UMChurchLaw Dictionary: Updated and Expanded Edition
A Practical Reference to the Constitutional, Disciplinary, and Judicial Laws of
The United Methodist Church
Rev. Luan-Vu Tran, Ph.D.
The UMChurchLaw Dictionary is an updated and expanded digital reference work designed to help pastors, bishops, chancellors, trustees, church leaders, students of polity, and legal practitioners navigate the language, structure, and governing principles of United Methodist law.
This new edition incorporates the latest developments in United Methodist constitutional and disciplinary interpretation, including Judicial Council Decisions through the Spring 2026 Session. It also features important new entries on Doctrine of Severability, Due Process, Principle of Unified Superintendency and Episcopacy, Regional Conferences, U.S. Regional Conference, and Separation of Powers.
Featuring 180 alphabetical entries for key terms, offices, processes, and doctrines in The United Methodist Church, the Dictionary guides readers to relevant provisions of the Book of Discipline 2020/2024, the Constitution of The United Methodist Church, and leading Judicial Council decisions. Each entry provides concise definitions, practical explanations, legal-theological context, and cross-references to related topics.
The Dictionary also includes embedded hyperlinks in cross-references, enabling readers to move instantly to related entries with a click and thereby broaden and speed up legal research. It is designed not merely as a glossary, but as a practical research tool that helps users identify the right term, locate the right authority, and understand how each concept fits within the Church’s constitutional order.
Whether used for study, teaching, conference leadership, local church governance, legal research, or preparation for administrative and judicial processes, the UMChurchLaw Dictionary offers a clear, accessible, and authoritative guide to the key terms, doctrines, and authorities that shape the life and order of The United Methodist Church.
Methodical. Practical. Built for real church law research.
A professional digital reference for constitutional, disciplinary, and judicial study.