The church's mission in the world, by Louis and Andrâe Râetif. Translated from the French by Reginald F. Trevett.

http://www.archive.org/details/churchsmissionin013224mbp

History of Christian missions / by Charles Henry Robinson

http://www.archive.org/details/historyofchristi003076mbp

Christian adventures in South Africa

http://www.archive.org/details/christianadventu00tayluoft

June 12, 1820 letter to Epaphras "Kibby[sic]" on Circular by Baltimore preachers in the M.E. Church

Handwritten letter from Timothy Merritt to Epaphras "Kibby [sic]" on a Circular published by local preachers of the Baltimore area. Letter dated 6/12/1820, Circular dated 5/20/1820. Both are on the subject of the changed protocols resulting from decisions made at a General Conference held just previous to publication, involving the installment of new preachers

Letter to Daniel Avery Whedon. Brooklyn, NY. Nov. 22, 1865.

Handwritten 1865 handwritten letter from Daniel D. Whedon to Daniel A. Whedon, his nephew, regarding slavery in relation to the Church as well as the Christian Union.

The Grounds for Succession from the M.E. Church

The Grounds of Succession from the M.E. Church being an explanation of her connection with slavery and also her form of government

Homosexuality and the United Methodist Church: An Ecclesiological Dilemma

Since 1968 The United Methodist Church has publicly debated the status and roles of homosexual persons in the life of the Church, creating considerable conflict within the Denomination. Academic research on the question of homosexuality and the Church has often focused on theological understandings of homosexuality and on the ways the conflict reflects broader "culture wars" in society. Yet little attention has been given to how the Church's concrete practices and polity toward homosexual persons reflect underlying tensions within the ecclesiological identity of the Denomination. This dissertation proposes that the issue of homosexuality is a critically important case study for exploring the practical ecclesiology of The United Methodist Church. In an effort to identify tensions within contemporary United Methodism's practical ecclesiology, it traces in detail the history of the denominational debate over homosexuality since 1968 and articulates the diverse and often conflicting ecclesiological commitments embedded within that debate. Focusing on the debate itself as a practice of the Church, this dissertation illustrates the ways in which the controversy over sexuality reflects the Denomination's conflicted practical ecclesiology. By examining the rhetoric of the sexuality debates in The United Methodist Church from 1968 to 2008, and by articulating the ecclesiological commitments embedded in those debates, the dissertation reveals a fundamental conflict over interpretations of ecclesial unity. Moreover, the dissertation explores the extent to which the conflict over unity reflects ecclesiological tensions present in John Wesley's own practical ecclesiology; and it asks whether or not contemporary interpretations of United Methodist ecclesiology might provide a normative framework for assessing and resolving the underlying ecclesial conflict at work in sexuality debates. The dissertation concludes by exploring the practice of public narrative as a concrete strategy that might be employed by the Denomination to reconcile the diverging ecclesiological visions within the contemporary church so that a clear and consensual ecclesiology might emerge.

The Role of Arts in the Process of Leadership Formation and Ecclesial Transformation

This dissertation investigates how the arts can be instrumental in the process of leadership formation and church transformation. By synthesizing results of an evaluation survey with a holistic-inductive design of inquiry, this dissertation demonstrates that the arts, as expressions of faith, can be transformative. By presenting the arts program at the Old West Church in Boston, which integrates arts as a medium for the expression of the Christian faith, this dissertation provides biblical, theological, and practical frameworks for reflecting on the transformative character of arts in the process of leadership formation and church transformation.

Living with Jesus: Practical Christologies in Two Boston American Baptist Churches

This dissertation, an exercise in practical theology, undertakes two tasks. First, it examines how the story of Jesus is appropriated and embodied in the corporate practices of worship and mission (congregational christology) and in the daily lives of ordinary believers (everyday christology) at First Baptist Church in Jamaica Plain and Ruggles Baptist Church in Boston, Massachusetts. Second, it places these practical christologies in dialogue with the academic christology of James McClendon to see what creative and critical insights emerge. A key assumption of the study is that doctrinal reflection is precipitated when the story of Jesus interacts with human stories in both autobiographical and public domains. "Living with Jesus" contends that the understandings of Jesus present in the everyday lives of believers and in a congregation's worship and mission merit the attention of scholars in the disciplines of sociology and theology. This dissertation demonstrates that scholarly research on the visible church, everyday religion, and Christian doctrine pays limited attention to the theologies operative in the everyday lives of believers and congregational practices. A gap exists in scholarly knowledge, which "Living with Jesus" attempts to redress. The empirical results of qualitative research fieldwork are set in the context of historical overviews and contemporary snapshots of First Baptist Church in Jamaica Plain and Ruggles Baptist Church. "Living with Jesus" identifies three types of practical christology operative across the two congregations in corporate practices and the everyday lives of individuals: evangelical christology; exemplarist christology; and prophetic christology. The empirical research shows that for a significant minority of people in the sample, the prevailing understanding of Jesus can best be described as a hybrid christology. By paying attention to McClendon's treatment of the Jesus story and placing the three identified practical christologies in dialogue with his christology, it becomes apparent that each practical christology is simultaneously liberating and limiting. This dissertation argues that evaluating a particular practical christology in relation to the Gospel requires an intentional and disciplined effort on the part of congregations, ordinary believers, and theologians. Questions are proposed to assist further christological reflection on worship, mission, pastoral care, and Christian education.