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Q U A R T E R L Y R E V I E W / W I N T E R 1998 S 7 . 0 0A Journal of Theological Resources for Ministry
Methodism and Education:From Roots to FulfillmentJames LaneyConnectionalism and CollegeRussell E. Richexi"Flie Winter Guest"Mothers and MiraclesSara Anson Vaux
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Editorial Board
T e d A , C a m p b e l lW e s l e y T h e o l o g i c a lS e m i n a r y
J i m m y C a nG e n e r a l B o a r do f H i g h e r E d u c a t i o na n d M i n i s t r yT h e U n i t e d M e t h o d i s t C h u r c h
R e b e c c a C h o p pC a n d l e r S c h o o l o fT h e o l o g yE m o r y U n i v e r s i t y
D u a n e A . E w e r sG e n e r a l B o a r d o f H i g h e rE d u c a t i o n a n d M i n i s t r yT h e U n i t e d M e t h o d i s t C h u r c h
Patr ic ia Farr i sD i s t r i c t S u p e r i n t e n d e n tS a n D i e g o U n i t e dM e t h o d i s t C h u r c h
G r a n t H a g i y aC e n t e n a r y U n i t e dM e t h o d i s t C h u r c hL o s A n g e l e s , C A
J o h n E . H a r n i s hG e n e r a l B o a r d o f H i g h e r E d u c a t i o na n d M i n i s t r yT h e U n i t e d M e t h o d i s t C h u r c h
R o g e r W . I r e s o n , C h a i rG e n e r a l B o a r d o f H i g h e rE d u c a t i o n a n d M i n i s t r yT h e U n i t e d M e t h o d i s t C h u r c h
Jack A . Ke l ler , Jr .T h e U n i t e d M e t h o d i s tP u b l i s h i n g H o u s e
T h o m a s W . O g l e t r e eT h e D i v i n it y S c h o o lY a l e U n i v e r s i t y
H a r r i e t t J a n e O l s o nT h e U n i t e d M e t h o d i s tP u b l i s h i n g H o u s e
R u s s e l l E . R i c h e yD u k e D i v i n i t y S c h o o l
M a r j o r i e H e w i t t S u c h o c k iC l a r e m o n t S c h o o l o f T h e o l o g y
L i n d a T h o m a sI li fF S c h o o l o f T h e o l o g y
T r a c i We s tT h e T h e o l o g i c a l S c h o o lD r e w U n i v e r s i t y
S h a r o n J . H e l s , E d i t o rS y l v i a S t r ee t , P r o d u c t i o n M a n a g e r
T r a c e y E v a n s , P r o d u c t i o n C o o r d i n a t o r
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Quarterly ReviewA Journal of Theological Resou rces for M inistryV o l u m e 1 8 , N u m b e r 4
QRA Publ i ca t ion of The Uni t ed Methodi s t Publ i sh ing Hou seand the Uni ted Methodist Board of Higher Educat ion and Minist ry
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Quarter ly Review (ISSN 0270-9287) provides cont inuing educat ion resources for scholars ,Christian educators, and lay and professional ministers in The U nited Meth odist C hurch and otherchurches. QR intends to be a forum in wh ich theolo gical issues of significance to Christian ministrycan be raised and debated.
Editor ia l Off ices: 1001 19th Avenue, South, Box 871 , Nash vi l le , TN 37 202 . Manuscripts shouldbe in English and typed double-spaced, including notes.
Q R is published four times a year, in March, June, September, and Decem ber, by the U nitedMethodist Board of Higher Educat ion and Minis try and The United Method ist Publ ishing Hou se .Periodicals postage paid at Na shvi lle, Tenn essee.
Subscription rate: $2 4 for one year; $44 for two years; and $6 0 for three years. For all subscriptionorders, single-copy orders, and change-of-address information contact Cokesbury toll-free, (800)6 7 2 - 1 7 8 9 , M- F 7 : 00 a.m.-6:30 p.m. CS T and Saturday 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. CST, Inquiries may alsobe sent in wri t ing to the Cokesbury Subscript ion Services , Box 801 , Nash vi l le , TN 372 02.
Postmaster: Address changes should be sent to The United Methodist Publ ishing House , B ox 801 ,N a s h v i l l e , T N 3 7 2 0 2 .Q R is printed on acid-free paper.Lections are taken from Revised Common Lectionary (Nashvi l le : Abingdon Press , 1992) .Scripture quotations unless other wise n oted are from the New Revised Standard Version Comm on
Bible, copyrighted O 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council ofChurches of Christ in the US, and are used by permission.
Quarterly ReviewWinter 1998
Copyright 1998 by The United Methodist Publishing Houseand The United Methodist Board of Higher Education and Ministry
ii
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V o l . 1 8 , N o . 4 W I N T E R 1 9 9 8 - 9 9
ContentsIntroduction
Sharon J . Heis 319
ArticlesMe thod ism and Educa t ion : F rom Roots to Fu l f il lmen t
James Laney 321Connec t iona l i sm and Col lege
Russel l E . Rich ey 329The Bond of Peace and Places in the Heart:
Ref lec t ions on 'The Dia logue on Theo log ica l Divers i ty"Rob ert Jewett 355
The Winter Guest: Mothers and Mirac lesSara Anson Vaux 367
Il lness , Just ice , and Spir i tual i ty : The Narrat ive ConnectionMa rie J . Giblin 379
Medicine and Minis try a t the CrossroadsRalph L . Und erwoo d 395
QR Lectionary StudyEas te r Ex t rao rd ina ry : Read ing 1 Peter in Eastertide, Year A
Tom Choi 409
iii
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Introduction
On L earning the Liberal ArtsI A /ho w a s t h e f ir st p e r s o n in y o u r f a m i ly t o g o t o c o l l e g e ? M a n yV V h o n o r th e i r fi rs t c o l l e g e - e d u c a t e d a n c e s to r a s t h e o n e w h o e l e v a t e d
th e f a m i ly ' s s o c i a l a n d e c o n o m ic p r o s p e c t s . I n U .S . h i s t o r y , c o l l e g e s a n du n iv e r s i ti e s h a v e e n jo y e d g r e a t p r e s t i g e , a n d t h e i r g r a d u a t e s c a r r i e d t h i sa u r a w i th t h e m . Co l l e g e s a n d u n iv e r s i ti e s w e r e a l s o e x c lu s iv e i n s t i t u t i o n s :i n N o r th A m e r i c a i n t h e e a r ly n in e t e e n th c e n tu r y , t h e s o n s o f p r o s p e r o u sm en w en t to co l leg e as i f by r igh t , and n o one e l se d id . Bu t l i tt l e by l i t t l e ,m o r e s c h o o l s a n d c o l l e g e s w e r e f o u n d e d f o r t h e s o n s a n d e v e n tu a l l y t h ed a u g h te r s o f t h e l e s s w e l l o ff, s w e l l i n g t h e r a n k s o f t h e c o l l e g e - e d u c a t e d .Even today , when a fami ly sends i t s daugh te rs and sons o f f to co l lege i ts i g n a l s c o n t i n u i t y w i th e d u c a t e d f a m i ly m e m b e r s o f t h e p a s t , a n d i t ss t ronges t hopes fo r the fu tu re . I f you a re the f i r s t pe rson to go to co l legein y o u r fa m i ly , t h e n y o u a r e p r o b a b ly a w a r e o f t h e d r e a m s a n de x p e c t a t i o n s t h a t w e n t w i th y o u .
M o s t p e o p l e a n t ic i p a t e t h e b e n ef i ts o f h i g h e r e d u c a t i o n e s p e c i a l l ys i n c e i t c o s t s s o m u c h b u t s e l d o m s t o p t o t h i n k o f what is supposedto happen d u r i n g t h o s e c r i t i c a l f o u r y e a r s . S i n c e w e h a v e f o r g o t t e nw h a t w e l e a r n e d i n c o l l e g e b u t r e m a i n e d u c a t e d p e o p l e , w h a t d i dc o l l e g e d o t o c h a n g e u s ? A b o u t t e n y e a r s a g o , J o n a t h a n Z . S m i t h , aP r o f e s s o r o f R e l i g i o n a t t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f C h i c a g o , w r o t e a n a r t i c l ea b o u t i n t r o d u c t o r y c o l l e g e c l a s s e s (Journal of the American Academyof Religion L V I /4 ) t h a t w a s s o g o o d I p u t it o n m y l i s t o f s m a l lc l a s s i c s . S m i th ' s i d e a i s t h a t in c o l l e g e s t u d e n t s l e a r n h o w to " t u r nn a r r a t i v e s in t o p r o b l e m s . " S u p p o s e s o m e o n e o ff e rs y o u a p l a u s i b l ea c c o u n t o f h o w a c e r t a i n e v e n t c a m e t o b e . N o w y o u h a v e a c h o i c e t o
I N T R O D U C T I O N 3 1 9
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m a k e : e i t h e r y o u a c c e p t t h i s c h a r a c t e r i z a t i o n a s a d e q u a t e o r y o u s t o pa n d c o n s i d e r . I s t h i s t h e b e s t p o s s i b l e e x p l a n a t i o n ? H o w w o u l d y o uk n o w ? T o w h a t c o u l d y o u c o m p a r e t h i s s o - c a l le d p l a u s i b l e a c c o u n t ?C a n y o u s e e t h e p o s s i b i l i t y f o r a n a l t e r n a t i v e e x p l a n a t i o n ? W h e r e o n c ey o u h a d o n l y a s t o r y t h a t r e q u i r e d o f y o u o n l y a g o o d m e m o r y , n o wy o u h a v e a n in t e r e s t i n g s e t o f p r o b l e m s t o e x p l o r e . Y o u a r e d e b a t i n gi n t e r p r e t a t i o n s , a n d y o u a r e o n t h e r o a d t o a l i b e r a l a r t s e d u c a t i o n .
Learn ing the ar t o f c r i t i ca l reasoning i s t he number one agenda i t em inc lass a f te r c l ass , wh atev er the subjec t . Fur therm ore , t he c l ass roo m i t se l f isessent i a l , bec aus e the u l t imate go al i s t o th ink , speak , and wri t ei ndependen t l y am on g on e ' s pee r s , gu i ded by som e one w i t h fa r m o reexper i ence , t he professor . When th i s happens , co l l ege s tudent s a rgueprodu ct ive ly about in t e l lec tua l proble ms that i s , wi tho ut rancor , su lks , o reccent r i c i t i es . They are a l so d i scover ing the i r own s t ake in these problems.Smi th emphas izes tha t i n t e l l ec tua l a rgument s c l a r i fy choices , and choicesenta i l respons ib i l i t i es . L i fe respons ib i l i t i es . So we are back w he re w es tar t ed : a fami ly ' s most cher i shed dreams about improving i t s qual i ty ofl if e . Y oun g peop l e ol de r s t uden t s , t oo w ho g e t a good l ibe ra l a r tsedu cat ion are ab le to c l a r ify the choice s the y mus t mak e to li ve respons ib ly .O n ce t hey expe r i ence t h i s k i nd o f com m uni t y , t hey w i l l have a founda t i onand a methodology for sound reasoning tha t l as t s forever .
N o w w e m i g h t a s k w h a t U n i t e d M e t h o d i s m c o u l d a d d t o s u c h an o b l e v e n t u r e . I ' l l l e t J a m e s L a n e y t a k e o v e r t h e d i s c u s s i o n , b e c a u s eh i s a r t i c l e , b a s e d o n a s p e e c h h e m a d e a t a m e e t i n g o f U n i t e dM e t h o d i s t e d u c a t o r s f r o m a r o u n d t h e w o r l d , a l l b u t d e f i n e s o u rd e n o m i n a t i o n ' s d i s ti n c t iv e u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f h i g h e r e d u c a t i o n . T o t h ep r o c e s s o f h i g h e r e d u c a t i o n U n i t e d M e t h o d i s m a d d s commitments, o rv a l u e s . C h i e f o f t h e s e a r e i n c l u s i v e n e s s a n d s e r v i c e . N o wi n c l u s i v e n e s s m e a n s f i r s t o f a l l r e a c h i n g o u t a n d p r o v i d i n g e d u c a t i o nt o a s m a n y a s p o s s i b l e , o n t h e m o d e l o f J o h n W e s l e y . T h e r i s k i n e s s o ft h i s b e h a v i o r i n e v e r y g e n e r a t i o n m u s t n o t b e u n d e r e s t i m a t e d , a sL a n e y d e s c r i b e s . B u t h e a d d s a d i m e n s i o n o f d e p t h t o t h e p i c t u r e :i n c l u s i v e n e s s a n d s e r v i c e i n e d u c a t i o n , u n d e r s t o o d f u l l y , p l u n g e u si n t o n e w w a t e r s o f r e l a t i o n s h i p b e t w e e n t h e g i v e r s a n d t h e r e c e i v e r s o fh i g h e r e d u c a t i o n . E d u c a t i o n b e c o m e s d i a l o g i c a l a n d m o r e d e e p l yc r e a t i v e t h a n w e m i g h t h a v e p e r c e i v e d , t o u c h i n g b o t h o u r p u b l i c a n dp r i v a t e li v e s . I f y o u w a n t t o k n o w h o w e d u c a t i o n r e a l l y c h a n g e sp e o p l e , r e a d L a n e y ' s a r t i c l e a n d a p p l y i t .
R u s s e l l R i c h e y ' s a r t i c l e a b o u t c h u r c h a n d c o l l e g e f o c u s s e s o n t h ed e v e l o p m e n t o f i n s t i t u t i o n s t h a t p r o v i d e a c o n t e x t f o r t h e e d u c a t i o n o f
3 2 0 Q U A R T E R L Y R E V IE W / WIN T E R 1 9 9 8 -9 9
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i n d i v i d u a l s t u d e n t s . A g a i n , o n e o f t h e m a j o r b e n e f i t s o f W e s l e y ' sa p p r o a c h t o C h r i s t i a n e v a n g e l i s m i s t h e l e g a c y o f o r g a n i z a t i o n -b u i l d i n g , a n d n o w h e r e i s t h i s m o r e i m p o r t a n t t h a n i n e d u c a t i o n .R i c h e y d e s c r i b e s t h e p a t t e r n o f g r o w t h fr o m W e s l e y ' s o r i g i n a l v i s i o no f t h e t e a c h i n g o f fi c e a n d it s d i s s e m i n a t i o n t h r o u g h T h o m a s C o k e a n dF r a n c i s A s b u r y a n d t h e n , t h r o u g h t h e m , t o s e v e r a l g e n e r a t i o n s o fM e t h o d i s t s w h o f o u n d e d a n d s u p p o r t e d c o l l e g e s , w a t c h e d t h e m g r o w ,a n d , i n m a n y c a s e s , s a w t h e m l e a v e t h e f o ld . R i c h e y ' s k e e n h i s t o r i c a lv i s i o n e n a b l e s h i m t o m a k e a s t u t e c o m m e n t s a b o u t t h e c h a l l e n g e s t h a tl i e a h e a d f o r t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p b e t w e e n c h u r c h e s a n d c o l l e g e s . T h i sa r t i c l e is r e q u i r e d r e a d i n g fo r a n y o n e w h o w a n t s t o k n o w h o w U n i t e dM e t h o d i s m d e v e l o p e d i t s s t a k e in e d u c a t i o n a n d w h a t i s s u e s m u s t b eu n d e r s t o o d w h e n a p p r o a c h i n g th e t o p i c o f U n i t e d M e t h o d i s m a n de d u c a t i o n t o d a y .
B u t e d u c a t i o n i s n o t t h e f in al w o r d i n t h i s i s s u e . F r o m t h e r e w e g oto tw o s p l e n d id e s s a y s o n t h e a r t s a n d r e l i g io n . T h e a r t f o r m h e r e i sfilm m os tly a p o p u l a r m e d i u m , b u t c a p a b l e o f u n d e n i a b l e r i c h n e s sa n d s e n s i t iv i t y , a s d e v o t e d f i l m g o e r s ( a n d l o n g t i m e r e a d e r s o f J a m e sW a l l ' s r e v i e w s i n The Christian Century) k n o w w e l l . O n e o f t h ea m a z in g a s p e c t s o f fi lm i s i t s a b i l i t y t o c r e a t e im a g e s t h a t d r a w f o r tha n e m o t i o n a l r e s p o n s e fr o m v i e w e r s . I n w r i t i n g a b o u t Places in theHeart, a t h o r o u g h l y A m e r i c a n v i s i o n o f s o c i a l r e c o n c i l i a t i o n , R o b e r tJ e w e t t c r e a t e s a n u m b e r o f t h e s e i m a g e s himself. A n c h o r i n g t h e L e t t e rt o t h e E p h e s i a n s f i r m l y i n t h e c o n t e x t o f R o m a n p r i s o n s , h e e v o k e s t h ed a r k p i t o f d e s p a i r a n d o p p r e s s i o n t h a t c o r r e s p o n d s b e a u t i f u l l y t o t h ec i n e m a t i c i m a g e s o f Places. Y o u w i l l f i n d t h a t s c r i p tu r e e n l i v e n e db e c a u s e o f h i s i n s i g h t . A n d S a r a A n s o n V a u x s p i n s a w e b o f i m a g e r yand in te res t in The Winter Guest, a n i n d e p e n d e n t f i l m d i r e c t e d b y A l a nR i c k m a n . H e r p o r t r a i t o f a f am i l y , e v e n a f r a g m e n t e d , h u r t i n g o n e ,b r i n g s u s r e n e w e d k n o w l e d g e o f h o u s e h o l d p a i n a n d n e e d a r e a l i t yt o w h i c h w e m a y h a v e g r o w n t o o i n u r e d . H a p p y e n d i n g s a r e s l i p p e r yth in g s , b u t a s k i l l e d w r i t e r s u c h a s V a u x c a n m a k e u s s e e a n d c h e r i s he v e n s m a l l v i c t o r i e s .
N e x t w e h a v e a p a i r o f e x t r e m e ly h e lp f u l a r t i c l e s o n t h e t o p i c o fh e a l t h - c a r e . M a r i e G i b l i n h a s a d d r e s s e d t h e q u e s t i o n o f h e a l t h - c a r ee th i c s a t i ts m o s t f o u n d a t i o n a l l e v e l : t h e s t o r i e s il l p e o p l e a n d t h e i rc a r e g iv e r s t e l l a b o u t i l l n e s s , h o w i t f e e l s t o b e s i c k a n d w h a t it m e a n st o r e c o v e r . S h e b a s e s h e r e x p o s i t i o n o n a n i m p o r t a n t b o o k b y A r t h u rF r a n k , The Wounded Storyteller, b u t g o e s o n t o s h o w th e v i t a lc o n n e c t i o n b e t w e e n p r i v a t e s t o r i e s o f i l l n e s s a n d p u b l i c h e a l t h c a r e
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d e l i v e r y s y s t e m s . R a l p h U n d e r w o o d o f f er s a fin e o r i e n t i n g v i e w o f t h ed u a l s y s t e m s m i n i s t r y a n d m e d i c i n e a n d t h e d i f fe r e n c e s b e t w e e nt h e t w o o n t h e q u e s t i o n s o f h e a l t h a n d w h o l e n e s s , t h e m e a n i n g o fs u f f e r i n g a n d s a c r i f i c e . U n d e r w o o d t e l l s u s w h a t o u r t h e o l o g y m u s t d oi f i t i s t o dea l ad eq ua t e l y w i t h m od e r n m e d i c i ne . T h i s r e f l ec t i ve t a sk i sno t on l y w i t h i n ou r r each , bu t i t shou l d be s t a r t ed r i gh t aw ay .
W e e n d w i t h T o m C h o i ' s h e a r t f e lt a n d q u i e t l y e f f e ct iv e m e d i t a t i o non 1 P e t e r . R ev . C h o i ha s a c l e a r i nne r v i s i o n o f t he go spe l , bu t , a s youw i l l s ee , it i s s t ron g and f l ex i b l e en ou gh t o w r ap a ro un d a nu m be r o fd i f f i cu l t pa s t o ra l i s sues . W e w i sh h i m and h i s w i fe a l l t he bes t i n t he i rn e w m i n i s t r i e s i n H a w a i i ,
I w a n t t o g i v e t h e l a s t w o r d o n M e t h o d i s m a n d h i g h e r e d u c a t i o n t ot h e l a te M e r r i m o n C u n i n g g i m , a t r a i lb l a z e r , t r u t h te l l e r , a n d w a r r i o r o nbeh a l f o f ed uc a t i o n fo r m os t o f h i s l if e . H e re i s h i s a s se s sm en t o f t hef u t u r e o f c h u r c h - r e l a t e d h i g h e r e d u c a t i o n , t a k e n f r o m UneasyPartners: The College and the Church ( A b i n g d o n , 1 9 9 4 ) :
. .. we who consider ourselves supporters of the church -relatedcolleges of the United States will grow in our appreciation of them,and others w ill also grow in their appreciation. Not all of thesecolleges are as good as they ought to be, but on balance they are good.Not all of them are as proud of their church heritage and conne ctionas they ought to be, but in the main, they are glad about it. Not a ll o fthem take with sufficient serious ness the academ ic values implicit intheir lifetruth, freedom , justice, and kinship but on the whole theytry. Look around at what we have, and what the church-relatedcolleges have a chance to become. And be thankful.
S h a r o n H e l s
3 2 2 Q U A R T E R L Y R E V I E W / W I N T E R 1 9 9 8 - 9 9
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James Laney
Methodism and Education: From Rootsto Fulfillment
l y l / e h a v e g a t h e r e d h e r e in t h e l o n g s h a d o w o f J o h n W e s le y , a n dY V f o r g o o d r e a s o n . J o h n W e s l e y ' s le g a c y i s e x t r a o r d i n a r y . T h e
i n s t i t u t i o n s e s t a b l i s h e d b y h i s i m p u l s e t h r o u g h t h e M e t h o d i s t C h u r c ha r e u n m a t c h e d b y a n y o t h e r e c c l e s i a s t i c a l c o m m u n i o n , w i t h t h ep o s s i b l e e x c e p t i o n o f t h e R o m a n C a t h o l i c C h u r c h . It i s a n a s t o n i s h i n gh e r i t a g e , m a d e a l l t h e m o r e s o b e c a u s e J o h n W e s l e y w a s a t h e a r t a ne v a n g e l i s t . B u t h e w a s a l s o a n e d u c a t o r . A f o r m a l p o r t r a i t o f W e s l e yha ng s in t he beau t i fu l d i n i ng ha l l a t C h r i s t C hu rc h , O x fo rd , w he reW e s l e y w a s a s t u d e n t . ( I t t o o k m a n y y e a r s f o r t h e m t o a c k n o w l e d g eh i m , bu t t hey f i na l l y d i d . ) L a t e r , a s a f e l l ow o f L i nco l n C o l l ege ,W e s l e y w a s l e a r n e d , s c h o l a r l y , a n d e r u d i t e .
S o it i s ha rd t o im ag i ne how so m e on e l ike John W es l e y an O xfo rdd o n a n d in m a n y w a y s a v e r y p r i m a n d p r o p e r m a n c o u l d h a v eun l eashed such eno rm ous pow er i n t he w or l d . W e have t o a sk , how d i dt h i s happen? W e know a l l abou t t he w arm ed-hea r t expe r i ence a tA l de r sga t e S t r ee t. B u t a w a rm hea r t by i t se l f w o u l d no t have am o un t e d t om uch i f W es l ey hadn ' t been pe r suaded by W hi t e f i e l d t o go ou t t o t hew es t , a round B r i s t o l , and p reach i n a r a t he r for W es l ey uncou t h andJ a m e s L a n e y i s f o r m e r U . S . A m b a s s a d o r t o S o u t h K o r e a a n d P r e s i d e n t E m e r i t u s o fE m o r y U n i v e r s i t y . T h i s s p e e c h w a s d e l i v e r e d o n Ju l y 2 1 , 1 9 9 8 , a s t h e k e y n o t ea d d r e s s t o t h e I n t e r n at i o n a l A s s o c i a t i o n o f U n i t e d M e t h o d i s t S c h o o l s , C o l l e g e s ,a n d U n i v e r s i t i e s at H a r l a x t o n M a n o r , E n g l a n d .
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v u l g a r w a y . H e h a d a t e r r i b l e d i s i n c l i n a t i o n f o r p r e a c h i n g o f t h i s k i n d ;i t w a s n o t i n h i s c h a r a c t e r . A n d h e h a d a r e lu c t a n c e , a lm o s t ar e v u l s i o n , a t t h e t h o u g h t o f g o i n g o u t s i d e t h e e s t a b l i s h e d c h u r c h a n d ,i n d e e d , t h e e s t a b l i s h m e n t o f t h e E n g l a n d o f t h a t d ay . J o h n W e s l e y w a sa s c io n o f t h e c h u r c h ; h i s f a th e r w a s a r e c to r a t E p w o r th ; h e w a s ap r i v i l e g e d s c h o l a r a t O x f o r d U n i v e r s i t y . J o h n W e s l e y w a s a p r o d u c t o ft h e e s t a b l i s h m e n t o f p r i v i l e g e t o p r i v i l e g e ; a n d h e c o u l d h a v er e m a i n e d w i t h i n t h a t s y s t e m , b e i n g v e r y d e d i c a t e d a n d p i o u s .
H e c o u l d h a v e p r e a c h e d p o l i t e l y i n A n g l i c a n c h u r c h e s a n d a d v i s e dh i s l o c a l f o l l o w e r s t o f o l l o w t h e i r s p i r i t u a l d i s c i p l i n e s b u t i tw o u l d n ' t h a v e a m o u n t e d t o m u c h . I n s t e a d , it w a s h i s b r e a k i n g t h eb o n d s o f c o n s t r a i n t a n d p r o p r i e t y , i n n o v a t i n g , d o i n g s o m e t h i n g n e w ,a l l o w i n g t h e S p i r i t t o m o v e t h r o u g h h i m b e y o n d t h e b o r d e r s o f w h a tw a s a c c e p t a b l e t h i s i s w h a t u n l e a s h e d t h e p o w e r o f t h e E n g l i s hM e t h o d i s t r e v o lu t i o n . H e w e n t t o t h e o r d i n a r y p e o p l e a n d b yordinary I m e a n th e p o o r p e o p l e , m a n y o f t h e m u n w a s h e d a n d h et o l d t h e m o f t h e l o v e o f G o d i n s u c h c o n v i n c i n g w a y s t h a t t h e yb e l i e v e d h i m , a n d t h e y w a n t e d t o h e a r m o r e . B u t r a t h e r t h a n l e a v et h e m s i m p l y t o u c h e d , m a y b e c o n v e r t e d , h e b a n d e d t h e m t o g e t h e r i nl i t tl e s o c i e t i e s ; a n d h e b e g a n t o e d u c a t e t h e m . B e c a u s e h e t o o k t h o s ec o m m o n p e o p l e o u t s i d e t h e e s t a b l i s h m e n t , o u t s i d e t h e c o n c e r n s o f t h eu p p e r c l a s s e s a n d , i n d e e d , t h e c h u r c h , a n d e d u c a t e d t h e m i n t h o s eW e s l e y s o c i e t i e s , h i s e v a n g e l i s m to o k h o ld a n d b o r e f r u it .
The Wesleyan Model o f EducationJ o h n W e s l e y h a s g i v e n u s a m e t a p h o r f o r e d u c a t i o n i n o u r o w n t i m eth a t i s m o r e t h a n s im p ly a h i s t o r i c r e l i c . W e s l e y w a s i n c lu s iv e , a n d h i si n c l u s i o n s c o s t s o m e t h i n g . H e h a d t o b r e a k t h r o u g h t h o s e t h i n g s t h a to t h e r p e o p l e t h o u g h t w e r e r e a l l y n o t w h a t o n e s h o u l d d o . B i s h o pB u t l e r , t h e g r e a t B r i t i s h t h e o l o g i a n o f W e s l e y ' s t i m e , t r i e d t o p e r s u a d eW e s l e y n o t t o d o t h o s e t h in g s ; h e t o ld h im th a t i f h e d id n ' t s t o p h ew o u ld r u in h i s c a r e e r . I t i s a m e s s a g e m a n y o f u s m a y h a v e h e a r do u r s e l v e s : If you do that, you will be washed up. The big boys arewatching you, and they want to see you move up the ladder. B u tW e s l e y b r o k e o u t o f t h a t c a r e e r - l a d d e r l o c k s t e p t o d o w h a t h e d i d ; a n dit i n c l u d e d t h e g r e a t m a s s e s o f t h e p e o p l e i n E n g l a n d , W a l e s , a n dI r e l a n d , a n d l a te r i n A m e r i c a a n d a r o u n d t h e w o r l d . I n c l u s i o n t h ee d u c a t i o n o f t h o s e s o c i e t i e s s o t h a t p e o p l e w h o c o u l d n ' t r e a d w e r e
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n o w a b l e t o r e a d t h e S c r i p t u r e s , n e w s p a p e r s , a n d l e g a l p a p e r s a n db e c o m e c o n v e r s a n t w i t h t h e w o r l d . P e o p l e w h o h a d i r r e s o l u t e , e v e nd i s s o l u t e , l iv e s w e r e a d m o n i s h e d n o t u n l i k e t h e T w e l v e S t e p s o fA A t o f i n d p u r p o s e , d i r e c t i o n , a n d d i s c i p l i n e f o r t h e i r l iv e s . T h e yb e c a m e n e w p e o p l e , p e o p l e w i t h p o w e r . W e s l e y ' s e d u c a t i o n a l v i s i o no p e n e d t h e d o o r t o t h e s e p e o p l e ; it c h a n g e d t h e i r h e a r t s , g a v e t h e m am o t i v e f o r i m p r o v e m e n t , e d u c a t e d t h e m , a n d t u r n e d t h e m u p o n t h ew o r l d . N o w , t h a t ' s a r e v o l u t i o n ! P e o p l e w h o w o u l d h a v e b e e n l ef tu n t o u c h e d , u n n o t i c e d , a n d i g n o r e d b e c a m e t h e b a s i s n o t j u s t f o r th eM e t h o d i s t c h u r c h b u t fo r a t r u e r e v o l u t i o n o f t h e b r o a d e s t , d e e p e s tk i n d a s o c i a l r e v o l u t i o n b o r n o f t h e S p i r it b u t c e m e n t e d t h r o u g he d u c a t i o n . W e s l e y r e a c h e d o u t t o i n c l u d e , a n d h i s e d u c a t i o ne m p o w e r e d .
B u t it w a s n ' t t h a t t h e y b e c o m e e m p o w e r e d j u s t s o t h a t t h e y c o u l dt he n l ive l i ve s t ha t w o u l d be fo r t he m se l ve s ; it w as an ed uc a t i o n fo rs e r v i c e . W e s l e y ' s v i s i o n w e n t f u l l c i r c l e . I n c l u d i n g t h e p o o r m e a n t t ob r i n g t h e m i n , e d u c a t e t h e m , e m p o w e r t h e m , a n d t h e n t u r n t h e m u p o nt h e w o r l d s o t h e y c o u l d b e c o m e p r o d u c t i v e c i ti z e n s , p e o p l e w h o h a d as e n s e o f p u r p o s e , a d i r e c t i o n , a f o c u s , p e o p l e w h o m a d ec o n t r i b u t i o n s w h o , i n s h o r t , t o o k u p o n t h e m s e l v e s t h e d i g n i t y a n dh o n o r o f b e i n g c h i l d r e n o f G o d . Y o u c a n ' t d o m u c h b e t t e r t h a n t h a t .
M ethodism and Educat ion W orldwideW h e n w e l o o k a t w h a t M e t h o d i s t s a c c o m p l i s h e d a r o u n d t h e w o r l d , w ea r e a s t o n i s h e d . I n t h e n i n e t e e n t h c e n t u r y , t h e M e t h o d i s t C h u r c h i nN o r t h A m e r i c a n o t o n l y e v a n g e l i z e d t h e f r o n t i e r a l l t h e w a y a c r o s s t h eP a c i f i c b u t e s t a b l i s h e d h u n d r e d s o f s c h o o l s a n d c o l l e g e s w i t h v e r yl i tt l e r e s ou rce s and foun ded ho sp i t a l s fo r t he s ick an d ho m es fo ra b a n d o n e d c h i l d r e n , o r p h a n s , a n d t h e e l d e r l y . T h e r e c o r d i su n b e l i e v a b l e : t h e y s i m p l y t r a n s f o r m e d t h e s o c i a l f a b r i c o f t h e U n i t e dS t a t e s . A n d in a d d i t i o n , t h e y f o u n d h u n d r e d s , if n o t t h o u s a n d s , w h ow a n t e d t o g o a b r o a d a n d s h a r e t h e s a m e j o y , t h e s a m e p o s s i b i l i t i e s , t h es a m e i n c l u s i o n , t h e s a m e e m p o w e r m e n t , t h e s a m e i d e a l o f s e r v i c e .
L e t m e g i v e y o u a n e x a m p l e o f w h a t I m e a n . M y g r a n d f a t h e r w a sbo rn on a l it tl e f a rm i n A rk an sa s , j u s t a f ew y ea r s a f t e r t he C i v i l W ar .H e w a s b o r n in t o a P r e s b y t e r i a n h o m e , b u t it w a s t h e M e t h o d i s t s w h og a v e h i m t h e o p p o r t u n i t y f o r a n e d u c a t i o n . T h e M e t h o d i s t s h a df o u n d e d a c o l l e g e in C o n w a y , A r k a n s a s , c a l l e d H e n d r i x . M y
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g r a n d f a th e r w e n t t o H e n d r ix , t h e f i r s t i n h i s f a m i ly e v e r t o g o t oc o l l e g e . F r o m H e n d r i x h e w o n a s c h o l a r s h i p t o a n o t h e r M e t h o d i s ts c h o o l , V a n d e r b i l t ; a n d h e w e n t t h e r e w i t h h i s y o u n g b r i d e t o s t u d y f o ra m a s t e r ' s d e g r e e . T h i s w a s th e M e t h o d i s t m e c h a n i s m e v e r y w h e r e :i n c l u d e p e o p l e w h o h a d n o o p p o r t u n i t y f o r a n e d u c a t i o n , e m p o w e rth e m , a n d g iv e t h e m a n o p p o r tu n i t y . A f t e r m y g r a n d f a th e r fi nis he ds c h o o l , h e l e f t N a s h v i l l e , T e n n e s s e e , w i t h h i s w i f e a n d w e n t b a c k t on o r t h w e s t A r k a n s a s t o r u n a s c h o o l f o r g i r l s . M y g r a n d m o t h e r c o o k e da n d d i d t h e w a s h i n g a n d c l e a n i n g a n d t a u g h t e l o c u t i o n ; h e d i d a l l t h er e s t o f t h e t e a c h i n g a n d a d m i n i s t e r i n g . It w a s a t w o - p e r s o n s h o w . M yg r a n d p a r e n t s w e r e e m p o w e r e d b y e d u c a t i o n a l o p p o r t u n i t y b u t i n t h ee n d , w h o m d i d t h e y t e a c h ? G i r l s , w h o a t t h a t t i m e i n t h a t p a r t o f t h ec o u n t r y h a d n o o t h e r c h a n c e t o r e c e i v e a n e d u c a t i o n .
T h e M e t h o d i s t e d u c a t i o n m o v e m e n t is o n e o f e n o r m o u s c r e a t i v it y . It h in k o f t h e f ir st K o r e a n t o c o m e to t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s f o r a c o l l e g ed e g r e e , Y u n C h i H o , w h o l a t e r b e c a m e o n e o f t h e g r e a t p a t r i o t s a n dl e a d e r s o f K o r e a . H e c a m e t o t h e U . S . in 1 8 8 9 t h e i n c l u s i o n b e i n gu r g e d t o c o m e b y a y o u n g M e t h o d i s t m i s s i o n a r y . F i r s t h e w e n t t oV a n d e r b i l t, a n d t h e n h e c a m e t o E m o r y C o l l e g e . M r . Y u n s p o k eb e a u t i fu l E n g l i s h a n d k e p t a d i a r y t h a t h a s n o w b e e n p u b l i s h e d . H i se x t r a o r d i n a r y r e f l e c t i o n s l e t u s s e e a n o t h e r s i d e o f t h e U . S . S o u t h i nt h e la t e n i n e t e e n t h c e n t u r y p a r t i c u l a r l y i t s p r o v i n c i a l i s m , i t sn a r r o w n e s s o f m i n d . M r . Y u n w a s i n v i t e d o n e e v e n i n g t o d i n n e r a t t h eh o u s e o f t h e p r e s i d e n t o f E m o r y , D r . W a r r e n C a n d l e r . A f t e r d i n n e r D r .C a n d l e r t o o k h i m a s i d e a n d s a i d , " Y o u k n o w , M r . Y u n , E m o r y i s as m a l l c o l l e g e , b u t w e a r e r o u g h l y e q u i v a l e n t t o H a r v a r d o r Y a l e . " M r .Y u n o b s e r v e d d r y l y , "I t h i n k P r e s i d e n t C a n d l e r m a y h a v e b e e n c a r r i e da w a y b y h i s e n t h u s i a s m . " T h i s s t o r y a p p e a r s i n Y u n C h i H o ' s d i a r y .Y u n C h i H o w e n t b a c k t o h e l p f o u n d s o m e b o y s ' s c h o o l s i n K o r e a s ot h a t t h o s e b o y s c o u l d b e i n c l u d e d a n d e m p o w e r e d a n d c o u l d i n t u r ns e r v e .
S t u d e n t s i n t h e s t u d e n t v o l u n t e e r m o v e m e n t a t t h e t u r n o f t h ec e n t u ry , h a v i n g t h e m s e l v e s b e e n e m p o w e r e d , w a n t e d t o s h a r e th a to p p o r t u n i t y w i t h t h e w o r l d . I t h i n k i t w a s c e n t e r e d u p i n P r i n c e t o n a tt h a t t i m e h u n d r e d s o f y o u n g p e o p l e w e n t o u t a l l o v e r t h e w o r l d . A tt h e t i m e , i t w a s l i k e a C h r i s t i a n v e r s i o n o f t h e P e a c e C o r p s . O n e o f t h es t u d e n t s w a s a m a n n a m e d H e n r y W i n t e r s L u c e , w h o w e n t t o C h i n aa n d h e l p e d f o u n d Y e n c h i n g C h r i s t i a n C o l l e g e i n P e k i n g , n o w B e i j i n g ,t h e d i r e c t p r e d e c e s s o r c o l l e g e o f P e k i n g U n i v e r s i t y , t h e g r e a t e s tu n i v e r s i t y in C h i n a . F o r y e a r s d u r i n g t h e c o m m u n i s t r e g i m e t h e r e w a s
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n o m e n t i o n ( i n d e e d t h e h i s t o r y w a s d e l i b e r a t e l y s u p p r e s s e d ) o f t h eC h r i s t i an o r i g i n o f t ha t co l l e ge . B u t i n t he pas t t en yea r s , t hey h avep roud l y c l a i m ed t h i s founda t i on . N ow , on t he hund red t h ann i ve r sa ry o ft he found i ng o f B e i j i ng U n i ve r s i t y , t he C h i nese have b rough t back peop l ew ho a re r e l a t ed t o t he found i ng and ce l eb ra t ed w i t h t hem t he eno rm ouscon t r i bu t i on t ha t Y e nch i ng C hr i s t i an C o l l ege , l a te r B e i j i ng U n i ve r s i t y , ha sm ad e t o t ha t g rea t na t i on .
The Chal lenge for Today's EducatorsW h a t ' s t h e s e c re t o f t h i s ? I t 's n o t j u s t e d u c a t i o n s e a s o n e d w i t he v a n g e l i s m ; i n s t e a d , i t ' s t h e k i n d o f e d u c a t i o n t h a t d o e s m o r e t h a ng i v e m a s te r y . I sa i d it g i v e s e m p o w e r m e n t , b u t n o t j u s t e m p o w e r m e n tf o r t h e r i c h e s t , f u l le s t l i fe , n o t j u s t e m p o w e r m e n t t h a t w e m i g h t h a v et h e t o o l s a n d t h e t e c h n i q u e s a n d t h e t e c h n o l o g y t h a t e n a b l e u s t o t a k ec h a r g e a n d b e c o m e m a s t e r s o f o u r u n i v e r s e . C h r i s t i a n e d u c a t i o n d o e sno t ex i s t so t ha t peop l e can becom e p r i v i l eged i n o rde r t o l i ve t he r e s to f th e i r l iv e s i n p r i v i l e g e . N o n e o f o u r s c h o o l s w e r e f o u n d e d s o t h a tp e o p l e c o u l d b e c o m e f a t c a t s .
O u r s c h o o l s a l l o f t h e m w e r e f o u n d e d s o t h a t p e o p l e e d u c a t e da n d e m p o w e r e d w i t h i n th e m m i g h t b e o f s o m e v a l u e t o t h e w o r l d . A n dt ha t i s a ba s i c p re m i se w e m us t nev e r fo rge t . I t i s no t so m e t h i n g t ha t i ss i m p l y i n t h e p a s t i t i s t h e l i v in g p o w e r o f o u r s c h o o l s t o d a y . T h e r ea r e e n o r m o u s o p p o r t u n i t i e s t o d a y f o r n e w d i s c o v e r i e s o f s c i e n c e ,a d v a n c e s i n m e d i c i n e , b e t t e r u n d e r s t a n d i n g s o f o r g a n i z a t i o n s a n db u s i n e s s , a n d p u r s u i t o f t h e t h e o r y o f t h e la w . A l l t h e s e t h i n g sc o l l a t e r a l l y ca n b r i n g e n o r m o u s b e n e f i t t o h u m a n k i n d ; a n d , i fp r a c t i c e d i n t h e r i g h t w a y , t h e y c a n a l s o b r i n g g r e a t r e w a r d s t o t h ep r a c t i t i o n e r s . T o t a k e e d u c a t i o n a l o n e a n d t o u s e i t o n l y i n t h a t w a y ,s i m p l y i m p a r t i n g t h e s k i ll s t h a t e n a b l e s o m e o n e e l s e t o b e c o m e o n e o ft he b r i gh t e s t and t he bes t i n one o f t he f i rm s o r t he hosp i t a l s o r i n t heu n i v e r s i t i e s t h a t i s n o t t h e p u r p o s e o f M e t h o d i s t e d u c a t i o n .
W h a t w e m u s t s e e i s w h a t J o h n W e s l e y s a w . W e m u s t n o t b es e d u c e d b y t h e b l a n d i s h m e n t s o f p r e s t i g e a l o n e . O u r e d u c a t i o n a lv i s i o n , o u r e d u c a t i o n a l p h i l o s o p h y , o u r u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f t h i s h o l i s t i ca p p r o a c h w h i c h w o u l d i n c l u d e , e m p o w e r , a n d s e n d f o r t h t o d o m o r et h a n j u s t m a k e m o n e y f o r t h e m s e l v e s t h e s e a r e t h e m s e l v e s p a r t o ft h e r e d e m p t i v e a c t i v i t y o f G o d in t h e w o r l d . W e h a v e n o t h i n g t o b ea s h a m e d o f . W e d o n ' t h a v e t o p r a t t l e l i k e e v a n g e l i s t s . W e d o n ' t h a v e t o
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b e a s h a m e d o f t h e f a c t t h a t w e a r e r e l a t e d t o t h e c h u r c h . W e d o n ' t h a v et o so f t -peda l i t a s i f i t w ou l d so m eh ow b e o f f ens i ve .
I n m y c o n v e r s a t i o n s w i t h p e o p l e a r o u n d t h e c o u n t r y a n d i n m y c i t y ,A t l a n t a , a n d i n d e e d a r o u n d t h e w o r l d , w h a t I h e a r m o s t is t h a t w h a tl e a d e r s a r e l o o k i n g f o r m o r a l g u i d a n c e . T h e y d o n ' t w a n t a b u n c h o fn e w b r i g h t k i d s ; t h e y w a n t p e o p l e w h o c a r e . T h e y w a n t p e o p l e w h oh a v e " k n o w h o w , " t o b e s u r e ; t h e y w a n t t h o s e w h o h a v e b e e ne m p o w e r e d , bu t w h o i n t h a t e m p o w e r m e n t a r e li n k e d t o s o m e t h i n gg r e a t e r t h a n j u s t s e l f - a g g r a n d i z e m e n t , w h o a r e m o t i v a t e d b ys o m e t h i n g o t h e r t h a n s e l f - i n t e r e s t.
H ow do w e do t ha t ? W el l , I t h i nk w e f i r s t o f a l l r ea l i ze t ha t t he ve rya c t o f i n c l u s i o n i t s e l f c h a n g e s t h e w a y w e e d u c a t e . I w a s a l o n g t i m ec o m i n g t o t h a t u n d e r s t a n d i n g . W h e n w e f irst b e g a n r e a l l y t o m a k e al o t o f s c h o l a r s h i p s a v a i l a b l e t o i n n e r - c i t y k i d s a n d o t h e r s w h o w e f e ltw e r e w o r t h y b u t d i d n ' t h a v e t h e m e a n s , I t h o u g h t t h a t j u s t b r i n g i n gt h e m t o t h e c a m p u s w o u l d d o th e j o b . T h e y c o u l d b e c o m e E m o r yg r a d u a t e s ! I t h o u g h t t h a t g o i n g fr o m 3 p e r c e n t t o 1 0 p e r c e n t m i n o r i t i e sen ro l l m en t w as a b i g change and t ha t I shou l d ge t a l o t o f c r ed i t . Iknew I w as ge t t i ng a l o t o f grief, bu t on l y i n r e t ro spec t d i d I r ea l i zet ha t i t w as l eg i t i m a t e grief. I t w a s n ' t e n o u g h t o b r i n g i n m i n o r i t ys t u d e n t s a n d s a y , " O k a y , t h e r e y o u a r e ; y o u ' r e in t h e p r o m i s e d l a n d . "T h ey w a n t e d a sha re i n i t; t he y w an t ed t o f ee l a s i f t he y w er e n o ts i m p l y r e c i p i e n t s b u t p a r t i c i p a n t s , t h a t t h e y h a d s o m e t h i n g t o g i v e .A n d , o f c o u r s e , t h e y d i d .
I t w as a p re t t y d i f f icu l t ad j u s t m en t t o m ak e , e spec i a l l y fo r am i d d l e - a g e d , w h i t e m a l e w h o t h o u g h t h e h a d a g o o d h e a r t . I h a d t oa c k n o w l e d g e t h a t I h a d s o m e g r o w i n g to d o , t h a t o u r c a m p u s h a ds o m e g r o w i n g t o d o , a n d t h a t o u r f a c u l t y a n d o u r t r u s t e e s h a d s o m eg r o w i n g t o d o . I n c l u s i o n m e a n s c h a n g e , n o t o n l y w i t h r e g a r d t om i n o r i t i e s b u t i n t h e w a y w e u n d e r s t a n d t h e r o l e o f w o m e n . W h e n a l lo f t he peop l e w h o hav e no t had a s ea t a t t he t ab l e a r e fu ll y i nc l u ded ,t h e r e w i l l a c o r r e s p o n d i n g s h if t i n t h e s y s t e m s a p p r o a c h . I t ' s n o t e a s y ,b u t it c a n h a p p e n .
I r e m e m b e r o n e d a y w h e n I c a m e h o m e fr o m w o r k f e e l i n g t i re d a n dso r ry fo r myself, h a v i n g s p e n t t h e d a y b e i n g b e a t e n u p b y v a r i o u sp e o p l e , in c l u d i n g s p e c i a l - i n t e r e s t g r o u p s . I w a l k e d i n t o a q u i e t h o u s ea r o u n d s i x o ' c l o c k a n d s a w t h e r e w a s n o s u p p e r w a i t i n g . I w e n t b a c ki n t o t h e k i t c h e n , a n d n o o n e w a s t h e r e . D u r i n g t h i s t i m e m y w i f e w a sw o r k i n g a s a h o s p i t a l c h a p l a i n . I w a i t e d a n d w a i t e d ; a n d t h e l o n g e r Iw a i t ed ; t he m ore i m pa t i en t I go t and t he m ore I f e l t so r ry fo r myself. I
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eve n bega n t o ge t a l i tt l e ang ry , be ca us e he re I w as ca r ry i ng t he l oado f t h i s u n i v e r s i t y a n d n o o n e w a s s u p p o r t i n g m e . A b o u t a n h o u r l a t e rm y w i f e c a m e h o m e , h ap p y . " W h e r e ' v e y o u b e e n ? " I a s k e d . " Y o uk n o w I w o r k a t t h e h o s p i t a l . " " O h , y e a h . W h a t ' s f o r s u p p e r ? " I s a i d . " Id o n ' t k n o w , " s h e s a id . " W h a t w o u l d y o u l i k e ? " S o I s a i d , ' Y o u k n o w ,I l o o k e d i n t h e c u p b o a r d , a n d w e d o n ' t e v e n h a v e a n y s a l t i n ec r a c k e r s . " ( I t h o u g h t t h a t w a s t h e c o u p d e g r a c e . ) A n d m y w i f er e p l i e d , v e r y s w e e t ly , " W h y d o n ' t y o u g o t o t h e s t o r e a n d b u y s o m e ? "I t w a s a m o m e n t o f i l l u m i n a t i o n .
Inc l u s i on i s a v i t a l pa r t o f t he educa t i on t ha t con t i nues a l l ou r l i ve s .T h e b a s t i o n o f p r i v i l e g e w h i c h w e t h i n k o f a s t h e m o d e r n u n i v e r s i t y i sno t f i xed . I t ha s a l o t o f expe r t i s e bu t ve ry l i t t l e unde r s t and i ng o f t heh e a r t . W h e n w e g o o u t a s W e s l e y d i d a n d i n c l u d e o t h e r s , s o m e t h i n gc h a n g e s n o t o n l y i n t h e m b u t i n u s . A n d t h e e m p o w e r m e n t i s n o t o n l yw i t h t hem bu t a l so w i t h u s , i n t he new w ay t ha t w e can l i ve a m oreo p e n a n d s y m p a t h e t i c a n d u n d e r s t a n d i n g l i f e . B u t e d u c a t i o n i n t h i sm o d e o n t h e c a m p u s i m p l i e s t h a t w e w i l l c o n s c i o u s l y a n d d e l i b e r a t e l yr e a c h o u t b e y o n d o u r s m a l l c a m p u s e n v i r o n m e n t t o t h e l a r g e r w o r l do u t s i d e . T h i s i s o b v i o u s l y i m p o r t a n t fo r s t u d e n t s , s o t h a t t h e y m i g h thave t he oppo r t un i t y t o s e rve and t o l ea rn t ha t t hey a re ab l e t o m ake ac o n t r i b u t i o n a n d n o t b e j u s t p a s s i v e r e c i p i e n t s o f a c o l l e g e e d u c a t i o n .B u t , m ore c r i t i c a l l y , i t m us t i nvo l ve t he f acu l t y . W e m ake a m i s t akew h e n w e t h i n k o u r v o l u n t e e r p r o g r a m s a r e l i m i t e d t o s t u d e n t s o n l y .
T h e u n i v e r s i t y is a m i c r o c o s m o f t h e w o r l d ; i t h a s a n e n o r m o u so b l i g a t i o n t o t h e c o m m u n u i t y in w h i c h i t i s l o c a t e d . A n d t h i sob l i g a t i on i s fu l f il led on l y pa r t l y by s t ud en t s t o do i ng a f t e r - s choo lt u t o r i ng . N o w t ha t , t o be su re , is ve r y i m p or t a n t . B u t t he ob l i ga t i o n i sfu l fi ll ed on l y w h en t he p re s i den t and t he o t h e r o f fi ce r s o f t heun i ve r s i t y and t he f acu l t y beg i n t o do som e o f t he t h i ngs t hey a re ab l et o d o u n i q u e l y i n t h e l a r g e r c o m m u n i t y . T h e u n i v e r s i t y m u s t s e e k i t sr ene w a l i n t he soc i a l m i l i eu , i n a soc i a l con t ex t , so t ha t t ruerec i p roc i t y can beg i n . T he i nc l u s i on in t ha t r ec i p ro c i t y and t ho sec h a n g e s , a n d t h e s e r v i c e i n t h a t r e c i p r o c i t y a n d t h o s e c h a n g e s c r e a t e ac o n s t a n t , l i v i n g d y n a m i c . I t s a y s o n b e h a l f o f t h e e d u c a t i o n a li n s t i t u t i o n t h a t w e s e e o u r s e l v e s a s m o r e t h a n a b u n c h o f e x p e r t s w h ok n o w h o w t o d o c o m p l i c a t e d t h i n g s ; it s a y s , ra t h e r , t h a t w e k n o w h o wc o m p l e x t h i n g s c a n b e a p p l i e d f o r t h e w e l l - b e i n g o f t h e w o r l d i nw h i c h w e l i v e .
W h e n u n i v e r s i t i e s , c o l l e g e s , a n d s c h o o l s b e g i n t o b e h a v e i n t h i sw ay , w e do m or e t ha n t ake in s t ud en t s , ed uca t e t he m w i t h a f ixed
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c u r r i c u l u m , a n d t h e n s e n d t h e m o u t . T h a t ' s t h e o l d , p r i v i l e g e du n d e r s t a n d i n g o f s i m p l e e m p o w e r m e n t , a n d i t h a s it s p l a c e . B u t i t ' sno t nea r l y eno ug h i n t h i s day . I t i s t ha t t o t a l r ang e o f i nc l u s i on , o fac t i ve i nc l u s i on , and a l l t he changes t ha t w i l l en sue and t he t o t a l r angeo f s e r v i c e a n d a l l t h e c h a n g e s t h a t e n s u e t h a t a l l o w u s t o s e e t h eu n i v e r s i t y a n d t h e c o l l e g e a s a l i v i n g o r g a n i s m w i t h i n t h e c o m m u n i t y .T h e e d u c a t i o n a l i n s t i t u ti o n , t h e r e f o r e , i s n o t s o m e t h i n g t h a t m e r e l yt akes bu t a l so g i ves ; i t i s t he cen t e r o f hope , because t he k i nd o fe d u c a t i o n t h a t i t i m p a r t s s e n d s o u t p e o p l e w h o a r e b o t h v e r y g o o d a tw h a t t h e y d o a n d a l s o v e r y c a r i n g .
T h a t i s t he m i s s i o n , t he t a sk , t he ca l l i ng , t he v i s i o n o f t he C h r i s t i anschoo l fo r t he t w en t y - f i r s t c en t u ry . A nd i t i s s i m p l y an adap t a t i on o fw h a t J o h n W e s l e y d i d : g o i n g o u t s i d e t h e b o u n d s o f p r o p r i e t y a n db r i n g i n g t h e m i n , s c h o o l i n g t h e m , e m p o w e r i n g t h e m , s e n d i n g t h e mfo r t h i n l i ve s o f s e rv i ce and do i ng t ha t i n such a con t i nu i ng , sp i r a l i ngf a s h i o n t h a t o u r i n s t i t u t i o n s h a v e a r e d e m p t i v e c a s t a n d t o n e . A n d t h a ti s r e a l l y w h a t o u r C h r i s t i a n s s c h o o l s a r e c a l l e d to b e . T h e o t h e r s c a nd o o t h e r t h i n g s . B u t t h a t ' s w h a t w e a r e a b o u t .
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Russell E. Richey
Connectionalism and CollegeJ^bcgm w i t h f o u r p r o p o s i t i o n s :1. A m e r i c a n M e t h o d i s m h a s b e e n , a n d U n i t e d M e t h o d i s m c o n t i n u e s t ob e , a c o n n e c t i o n a l c h u r c h . 12 . A t t h e h e a r t o f t h e c o n n e c t i o n , o f t h a t c o n n e c t i o n a l i s m , l i e se d u c a t i o n .3 . B o t h t h e e x p r e s s i o n o f c o n n e c t i o n a l i s m a n d t h e w a y e d u c a t i o n h a sre l a t ed t o t he co nn ec t i on hav e d i f f e r ed ove r t i m e .4 . W e a p p e a r t o b e i n t h e p r o c e s s o f r e t h i n k i n g t h e c o n n e c t i o n a n dr e d e f i n i n g e d u c a t i o n ' s r e l a t i o n t o i t .
Im p l i c i t i n t he s e p ropo s i t i on s a r e s eve ra l con t en t i on s . T h e f ir st i st h a t h i g h e r e d u c a t i o n in M e t h o d i s m h a s a l w a y s b e e n c o n n e c t i o n a lr a t he r t han sca t t e r ed , d i f fu se , and ad hoc . T h i s po i n t runs coun t e r t oc o m m o n a s s u m p t i o n , a s i l lu s t r a t e d in a n o t h e r w i s e e x c e l l e n t s t u d y o ft h e U n i v e r s i t y S e n a t e b y B e t h A d a m s B o w s e r . S h e w r i t e s :
The Senate's work was designed originally to bring a sense of"conn ectionalism" to the institutions of learning that consideredthemselves, or wanted to be considered , under the auspices of theMethodist Episcopal Church This had been missing in the planningand administration of these institutions since 1820, when Ann ual
R u s s e l l R i c h e y i s P r o f e s s o r o f C h u r c h H i s t o r y at D u k e D i v i n i t y S c h o o l a n d a u t h o ro f The Methodist Conference in America, c o - a u t h o r o f The Methodists a n d c o - e d i t o r o f Connectionalism: Ecclesiology, Mission, and Identity ( A b i n g d o n , 1998).
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Confer ences received the authority to act autonom ously inestablishing schools. The resulting ch aos was unacc eptable to theMetho dist Episcopa l Chur ch, especially if it was to have a system of"quality "scho ols that could com pete with the best schools in any
given region.2
A s e c o n d p o i n t f o l l o w s . C o n t r a r y t o p o p u l a r i m p r e s s i o n ,c o n n e c t i o n a l i s m h a s n o t a l w a y s b e e n n a t i o n a l , a n d c e r t a i n l y n o tb u r e a u c r a t i c , i n c h a r a c t e r . L o n g b e f o r e t h e c r e a t i o n o f n a t i o n a l b o a r d s ,( U n i t e d ) M e t h o d i s m a n d i ts c o l l e g e s e n j o y e d a li v e ly , s u b s t a n t i v e , a n dm u t u a l l y e n r i c h i n g c o n n e c t i o n . T h i s c o n n e c t i o n c a n s u r v i v e a n d ,p e r h a p s , e v e n b e e n h a n c e d b y r a d i c a l c h a n g e s in t h e e x i s t i n g n a t i o n a l ,c o r p o r a t e , b u r e a u c r a t i c s t r u c t u r e s a n d s y s t e m s o f a c c o u n t a b i l i t y .
A t h i r d c o n t e n t i o n w i l l b e c o m e e v i d e n t a s I p r o c e e d , n a m e l y , t h a ta n o v e r v i e w o f t h e c o n n e c t i o n b e t w e e n e d u c a t i o n a n d t h e c h u r c h w i l lr evea l a t l e a s t fou r c l ea r s t ages : t he ep i scopa l , o r pe r sona l ; t hec o n f e r e n c e , c o l l e g i a t e o r r e g i o n a l ; t h e n a t i o n a l , a g e n c y o rb u r e a u c r a t i c ; a n d t h e p r o f e s s i o n a l , o r s e g m e n t e d . W h a t w i l l t h e fiftha n d e m e r g i n g s t a g e b e l ik e a n d b e c a l l e d ? E a c h s t a g e t u r n s a d i f f er e n tf a c e t o f t h e c h u r c h t o w a r d s t h e c o l l e g e , e n g a g i n g c o l l e g e s i n s l i g h t l yd i f f e re n t w a y s , c o n n e c t i n g c o l l e g e s t o t h e c h u r c h t h r o u g h d i f fe r e n ta d h e s i v e p r i n c i p l e s . H o w o u g h t a f ifth a n d e m e r g i n g s t a g e t o l o o k ?W h e r e w i l l i t e n g a g e t h e c o l l e g e ? H o w w i l l c o l l e g e a n d c h u r c h b ej o i n e d ? T h e s e q u e s t i o n s I l e a v e f o r c o l l e g e a n d c h u r c h t o d e f i n e .
The Inherited PatternM e t h o d i s m ' s c o n n e c t i o n a l i s m a n d t h e c e n t r a l i t y o f e d u c a t i o n t o t h ec o n n e c t i o n d e r i v e f r o m J o h n W e s l e y . W h e n w e t h i n k o f W e s l e y , b o t hh i s o w n c l a s s i c a l e d u c a t i o n a n d f o r m a t i o n a t O x f o r d a n d h i s e n d e a v o rt o s u p p l y e d u c a t i o n t o h i s p e o p l e a t K i n g s w o o d c o m e i m m e d i a t e l y t om i n d . B u t t h e e n t i r e W e s l e y a n s y s t e m e v i d e n c e d h i s t e a c h i n g o r t h ee d u c a t i o n a l r o l e . H i s i n v e s t m e n t i n e d u c a t i o n w a s p e r v a s i v e ,e x t e n s i v e , a n d p e r s o n a l .
W e s l e y w a s t h e t e a c h e r f or M e t h o d i s m . T h e r e w a s a t e a c h i n gp u r p o s e t o a l m o s t e v e r y t h i n g h e d i d , a n d h e w a s w i l l i n g t o t e a c ha n y o n e h e m e t w h o p r o v e d i n a n y w a y o p e n a n d r e s p o n s i v e . C e r t a i n l yh e t a u g h t h i s p r e a c h e r s , i n c o n f e r e n c e a n d o u t ; a n d h e h e l d t h e ma c c o u n t a b l e to e d u c a t e t h e m s e l v e s u s i n g t h e r e s o u r c e s w h i c h h e
3 3 2 Q U A R T E R L Y R E V I E W / W I N T E R 1 9 9 8 - 9 9
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p r o v i d e d . H e g a v e s i m i l a r i n c e n t i v e s t o th e p e o p l e , d i r e c t l y a n dt h r o u g h c o r r e s p o n d e n c e . H e c r e a t e d s y s t e m s w h i c h c l e a r l y s e r v e de d u c a t i o n a l p u r p o s e s . H i s c o r r e s p o n d e n c e , t r a c ts , r e p u b l i c a t i o n s ,s e r m o n s , c o n t r o v e r s i a l a n d a p o l o g e t i c a l p i e c e s , m a g a z i n e , s c h o o l s ,c l a s s e s a n d s o c i e t ie s , r u l e s , r e p u b l i s h e d l i b r a r ie s , e n c o u r a g e m e n t t of a m i l i e s a n d s o c i e t i e s t o c r e a t e l i b r a r i e s , S u n d a y s c h o o l s , c o n f e r e n c eses s i on s , t r a i n i n g and sup e rv i s i on o f h i s a s s i s t a n t s andh e l p e r s i n d e e d t h e e n t i r e s t r u c t u r e o f M e t h o d i s m b e t r a y arem ark ab l e d r i ve t o ed uc a t e h i s pe op l e in t he f a it h , t o i den t i fy t h ehea r t o f t he C hr i s t i an gospe l , t o t e ach t he f a i t h .
T h r o u g h m u c h o f t h i s , W e s l e y w r o t e w h a t m i g h t b e c a l le d a" c u r r i c u l u m " o f t h e f a it h . H e d i d s o f o r m a l l y a n d s e l f - c o n s c i o u s l y b yp r e s e r v i n g d e p o s i t s o f h i s t e a c h i n g . T h e L a r g e M i n u t e s , E x p l a n a t o r yN o t e s o n t he N e w T e s t a m e n t , S ta n d a r d S e r m o n s , a n d fo r A m e r i c a n s ,W e s l e y ' s m o d i f i e d v e r s i o n o f t h e A n g l i c a n A r t i c l e s of R e l i g i o n a l l ofw h i c h c a m e t o u s f r o m h i s h a n d W e s l e y i d e n t if i e d a s t o u c h s t o n e s o ff a i t h and p rac t i ce . 3 I n m a k i n g s u c h p r o v i s i o n s f o r t h e g u i d a n c e o f h i sp e o p l e , W e s l e y e x e r c i s e d w h a t t h e o l o g i a n s c a l l t h e t e a c h i n g o f f ic e . I nC h r i s t i a n t r a d i t i o n t h a t o f f i c e w a s e x e r c i s e d b y t h e b i s h o p s a n d , i nR o m a n C a t h o l i c i s m , b y t h e b i s h o p o f R o m e , t h e p o p e .
W e n e e d n o t p u r s u e t h e f i ne p o i n t s a b o u t W e s l e y ' s s c r i p t u r a lep i s cop a l o ff i ce h e re . R a t he r , I w a n t t o em ph as i ze t ha t W es l ey , bo t h byh i s p e r s o n a l a c t i o n s a n d o r g a n i z a t i o n a l i n i ti a t iv e s , m a d e M e t h o d i s mi n t o a g i a n t c l a s s r o o m . T h e s e v e r y a c t i v i t i e s a n d s t r u c t u r e s c o n n e c t e dM e t h o d i s t s t o W e s l e y a n d t o o n e a n o t h e r . T h e r e f o r e , e d u c a t i o n i nM e t h o d i s m w a s c o n n e c t i o n a l , a n d t h e c o n n e c t i o n w a s e d u c a t i o n a l and a t t he hea r t o f bo t h w a s M r . W es l ey . 4
Educat ion and the American Methodist EpiscopacyT h e r e i s n o q u e s t i o n t h a t t h e f ir st t w o A m e r i c a n b i s h o p s , T h o m a sC o k e a n d F r a n c i s A s b u r y , a s p i r e d t o p l a y a c o m p a r a b l e e d u c a t i o n a la n d c o n n e c t i v e r o l e f o r t h e A m e r i c a n M e t h o d i s t s . W h e n w e t h i n k o fA m e r i c a n M e t h o d i s m a n d e d u c a t i o n , w h a t u s u a l l y c o m e s t o m i n d i st h e i l l - f a t e d a n d s e v e r a l - t i m e s - s t a r t e d C o k e s b u r y C o l l e g e , m o d e l e da f t e r K i n g s w o o d 5 , o r t he c i r cu i t r i de r s and t he p rac t i ce o f ho r sebackr e a d i n g . B u t , l ik e t h e t e a c h i n g r o l e o f W e s l e y i n B r i t i s h M e t h o d i s m ,t h e A m e r i c a n p a t te r n i n v o l v e d s u b s t a n t i a l i n f o r m a l e d u c a t i o n a lp r o c e s s e s .
C O N N E C T I O N A L I S M A N D C O L L E G E 3 3 3
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C o k e i n p a r t i c u l a r a t t e m p t e d t o i n h e r i t W e s l e y ' s t e a c h i n g r o l e i nA m e r i c a n M e t h o d i s m . H e c o n s c i o u s l y t o o k u p o n h i m s e l f t h e e x e r c i s eo f in t e l le c t u a l l e a d e r s h i p s t u d y i n g o n s h i p b o a r d t h e t e x t s t h a t b o r eo n c h u r c h o r d e r , c a r e f u l l y c r a f t i n g s e r m o n s t h a t w o u l d l a y t h eg r o u n d w o r k fo r a M e t h o d i s t " e p i s c o p a l " s e l f - u n d e r s t a n d i n g ,c o n d u c t i n g a p l a n n i n g s e s s io n f o r t h e C h r i s t m a s C o n f e r e n c e , s p e a k i n ge l o q u e n t l y o n t h e c o n f e r e n c e f l o o r, a d v o c a t i n g t h e e s t a b l i s h m e n t o f a na c a d e m i c i n s t i t u t i o n , p r e a c h i n g t h r o u g h o u t t h e c o n n e c t i o n ,c h a m p i o n i n g a n t i s l a v e r y . I n m a n y w a y s h e p r o v i d e d i d e a s f o r t h e n e wA m e r i c a n c h u r c h . 6
A l t h o u g h n e i t h e r A s b u r y n o r t h e A m e r i c a n p r e a c h e r s c o u l d s u f fe rC o k e ' s p r e s u m p t u o u s s t y le o f i n t el l ec t u a l l e a d e r s h i p , W e s l e y ' s m o d e lo f e p i s c o p a l t e a c h i n g d i d n o t d i s a p p e a r . I t w a s A s b u r y , w h o i s n o th i g h l y r e g a r d e d e i t h e r a s a t h i n k e r o r a n e d u c a t o r , w h o p r o v e d m o r es u c c e s s f u l i n e x e r c i s i n g W e s l e y ' s v a r i o u s e d u c a t i o n a l r o l e s .
7
S o m ea s p e c t s o f t h i s l e a d e r s h i p w e r e h i g h l y v i s i b l e . F o r e x a m p l e , A s b u r ye n c o u r a g e d M e t h o d i s t s , p a r t i c u l a r l y in V i r g i n i a , N o r t h C a r o l i n a , S o u t hC a r o l i n a , a n d G e o r g i a , t o f o u n d b o a r d i n g s c h o o l s , a l t h o u g h n o n e o ft hem f l ou r i shed fo r l ong .
A n d , l i k e W e s l e y , A s b u r y f o u n d o t h e r , l e s s o b v i o u s c o n d u i t s f o re d u c a t i o n . H e o v e r s a w t h e p u b l i s h i n g e f f or t s o f t h e m o v e m e n t , i s s u i n gd i r e c t i v e s a n d c o u n s e l t o t h e b o o k s a g e n t s , f i r s t J o h n D i c k i n s a n d t h e nE z e k i e l C o o p e r . B y m a k i n g t h e i t i n e r a t i n g p r e a c h e r s a g e n t s f o r t h ep u b l i s h i n g e n t e r p r i s e , A s b u r y a n d t h e b o o k a g e n t s t u r n e d a l l o f t h ec i r c u i t s y s t e m i n t o a g i g a n t i c e d u c a t i o n a l d i s t r ib u t i o n n e t w o r k .O t h e r e d u c a t i o n p r o j e c t s e a r n i n g h i s s p o n s o r s h i p i n c l u d e d am a g a z i n e , w h i c h a p p e a r e d a s The Arminian Magazine i n 1789 and1790 and a s The Methodist Magazine i n 1797 and 1798 (no t as t u n n i n g s u c c e s s , o b v i o u s l y ) ; a n A m e r i c a n v e r s i o n o f W e s l e y ' sw o r k s ; 8 a va r i e t y o f r ep ub l i ca t i on s o f B r i t i sh i t em s and a f e wA m e r i c a n o r i g i n a l s: 9 h i s o w n Journal i n i t i a l l y s e r i a l i zed , and t hen a sa n i n d e p e n d e n t b o o k ; h i s o w n v e r s i o n o f a H y m n B o o k ; 1 0 ac o m p i l a t i o n i n t e n d e d t o a d d r e s s t h e J a m e s O ' K e l l y s c h i s m a n de n t i t l e d g r a p h i c a l l y The Causes, Evils, and Cures of Heart andChurch Divisions, Extractedfrom the Works of Mr. JeremiahBurroughs and Mr. Richard Baxter;n and A sbu ry ' s e f fo r t a t a h i s t o ryo f t h e m o v e m e n t , Extracts of Letters Containing Some Account of theWork of God since the Year 1800.n
A s b u r y ' s m o s t s e l f - e v i d e n t e d u c a t i o n a l e f f o r t c a m e i n 1 7 9 8 a n di n v o l v e d C o k e a s w e l l . I t w a s a n a n n o t a t e d v e r s i o n o f t h e D i s c i p l i n e , 1 3
3 3 4 Q U A R T E R L Y R E V IE W / WIN T E R 1 9 9 8 -9 9
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a n e n d e a v o r t o i n s t r u c t t h e M e t h o d i s t f a i t h f u l t h r o u g h a n d a b o u tM e t h o d i s t b e l ie f a n d p r a c t i c e . B u t A s b u r y ' s m o s t i m p o r t a n te d u c a t i o n a l p r a c t i c e s w e r e o r a l , n o t w r i t t e n . W e c a n s e e t h i s m o s tv i v i d l y i n s e v e r a l v a l e d i c t o r y s t a t e m e n t s , w h i c h h e i n t e n d e d t o g u i d et h e m o v e m e n t . 1 4 M o r e e l u s i v e b u t a r g u a b l y e v e n m o r ee f f e c t i v e w e r e h i s d a i l y i n t e r v e n t i o n s i n t h e l iv e s o f t h o s e w i t hw h o m h e t r a v e l e d , r e s i d e d , a n d s p o k e . T h e e d u c a t i o n a l p r a c t i c e s inw h i c h h e w a s p r o b a b l y m o s t s u c c e s s f u l a r e n o w c o m p l e t e l y l o s t t o u s ;n a m e l y , h i s s e r m o n s a n d p r a y e r s , h i s s t a t e m e n t s i n c o n f e r e n c e , h i sc o n v e r s a t i o n s , a n d h i s t a l k s w i t h h o r s e b a c k c o m p a n i o n s . A s b u r yt a u g h t , a s e a r l y M e t h o d i s m t a u g h t , in a s e m i n a r o f t h e r o a d . H ee x e r c i s e d t h e t e a c h i n g o f f i c e b e s t s i m p l y b y t a l k i n g t o p e o p l e .U n f o r t u n a t e l y , t h e s u b s t a n c e o f h i s c o n v e r s a t i o n c a n o n l y b e i n f e r re df r o m t h e n o t a t i o n s o f b i b l i c a l t e x t s 1 5 i n h i s Journal, f r o m t h e c o n c e r n sw h i c h p r o m p t h i s Letters, f r o m t h e c h a n c e c o m m e n t r e c o r d e d b y h i sc o m p a n i o n s . B y t h e s e m e a n s h e g a v e i n t e l l e c t u a l l e a d e r s h i p t o t h eM e t h o d i s t m o v e m e n t .
T h e s e s a m e e f f o r t s w e r e w h a t h e l d M e t h o d i s m t o g e t h e r , c o n n e c t e di t, a n d m a d e it a g e n u i n e l y c o n n e c t i o n a l c h u r c h . A s b u r y m o v e d d a i l ys o a s t o tr a v e r s e t h e l e n g t h a n d b r e a d t h o f M e t h o d i s m . H e l i v e d o u tt h e n o t i o n t o w h i c h w e s t i l l f o r m a l l y s u b s c r i b e , n a m e l y , t h a t o u rb i s h o p s a r e i t i n e r a n t g e n e r a l s u p e r i n t e n d e n t s . H i s c o n n e c t i v e a n de d u c a t i v e f u n c ti o n s i n t e r p l a y e d ; i n d e e d , t h e y w e r e t h e s a m e .M e t h o d i s m w a s h e l d t o g e t h e r b y a n i t i n e r a t i n g b i s h o p a n d , t o a l e s s e re x t e n t , b y a m i n i s t r y t h a t w a s a l s o i t i n e r a t i n g n a t i o n a l l y . W h a te d u c a t i o n M e t h o d i s m c o u l d c l a i m w a s m a i n t a i n e d b y i ti n e r a ti n gt e a c h e r s . A s e d u c a t i o n w e n t , i t w a s n ' t v e r y h i g h , a n d i t w a s n ' t v e r yf o r m a l ; b ut it w a s e x t e n s i v e a n d c o n n e c t i v e .
The Col lege EraA s b u r y ' s a n d C o k e ' s d r e a m o f s c h o o l s f or M e t h o d i s mm a t e r i a l i z ed a f t e r bo t h had d i ed ; C ok e in 1814 , A sb u r y i n 1816 . In1 8 2 0 a n d 1 8 2 4 G e n e r a l C o n f e r e n c e c h a r g e d a n n u a l c o n f e r e n c e s w i t ht h e e s t a b l i s h m e n t o f s c h o o l s , l i t e r a r y i n s t i t u t i o n s , a n d c o l l e g e s . T h ea n n u a l c o n f e r e n c e s r e s p o n d e d b y f o u n d i n g s o m e n i n e t ys e c o n d a r y - l e v e l i n s t i t u t i o n s . G r a d u a l l y , c o n f e r e n c e s , o f t enc o l l a b o r a t i v e ly , l a u n c h e d c o l l e g i a t e i n s t i tu t i o n s , b e g i n n i n g w i t hA u g u s t a C o l l e g e in K e n t u c k y ( 1 8 2 2 ) , f o l l o w e d b y R a n d o l p h - M a c o n i n
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V i r g i n i a ( 1 8 3 0 ) , a n d W e s l e y a n U n i v e r s i t y i n C o n n e c t i c u t ( 1 8 3 1 ) . T h efirst w o m e n ' s c o l l e g e , W e s l e y a n i n G e o r g i a , w a s a p p r o v e d a n dc h a r t e r e d i n 1 8 3 6 . 1 6 B y t h e C i v i l W a r M e t h o d i s m h a d e s t a b l i s h e d o rw a s a f fi li a te d w i t h s o m e 2 0 0 s u c h i n s t i tu t i o n s . M a n y w e r e p o o r l yfunded , s t a f f ed , suppo r t ed , and a t t ended ; and t hey d i d no t l ongs u r v i v e . B y o n e e s t i m a t e M e t h o d i s m s u c c e e d e d i n e s t a b l i s h i n g 3 4" p e r m a n e n t " c o l l e g e s b e f o r e 1 8 6 1 . 1 7
B o w s e r ' s s t u d y o f t h e U n i v e r s i t y S e n a t e c o m m e n t s n e g a t i v e l y o nt h i s s t age , v i e w i ng i t a s a t i m e o f d i s a r r ay , i nco ns i s t e n t s t an da r ds , po o rp l a n n i n g , m i s u s e d a n d i n a d e q u a t e r e s o u r c e s , i s o l a t i o n , a n du n n e c e s s a r y c o m p e t i t i o n . 1 8 F r o m h e r v a n t a g e p o i n t , w h i c h e c h o e s t h a to f l a t e - n i n e t e e n t h c e n t u r y M e t h o d i s m , c o n f e r e n c e s w e r e u n s u i t e d f o rm a n a g i n g e d u c a t i o n a l e n t e r p r i s e s o r h o l d i n g t h e m i n r e l a t i o n t o t h ec h u r c h . B u t i n t r u t h t h e c o n f e r e n c e s w e r e w h a t c o n n e c t e dM e t h o d i s m ' s e n t e r p r i s e s a s a w h o l e f r o m t h e d e a t h o f A s b u r y t h r o u g ht he C i v i l W ar . T h i s ro l e cam e t o t hem w as by de fau l t t o som e ex t en t ,s i n c e t h e b i s h o p s w e r e b y t h e n p l u r a l a n d n o t w o r k i n g t o g e t h e r v e r ys u c c e s s f u l l y . 1 9 T h e a g e n c i e s ( t h e M i s s i o n a r y S o c i e t y ) a n d Advocatesf u n c t i o n e d t o c h a n n e l r e s o u r c e s a n d t o c o m m u n i c a t e a c r o s s t h ec h u r c h . B u t t h e n e c e s s a r y w o r k o f w h a t e v e r n a t u r e m i s s i o n s ,f u n d - r a i s i n g , e v a n g e l i s m , e d u c a t i o n h a d t o b e d e l e g a t e d t o t h ec o n f e r e n c e s . T h e c h u r c h c o n n e c t e d i t s e l f t h r o u g h a n e t w o r k o fr e g u l a r l y m e e t i n g c o n f e r e n c e s q u a r t e r l y , a n n u a l , g e n e r a l w i t ha n n u a l c o n f e r e n c e s p l a y i n g t h e k e y a d m i n i s t r a t i v e r o l e s . T h e s y s t e mw a s h i g h l y d e c e n t r a l i z e d , b u t it f u n c t i o n e d q u i t e w e l l .
A m o ng t he fir st succ es s fu l p ro j ec t s o f t h i s co n fe ren ce - s t y l ec o n n e c t i o n a l i s m w e r e c o l l e g e s . A u g u s t a C o l l e g e , f o r i n s t a n c e , d e r i v e df rom t he i n i t i a t ive s in 1821 o f t he O h i o and K e n t u ck y con fe re nce s .L e a d e r s h i p c a m e f r o m b o t h c o n f e r e n c e s , O h i o c o n t r i b u t i n g t h e f i r s tp re s i den t , M ar t i n R u t e r , w ho cam e t o t he o f f i ce f rom t he he l m o f TheWestern Christian Advocate, a n d a l s o J o h n R D u r b i n . T h e l a t t e r w o u l dgo on t o ed i t The Christian Advocate a n d f r o m t h e r e t o a s s u m e t h ep r e s i d e n c y o f D i c k i n s o n C o l l e g e . A n d t h a t c o l l e g e , t a k e n o v e r b y t h eM e t h o d i s t s , e n j o y e d t h e s p o n s o r s h i p o f M e t h o d i s m ' s t w o s t r o n g e s tc o n f e r e n c e s , B a l t i m o r e a n d P h i l a d e l p h i a .
I f A s b u r y e p i t o m i z e s t h e e p i s c o p a l p h a s e o f M e t h o d i s t e d u c a t i o na n d c o n n e c t i o n a l i s m , t h e n D u r b i n e p i t o m i z e s t h e c o l l e g e p h a s e . 2 0B o r n in 1 8 0 0 o f M e t h o d i s t p a r e n t s i n B o u r b o n C o u n t y , K e n t u c k y ,D u r b i n w a s a p p r e n t i c e d a s a c a b i n e t m a k e r a t t h e a g e o f f o u r t e e n . A te i g h t e e n h e e x p e r i e n c e d c o n v e r s i o n a n d a b o u t t h e s a m e t i m e a c a l l to
3 3 6 QU A R T E R L Y R E V I E W / WI N T E R 1 9 9 8 ^ 9 9
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p r e a c h . A c c e p t e d i n t o m e m b e r s h i p o n e w e e k a n d l i c e n s e d t o p r e a c ht h e n e x t , h e w a s i m m e d i a t e l y s e n t to t h e L i m e s t o n e C i r c u i t . I n 1 8 2 0 ,w h e n t h e W e s t e r n C o n f e r e n c e w a s d i v i d e d , h e w e n t w i t h O h i o . D u r i n ga p p o i n t m e n t s i n t h e 1 8 2 0 s h e b e g a n h i s e d u c a t i o n , r e s p o n d i n g t o t h et u t e l a g e o f s e v e r a l s e n i o r it i n e r a n t s , i n c l u d i n g M a r t i n R u t e r , w h o m h ew o u l d l a te r j o i n a t A u g u s t a . T h e p o p u l a r i m a g e o f t h e c i r c u i t r i d e rr e a d i n g o n c i r c u i t , W e s l e y - l i k e , w a s a p p a r e n t l y n o t t h e c o m m o np r a c t i c e . B u t D u r b i n w a s a n e x c e p t i o n . H e s t a r t e d w i t h t h e r e q u i s i t e s ,W e s l e y ' s a n d F l e t c h e r ' s w o r k s a n d Clarke s Comm entary, a n d w e n t o nt o g r a m m a r , L a t i n , a n d G r e e k . E v e n t u a l l y , h e e n r o l l e d f o r m a l l y a s ac o l l e g e s t u d e n t . H e a t t e n d e d M i a m i U n i v e r s i t y w h i l e a p p o i n t e d i n t h a tv i c i n i t y and C i nc i nna t i C o l l ege w h i l e t he re , f i na l l y r ece i v i ng an M . A .d e g r e e . S o o n t h e r e a f t e r D u r b i n w a s m a d e p r o f e s s o r o f A n c i e n tL a n g u a g e s a t A u g u s t a , a p o s i t i o n h e h e l d f o r a f e w y e a r s . W h e n h es t o p p e d t e a c h i n g f o r h e a l t h r e a s o n s , h e c o n t i n u e d a s a g e n t f o r t h eco l l e ge , i n e f f ect t he i t ine r a t i ng ad m i s s i on s an d de ve l op m e n t o f f ice r .
D u r b i n s e r v e d b r i e f ly a s c h a p l a i n o f t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s S e n a t e a n da l so b r i e f l y a s ed i t o r o f The Christian Advocate ( N e w Y o r k ) . I n 1 8 3 4 ,h e b e c a m e p r i n c i p a l ( p r e s i d e n t ) o f D i c k i n s o n C o l l e g e , a p o s t h e h e l du n t i l 1 8 4 5 . 2 1 H e tr a n s f e r r e d t o t h e P h i l a d e l p h i a C o n f e r e n c e i n 1 8 3 6a n d e i g h t t i m e s e a r n e d t h e c o n f e r e n c e ' s t o k e n o f h i g h e s t r e s p e c t ,e l e c t i o n t o r e p r e s e n t i t a t G e n e r a l C o n f e r e n c e . F i v e o f t h o s e t i m e s h el e d t h e d e l e g a t i o n , t h e h i g h e s t a c c o l a d e t h a t c o n f e r e n c e s t h e n o rn o w a c c o r d t h e i r o w n . 2 2 P h i l a d e l p h i a t u r n e d t o h i m a t e v e r y p o i n t .T h e 1 8 4 5 C o n f e r e n c e a p p o i n t e d o r e l e c t e d h i m t o p r e a c h t h eC o n f e r e n c e s e r m o n ( f o r 1 8 4 6 ) . H e a l s o s e r v e d a s e x a m i n e r in t h eC o m m i t t e e s f o r E x a m i n a t i o n o f t h e s e c o n d - y e a r e x a m o n t h e " B i b l ea s t o o r d in a n c e o r S a c r a m e n t s . " 2 3 D u r b i n a l s o h e a d e d t h e V i s i t i n gC o m m i t t e e to D i c k i n s o n C o l l e g e in 1 8 4 6 ( t h e a g e n c y t h r o u g h w h i c ht h e c h u r c h e x e r c i s e d i t s o v e r s i g h t o f i n s t i t u t i o n s ) . 2 4 In 1849 , t heb i s h o p c o n c u r r e d i n t h e C o n f e r e n c e ' s h i g h e s t i m a t i o n o f J . P . D u r b i na n d m a d e h i m p r e s i d i n g e l d e r (P . E .) o f N o r t h P h i l a d e l p h i a . 2 5 A y e a rl a te r , in 1 8 5 0 , D u r b i n s u c c e e d e d C h a r l e s P i t m a n a s s e c r e t a r y o f t h eM i s s i o n a r y S o c i e t y . 2 6 H e w o u l d m a k e t h a t p e r h a p s t h e m o s t i m p o r t a n tl e a d e r s h i p p o s i t i o n i n t h e c h u r c h .
D u r b i n ' s p r o m i n e n c e d u r i n g h i s p r e s i d e n c y a t D i c k i n s o n a n d h i so v e r a l l c a r e e r w e l l s y m b o l i z e s t h e n a t u r e o f t h e c o l l e g e - c h u r c hr e l a t i o n s h i p a n d w h a t s e r v e d t o c o n n e c t M e t h o d i s m a t t h i s j u n c t u r e .J u s t a s A s b u r y - t h e - b i s h o p i n c a r n a t e d M e t h o d i s t c o n n e c t i o n a l i s m int h e e a r l y y e a r s , D u r b i n - t h e - p r e s i d e n t i n c a r n a t e d c o n n e c t i o n a l i s m f o r
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T h e b i o g r a p h e r o f W i l b u r F i s k , f o u n d i n g p r e s i d e n t o f W e s l e y a n , s i z e dt h e m a t t e r u p s i m i l a r l y :
The Methodists had become the most numerous body ofChristians in the United States, and had greatly increased both inwealth an d intelligence. As they becam e able to educa te their children,they found the importance of having institutions of learning undertheir own control. Prior to this they had been satisfied to send theirchildren to colleges under the influence of other denominations, and,as a natural consequence, many became alienatedfrom the views oftheir parents. Besides, mos t of the colleges in the country were unde rthe direction of some one denomination, and this secured to thosechurches who had most influence in this line, a control over publicsentimen t that was hardly comp atible with the equal rights of theseveral church es. . . . Mo reover, while we had no such institutionsamong ourselves, the importance of education was not likely to be sogenera lly felt a s it ough t to be .. .29
T h e c o l l e g e s i n d e e d e d u c a t e d t h e c h u r c h ' s y o u t h f o r s e r v i c e . O fR a n d o l p h - M a c o n ' s e a r l y g r a d u a t e s , 2 1 0 i n a l l , l a r g e m a j o r i t y e n t e r e dt h e p r o f e s s i o n s :
4 8 t e a c h e r s ( 1 3 o f t h e s e p r o f e s s o r s )4 3 c l e r g y ( 1 2 a l s o t a u g h t o r s e r v e d a s p r e s i d e n t o f s c h o o l )3 9 l a w y e r s ( 8 l e g i s l a t o r s )3 1 f a r m e r s2 9 p h y s i c i a n s 3 0
O f W es l e ya n ' s f ir st fo r t y yea r s o f g ra du a t e s (91 9 ) , a t h i rd en t e r ed t h eM e t h o d i s t m i n i s tr y , a n d , a c c o r d i n g t o D u v a l l , W e s l e y a n p r o d u c e dt h r e e - q u a r t e r s o f t h e m i n i s t e r s w h o h a d c o l l e g e d e g r e e s . 3 1
H o w M e t h o d i s t w e r e t h e s e i n s t i t u t i o n s ? R e c e n t s c h o l a r s h i p h a sd i v i d e d o n t h a t p o i n t . C h a r l e s S e l l e r s p r o n o u n c e d D i c k i n s o n a f t e r t h eM e t h o d i s t t a k e o v e r a s " s e c t a r i a n . " 3 2 B y c o n t r a s t , J a m e s E d w a r dS c a n l o n a c c e n t e d t h e m o r e p u b l i c , c i v i c , a n d l o c a l n a t u r e o fR a n d o l p h - M a c o n ' s e a r l y y e a r s , a s d i d D a v i d P o t t s f o r W e s l e y a n . 3 3A g r e e i n g , G l e n n M i l l e r o b s e r v e s , ' T h e s e s c h o o l s w e r e m o r e s e c u l a rt h a n t h e p r e s e n t - d a y o b s e r v e r m i g h t s u p p o s e f r o m t h e i r p r e s i d e n t s 'r h e t o r i c . " W h a t M i l le r f o u n d r e a l l y a c r o s s A m e r i c a n h i g h e re d u c a t i o n w a s a p a t te r n o f s c h o o l s u n d e r d e n o m i n a t i o n a lg o v e r n a n c e b u t o p e r a t e d c l e a r l y in c o m m u n a l a n d " p u b l i c " in t e r e s t ,c h a r t e r e d b y c o l o n y o r s t a t e b u t e s c h e w i n g r e l i g i o u s t e s t s . T h e s es c h o o l s o p e n e d t h e i r d o o r s t o i n d i v i d u a l s f r o m v a r i o u s d e n o m i n a t i o n s ;
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p r o v i d e d f o r r e l i g i o u s a n d m o r a l c h a r a c t e r f o r m a t i o n t h r o u g h a r e g u l a rp a t t e r n o f w o r s h ip ; a n d o f fe r e d a c l a s s i c a l , li b e r a l a r t s e d u c a t i o n a l d i e tc a p p e d b y m o r a l p h i l o s o p h y . M i l l e r t e r m s t h e d e n o m i n a t i o n a l c o l l e g e" a c u r i o u s h y b r i d " : a p u b l i c , i n c o r p o r a t e d i n s t i t u t i o n y e t u n d e r t h ec o n t r o l o f t r u s t e e s a c c o u n t a b l e in s o m e f a s h i o n t o a d e n o m i n a t i o n . 3 4T h e s e d i v e r g e n t e s t i m a t e s a r e t h e r e s u l t , t o s o m e e x t e n t , o f l o o k i n ga t d i f f e r e n t a s p e c t s o f c o l l e g i a t e l i f e . B u t , p e r h a p s m o r e i m p o r t a n t l y ,t h e y s h o w d i f f e r e n c e s b e t w e e n t h e i n t e r p r e t e r s a s t o w h a t c o n s t i t u t e d ad e n o m i n a t i o n a n d t h e r e l a ti o n o f d e n o m i n a t i o n t o c o l l e g e . T h o s e w h om i n i m i z e t h e M e t h o d i s t c h a r a c t e r o f t h e p r e - C i v i l W a r c o l l e g e su n d e r s t a n d d e n o m i n a t i o n a l c o n t r o l a s e m a n a t i n g f ro m s o m e c e n t r ala g e n c y o r j u d i c a t o r y . F o r M e t h o d i s t s n o s u c h c e n t r a l a g e n c y e x i s t e d .T h e d e n o m i n a t i o n w a s a c o l l e c t i o n o f c o n f e r e n c e s , a n d t h ec o n f e r e n c e s t h e m s e l v e s h a d n o t h i n g in t h e w a y o f p e r m a n e n ta d m i n i s t r a t i v e m a c h i n e r y . A s c h o o l m i g h t r e l a t e t o m o r e t h a n o n ec o n f e r e n c e . I n d e e d , b y t h e 1 8 7 0 s W e s l e y a n c l a i m e d t h i r t e e n p a t r o nc o n f e r e n c e s . 3 5 E v e n s u c h p a t r o n a g e d e v e l o p e d m o r e f r o m t h e c o l l e g et h a n fr o m t h e c o n f e r e n c e s i d e .
I n r e a l i ty , M e t h o d i s t i n f l u e n c e i n i t s c o l l e g e s w a s e x e r c i s e dw i t h i n r a t h e r t h a n i m p o s e d u p o n t h e i n s t i t u t i o n f r o m w i t h o u t . I tsn a t u r e w a s i n f o r m a l t h e r h y t h m s , l i f e s t y l e , a n d e t h o s g i v e n t o ap l a c e b y i ts M e t h o d i s t p r e s i d e n t , f a c u l ty , a n d b o a r d .C o n f e r e n c e s B a l t i m o r e a n d P h i l a d e l p h i a in t h e c a s e o fD i c k i n s o n c o u l d s e n d v is i t i n g c o m m i t t e e s t o t h e c o l l e g e t oo b s e r v e a n d r e p o r t o n a d a y ' s o r a w e e k ' s a c t i v i t i e s . T o u r i n g a g e n t sw o u l d r e n d e r s i m i l a r r e p o r t s a c r o s s t h e c o n f e r e n c e s . S i n c e t h e s ew e r e t h e c o n n e c t i o n s , t h e M e t h o d i s t c h a r a c t e r o f a s c h o o l o rc o l l e g e c o u l d b e m e a s u r e d b y n o t h i n g e l s e .
B u t t h e p r o o f w a s in t h e p u d d i n g : t h e s e s c h o o l s d i d p r o d u c e t h ec h u r c h ' s l e a d e r s . N o t e w o r t h y , a s w e ' v e a l r e a d y r e m a r k e d , w e r e t h en u m b e r s e n t e r i n g t h e m i n i s t ry , s o m e o f t h o s e p r o b a b l y a l s o b e i n gi d e n ti f ie d a s t e a c h e r s . A n d n o t o n l y d i d t h e i r g r a d u a t e s b e c o m e t h er i s i n g l e a d e r s in t h e d e n o m i n a t i o n ; t h e i r f a c u l t y m e m b e r s a n dp r e s i d e n t s b e c a m e b i s h o p s a n d a g e n c y h e a d s . I n d e e d , d u r i n g t h em i d d l e d e c a d e s o f t h e n i n e t e e n t