SPIRITUAL SPLIT.

• Date: 01 October 2023
• Author: Mildenberg, David
• Published date: 01 October 2023
• Author: Mildenberg, David

Methodism is as much a part of North Carolina as barbecue, Bojangles' and Cheerwine, though it may not be marketed as well. Virtually every town has a Methodist church, while the big cities have many. Some have prominent center city locations; others sit in remote countryside.

It's not a business, but the Methodist impact on our state has been profound economically and socially. The mostly White United Methodist Church had nearly 1,000 churches a few years back, while the mostly Black AME Zion denomination has 562. Methodists started or have backed colleges including Duke, High Point and Methodist universities; a half-dozen senior living centers; various camps and retreat centers; and hundreds of social-service nonprofits. Methodist church membership in North Carolina once topped 1 million. It's now at least a third smaller, still more than any peers except the Baptists.

Methodists historically stay out of the news...