About AFTE

What Is A Foundation for Theological Education (AFTE)?

AFTE is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization founded in 1977 to strengthen the classical Christian witness within the United Methodist Church. Dr. Albert C. Outler, renowned scholar and late professor at Southern Methodist University, joined with the late Dr. Edmund W. Robb, Jr. to found AFTE. Their goal was to help revitalize a supremely important area of the church — theological education. The AFTE founders strongly believed that a greater emphasis on the evangelical Wesleyan tradition in our official seminaries would bring greater spiritual vitality to the entire denomination.

Vision

A Foundation for Theological Education is committed to strengthen theological education
in the Wesleyan tradition by preparing a new generation of scholars for leadership.

Mission

It is our mission to create, support and nurture a fellowship of transformational scholars
committed to renewal in the Church and the advancement of the Kingdom of God.

Core Values
  • We value the historical, biblical commitments of the Christian faith so expressed in the historic creeds and teachings of the Christian Church.
  • We value excellence in scholarship, teaching, leadership, and mentoring.
  • We value a commitment to the renewal of the church, vital personal faith and social holiness.

AFTE Affirms These Core Wesleyan Doctrines

As a result of the AFTE Foundation, since 1977, grants totaling over $3 million have been awarded. There are currently 141 John Wesley Fellows, many of whom teach in colleges and seminaries of distinction.

  • The divine inspiration and ultimate authority of the Scriptures in matters of faith and practice
  • The incarnation of Jesus Christ as fully God and fully human;
  • The necessity of conversion as a result of repentance from sin and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ
  • The church is of God and is the body of Christ in the world
  • The sacraments of baptism and the Lord’s Supper are means of grace

John Wesley Fellowship Facts

One hundred fifty-nine Fellows have received Ph.D degrees.  Seventy-six Fellows are on the faculty at theological seminaries, university and colleges such as Duke, Wesley, Asbury, Princeton, Garrett, and Perkins. Fellows also teach at nineteen colleges and universities here and abroad. Fellows have studied at Duke, Emory, Princeton, Harvard, Yale, Oxford, Durham University, Notre Dame, SMU, and Drew, to name a few.

The History of Renewal in the United Methodist Church – Edmond Robb, Jr.
1975 Address that was delivered July 22, 1975, at the sixth annual Good News Convocation, Lake Junaluska, North Carolina. At that time, Dr. Robb was pastor of St. Luke’s United Methodist Church in Lubbock, Texas, and was second vice-chairman of the Good News board of directors.

A Fund for ‘Evangelical’ Scholars – Albert C. Outler
In this article from The Christian Century, Professor Albert C. Outler describes AFTE’s role in the future of theological education. Outler was co-founder of AFTE.

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"The John Wesley Fellowship provides not only financial support, it is an extraordinary community of Christian scholars — and friends."

Laceye Warner- Assoc Dean and Professor at Duke Divinity School

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