Reclaiming Apostolic Roots in Methodism Today

Methodism and the Continuity of Apostolic Faith

One of the quiet misunderstandings about Methodism is the assumption that it is somehow a modern invention, detached from the deep roots of historic Christianity. In reality, the Methodist movement was born out of a deliberate effort to reclaim the faith and practices of the early church. John Wesley did not want novelty. He wanted renewal. He believed that the Church of England, and Christianity more broadly, needed to be reconnected to the apostolic faith, the wisdom of the church fathers, and the ancient practices that form Christians in holiness and love.

This reflection explores how Methodism stands in continuity with the early church and why that continuity still matters for faithful discipleship today.

Apostolic Faith as the Foundation

At the heart of early Christianity was a shared confession of faith centered on the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The apostles proclaimed salvation by grace, transformation by the Spirit, and a life shaped by love of God and neighbor.

John Wesley embraced this apostolic core without reservation. He affirmed the creeds of the early church and treated them as faithful summaries of biblical teaching. In his sermon “Catholic Spirit,” Wesley emphasized unity in essential doctrines while allowing liberty in non-essentials. This mirrors the early church’s focus on shared faith rather than uniform opinion.

The apostle Paul describes this faith succinctly: “I passed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received” (1 Corinthians 15:3, NRSV). Methodism understands itself as receiving and handing on that same faith, not reinventing it.

Learning from the Church Fathers

Wesley was deeply shaped by the writings of the early church fathers, especially those from the first five centuries. He read and quoted figures such as Ignatius of Antioch, Irenaeus, Athanasius, and the Cappadocian fathers. He believed their proximity to the apostles gave their teachings particular weight.

Thomas Oden describes this approach in Classic Christianity as a return to “consensual tradition,” the shared theological wisdom of the undivided church. Wesley drew especially from the fathers’ emphasis on salvation as healing and transformation, not merely forgiveness.

This patristic vision resonates with Scripture’s promise that believers are being renewed in the image of Christ. “All of us… are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another” (2 Corinthians 3:18, NRSV). Methodism’s doctrine of sanctification flows directly from this early Christian understanding.

Ancient Practices of Formation

The early church knew that faith must be practiced to be sustained. Catechesis, fasting, prayer, almsgiving, and regular participation in the sacraments were central to Christian formation. These practices were not spiritual extras. They were the ordinary means by which believers grew in grace.

Wesley intentionally recovered these ancient disciplines. His emphasis on the means of grace echoes early Christian patterns of formation. Searching the Scriptures, receiving the Lord’s Supper, prayer, fasting, and works of mercy all have deep roots in the life of the early church.

As Jesus teaches, “Whoever hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise person who built their house on rock” (Matthew 7:24, CEB). Methodism insists that Christian faith is learned through faithful habits, not just right beliefs.

Community and Accountability

Early Christians understood that discipleship happens in community. The Acts of the Apostles describes believers who devoted themselves “to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers” (Acts 2:42, NRSV). Shared life, mutual accountability, and common worship were essential.

Wesley’s class meetings and bands were a direct retrieval of this communal model. As Kevin Watson explains in The Class Meeting, these gatherings functioned as spaces of confession, encouragement, and growth, much like the early church’s intentional communities.

This emphasis reflects Wesley’s conviction that holiness is social. Transformation happens when believers watch over one another in love, just as the early Christians did.

Why This Continuity Matters Today

In a restless and fragmented age, many Christians are searching for a faith that feels both ancient and alive. Methodism offers such a path by standing in continuity with the apostolic church while remaining attentive to the Spirit’s work today.

By rooting itself in Scripture, drawing wisdom from the fathers, and practicing time-tested disciplines, the Methodist movement reminds us that renewal does not come from abandoning the past. It comes from receiving it faithfully.

As the writer of Hebrews urges, “Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful” (Hebrews 10:23, NRSV). Methodism’s roots in the early church help us do just that.

Reflection Questions

1. What practices from the early church resonate most with your own spiritual life?
2. How does knowing Methodism’s ancient roots shape your understanding of the movement?
3. Where might God be inviting you to deeper formation through historic Christian practices?

A Closing Prayer

Eternal God,
You have been faithful to your church in every generation. Ground us in the faith of the apostles, shape us by the wisdom of the saints, and form us through practices that lead to love. May we be renewed, not by novelty, but by faithfulness to Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.