1.1 Basic Library for Students and Local Churches

A suggested reading list for seminary courses in United Methodist history, doctrine and polity as well as resources for a local church library.

The Basics

Anderson, Christopher J., and Brian Shetler. United Methodist Studies: Basic Bibliographies. 7th edition, 2025.

The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church, 2020/2024. Nashville: United Methodist Publishing House, 2025. Adaptations of the Book of Discipline can be found in a variety of languages including Korean and Spanish. See Cokesbury for purchase and access to print and PDF versions.

The Book of Resolutions of The United Methodist Church, 2020/2024. Nashville: United Methodist Publishing House, 2025.

Church Financial Records Handbook, 2017-2020. Cokesbury, 2017.

Church Membership Records Manual, 2017-2020. Cokesbury, 2017.

Guidelines for Leading Your Congregation, 2025-2028. Cokesbury, 2024.

McIntyre, Dean B. A Reference Companion to the United Methodist Hymnal and The Faith We Sing. Nashville: Discipleship Resources, 2009.

United Methodist Book of Worship. Nashville: United Methodist Publishing House, 1992.

United Methodist International Directory. https://www.umc.org/en/news-and-more/directory

The United Methodist Hymnal: Book of United Methodist Worship. Nashville: United Methodist Publishing House, 2003. First edition published 1989.

Young, Carlton R. Companion to the United Methodist Hymnal. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1993.

History

For a full list of History resources, see Part 3.

Abraham, William J., and James E. Kirby, eds. The Oxford Handbook of Methodist Studies. New York: Oxford University Press, 2011.

Gibson, William, Peter S. Forsaith, and Martin Wellings, eds. The Ashgate Research Companion to World Methodism. London and New York: Routledge, 2016.

Heitzenrater, Richard P. Wesley and the People Called Methodists. 2nd Edition. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2013. Korean, Russian & Spanish editions available.

Matthews, Rex D. Timetables of History: For Students of Methodism. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2007.

Melton, J. Gordon. A Will to Choose: The Origins of African American Methodism. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 2007.

Richey, Russell E., Kenneth E. Rowe, and Jean Miller Schmidt, eds. American Methodism: A Compact History. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2012.

_____, eds. The Methodist Experience in America. Volumes 1 and 2. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2010 and 2000.

Schmidt, Jean Miller. Grace Sufficient: A History of Women in American Methodism. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1999.

Vickers, Jason E., ed. Cambridge Companion to American Methodism. New York: Oxford University Press, 2013.

Yrigoyen, Charles, John G. McEllhenney, and Kenneth E. Rowe. United Methodism at Forty: Looking Back, Looking Forward. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2008.

Yrigoyen, Charles, ed. T & T Clark Companion to Methodism. London and New York: T & T Clark, 2010.

For local church libraries, include:

Gonzales, Justo L., ed. Each in Our Own Tongue: A History of Hispanics in United Methodism. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1991. Also available in Spanish: En Nuestra Propia Lengua. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1991.

Guillermo, Artemio R., ed. Churches Aflame: Asian Americans and United Methodism. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1991.

Jeung, Russell. Faithful Generations: Race and New Asian American Churches. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 2005.

Kirby, James E., Russell E. Richey, and Kenneth E. Rowe. The Methodists. Westport, CT: Praeger Publishers, 1998.

McClain, William B. Black People in the Methodist Church: Whither Thou Goest? Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1990.

Noley, Homer. First White Frost: Native Americans and United Methodism. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1991.

Richey, Russell E., Kenneth E. Rowe, and Jean Miller Schmidt, eds. American Methodism: A Compact History. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2012.

Shockley, Grant S., ed. Heritage and Hope: The African American Presence in United Methodism. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1991.

Woodruff Tait, Jennifer, and Christopher J. Anderson, eds. Historical Dictionary of Methodism, Fourth Edition. Rowman & Littlefield, 2025.

Doctrine

For a full list of Doctrine resources, see Part 4.

Campbell, Ted. Methodist Doctrine: The Essentials. Revised Edition. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2011.

Collins, Kenneth J. The Theology of John Wesley: Holy Love and the Shape of Grace. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2007.

Collins, Kenneth J., and Jason E. Vickers. The Sermons of John Wesley: A Collection for the Christian Journey. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2013.

Gunter, W. Stephen, ed. Wesley and the Quadrilateral: Renewing the Conversation. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1997.

Langford, Thomas A., ed. Doctrine and Theology in The United Methodist Church. Nashville: Kingswood Books, 1991. Places 1972 and 1988 UMC doctrinal statements in historical context.

–––––.­­ Practical Divinity. Revised edition. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1998-1999. 2 vols. Vol. 1, Theology in the Wesleyan Tradition, Vol. 2, Readings in Wesleyan Theology.

Maddox, Randy. Responsible Grace: John Wesley’s Practical Theology. Nashville: Kingswood Books, 1994.

Maddox, Randy, and Theodore Runyon. Rethinking Wesley’s Theology for Contemporary Methodism. Nashville: Kingswood Books, 1998.

McClain, William B. Come Sunday: The Liturgy of Zion. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1990.

Oden, Thomas C. Doctrinal Standards in the Wesleyan Tradition. Revised edition. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2008.

Runyon, Theodore H. The New Creation: John Wesley’s Theology Today. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1998. Also available in Spanish and Korean.

Wesley, John. John Wesley’s Sermons: An Anthology. Edited by Albert C. Outler and Richard P. Heitzenrater. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1991.

Polity

For a full list of Polity resources, see Part 5.

Frank, Thomas E. Polity, Practice and the Mission of the United Methodist Church. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2006. Available in Spanish and Korean.

Tuell, Jack M. The Organization of the United Methodist Church. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2009.

Periodicals

For a full list of Periodicals, see Part 6.

Methodist History. https://gcah.org/resources/methodist-history-journal/

Response. https://uwfaith.org/resources/response-magazine/

The United Methodist News. https://www.umnews.org/en/