The series of twenty-five doctrinal statements considered part of the doctrinal standards of The United Methodist Church. The original list of thirty-nine was first adopted by the Church of England in 1563. John Wesley abridged this list to twenty-four (editing out much of their Calvinist emphasis). He sent them to America as an appendix to his proposed prayerbook for the American Methodists. The 1784 Christmas Conference added what is now Article 23. In 1808 the General Conference of The Methodist Episcopal Church passed the first Restrictive Rule, which states that the General Conference may not in any way change the Articles of Religion. They remain unchanged to this day and have been printed without change in every edition of The Book of Discipline.
Source: A Dictionary for United Methodists, Alan K. Waltz, Copyright 1991, Abingdon Press. Used by permission.
