Asbury Theological Seminary and Asbury University have recently announced their first annual Wesleyan Studies Summer Seminar to be held June 2011.  This seminar is being established to develop and support research, writing and publication in the broad field of Wesleyan studies. The seminar will promote the work of serious researchers in the following ways:

• Making the scholarly resources of Asbury Seminary and Asbury University available to each participant.

• Fostering dialog between researchers and the faculty of Asbury Seminary and University who have expertise in the researcher’s field.

• Creating an environment for conversation, study and networking among scholars in the field of Wesleyan studies.

There are no tuition charges for the seminars, and participants will have  access with full privileges  not only to the B.L. Fisher and Kinlaw  libraries  (including significant electronic databases)  but also to their special collection holdings in Wesleyan and Methodist studies.  The staff of the Wesleyan Studies Summer Seminar will also help to make arrangements for free housing at the Asbury Inn for each participant throughout the seminar.  ATS will pay the airfare for international researchers. Beyond this, all other personal expenses (travel and food for example) will be the responsibility of the researchers, though the seminar will provide a common meal on the evening of each seminar.

You can check out our  website at the following address for more information:  http://www.asburyseminary.edu/wesleyan-studies

Dr. Randy Maddox has reminded us that Duke Divinity School’s regular Summer Wesley Seminar is coming up again. The seminar will run from May 31 – June 24, 2011.  You can find general information and an application form here:  http://www.divinity.duke.edu/initiatives-centers/cswt/research-resources/summer-wesley-seminar

He mentions the following highlights about this year’s seminar:

• First, it has been planned to coincide with a meeting of the Charles Wesley Society (June 22-24), and a celebration of the contribution of Frank Baker to Wesley Studies (on the 100^th anniversary of Baker’s birth and the 50^th anniversary of his move to Duke). Thus, we have particular interest in projects that touch on Charles Wesley or on Baker’s contribution – though we continue to encourage applicants on any topic touching in some way on Wesley or Methodist studies.

• Second, we will be targeting some increased funding (from $1500 up to a total of $2500) to enable scholars to attend this seminar. In most cases, this funding will be dedicated to defraying costs of housing, food, and travel. The level of funding will be based on need and on the promise of the proposed project.

If you have any questions about the seminar, please be in touch; and please feel free to share this information with any whom you think may be interested. Randy can be contacted at:    rmaddox@div.duke.edu

In the latest newsletter of the World Methodist Historical Society there was a brief note from Richard Waugh on our recent Conference.  Just to clarify, though, the national History of Methodism Project is not an activity of the ACWR. It is a university based project supported by an Australian Research Council grant, and convened by Prof Hilary Carey, Dr. Troy Duncan, and Dr. Glen O’Brien.