Custom essays on The Invention of Christian Hymns

Charles Wesley’s hymns spread Methodist theology. It was done not only in Methodism, but as well in most Protestant churches. Charles developed a new focus that is expressing person’s personal feelings in the relationship with God. Wesley wrote:
Where shall my wondering soul begin?
How shall I all to heaven aspire?
A slave redeemed from death and sin,
A brand plucked from eternal fire,
How shall I equal triumphs raise,
Or sing my great deliverer’s praise.

The modern church tends to give their rituals much pomp and splendor, while continuing to use the great musical works. At the same time, clergymen do not want to aesthetic and artistic discussion began prevailed over religious content and reduces the impact of religious sermons. According to the representatives of orthodox theology, church hymns are nothing like the liturgical prayers, as set out in poetic form. As a fact, the second half of the nineteenth century had an explosion of hymn tune composition and choir singing in Wales. The Methodist Revival of the eighteenth century created an explosion of hymn writing in Welsh. William Pantycelyn and Ann Griffiths are the most prominent names among Welsh hymn-writers.
Religious organizations in different directions try to bring all possible means of mass influence to preach and to strengthen faith among his followers. Protestants in the U.S., for example, arrange grandiose prayers in stadiums with theatrical performances, film showings and rock concerts.
United Methodist Church, the second largest Protestant church followers to the United States, to which is more than a third of supporters of Methodism in this country. Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church merged and also established in association with similar teachings of the churches. The Methodist Church came in 1939 through the merger of the Methodist Episcopal Church and Methodist Protestant Church. The last two churches at one time belonged to the Methodist Episcopal Church – the oldest Methodist church organization in the world, founded in Baltimore in 1784, headed by J. Wesley superintendents appointed by the former blacksmith Francis Asbury (1745-1816) and attorney Thomas Kok (1747-1814) (the first Methodist society in the modern United States was founded even earlier – in 1766).

However, later in this church there have been schisms. In 1830 a splinter group formed the Methodist Protestant church, renounced Episcopal device. After 14 years, Southern Methodist, dissatisfied with the fact that the leadership of the Methodist Episcopal Church stood for the abolition of slavery, came out of it and created a parallel Methodist church organization in the southern USA, was named the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. There also were disputes of adoption or rejection of Episcopal order, segregation or desegregation of churches, the attitude has emerged mainly in the framework of Methodism in the late XIX – early XX centuries. Although already in 1870, it has a tendency to reunite the churches, the process was slow and ended only in 1939 (and part of communities Methodist Protestant Church has refused to join). Evangelical United Brethren Church was also the result of a merger: in 1946, merged two near Pennsylvania Church of Germanic origin, adhere to the principles of Pietism (Movement for the deepening of religious faith, piety) and close in spirit to Methodism: United Brethren in Christ and the Evangelical Church (having, respectively, in 1789 and 1803, while the second was called to the incident in her 1894 split in the Evangelical Association). Faith United Methodist Church is practically identical to the basic doctrinal provisions of Methodism. The Church accepts as doctrinal documents of the 25 articles of religion, sermon John Wesley, his “Explanatory note to the New Testament”. However, like most other Methodist Churches, United Methodist Church stresses that does not believe any doctrine of final and free from errors. In the United Methodist Church are committed, like other Methodists, two sacraments: baptism (usually by sprinkling, but at the believer it can be different) and the Lord’s Supper (communion). By the evening allowed all Christians and in different communities frequency of the sacrament of communion is different (in some it occurs once a quarter, in others – once a month, in third – every week). As with other Methodist churches in the United Methodist Church has two degrees of the priesthood. In 1924 the right to perform the work of priests, although in a very limited extent, become women. In 1956, they got it right in full. United Methodist Church is managed by the General Conference, which meets every four years and is composed of equal numbers of laity and clergy. The Conference directs the work produced by its various organs. Between conferences, the ongoing work performed by a special Council for the priesthood. United Methodist Episcopal Church was introduced by one of the founders of American Methodism F. Asbury. In the U.S., there are 5 geographical areas (jurisdictions) of the United Methodist Church and 45 Episcopal districts. Conference jurisdictions convened every 4 years after the convening of the General Conference. Main tasks at conferences jurisdictions are the election of new bishops for the administered territory jurisdiction. For the election of bishops outside the U.S., that is, in areas where missionary work is being organized the so-called seven central conferences. The question of the direction of the bishops in the specific areas where there are vacancies is solved by them collectively. The number of followers of the United Methodist Church in the U.S. – 13 million people (more than 5% of the population). United Methodist Church carries out missionary work in about 50 countries. The largest of its branches – in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (550 thousand), Angola (179 thousand), Zimbabwe (163 thousand), Mozambique (60 thousand), Sierra Leone (46 thousand), Liberia (44 thousand ), the Philippines (282 thousand), Malaysia (150 thousand), Indonesia (71 thousand), Singapore (46 thousand), Brazil (132 thousand), Mexico (73 thousand), Bolivia (31 thousand .) Chile (25 thousand), Puerto Rico (25 thousand), Dominican Republic (19 thousand), Cuba (11 thousand), Germany (74 thousand), Sweden (25 thousand), Switzerland (21 thousand), Norway (15 thousand).