan Huss. Impressed Wesley with dedication to prayer while sailing to the colony of Georgia.

The Anglican Church today
A communion of churches recognizing the rites of one another. The Church of England and the Archbishop of Canterbury hold a place of honor in the Anglican communion, but the Archbishop has no ecclesial authority over, say the Episcopal Church of the USA. There are approximately 70 million Anglicans today. The largest populations by country are: 26 million in England, 17 million in Nigeria, 8 million in Uganda, 5 million in Sudan, 2.5 million in Kenya, 2.4 million in the USA.