Editing Confessing Movement (section)

===Methodist===
The Confessing Movement within the [[United Methodist Church]] quotes [[Methodism]]'s founder, [[John Wesley]]: {{quote|I AM not afraid, that the people called Methodists, should ever cease to exist either in Europe or America.  But I am afraid, lest they should only exist as a dead [[sect]], having the form of [[religion]] without the power. And this undoubtedly will be the case, unless they hold fast both the [[doctrine]], spirit, and [[discipline]] with which they first set out.<ref>{{cite book |last=Wesley |first=John |author-link=John Wesley |title=The Works of the Rev. John Wesley, Vol. X |orig-year=1787 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kcUqAAAAYAAJ |year=1827 |publisher=J. & J. Harper|location=New York |chapter=Thoughts upon Methodism |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kcUqAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA148 |page=148 }}</ref>}}

Leaders have included [[Thomas C. Oden]], [[Maxie Dunnam]], Bill Hinson, John Ed Mathison, Karen Covey Moore, [[William J. Abraham]], and James Heidinger. The movement was successful in maintaining doctrinal standards and traditional United Methodist positions on theology and practice at the General Conferences in [[Cleveland]] (2000), [[Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania|Pittsburgh]] (2004), and [[Fort Worth]] (2008). At the 2008 conference, for instance, delegates voted to retain language in the Social Creed defining marriage as a union between one man and one woman.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.umc.org/site/apps/nlnet/content3.aspx?c=lwL4KnN1LtH&b=1723955&ct=5322883 |title=Wrap-up: General Conference closes with message of hope after addressing budget, social issues - UMC.org |access-date=2008-05-05 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607055634/http://www.umc.org/site/apps/nlnet/content3.aspx?c=lwL4KnN1LtH&b=1723955&ct=5322883 |archive-date=2011-06-07 }} General Conference closes with message of hope after addressing budget, social issues</ref> They also maintained the traditional teaching that although homosexuals "are individuals of sacred worth", homosexual practice is "incompatible with Christian teaching".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ee.umc.org/who-we-are/united-methodists-uphold-homosexuality-stance |last=Russell |first=Robin |title=United Methodists uphold homosexuality stance |date=April 30, 2008 |website=United Methodist Church |access-date=March 16, 2021}}</ref> After the 2019 United Methodist General Conference, the denomination became sharply divided over the issue of homosexuality and [[same-sex marriage]].<ref name="splainer">{{cite web |url=https://religionnews.com/2019/03/07/the-splainer-what-happened-at-the-united-methodist-general-conference/ |author=Emily McFarlan Miller |title=The 'Splainer: What happened at the United Methodist General Conference? |date= March 7, 2019 |website=Religion News Service |access-date=March 16, 2021}}</ref> Because of this split, there was speculation about the UMC separating or dividing into two or more denominations. An exit plan for dissatisfied congregations was passed by the 2019 General Conference and upheld by the Judicial Council (top court of the United Methodist Conference).<ref name="splainer" /> In addition, there are proposals for annual conferences to take place for the purpose of regular doctrinal evaluation.

Other Methodist organizations aligned with the Confessing Movement within the United Methodist Church include the Wesleyan Covenant Association, Concerned Methodists, Good News, [[Institute on Religion and Democracy|UM Action]], the Independent Committee on Alcohol and Drugs for United Methodists, Transforming Congregations, the [[Taskforce of United Methodists on Abortion and Sexuality]] (Lifewatch), and Renew Network.<ref name="Oden2006">{{cite book |last=Oden |first=Thomas C.|title=Turning Around the Mainline: How Renewal Movements Are Changing the Church |year=2006|publisher=Baker Books|language=en|isbn=9780801065767}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Hahn |first1=Heather |title=Traditionalists, bishops talk church future |url=https://www.umnews.org/en/news/traditionalists-bishops-talk-church-future |publisher=UM News |access-date=29 December 2022 |date=8 May 2019}}</ref> These groups worked together to launch the [[Global Methodist Church]], a traditionalist Methodist denomination, in 2022.<ref name="Short2022">{{cite web |last1=Short |first1=Faye |title=A Response to the Rebranding of United Methodist Women to United Women in Faith |url=https://renewnetwork.org/a-response-to-the-rebranding-of-united-methodist-women-to-united-women-in-faith/ |publisher=Renew Network |language=English |date=10 May 2022 |quote=They are the issues that caused the formation of renewal movements (Good News, UM Action, The Confessing Movement, Concerned Methodists, The Wesleyan Covenant Association), within the UMC, including, in behalf of women, the Esther Action Council, The Good News Women’s Taskforce and the ECUMW/RENEW Network. They are the underlying concerns, among others, that brought about the formation of the WCA, and the subsequent Global Methodist Church.}}</ref>

Currently, in The United Methodist Church, a caucus known as Young Methodists for Tradition, works to restore the denomination to what it sees as theological orthodoxy. Associated with the YMFT is [[Christian apologetics|Christian apologist]] Methodist Answers.<ref name="Wingfield2023">{{cite web |last1=Wingfield |first1=Mark |title=‘Operation Reconquista’ aims to return Mainline churches to ‘orthodoxy’ |url=https://baptistnews.com/article/operation-reconquista-aims-to-return-mainline-churches-to-orthodoxy/ |publisher=[[Baptist News Global]] |access-date=10 December 2024 |language=English |date=13 November 2023}}</ref>

Apart from these traditionalist organizations within the United Methodist Church, other theologically traditional [[List of Methodist denominations|Methodist denominations]] holding views similar to those espoused by the Confessing Movement include the [[Free Methodist Church]], the [[Missionary Methodist Church]], the [[Primitive Methodist Church]], the [[Lumber River Conference of the Holiness Methodist Church|Holiness Methodist Church]], and the [[Congregational Methodist Church]]; these churches are all aligned with the [[holiness movement|Wesleyan-holiness movement]]. Methodist denominations that have preserved certain distinctives of early Methodism, such as [[Christian head covering|women's headcovering]] and abstaining from wearing jewelry, include the [[Fellowship of Independent Methodist Churches]] and the [[Evangelical Wesleyan Church]], respectively. 

As a result of conflict with the United Methodist leadership, the Confessing Movement within the United Methodist Church launched the [[Global Methodist Church]]. Other formerly United Methodist congregations aligned with the Confessing Movement within the United Methodist Church chose to join the [[Free Methodist Church]] and the [[Congregational Methodist Church]].<ref name="Johnston2023">{{cite web |last1=Johnston |first1=Jeff |title=Thousands of Congregations Leave United Methodist Church Over Biblical Concerns |url=https://dailycitizen.focusonthefamily.com/thousands-of-congregations-leave-united-methodist-church-over-biblical-concerns/ |publisher=Daily Citizen |access-date=3 May 2024 |date=24 May 2023|quote=Others are joining more conservative Methodist groups, such as the Congregational Methodist Church, the Free Methodist Church, or the Global Methodist Church, an international denomination that launched just over a year ago.}}</ref>