Catalyst Publications
Publications by Category
Elmer Colyer’s The Trinitarian Dimension of John Wesley’s Theology (New Room, 2019) is by far the most extensive examination of Wesley’s trinitarianism. In it Colyer shows in great detail the pervasiveness of the Trinity throughout Wesley’s…
Feb/10/2021
Many Christians mark the season of Lent with a time of an emphasis on prayer, reflection, and self-sacrifice. Using Jesus’s example of being separated and alone in the wilderness for forty days of fasting and prayer (see Matthew 4), those w…
Feb/08/2021
What does it mean when we say we have learned something? Why do we forget so much of the information we are taught in church? Perhaps how teachers teach is not necessarily how learners learn?
Our book, The Learning Cycle: Insights for Fa…
Feb/03/2021
I asked a seminary student what she wanted to read about in Catalyst, since this is a resource for seminarians. What would be helpful to her? She answered by asking, “Seminary is meant to prepare us, but what does preparation mean? There’s …
Feb/01/2021
The task of faithfully pastoring a church so that its life together would embody Christ’s life and ministry has never been easy. It is even harder today in a deadly pandemic where some church people refuse to wear masks because it violates …
Jan/25/2021
In 2015, Pauline scholars were eager to read the much-anticipated study by John M. G. Barclay entitled Paul and the Gift (Eerdmans) and it did not disappoint. It quickly became a widely influential study, critiquing both the “New Perspectiv…
Jan/20/2021
I was loading my newly purchased gardening supplies into my car when two earnest teens approached me and volunteered to return the cart I was using. I accepted their offer, thinking they had use of it, but they informed me they were just do…
Jan/18/2021
In The Architecture of Theology (Oxford University Press, 2011), a must-read for any serious student of systematic theology, A. N. Williams observes that while Christian theology is inherently systematic the number of comprehensive “systema…
Jan/11/2021
I wish I could say that COVID-19 has been good for my patterns and practices of worship. I’ve kept up with times of prayer, Bible reading, and other spiritual reading. I’ve also had some Christian conversation, both in person and on Zoom. W…
Jan/04/2021
I have heard pastors counsel people, “Don’t seek experiences, seek truth found in the Bible!” While excessive emotionalism can be a problem for some, who determines what excessive emotionalism is? The expression of emotion varies with cultu…
Dec/28/2020
A couple millennia after Jesus Christ himself directed Mary Magdalene to go and tell the good news of his resurrection to others, whether women should “preach” remains controversial in this world. In the twenty-first century, many of us are…
Dec/21/2020
Many recent books on preaching are topical and contextual, seeking to address a problem or suggest tools or practices to help busy pastors address the many challenges facing the church and our world. These books seek to help pastors streaml…
Dec/16/2020
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A Foundation for Theological Education (AFTE) John Wesley Fellowships have been awarded to three doctoral stud…
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Announcing that 2026 John Wesley Fellowship Scholarship Applications are now being accepted. Please see the at…
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JWF and Friends of AFTE, we look forward to you joining us Thursday-Sunday, January 15-18, 2026, for the AFTE …
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Twenty John Wesley Fellows, spouses, and friends were able to experience a trip of a lifetime. The travel itin…
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