5. The search for credible alternatives

Abstract

The search for a viable alternative to classical Methodist teaching was taken up in earnest in the first half of the 20th century. If there was a failure of nerve in the effort to sustain the riches of the tradition, there was no lack of confidence in pursuing the quest for a better future intellectually. The basic strategy was to reach outside the boundaries of Methodism and find fitting materials that would replace the earlier orthodoxy. ‘The search for credible alternatives’ describes the work and impact of Albert Outler in the 1960s, new developments over the last fifty years, and present-day disputes and problems within Methodism.