Held Together: Methodist Connectionalism as Ecclesial Belonging

Russell E. Richey’s work on Methodist connectionalism reshaped the study of Methodist history by demonstrating how conference structures, shared discipline, and common mission formed the ecclesial identity of Methodism. Yet Methodist history also reveals persistent tensions within this ideal, as connectional unity has repeatedly been challenged by division, exclusion, and institutional fracture. This paper revisits Richey’s interpretation of Methodist connectionalism and asks how his framework might be extended in light of contemporary experiences of disconnection. It proposes belonging as a constructive lens for understanding the future of Methodist connectionalism. While Methodist polity established structures intended to bind communities together, connectional life has always depended on practices that cultivate recognition, participation, and mutual responsibility among the baptized. Reframing connectionalism as a practice of belonging highlights the relational and experiential dimensions of Methodist ecclesiology and offers a way to interpret connectionalism not only as governance but as a shared form of ecclesial life.