Methodism is a movement within Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organisations. The Methodist movement traces its origin to the evangelical awakening in 18th century Great Britain. The largest branch of Methodism flowed from the work of John Wesley, who was an Anglican clergyman. Thus "Methodism" is commonly taken as "Wesleyan Methodism". Wesley sought to keep Methodism as a revival movement within the Church of England, and a significant number of Anglican clergy were known as Methodists. Other 18th century branches of Methodism include Welsh Methodists, later the Calvinistic Methodists, from the work of Howell Harris, and the Countess of Huntingdon's Connexion through the work of George Whitfield. The influence of Lady Huntingdon and Whitfield on the Church of England was a factor in the establishing of the Free Church of England in 1844. Through vigorous missionary activity Methodism spread throughout the British Empire, the United States, and beyond.

Early Methodists were drawn from all levels of society, including aristocracy. But the Methodist preachers took the message to labourers and criminals who tended to be left outside of organised religion at that time. Wesley himself thought it wrong to preach outside a Church building until persauded otherwise by Whitfield.

Doctrinally, the branches of Methodism following Wesley are Arminian, while those following Harris and Whitfield are Calvinistic. Wesley did not let this difference of interpretation change his friendship with Whitfield, and Wesley's sermon on Whitfield's death is full of praise and affection. Methodism has a very wide variety of forms of worship, traditionally low church in liturgy. The Wesleys themselves greatly valued the Anglican liturgy and tradition, and based Methodist worship in The Book of Offices on the 1662 Book of Common Prayer. Later off-shoots of Wesleyanism, for example the Primitive Methodists, followed the priesthood of all believers and allowed lay people to administer the sacraments of baptism and Holy Communion.

In 2006, Methodism claimed some seventy-five million members worldwide. British Methodists number about 1/3 million.