DEVELOPING AN "OSLO MODEL" OF THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION BY DISTANCE LEARNING FOR THE CONTEMPORARY BRITISH CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE by DAVID McCULLOCH APPENDICES Volume 2 of 2 ßr4', A'" `, ". S`. VOLUME 2 of 2 APPENDICES 1. An Historical Outline of the Beginnings of the Church of the Nazareneand Origins and Developmentof its Ministry Patternsand Structures. 2. The Church of the Nazareneand its Placein the Developmentof the Holiness Movement. 3. CaseStudy Interviews: Dr Kent Brower Dr Hugh Rae Rev Chris Cope Rev Les Evans Respondent A Respondent B Respondent C Respondent D Respondent E Respondent F Respondent G Respondent H 4. The RevisedDiploma in Pastoral Studies 1 An Historical Outline of the Beginnings of the Church of the Nazarene and Origins and Development of its Ministry Patterns and Structures. Doctor Phineas F. Bresee, the founder of the Church of the Nazarene, was born on the 31'd December, 1838 in Franklin, New York and was raised in the Methodist ' Episcopal Church. From a very early age he professed to have a call to preach and in his teenage years was given a licence to preach on the Methodist circuit. After many years of successful ministry he was elected to the General Conference of the church in 1871. His style of preaching, which was fiery and evangelistic in nature did not please some of his Bishops, but he experienced several good pastoral appointments in various Districts of the church. Bresee tells how in 1892, the committee of which he was chairman, was asked to hold a series of services prior to the General Conference of Los Angeles where he was now pastoring. Bresee said "I held the meeting for several days and nights, and there was a very precious outpouring of the spirit of God upon the people" However he continues "there was no further arrangement or provision for the carrying on of the services, it being evident that the Presiding Bishop did not so desire."2 The Bishop moved him out of the District to another part of Los Angeles he where pastored at Simpson and Boyle Heights churches. began During this time Bresee to express a desirehe had long held and which in the end was to lead to his decisionto withdraw from the Methodist EpiscopalChurch. "It had long beenmy long cherisheddesire to have a place in the heart of the city, which could be made a centre of holy fire, and where the gospel could be preachedto the poor."3 Although his official biographer,E. A. Girvin, seesthis as the prime reasonfor his eventualresignation, the Los Angeles Times (in an article a year later) is quoted as ' Foundedin 1784by Dr. Coke who had been ordainedby John Wesleyin the sameyear. This was the American arm of the Methodist Church. 2 E.AGirvin, PhineasF. Bresee:A Prince in Israel, KansasCity, MO: NazarenePublishing House, 1916,96. 3 E.A. Girvin, A Prince in Israel.., 99. 2 " the Doctor's doctrinal the doctrine saying ... attitude on various questions, notably of sinless perfection, which he taught, was partly responsible for his location. "4 Whatever the reason, there is no doubt that the opportunity which presented itself became reason enough for Bresee. He was approached by a group of people who wished to build an undenominational church in the city which would minister primarily to the poor. A building plot was quickly obtained and within a year a structure5 was erected. Bresee tried to continue his relationship with the Methodist Conference despite his responsibility to this new church. He requested a supernumerary relationship but was informed that this was impracticable and his request was refused. The action of the Conference placed me in a position where I could not remain one of its members and go on with the work for which I had arranged, without transgressing the law of the church. So after a night of prayer and thought, I told my Presiding Elder that he might ask for me a 6 location. This he did, and it was granted without apparent reluctance. It seemed as though the Conference felt that it was relieving itself of the responsibility of this great question, when in fact it was assuming it in a far more vital way. 7 Thus thirty-sevenyears of membershipof the Methodist EpiscopalChurch cameto an end and Bresee continued his ministry with the new undenominationalchurch now calledthe PenielCity Mission. His work there lasted only one year. He had great hopes for it including the establishmentof a missionary training school. This was to train missionariesto 0 `foreign fields' and would include "a medical course of lectures"..... "Dr. Widney, dean of the Los Angeles Medical College, will arrange the curriculum for this department."8 4 Los Angeles Times(October 7,1895), 6, cols.2-5 quotedby Donald P. Brickley, Man of the Morning: the Life and Work of PhineasF. Bresee,Kansas City, MO: NazarenePublishing House, 1960,120. 5 Presumablytimber framed. The first brick building required during Bresee'sministry seemsto be in 1903 (seeBrickley, Man of the Morning.., 147). 6 This was Methodist phraseologyfor `to ceaseall official connectionto the church.' E.A. Girvin, A Prince in Israel.., 101. 8 Donald P. Brickley, Man of the Morning.., 127. (quoting from the Peniel Herald, Vol. 1,No. 1, October, 1894). 3 This is the first mention we have of Dr. Widney in print. He was a close friend of Dr Bresee and also a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Dr Widney was to play an important role in the early days of the future Church of the Nazarene. The statementof doctrine and organisationof the PenielMission Churchwas largely the same as the church Breseehad just left. Six branch missionssprang up and the work prospered. However his work at the Mission came to an abrupt end in the summer of the following year. He was away preachingin Illinois and was absentfor two or three months. News cameto him that somein the church did not wish him to continue as their Pastor. He said of this difficult time in his life "... I was informed by my coadjutors of their unwillingnessto go forward with me in the work. As to their course,and the treatmentaccorded me by them, which madeit seemnecessary for me to withdraw myselffinally from this work, I prefer to draw a veil."9 So then, in the year 1895,Dr Breseewas without a charge. However severalof the members of the Peniel Mission, feeling that Dr Bresee and Dr Widney were unfairly Mission, pushed out of the rallied around him and services were begun at a rented hall in 317 SouthMain Street,Los Angeles.'° One hundred and thirty-five people pledged themselvesto this new, yet unnamed first church. The meetingwas on October 6t', 1895. Its purposewas quite clear "... evangelisticand city missionwork, and the spreadingof the doctrine and experience of Christianholiness. "' 1 9 E.A. Gitvin, A Prince in IsraeL., 103. 10 Brickley suggeststhat Bresee'sexpressive style of worship may have beena reasonfor his dismissal. He points out that the Peniel Mission building was owned by a Mr & Mrs Ferguson. Around this time Mrs Fergusoncomposed the gospel song `BlessedQuietness' which seemedto epitomisethe style of worship expected. Brickley saysthat Fergusons'group becameknown as the `blessedquietness crowd, ' (Man of the Morning.., 130.) 11Brickley, Man of the Morning.., 132. 4 The two leaders declared that the only new thing in the movement was its determination to preach the gospel to the needy and to give that class a church they could call their own. i12 Dr Widney, in attempting to explain why a new denomination was required, said that in his view the machinery and the methods of the older churches had proved a hindrance to the work of evangelising the poor. This influenced the choice of the name given to the denomination. Dr Widney explained that after a whole night of prayer the word "Nazarene" came to him. It seemed to symbolise "the toiling, lowly mission of Christ". It was "the name which was used in derision of him by his enemies" which linked him to the great "toiling, struggling, sorrowing heart of the world. It is Jesus, Jesus of Nazareth, to whom the world in its misery and despair turns, that it may have hope.s13 The very first piece of Nazareneliterature printed bore a similar message. Headed with the words "Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden" it then continued: The Church of the Nazareneis a simple,primitive church, a church of the peopleand for the people. It hasno new doctrines,only the old, old Bible truths. It seeksto discardall superfluousforms and ecclesiasticismand go back to the plain simplewords of Christ. It is not a missionbut a church with a mission. It is a bandingtogether of heartsthat havefound the peace of God, and which now in their gladness,go out to carry the messageof the unsearchableriches of the gospel of Christ to other suffering, discouraged,sin-sick souls. Its missionto everyoneupon whom the battle of life hasbeen sore, and to every heart that hungersfor cleansingfrom sin. Come. "His yoke is easy and his burden is light, I've found it so, I've found it so" On the reverseside of the leaflet was the following statement: We endeavourto supply medical attendancefor those who are unable to provide it for themselves. Pleasenotify the pastorsor deaconessesof such '2 Timothy L. Smith, Called Unto Holiness; The Story of the Nazarenes:The Formative Years, KansasCity, MO: NazarenePublishing House, 1962,110. 13Peniel Herald, October, 1985;T. L. Smith, Called Unto Holiness-, I 11. need. Partially worn clothing is solicited for the poor. Please bring to the church, or notify the deaconesseswhere it may be had.14 It is interesting to note that no advance planning preceded the organisation of this new denomination.