“Following Jesus is costly,” says The UMC’s (Ret.) Bishop Karen Oliveto. “And for me, that price was being closeted. And I was willing to pay that price.” Dr. Ashley Boggan welcomes the denomination’s first openly gay bishop to “Un-Tied Methodism” as Bishop Oliveto shares her story of burden, scrutiny, oppression and how knowing that “Perfect love casts out all fear” propelled her along her ministry path.

Bishop Oliveto’s oral history is part of the 2025 Heritage Sunday resources in support of the theme, “Sacred Stories: LGBTQ+ United Methodist Ministries.” Learn more at https://tinyurl.com/HS2025theme.

Explore the United Methodist General Commission on Archives and History at ResourceUMC.org/ArchivesandHistory.

Interested in a deep dive into the earliest stories of Methodism? Sign up for a free, online, four-module history course titled “Radicle Methodism: Back to our Roots” at ResourceUMC.org/ArchivesandHistory/Radicle-Methodism.

Listen to other episodes of “Un-Tied Methodism” at UnTiedMethodism.org.

In this poignant 2025 Heritage Sunday-themed oral history episode of “Un-Tied Methodism,” (Ret.) Bishop Peggy Johnson and Rev. Mary Johnson join Dr. Ashley Boggan to share their experiences as a clergy couple, including their calls to ministry, career challenges, and Mary’s journey of discovering her transgender identity.

Explore the United Methodist General Commission on Archives and History at ResourceUMC.org/ArchivesandHistory.

Interested in a deep dive into the earliest stories of Methodism? Sign up for a free, online, four-module history course titled “Radicle Methodism: Back to our Roots” at ResourceUMC.org/ArchivesandHistory/Radicle-Methodism.

Listen to other episodes of “Un-Tied Methodism” at UnTiedMethodism.org.

Methodism has influenced – and been influenced by – issues such as reproductive justice, the concept of respectability politics and contemporary perceptions of womanhood. Dr. Ashley Boggan and guest Dr. Amy Laura Hall, Duke University professor and ordained elder in The UMC, take a deep dive into understanding why our 20th century history matters for 21st century decisions on these vital topics.

Explore the United Methodist General Commission on Archives and History at ResourceUMC.org/ArchivesandHistory.

Interested in a deep dive into the earliest stories of Methodism? Sign up for a free, online, four-module history course titled “Radicle Methodism: Back to our Roots” at ResourceUMC.org/ArchivesandHistory/Radicle-Methodism.

Listen to other episodes of “Un-Tied Methodism” at UnTiedMethodism.org.

Understanding the historical intertwining of religion and politics in America, particularly from a Methodist standpoint, helps us navigate contemporary situations. Discover how Methodism impacted Revolutionary War-era Manhattan and Boston when Dr. Ashley Boggan welcomes the Rev. Stefanie Bennett and Rev. Emily Nelms Chastain as guests on “Un-Tied Methodism.”

Explore the United Methodist General Commission on Archives and History at ResourceUMC.org/ArchivesandHistory.

Interested in a deep dive into the earliest stories of Methodism? Sign up for a free, online, four-module history course titled “Radicle Methodism: Back to our Roots” at ResourceUMC.org/ArchivesandHistory/Radicle-Methodism.

Listen to other episodes of “Un-Tied Methodism” at UnTiedMethodism.org.

After an historic eight-year gap, The UMC has a new Book of Discipline, one reflecting the actions from the Postponed 2020 General Conference held in 2024. In this lively conversation with Dr. Ashley Boggan and guest, Dr. Jonathan LeMaster-Smith, discover what’s new in the latest iteration, as well as take a deep dive into the history of this text that traces its beginnings to minutes from a Methodist conference convened by John Wesley in 1744.

Learn more about our guest, Dr. Jonathan LeMaster-Smith at his website.

Explore the United Methodist General Commission on Archives and History at ResourceUMC.org/ArchivesandHistory.

Interested in a deep dive into the earliest stories of Methodism? Sign up for a free, online, four-module history course titled “Radicle Methodism: Back to our Roots” at ResourceUMC.org/ArchivesandHistory/Radicle-Methodism.

Listen to other episodes of “Un-Tied Methodism” at UnTiedMethodism.org.

John Wesley had seven sisters and it’s “overdue that we explore their lives,” says Rev. Dr. Glen O’Brien, author, minister and professor of Christian history and thought at the University of Divinity in Melbourne, Australia. Join Dr. Ashley Boggan, host of “Un-Tied Methodism,” as she and O’Brien delve into the stories of the Wesley sisters, examining both their lives and contributions to Methodism, as well as the importance of understanding Christian history from a female perspective.

Explore the United Methodist General Commission on Archives and History at ResourceUMC.org/ArchivesandHistory.

Interested in a deep dive into the earliest stories of Methodism? Sign up for a free, online, four-module history course titled “Radicle Methodism: Back to our Roots” at ResourceUMC.org/ArchivesandHistory/Radicle-Methodism.

Listen to other episodes of “Un-Tied Methodism” at UnTiedMethodism.org.

In a history that is not widely known, the early African Methodist Episcopal Church and indigenous communities shared a relationship of both connection and resistance in the area now known as Oklahoma.

Dr. Ashley Boggan takes a look at the history with Dr. Christina Dickerson, professor and author of “Black Indians and Freedmen: The African Methodist Episcopal Church and Indigenous Americans, 1816-1916” on the current episode of “Un-Tied Methodism.”

Learn more and/or order Dickerson’s book at this link.

Explore the United Methodist General Commission on Archives and History at ResourceUMC.org/ArchivesandHistory.

Interested in a deep dive into the earliest stories of Methodism? Sign up for a free, online, four-module history course titled “Radicle Methodism: Back to our Roots” at ResourceUMC.org/ArchivesandHistory/Radicle-Methodism.

Listen to other episodes of “Un-Tied Methodism” at UnTiedMethodism.org.

Many United Methodists do not know the violent tragedies of our past, including the denomination’s  responsibility and agency in the Sand Creek Massacre, the 1864 attack by the U.S. Army on the Cheyenne and Arapaho people in what is now Colorado. This is that story.

Dr. Ashley Boggan welcomes guest, Dr. Gary L. Roberts, professor and author of “Massacre at Sand Creek: How Methodists Were Involved in an American Tragedy.”

Note: This episode is a repeat from October 2021.

To learn more and/or order Dr. Roberts’ book, go to this link.

Explore the United Methodist General Commission on Archives and History at ResourceUMC.org/ArchivesandHistory.

Interested in a deep dive into the earliest stories of Methodism? Sign up for a free, online, four-module history course titled “Radicle Methodism: Back to our Roots” at ResourceUMC.org/ArchivesandHistory/Radicle-Methodism.

Listen to other episodes of “Un-Tied Methodism” at UnTiedMethodism.org.

Join Dr. Ashley Boggan D., GCAH’s general secretary, and Dr. Philip Wingeier-Rayo, professor of Missiology, World Christianity and Methodist Studies at Wesley Theological Seminary, as they discuss the vibrant history of Methodism in Latin America. Learn about the courageous pioneers who brought their faith to a region dominated by Catholicism and how the legacy continues to thrive today.

Explore the United Methodist General Commission on Archives and History at ResourceUMC.org/ArchivesandHistory.

Interested in a deep dive into the earliest stories of Methodism? Sign up for a free, online, four-module history course titled “Radicle Methodism: Back to our Roots” at ResourceUMC.org/ArchivesandHistory/Radicle-Methodism.

Listen to other episodes of “Un-Tied Methodism” at UnTiedMethodism.org.

The Rev. Dr. Christopher P. Momany joins Dr. Ashley Boggan as a return guest on “Un-Tied Methodism” to discuss the new collaborative project titled “Awakening to Justice: Faithful Voices from the Abolitionist Past.” Inspired by the discovery of a 19th century abolitionist journal and the documentation of a ship used to enslave people, the book challenges us to confront our history in an effort to inspire fresh conversations about race and faith in the church.

Learn more about “Awakening to Justice.”

Watch the “Awakening to  Justice” documentary.

Explore the United Methodist General Commission on Archives and History at ResourceUMC.org/ArchivesandHistory.

Interested in a deep dive into the earliest stories of Methodism? Sign up for a free, online, four-module history course titled “Radicle Methodism: Back to our Roots” at ResourceUMC.org/ArchivesandHistory/Radicle-Methodism.

Listen to other episodes of “Un-Tied Methodism” at UnTiedMethodism.org.