Matt O'Reilly, PhD

The launch of the Global Methodist Church (GMC) didn’t come in a theological vacuum. Starting in 1972, the United Methodist Church (UMC), our predecessor denomination, explicitly built its ecclesial house on the sandy foundation of theological pluralism, leading to its structural instability now expressed in schism. The so-called “big tent” denomination intended to house a broad range of (sometimes contradictory) theological perspectives proved unsustainable. This context clarifies one of many tasks that the new denomination now faces. The GMC must build its ecclesial house on a solid foundation marked by rigorous theology that will provide a strong basis for effective mission to our neighbors and the nations. We offer the essays in this book as a starting point for that task. Each chapter takes up a question characterized by some tension or debate in our earlier denominational life and offers theological shepherding regarding how the GMC might proceed.