Catalyst Publications
Publications by Category
John Wesley had an optimism of grace. He witnessed in thousands of lives what the power of God could do. When he thought of all God had done in the awakening, it was easy for Wesley to envision the entire church, and then the world, renewed…
Mar/02/2022
Although John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, respected and employed women in ministry, neither he nor his early successors in the eighteenth century advocated for the ordination of women. During his lifetime, it was rare for a Christian …
Feb/28/2022
As I write this, my denomination (Mennonite Church USA) continues in an uneasy tension over vexing issues of sexual ethics and ecclesial polity, especially concerning same-sex union, while the primary readers of this essay belong to a denom…
Feb/23/2022
“Methodology is the residue of innovation.” My PhD advisor rattled that off one day as we were discussing one of my dissertation chapters, and I was immediately annoyed that he could so effortlessly spout such brilliant-sounding things. Lat…
Feb/21/2022
The last two years have nurtured anxiety, fear, depression, heartbreak, righteous anger. The pain and suffering in people’s lives are palpable and, often times, paralyzing. Amid such suffering, we need to cultivate communities of resilient …
Feb/16/2022
Have you ever watched a caterpillar transform into a butterfly? It is a miraculous sight. The plain, ordinary caterpillar becomes something spectacular. A transformation, a metamorphosis, has occurred when it emerges from the cocoon. The Ch…
Feb/14/2022
Our living planet is in peril, pressed on all sides by unprecedented dangers. Human action and inaction, to no small degree, are at the root of it. So, to start with this most urgent matter before us, ecotheology is a liberative theology: i…
Feb/09/2022
Dearest students:
We need to talk. I am concerned about you. Many of you are attempting to be perfect in ways that John Wesley—let alone Jesus!—never intended when he spoke of going on to Christian perfection. Your attempts at …
Feb/07/2022
Philippians
Although older, two of the most valuable commentaries on Philippians are Gordon Fee (New International Commentary on the New Testament [NICNT]; Eerdmans, 1995) and Markus Bockmuehl (Black’s New Testament Commentary [BNTC]; Hend…
Feb/02/2022
In the early 1980s, Roman Catholic prelate Joseph Cardinal Bernardin urged a holistic approach to the ethics of life. Adopting an allegorical reading of John 19:23, Cardinal Bernardin said that Christians should treat life as a “seamless ga…
Jan/10/2022
[This piece is part of a series on praying the Scriptures.]
Breath prayer is a prayer practice that coordinates the rhythmic actions of breathing with the recitation of a passage from Scripture or other petition to God. While Lectio Divi…
Jan/03/2022
Edie, Fred P., and Mark A Lamport. Nurturing Faith: A Practical Theology for Educating Christians. Eerdmans, 2021. ISBN 978080287556-3. 512 pp.
A recurring question occurs anytime an introductory textbook appears within the varying (but in…
Dec/27/2021
Getting Involved
News & Events
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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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John Wesley Fellows and Friends of AFTE, We look forward to you joining us Thursday-Sunday, December 10-13,…
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Twenty John Wesley Fellows, spouses, and friends were able to experience a trip of a lifetime. The travel itin…
"The John Wesley Fellowship provides not only financial support, it is an extraordinary community of Christian scholars — and friends."