Traditions
M

Tradition · Protestant

Methodism

Followersabout 40 millionin World Methodist Council churches · 2026How countedFormation of the denomination1784The Christmas Conference in Baltimore founded the Methodist Episcopal Church; the revival itself began within the Church of England decades earlier.Read the historyCompare with another tradition

Churches from the Wesleyan revival within 18th-century Anglicanism.

Relationships with other traditions

How it took shape

Key timeline

View timeline in full
  1. 1729

    The Holy Club

    John and Charles Wesley’s methodical devotional group at Oxford.

  2. 1738

    Aldersgate

    John Wesley records that his heart was “strangely warmed”; the revival gathers pace.

  3. 1784

    Christmas Conference

    The Methodist Episcopal Church is organised in America.

  4. 1795

    Separation in Britain

    After Wesley’s death (1791), the Plan of Pacification allows Methodist preachers to give the sacraments, in effect separating from the Church of England.

Classification
Protestant. Churches from the 18th-century evangelical revival led by John and Charles Wesley.
What this entry covers
A family of independent churches. Methodist and Wesleyan churches, many of them connected through the World Methodist Council.
Formation of the denomination
1784. The Christmas Conference in Baltimore founded the Methodist Episcopal Church; the revival itself began within the Church of England decades earlier.

Relationships with other traditions

Revival1730s–1795A gradual process

Methodism and the Church of England

MethodismAnglican Communion (Church of England)

Revival: A renewal movement inside an existing church that later became, or gave rise to, a separate body.

Methodism began as a revival within the Church of England led by John and Charles Wesley. It became a separate church in America in 1784 (the Christmas Conference) and, in effect, in Britain after Wesley's death, when the Plan of Pacification (1795) let Methodist preachers give the sacraments.
4 sources
Later developments
Today as of 2024

Varies by church or region

Separate churches; in Great Britain they are bound by the 2003 covenant, and elsewhere relations differ.
Source

Agreement recordAgreement recordCompare Methodism and Anglican Communion

Explained on other pages

Full timeline

  1. 1729

    The Holy Club

    John and Charles Wesley’s methodical devotional group at Oxford.

  2. 1738

    Aldersgate

    John Wesley records that his heart was “strangely warmed”; the revival gathers pace.

  3. 1784

    Christmas Conference

    The Methodist Episcopal Church is organised in America.

    Explained below: Methodism and the Church of England

  4. 1795

    Separation in Britain

    After Wesley’s death (1791), the Plan of Pacification allows Methodist preachers to give the sacraments, in effect separating from the Church of England.

    Explained below: Methodism and the Church of England

  • Grace for all

    Arminian theology: God’s grace goes before every person, and salvation is open to all.
    Source

    The relevant Articles of Religion were not re-read in session.

    Provisional: broadly supported, but awaiting fuller checking.

  • Holiness

    Sanctification and Christian perfection, with a strong emphasis on social holiness.Not yet sourced

Positions used in comparisons

Short, sourced statements that the Atlas compares across traditions. Where a tradition has no single teaching authority, the record says whose statement it follows.

God
One living and true God in three persons.
Source

Articles of Religion of the United Methodist Church; other Methodist churches have their own standards.

Scripture and authority
'The Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation.'
Source

United Methodist Articles of Religion.

Sacraments and ordinances
Two sacraments; Christ's body is received 'only after a heavenly and spiritual manner'; the baptism of young children is retained.
Source

United Methodist Articles of Religion.

Compare these positions with another tradition

  • Hymns and preaching

    Charles Wesley’s hymns remain central; class meetings shaped early Methodist life.Not yet sourced

The follower figure

about 40 million in World Methodist Council churches

What is counted
Members of churches affiliated to a world body
As of
undated WCC profile, accessed October 2026
Reported by
World Council of Churches profile of the World Methodist Council
Type
Estimate
Coverage
76 WMC member churches. Higher figures for the Methodist family circulate (the workbook gives 80 million) but were not verified in this build.
This entry is
A family of independent churches. Methodist and Wesleyan churches, many of them connected through the World Methodist Council.
The WCC profile describes the World Methodist Council's 76 member churches as representing 40 million believers. Higher totals are cited elsewhere; methods differ.
ContestedSource

Replaces the starting figure. Workbook: 80,000,000 (no source or date).

Figures from different traditions measure different things and must not be added together or ranked against each other.

About the image · Editorial placeholder

Editorial initial. The cross-and-flame belongs to particular Methodist churches and is not reproduced.

Editorial status

Editorial draft. Built from the starting workbook with editorial corrections and framing. It has not yet been checked against independent sources.

References

Original workbook record

Imported unchanged from “Christian Denominations”, row 23. Values here are the starting dataset, not verified facts; where the Atlas differs, the reason is noted below.

Denomination / Tradition
Methodism
Broader Tradition
Protestantism
Date Established / Split
1784 AD
Origin / Location
Oxford, England / USA
Forming Event / Schism
Methodist Revival
Approx. Practitioners
80,000,000
Broke Away From
Church of England (Anglicanism)
Primary Reason for Split / Core Doctrine
John Wesley's evangelical movement emphasizing personal sanctification, social justice, grace, and methodical spiritual discipline.
Reference / Information Link
https://worldmethodistcouncil.org

Editorial notes on this record

  • Date Established / Split: 1784 is the American organisation; the revival dates from the 1730s and British separation from 1795.

Research sources for this entry

Every relationship, position and figure above cites these. Each links to the Atlas’s single source register, which shows what each source supports and whether it was read.