As he assessed the dangerous conditions that threatened American pastors, churches, and seminaries in 1901, Methodist bishop Willard F. Mallalieu said, “The present hour is a time of bewilderment. The world is full of unrest. Christendom is in a perilous condition. Turn which way we will, we are confronted by portentous clouds full of danger and death. These things are so for the reason that we are living in a transitional age” (Mallalieu, p 10). 

It is fair to say that shortly after its founding in 1784, disputes and divisions existed within the Methodist denomination. The primary controversial issues, in the beginning, were matters over slavery and the Holiness Movement. 

Fast forward to 1968 and Methodism’s formation through two unions, and you still perceive the ongoing friction between theological conservatives and liberals over various doctrinal issues. 

Yet, did any significant controversial issues occur between 1784 and 1968 within the Methodist movement? If so, are these controversies worth noting and examining?