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United Methodists and Satan

Orginally published on Monday, August 11, 2008 at 7:44 AM
by Todd Rhoades

I just read an interesting article over at the UM Portal. Here's part of it:

Though Methodism founder John Wesley talked about Satan in his sermons, the United Methodist Church has no official doctrine on the devil or the demonic. Few Methodist ministers in the U.S., it seems, preach about Satan as a personal being active in the world today...

Many United Methodists, for instance, gasped during the 2008 General Conference when an African delegate on the floor argued that homosexuality was “of the devil.”

It wasn’t just his position on homosexuality that drew the offended gasps, says Jerry Walls, who taught philosophy of religion for 21 years at Asbury Theological Seminary. Adding the devil to the conversation made it a “double offense” in the minds of some delegates.

“Bringing up the supernatural reality of Satan is enough to make a typical United Methodist go into conniptions,” he said...

And not only do Methodists avoid talking about he-who-must-not-be-named. They don’t sing about him either.

C. Michael Hawn, professor of church music at Perkins School of Theology, says United Methodist churches are prone to lop off the last few stanzas of Martin Luther’s hymn, “A Mighty Fortress is Our God,” to protect unsuspecting worshippers from having to sing the third stanza, with its references to “this world, with devils filled” and “the Prince of Darkness grim.”

“Most of the discussions of evil in mainline Anglo churches,” said Dr. Hawn, “are not anthropomorphic in nature—references to a physical being called Satan or the Devil—but theological or much more general.

“Regretfully, many United Methodists don’t even want to discuss sin, let alone the devil.”

So why all this “denial” about the devil?

You’ll have to read on here to find out!

Hey… we have a good amount of UMers here… what’s your view on Satan?


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  There are 27 Comments:

  • Posted by
    Monday, December 01, 2008 at 9:35 PM

    I have attended the First United Methodist Church in Birmingham for about two years . I live downtown and searched for a church within proximity of where I live . Me and my wife and son are now in search of a new family home . I did not know that the basic fundamental Methodist believe is Grace . This one fundamental is agreed apon throughout the United Methodist . It raises the question about the other fundamentals . The pastor of the church said he was not going to answer the question if Satin is real . Would not acknowledge the name Satin or Lucifer . Finally with the question of do you believe in a being that tempts man and the pastor said he did not know if he believes . The pastor ! Not believing in Satin , Lucifer or a tempter !  I had know idea that a Christian Church would not believe in Satin . The deceiver can confuse the people to the point of not being able to reason . The question is , does a church body believe the Bible is true from the begining to the end ? I do and am amazed to see The First United Methodist Church of Birmingham Alabama pastor saying he’s not sure If Satin in real . Wow . Where is the church going . Do I now go straight to the pastor of every church I go and ask the basic fundamentals of Christianity . How lost are the churches of today ? I did not realize how Satin is tricking churches into believing he is not real . Please rebuke Satin and acknowledge his attack on the churches is real and his deception is at work .

  • Posted by
    Monday, December 01, 2008 at 10:37 PM

    Sorry about that . I misspelled Satan . In the previous article . Not satin or fabric .

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