The Methodist tradition has much to say about death and dying. Both in Methodist history and in Methodism's beliefs about death, dying, and the afterlife, the religion is one that addresses the prospect of death positively. Believing Methodists view death as an entrance to heaven and a blissful eternal life in the presence of God rather than as a passage to be feared. Nevertheless, from its early beginnings under John Wesley, the Methodist tradition, particularly with reference to funerals, has evolved substantially. This paper will examine Methodism in terms of its history, its traditional beliefs, and its practices with respect to funerals, incorporating quotations from John Wesley where applicable, as well as from the literature. It will conclude with a brief summary and insights on death and dying in Methodism.
The Methodist religion began at the very end of the 18th century in England, with four key young men-John Wesley and his brother Charles Wesley, plus Robert Kirkham and William Morgan-who had "banded themselves together for mutual assistance both in scholarship and piety" (Daniels, 1880, p. 43). Agreeing to spend three to four evenings every week reading the Greek Testament and the Greek and Latin classics for improving their minds, these four young men additionally decided to adopt a set of "rules for holy living" based on observing the duties set forth in the Prayer Book of the English Church (Daniels, 1880, p. 43). They were so diligent and methodical about following these rules that they were ridiculed for it, and the name "Methodist" was applied to them-a name that was "destined to become a title of honor, and to stand for the largest spiritual communion of Christians in the world" (Daniels, 1880, p. 44). In his book on Methodism, Reverend William H. Daniels points out that
"In those days it was not the fashion for kings to practice the Christian virtues: indeed, the almost uni...