Is Methodism excluded from from the category of Protestantism?

Question

In an attempt to define Protestantism one answer suggested the following criteria:

• an acceptance of the old ecumenical creeds
• a focus on the Bible
• a rejection of salvation by works
• a rejection of the supreme authority of the Catholic Church
• a focus on personal response to the gospel

It strikes me that this excludes several important denominations that are considered Protestant in everyday parlance. Perhaps the most important is Methodism. The United Methodist Church defines itself as a "non-creedal" denomination.

Unlike some churches that require affirmation of a strict list of beliefs as a condition of membership, The United Methodist Church is not a creedal church... Church founder, John Wesley himself did not agree with a historic (Athanasian) creed, because he disliked its emphasis on condemning people to hell.

Methodists do use the Nicaean Creed in some of their liturgies, but ministers and members are not required to affirm this or any other of the old ecumenical creeds. Indeed, as the above statement states, Wesley himself did not even agree with the Athanasian Creed let alone affirmations of faith made by the Ecumenical Councils. Those authorities condemned as heretics those who disagreed with their doctrines, yet Wesley stated:

I have no authority from the word of God “to judge those that are without;” (1 Corinthians 5:12) nor do I conceive that any man living has a right to sentence all the heathen and Mahometan world to damnation. It is far better to leave them to Him that made them, and who is ‘the Father of the spirits of all flesh;’ who is the God of the Heathens as well as the Christians, and who hateth nothing that he hath made.

Wesley and his followers have also been criticized by Calvinist writers of preaching "works righteousness," which would mean they fail to conform with another one of the criteria listed above. This criticism, however, is not accepted by Methodists themselves, while its decision not to require adherence to the historical creeds is clear.

That being the case, should Methodism be excluded from the category of Protestantism?

Answer 1

Methodism is firmly in the category of Protestantism by this definition, and by any reasonable definition.

Let's look at the criteria.

an acceptance of the old ecumenical creeds

Methodists accept the old ecumenical creeds, as shown by their use in liturgy. If they were not accepted they would not be used. The fact that they are not required does not change this, nor does Wesley's personal dislike. Many Protestant groups do not formally endorse the ancient creeds, although agreeing with most of the theological statements in them.

a focus on the Bible

Methodists are very Bible focused.

a rejection of salvation by works

Methodists do not accept salvation by works, and accusations by others does not make it so.

a rejection of the supreme authority of the Catholic Church

Methodists reject the supreme authority of the Catholic church

a focus on personal response to the gospel

This is a key part of Methodism.

It's also true that exact definition of Protestantism is not really viable, and the points listed are general indications rather than hard and fast rules. Many clearly Protestant denominations also consider themselves "non-credal" although most would also accept the points made in the ancient creeds, even were they not to accept the creeds themselves.

Methodism derived from Anglicanism, which also considers itself to be Protestant.

Answer 2

A problem with this question is there there is no universally accepted definition of the word 'Protestant'. It has morphed from its origins and, as more and more Protestant denominations have come into being, today's religious public has little idea as to how far removed many of them have become from their non-Catholic forebears.

It's the same with the word 'Christian.' The New Testament is crystal clear as to what constitutes a Christian, but today the waters have become so muddied that anybody claiming to be a Christian is accepted without question as being a Christian. Now, if I said I believed myself to be a cat, does that mean everybody should view, and treat me, as a cat? That's the state semantics has got us into nowadays. Games are being played with words, meanings have been 'adjusted', and so anybody can call themselves anything they like and woe betide a person who might offer objections to a belief they have reason to think is unreasonable.

Now, should we not be asking ourselves why any denomination be anxious to be included in the umbrella term 'Protestants'? If they know themselves to be Christians, they should desire no other defining adjective than 'Christian'.

That aside, I suggest an answer to the question is to go right back to one, unifying belief that both Catholics and Protestants have never deviated from. It is that of the Nicene Creed, with its one particular belief in what has come to be known as the Trinity doctrine. There is no other doctrine like it that sets the bar to be cleared for any group wishing to be viewed as Christian. Then we don't need to get into arguments about whether Methodists, or Latter Day Saints, or Pentecostals, or Christadelphians etc are Protestants, or not. A couple of those would say they are not, but still claim to be Christians.

My suggested answer cuts right to the bone instead of just trimming a few fatty pieces off. In one stroke it identifies one doctrine that there can be no getting away from if a denomination is to be considered 'Christian', for both Protestants and Catholics are agreed on this as non-negotiable. From there on, other beliefs could be examined, but for starters, this has to be the foundation upon which further examination could be made.

More details on this argument of mine can be found in my recent answer to What is the Standard Definition of a Protestant Church?