Book Review: The Next Methodism

In 1991, Gloria Estefan released her song, "Coming out of the Dark," which includes these lyrics: "Coming out of the dark / I finally see the light no / And it's shining on me / Coming out of the dark / I know the love that saved me / You're sharing with me." It was about the same time that I, as a confirmand, made my vows before the Lord at Pleasant Grove United Methodist Church. Those who taught me knew the power of the Holy Spirit and the beauty of the gospel spoken with a Wesleyan accent. They taught me Methodist Christianity in all its fullness, and at the same time, they warned me that much of Methodism believed something different. Two Methodisms existed: one that reflected the historic faith and one that reflected the secular postmodern culture just emerging.