The communion of methodist societies: a response to the atomization of the christian faith

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.19141/1809-2454.kerygma.v18.n1.pe1604

Keywords:

Methodist societies, Class meetings, Small groups, History of Christianity

Abstract

This article seeks to evaluate a prominent historical manifestation of the collectivist and communal attributes inherent to the Christian faith, namely, the Methodist involvement with small groups, supervised by John Wesley, and its effects on the religious community. The investigation is carried out through a literature review and begins with a concise presentation of the historical genesis of Methodist societies and class meetings. Subsequent deliberations will focus on dedication to mutual care within small groups and contemporary efforts aimed at reviving this Methodist legacy. Through this research it is possible to conclude that the Methodist model can be an adequate response to contemporary trends towards the atomization of faith and individualism in religious experience.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biographies

Isaac Malheiros, Centro Universitário Adventista de São Paulo - UNASP, São Paulo, (Brasil)

Doutor em Teologia (Tradições e Escrituras Sagradas) pela Escola Superior de Teologia (EST - São Leopoldo, Rio Grande do Sul, (Brasil). Professor de Teologia no Centro Universitário Adventista - UNASP, São Paulo. 

Davi Boechat, Centro Universitário Adventista de São Paulo - UNASP, São Paulo, (Brasil)

Bacharelando em Direito pelo Centro Universitário Adventista de São Paulo - UNASP, São Paulo, (Brasil).

References

ALVES, Rubem. O enigma da religião. Campinas: Papirus, 2007.

BAUMAN, Zygmunt. O mal-estar da pós-modernidade. Rio de Janeiro: Jorge Zahar, 1998.

BONDI, Roberta C. To Love as God Loves: Conversations with the Early Church. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1987.

CAMERON, Richard M. The Rise of Methodism: A Source Book. New York: Philosophical Library, 1954.

COMISKEY, Joel Thomas. Cell-Based Ministry as a Positive Factor for Church Growth in Latin America. Tese (Doutorado em Intercultural Studies). Fuller Theological Seminary, School of World Mission, 1997.

DUMONT, Louis. Homo aequalis: gênese e plenitude da ideologia econômica. Bauru: EDUSC, 2000.

DUMONT, Louis. O individualismo: uma perspectiva antropológica da ideologia moderna. Rio de Janeiro: Rocco, 1985.

FITCHETT, William Henry. As sociedades e as classes metodistas: onde se abrigavam e eram cuidados os novos convertidos. Igreja Metodista em Vila Isabel. 30 mar. 2009. Disponível em: http://tinyurl.com/3zhbb4xn. Acesso em 08 dez. 2023.

GIOVANETTI, José Paulo. A representação da religião na pós-modernidade. In: PAIVA, Geraldo José; ZANGARI, Wellington (orgs.). A representação na religião: perspectivas psicológicas. São Paulo: Loyola, 2004.

GIOVANETTI, José Paulo. Psicologia e senso religioso: a necessidade e o desejo – Modalidades da época. In: PAIVA, Geraldo José. Entre necessidade e desejo: diálogos da psicologia com a religião. São Paulo: Loyola, 2001.

GODINHO, Paulo. Apresentação. Guia de formação de líderes, 2016. p. 2. Disponível em: http://ministeriopessoal.org.s3.amazonaws.com/multiplicandoesperanca/2016/RevistaPrototipo.pdf. Acesso em 22 abr. 2023.

HUNTER III, George G. To Spread the Power: Church Growth in the Wesleyan Spirit. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1987.

HUNTER III, George G. Church for the Unchurched. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1996.

ICENOGLE, Gareth Weldon. Biblical Foundations for Small Group Ministry: An Integrational Approach. Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 1994.

LIPOVETSKY, Gilles; CHARLES, Sébastien. Os tempos hipermodernos. São Paulo: Barcarolla, 2004.

MADDOX, Randy L. Responsible Grace: John Wesley’s Practical Theology. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1994.

MALLISON, John. Growing Christians in Small Groups. London: Scripture Union, 1989.

MATTOS, Paulo Ayres. Wesley e os encontros de pequenos grupos: sua aplicação na Igreja Metodista no Brasil. Revista Caminhando, vol. 8, n. 2, p. 144-160, 2003.

MEEKS, Wayne A. The First Urban Christians: The Social World of the Apostle Paul. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1983.

MILLER, Craig Kennet. Postmoderns: The Beliefs, Hopes & Fears of Young Americans (1965-1981). Nashville: Discipleship Resources, 1996.

MOURA, Umberto. A resiliência dos Pequenos Grupos. Pequenos Grupos: comunhão em torno do Cordeiro. 26 abr. 2019. Disponível em: https://www.pequenosgrupos.com.br/a-resiliencia-dos-pequenos-grupos. Acesso em 10 de dez. 2022.

MOURA, Umberto. Uma fundamentação bíblica para os Pequenos Grupos. Parousia, v. 9, n. 1, p. 83-93, 2010.

MULTIPLIQUE. Pequeno Grupo Multiplicador. Portal Multiplique, s.d. Disponível em: https://igrejamultiplicadora.org.br/new/pequeno-grupo-multiplicador. Acesso em 10 de dez. 2022.

ODEN, Thomas Clark. Ensinamentos de John Wesley, vol. 4. São Paulo: Reflexão, 2021.

PAROSCHI, Wilson. Os Pequenos Grupos e a hermenêutica: evidências bíblicas e históricas em perspectiva. In: BRASIL DE SOUZA, Elias (org.). Teologia e Metodologia da Missão. Cachoeira: CePLiB, 2009.

SNYDER, Howard A. The Radical Wesley and Patterns for Church Renewal. Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 1980.

THOMPSON, Marjorie J. Soul Feast: An Invitation to the Christian Spiritual Life. Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 1995.

TUNALA, Márcio. Pequeno Grupo Multiplicador. Rio de Janeiro: Convicção, 2014.

WATSON, David Lowes. Accountable Discipleship: Handbook for Covenant Discipleship Groups in the Congregation. Nashville: Discipleship Resources, 1986.

WATSON, David Lowes. The Early Methodist Class Meeting. Nashville: Discipleship Resources, 1987.

WESLEY, John. Cartas de João Wesley. São Paulo: Imprensa Metodista, 1952.

YOUNG, Doyle L. New Life For Your Church. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1989.

Downloads

Published

2023-07-03

How to Cite

MALHEIROS, I.; BOECHAT, D. The communion of methodist societies: a response to the atomization of the christian faith. Kerygma, Engenheiro Coelho, SP, v. 18, n. 1, p. e1604, 2023. DOI: 10.19141/1809-2454.kerygma.v18.n1.pe1604. Disponível em: https://unasp.emnuvens.com.br/kerygma/article/view/1604. Acesso em: 1 feb. 2026.

Issue

Vol. 18 No. 1 (2023): Fluxo contínuo

Section

Dossier on Contemporary Theology and Religious Practice

License

Copyright (c) 2024 Kerygma

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Copyright Statement

In summary, authors who publish in Kerygma must agree that:

  1. Once accepted for publication, the copyright of the articles is transferred to Kerygma.

  2. All third-party materials used in the text must be properly referenced.

  3. Authors must hold the rights or permissions for the use of images, tables, and other graphic materials.

  4. Authors guarantee that the submitted manuscript is original, of their own authorship, and has not been submitted or published elsewhere.

  5. The opinions and ideas expressed in the texts are the sole responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the journal.

  6. The editors reserve the right to make textual revisions and adjustments in accordance with the journal’s editorial standards.

  7. Authors retain copyright and grant the journal the right of first publication, with the work licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution–NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

  8. Authors authorize the reproduction and adaptation of the material by Kerygma, with the authors’ participation or express authorization when required.

  9. The journal may distribute, store, archive, and make the articles available through any physical or digital means, whether free of charge or paid.

  10. Authors may enter into separate agreements for the non-exclusive distribution of the published version of the work, provided that the original publication in Kerygma is acknowledged.

  11. Full or partial reproduction of the texts in other publications requires prior written authorization from the editor.

  12. Authors are permitted and encouraged to publish and distribute their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or personal webpages) before or during the editorial process, as this may increase the visibility and citation impact of the published work.

Crossref
Scopus
Google Scholar
Europe PMC