Un-Tied Methodism
50 episodes - English - Latest episode: 16 days ago - ★★★★★ - 1 ratingWhy do Methodists use Welch’s grape juice for communion? What is with the cross and flame logo? Explore these questions and more as we examine the roots of the United Methodist Church (and it’s predecessor denominations) to understand why the UMC is the way that it is…and where it might be going. Dr. Ashley Boggan D. hosts this production of the General Commission on Archives and History of the UMC.
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Episodes
Reimagining unity: Regionalization and The UMC
April 11, 2024 18:54 - 47 minutes - 43.4 MBIn the next installment of our special General Conference series of “Un-Tied Methodism” episodes, we discuss regionalization. Few may realize that as soon as John Wesley’s Methodist movement expanded out of the U.K. to Ireland, Scotland, the Caribbean and North America, the conversation about regionalization began. More than 270 years later, a petition outlining an […]
Advancing with boldness: Exploring women’s impact at The UMC’s General Conference
March 28, 2024 08:00 - 40 minutes - 41.3 MBIn the next installment of our special General Conference series, Dr. Ashley Boggan D. welcomes Dawn Wiggins Hare, the General Commission on the Status and Role of Women’s general secretary, and the Rev. Jane Ellen Nickell, an ordained elder in The UMC’s West Virginia Conference, to discuss the role of women through the years at […]
Holy boldness: Celebrating women of Methodism
March 14, 2024 08:00 - 40 minutes - 37.2 MBWhen thinking about the earliest founders of Methodism, most likely a number of men come to mind: John Wesley, Charles Wesley, Francis Asbury, Philip Otterbein, to name a few. In addition to these men, however, are women who, in a spirit of “holy boldness,” were vital to the formation and spread of Methodism around the […]
Reclaiming our roots as a church on the move
February 22, 2024 09:00 - 42 minutes - 39 MBWhen the Methodist Church was instituted in the U.S., it wasn’t an institution. It was a church on the move, says the Rev. Dr. Theon Johnson III, today’s guest on “Un-Tied Methodism.” Join Dr. Ashley Boggan D., general secretary of the General Commission on Archives and History, and Johnson, pastor at Downs Memorial UMC in […]
Wesley brothers bring inspiration for your Lenten journey
February 08, 2024 09:00 - 35 minutes - 32.6 MBJust in time for Lent, Dr. Ashley Boggan D. is joined by the Rev. Dr. Steven Manskar to discuss his new book, “Lent & Easter with John & Charles Wesley.” Incorporating John Wesley’s sermons and Charles Wesley’s hymns, Manskar explains how, through the daily devotional guide, readers will prepare to reaffirm the baptismal covenant on […]
The UMC and social witness: a legacy to carry into our future
January 25, 2024 09:00 - 44 minutes - 40.6 MBThe United Methodist Church has a legacy of social witness. Join Dr. Ashley Boggan D. with guests the Rev. Dr. Darryl Stephens and John Hill, interim chief executive of the The UMC’s General Board of Church and Society, to discuss the history of the Social Principles and the new Revised Social Principles coming before General […]
Multiplying Love: The Wesleyan vision for a polarized world
January 11, 2024 09:00 - 42 minutes - 38.7 MBDr. Ashley Boggan D., general secretary of the General Commission on Archives and History, welcomes her guest, the Rev. Dr. Paul Chilcote, renowned Wesley scholar, to discuss his new book, “Multiplying Love: A Vision of United Methodist Life Together.” During the conversation, Chilcote asserts that in a world that is radically divided, we don’t need […]
The church that predates the historical Christmas Conference
December 21, 2023 09:00 - 33 minutes - 46.7 MBThe historic Christmas Conference in 1784 is the official beginning of the Methodist Episcopal Church in America, but the seeds of Methodism were first planted in America almost two decades earlier in New York City. Dr. Ashley Boggan D. welcomes United Methodist pastor Stefanie Bennett, who shares the history that dates back to 1766 and […]
Native People and Methodism: Exploring the struggle and hope
November 16, 2023 09:00 - 30 minutes - 41.7 MBBishop David Wilson, the first Native American person elected to serve as as United Methodist bishop, joins Dr. Ashley Boggan D. to discuss the history of Methodism and indigenous nations, including the role the denomination played with mission schools and decolonizing Native Peoples. To learn more about the books mentioned in today’s episode, visit these […]
A graphic look at human sexuality within The UMC
October 19, 2023 21:45 - 31 minutes - 46.9 MBIn his newly-released graphic novel titled “Incompatible,” the Rev. Charlie Baber explores the history of events that led to The UMC’s current divide on the subject of LGBTQ+ inclusion. Dr. Ashley Boggan D. and Baber, a United Methodist pastor and creator of the Wesley Bros. animated characters, discuss the church’s current struggle and how the […]
RMN: A movement of love for LGBTQ+ United Methodists
October 05, 2023 08:00 - 30 minutes - 27.8 MBThe Rev. Beth Richardson, an early leader in what would become the Reconciling Ministries Network, tells her story of the beginning years of creating a space where LGBTQ+ United Methodists could feel safe and loved, be affirmed and find advocacy. Today’s episode was livestreamed as part of the 2023 United Methodist Podcast-a-thon produced by United […]
The Entanglement of The UMC with White Supremacy
September 21, 2023 08:00 - 41 minutes - 37.8 MBIn the new book, “Our Hearts Were Strangely Lukewarm,” author and retired United Methodist pastor John Elford calls out the white American Methodist church for its involvement with White Supremacy since the 18th century to the present. In this podcast episode, Dr. Ashley Boggan D. and Elford discuss the denomination’s troubled history and also share […]
Back to School: Methodists and Education
August 17, 2023 08:00 - 39 minutes - 36.3 MBHow have Methodists approached education in the past? John Wesley was a highly educated Oxford don whose mother embedded the importance of universal education in him from a young age. How did universal access to education become a driving part of the Methodist mission, particularly in America? GUESTS: Dr. Linda Ryan is a graduate of […]
Choosing to live a life of honesty and the trial that followed
July 20, 2023 08:00 - 53 minutes - 53 MBNineteen years later, the Rev. Karen Dammann remains one of the few United Methodist clergy to be acquitted after being charged with violating church by openly coming out as a lesbian. Dammann and her clergy counsel, the Rev. Robert C. Ward, reflect on the events that led to the trial and the years since the […]
Methodism in Zimbabwe: A conference borne out of a mountain
July 13, 2023 08:00 - 35 minutes - 36.7 MBIn the first “Un-Tied Methodism” international podcast, Dr. Ashley Boggan D. speaks with United Methodist leaders from the Zimbabwe West Annual Conference, Zimbabwe East Annual Conference and Africa University’s archivist and church historian to learn about the fascinating history of Mt. Makomwe, a Methodist mission started in 1905 that remains a pillar of Methodism throughout […]
First UMC of Honolulu: Reclaiming its heritage with hope
June 29, 2023 08:00 - 36 minutes - 23.9 MBDr. Ashley Boggan D. discusses the history of The United Methodist Church in Hawaii with the Rev. Amy Wake, senior pastor of First United Methodist Church of Honolulu, who details the colonialism surrounding the arrival of Methodism to the islands and how the local church has persevered to maintain its culture across the decades. Learn […]
La Trinidad UMC: Using history to preserve the future
June 15, 2023 07:00 - 26 minutes - 20.6 MBLa Trinidad UMC , founded in 1876, is the longest serving Mexican American congregation in The UMC. Dr. Ashley Boggan D. talks with the Rev. John Feagins about how this historic church in San Antonio, Texas, redefined itself by rediscovering its rich cultural identity. Learn more United Methodist history by visiting umhistoryhub.teachable.com. Explore the United […]
Reclaim. Revive. Renew: A playbook for the future of The UMC
June 01, 2023 07:00 - 34 minutes - 24.3 MBBishop Thomas Bickerton, president of the Council of Bishops, and David Worthington, director of Global Relationships at John Wesley’s New Room, discuss the importance of our local church histories with Dr. Ashley Boggan D. and share how our denomination’s future could be influenced by remembering our legacy. Learn more about the United Methodist General Commission […]
Jackson UMC: ‘Downtown for good’
May 18, 2023 07:00 - 25 minutes - 22.2 MBDr. Ashley Boggan D., host of “Un-Tied Methodism” discusses the history of First United Methodist Church of Jackson, Tenn., with the Rev. Sky McCracken. In addition to being the city’s oldest church in continuous operation, the church has a rich Civil War-era history as the building that housed a hospital and stable for Union forces. […]
The Chicago Temple: The UMC’s chapel in the sky
May 04, 2023 07:00 - 40 minutes - 25.5 MBFirst United Methodist Church at the Chicago Temple can boast a number of distinctions, including oldest congregation in the Windy City where the chapel is atop a skyscraper. On this episode of “Un-Tied Methodism,” host Dr. Ashley Boggan D. talks with David Foster as he shares the story of the Chicago Temple, a downtown church […]
Gulfside Assembly: 100 years of being ‘everybody’s place, open to all’
April 20, 2023 06:00 - 34 minutes - 25.4 MBHear the story of Gulfside Assembly, where, 100 years ago, swampy Mississippi acreage was transformed into a retreat center that provided spiritual, educational and recreational facilities to Blacks who were denied access elsewhere because of segregation. Dr. Ashley Boggan D. chats with Cheryl Thompson, Gulfside Assembly’s executive director, about the renaissance happening at this historical […]
‘Do Everything’: The reform legacy of Frances Willard
March 16, 2023 08:00 - 59 minutes - 47.8 MBIn honor of Women’s History Month, Dr. Ashley Boggan D. welcomes Dr. Christopher Evans to discuss the remarkable and energetic Frances Willard. Willard, a cradle Methodist, was one of the most widely known people in America during her lifetime, leaving an indelible mark on not only Methodist history but U.S. history as an American educator, […]
Inherited Racism: 1968-1972
February 16, 2023 09:00 - 41 minutes - 33.4 MBDr. Ashley Boggan D., general secretary of the General Commission on Archives and History, welcomes Bishop Ernest Lyght and Bishop Forrest Stith, to “Un-Tied Methodism” to discuss the years 1968-1972, a quadrennium filled with hopes, plans and disappointments for Black Methodists, and learn why United Methodism’s greatest challenges of cultural diversity and connectionalism are also […]
Advice to the People called Methodists: 18th century wisdom for 2023
January 19, 2023 09:00 - 28 minutes - 25.2 MB“Do not imagine that you can avoid giving offense,” John Wesley tells the People called Methodists. This advice, along with four other nuggets of wisdom continues to serve as good words to us as we live out our lives and spread the love of God. Dr. Ted A. Campbell, the Albert Cook Outler Professor of […]
Slam Poetry & Mary: An unconventional Christmas pageant
December 16, 2022 14:26 - 20 minutes - 13.5 MBSt. Francis of Assisi is credited with presenting the first Christmas pageant on Christmas Eve in the early 1200s. Fast forward to the 21st century when Christmas pageants haven’t veered too far from the 13th century version with Mary, Joseph, Baby Jesus and a few animals. Inspired by slam poetry, Rev. Katy Shedlock, United Methodist […]
Let’s talk about bishops
December 07, 2022 18:03 - 36 minutes - 33.8 MBEarlier in November, 13 new bishops were elected to serve The UMC across the U.S. Learn when bishops first became part of the denominational narrative, why Francis Asbury changed their title from general superintendent and more episcopal history when the Rev. Dr. Robert J. Williams, former general secretary of Archives & History, joins this episode […]
The Lyrical Theology of Charles Wesley
October 07, 2022 07:00 - 33.2 MBIn this special episode of “Un-Tied Methodism,” we partner with United Methodist Communication’s “Get Your Spirit in Shape” podcast to talk about the importance of Charles Wesley. When it comes to John and Charles Wesley, oftentimes in Methodist history, John gets the focus. But what about Charles? What was he like? How did he contribute […]
50 Years of Advocacy for Women
September 15, 2022 19:41 - 33.5 MBThe United Methodist Commission on the Status and Role of Women marks its 50th anniversary on Sept. 15, celebrating a half century of advocating for the full inclusion of women in church life as well as helping to promote sexual ethics. General Secretary Dawn Wiggens Hare discusses the history of the organization, its impact, and […]
Methodism in India: From Comity to Autonomy
June 09, 2022 18:44 - 83.6 MBHow did Methodism come to India? Guest: Dr. Glory Dharmaraj is President of The World Association for Christian Communication-North America. She is also the Retired Director of Mission Theology for United Methodist Women, now called United Women in Faith. She is the author of the denominational mission study on “India and Pakistan” in 2005-6, along […]
Comity, Methodism, and Puerto Rico
May 27, 2022 18:14 - 41.5 MBHow did Methodism come to Puerto Rico? What were the long-term ramifications of the original colonial aspects of mission? Guidance for the UMC in this moment? GUEST: Dr. Jorge Juan Rodriguez V is the son of two Puerto Rican migrants, grew up with his parents, grandmother, and uncle in a small affordable housing community in urban Connecticut. […]
UMC Discipline Paragraph 2548.2 – What’s the story?
May 10, 2022 14:44 - 44.2 MBAs of late, your social media and inbox may keep referencing a particular paragraph in the Book of Discipline, paragraph 2548.2. But what is this paragraph about? When did it originate and why? Is it useful to us today or not? GUESTS: Rev. Mark Salvacion senior pastor of Historic St. George’s UMC in Philadelphia and […]
UMC Discipline Paragraph 2548.2 - What’s the story?
May 10, 2022 14:44 - 1 hour - 44.2 MBAs of late, your social media and inbox may keep referencing a particular paragraph in the Book of Discipline, paragraph 2548.2. But what is this paragraph about? When did it originate and why? Is it useful to us today or not? GUESTS: Rev. Mark Salvacion senior pastor of Historic St. George’s UMC in Philadelphia and as of 2019, he was the founding Executive Director and Legal Policy Director of Justice For Our Neighbors of the Delaware Valley, which provides low-cost and pro bono immigra...
Methodist Women in History
May 02, 2022 22:24 - 35.7 MBIn honor of Women’s History month, we’re speaking with Rev. Emily Nelms Chastain about how Methodist women have changed the trajectory of the denomination in a multitude of ways.
Woman’s Home Missionary Society
April 15, 2022 19:50 - 28.7 MBHow has the United Methodist tradition evangelized to non-white persons via the Woman’s Home Missionary Society? GUEST: Alex Parrish is the Methodist Librarian at Drew University. His is currently a PhD Candidate at Garrett Evangelical School of Theology where his research focuses on nineteenth- and early twentieth-century American Methodist missions. HOST: Dr. Ashley Boggan Dreff, […]
The African American Methodist Heritage Center
February 22, 2022 01:26 - 21.4 MBThe African American Methodist Heritage Center (AAMHC) has a mission: “To establish and provide for the maintenance of an African American Methodist Heritage Center, connected with a historically Black institution, that will preserve and protect artifacts and be accessible for research about African American people in Methodism.” This month we discuss the history of this […]
Watch Night Services: A Wesleyan New Years Tradition
January 27, 2022 14:33 - 28.5 MBHappy 2022! John Wesley often participated in Watch Night Services, also known as Covenant Services, on New Years Eve. Is this the Wesleyan form of New Year Resolutions? Is this tradition still around? How have different communities, particularly African American forms of Methodism, adopted and adapted the Watch Night Service? GUESTS: Dr. Martin Wellings serves […]
What was the Christmas Conference?
December 21, 2021 14:37 - 40 minutes - 29.9 MBWe hear so much about the Christmas Conference as a crucial piece of Methodist History, but what exactly happened there? GUEST: Rev. Bonnie McCubbin serves bi-vocationally as the Director of Museums & Pilgrimage/Conference Archivist for the Baltimore-Washington Conference of The United Methodist Church where she oversees 33 historic sites and as the pastor of Old […]
Indigenous Boarding Schools
November 23, 2021 17:34 - 39 MBWhat were indigenous boarding schools and how were Methodists involved? GUEST: Rev. Shirley Montoya is an ordained elder in the UMC serving in the Desert Southwest Annual Conference. She was raised in the valley of Shiprock, New Mexico and attended a Bureau of Indian Affairs boarding school there. She currently lives on the Navajo reservation […]
UMC and Indigenous Nations: Lamentations and Hopes
November 12, 2021 23:43 - 37.5 MBHow has United Methodism’s racist actions against indigenous nations affected indigenous communities and congregations in 2021? We’ll learn from Ragghi Rain and Cynthia Wilks-Mosley about generational trauma and healing. GUESTS: Ragghi Rain is a layperson in the UMC who lives in Delaware on the land of the Nanticoke and Lenape. RagghiRain is a Descent of […]
Methodists and Sand Creek Massacre
October 26, 2021 22:26 - 113 MBMany United Methodists do not know the violent tragedies of our past, including our responsibility and agency in a massacre at Sand Creek. This is that story. GUEST: Dr. Gary Roberts is Emeritus Professor of History, Abraham Baldwin College, Tifton, Georgia, respected historian of the American West and the Sand Creek massacre in particular, has […]
Asbury Crossing: Methodism in Black and White
October 11, 2021 13:00 - 34.3 MBFrancis Asbury was tasked with carrying out John Wesley’s vision of Methodism in the colonies and the United States. Part of this vision included a strong stance against the institution of slavery. How did Asbury respond to and embody this stance in a society that was increasingly racist and white supermacist? GUESTS: Dr. Gordon Melton […]
John Wesley and Indigenous Persons
October 05, 2021 17:43 - 82.8 MBJohn Wesley’s mission to Georgia included a mandate to convert indigenous nations. How did this trip shape his understanding of indigenous persons and what can United Methodists today learn from this encounter? Guest: Rev. Dr. Suzanne Wenonah Duchesne: Dr. Duchesne is a PhD graduate of Drew Theological School whose dissertation was entitled Beloved Speech: Language […]
Asbury Crossing: Leadership Styles of John Wesley and Francis Asbury
September 27, 2021 23:29 - 36 MBIt’s no secret that John Wesley and Frances Asbury were quite dictatorial leaders who envisioned quite different futures for the peoples called Methodist….Or maybe it is? Hence, this podcast episode! Today, we’ll look at two (of the many) “founders” of Methodism, John Wesley and Francis Asbury. How did their different leadership styles create different types […]
Asbury Crossing: Lasting Impacts of Christmas Conference
September 13, 2021 14:00 - 26.1 MBCelebrating Asbury’s Voyage to the Americas 250 Years Ago As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of Francis Asbury’s crossing from England to America, we will feature a four-part series over the course of the month. More information can be found at here. IN THIS EPISODE: What is the Christmas Conference? Why is it important to […]
The Revolutionary Spirit of American Methodism
July 28, 2021 22:31 - 33.2 MBThis episode features an interview with Dr. Dee E Andrews about her book, The Methodists in Revolutionary America. Dr. Andrews will provides an overview of the spirit of revolution (and its many forms) within early American Methodism. In this interview, the various revolutions within Methodism (gender, race, social upheavals) parallel the idea of revolution within […]
Welch’s Grape Juice and Methodism
June 26, 2021 15:23 - 97.4 MBIn Part 1 of this episode, Ashley quizzes Rev. Jeremy Smith and Tara Barnes on their knowledge of Welch’s Grape Juice and its connection with the Methodist Church. In Part 2, Ashley discusses The Poisoned Chalice with Dr. Jennifer Woodruff Tait who literally wrote the book on Grape juice and Methodism. GUESTS: Tara Barnes is the […]
Wellspring UMC: A Local Church History
May 23, 2021 17:17 - 35.6 MBA local church discovers their past is intertwined with the KKK. How did they handle it? Our guests today share with Ashley on the steps they took to confront this racist history. GUESTS: Bishop Sudarshana Devadhar currently serves as the Bishop of the New England Annual Conference of the UMC. He was elected to the […]
The Cross and Flame Logo
May 01, 2021 16:16 - 37.1 MBGuests: Bishop Mande Muyombo is the Resident Bishop of the North Katanga Area in the Congo Central Conference of The United Methodist Church. Muyombo was an executive of the General Board of Global Ministries when he was elected on the fourth ballot during the Congo Central Conference in 2017. He is the first graduate of Africa University […]
Methodism in DC
April 26, 2021 14:42 - 15.2 MBGUESTS: Carol Travis was baptized at Asbury UMC and is recorded as having delivered her first prayer at the age of 6 over 60 years ago. After a long career in corporate America, she retired to start another career in church administration, serving on the staff of diverse churches in urban and suburban settings She […]
Racism in the System
April 24, 2021 15:40In this premiere episode, Ashley chats with Rev. Dr. Erin Beasley and Rev. Dr. Taylor Tenyer about the roots of racism in the United Methodist Church exploring the following: How was racism built into the Methodist system in the past within the US (Rev. Dr. Beasley) and globally (Rev. Dr. Tenyer)? How does it still […]