Tag: B.T. Roberts

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The Vision and Founding of the Free Methodist Church: Separation from the Methodist Episcopal Church Skit

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This is a short skit I wrote for the 150th anniversary of the Free Methodist denomination this past August. I’ve found that creatively writing out some of the historic details helps me better understand the history and passion of the individuals I’m researching. Feel free to reproduce this play at your own church, just make sure to give me credit as the author. I’m basing this off the honor system. Minor changes to staging or script are permitted. Cast: Narrator 1 Narrator 2 Genesee Conference Delegate B.T. Roberts Ellen Roberts Trial Observers (2 to 3) Stage Setting: Two podiums (or … Continue reading The Vision and Founding of the Free Methodist Church: Separation from the Methodist Episcopal Church Skit

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The Gould vs. Roberts Debate on Women Leadership in the Free Methodist Denomination

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I have just spent the last two days at the Marston Memorial History Center, which is home to the Free Methodist archives. The amazing amount of material available for research is mind numbing. I felt like a kid on Christmas morning. For now, I have enough information to get through the spring, but I will be making trips back over the next few years I continue my research. I would like to begin sharing some of the “gems” I found in the archives. First, I want to return to the time prior to the 1890 General Conference and the debate … Continue reading The Gould vs. Roberts Debate on Women Leadership in the Free Methodist Denomination

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Opposition to Ordaining Women at the 1890 Conference

freemethodistfeminist

Over the last few weeks I’ve been dissecting the 1890 Free Methodist General Conference debate about ordaining women. While we’ve read some wonderful defenses of women in ministry, it’s important to also look at the critics. Many of the arguments made in the 1890s are still being made today, which, frankly, doesn’t give me much hope that the issues surrounding gender roles in the church will be resolved anytime soon. However, we must continue to persevere and push people to rethink their opinions about gender. As Donald Dayton, a Wesleyan theologian, notes in his book Discovering an Evangelical Heritage, “The … Continue reading Opposition to Ordaining Women at the 1890 Conference

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Equally Capable: Women in Ministry

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The 1890 Free Methodist General Conference debate about the ordination of women is one of the most important moments in Free Methodist Church history. The debate about women’s roles still goes on today, making it crucial that we understand our history and our position on this issue. No true Free Methodist should ever say that our denomination supports male headship. If they do they need a firm scolding and to be sent home to read B.T. Roberts “On Ordaining Women” and numerous other documents the denomination has put out throughout the years. Yet it is disturbingly surprising how few people … Continue reading Equally Capable: Women in Ministry

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Debating the Same Points for Centuries

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The idea that God created men and women with different capabilities and purposes has driven the debate about gender equality for centuries.  Yet, while the idea seems fairly straightforward – God created Adam first and Eve was made from Adam; therefore Adam must be the leader because he was created first. The implications behind this belief in fundamentally different gender roles has far reaching and dangerous implication for women who feel called to serve in male-dominated professions. What is most ironic to me about this debate is the fact that in over a 100 years we have not progressed at … Continue reading Debating the Same Points for Centuries