The Manchester Wesley Research Centre (MWRC) is launching a new summer Visiting Research Fellowship beginning in summer 2012. This builds on the successful Visiting Research Fellow programme with scholars from Point Loma Nazarene University (San Diego, California) since 2005. The MWRC is now opening up this opportunity to any scholar who wishes to apply, though some preference will be given to scholars from MWRC Partner Institutions. The aim of this programme is to promote research in the Methodist and Wesleyan traditions by allowing scholars to access the internationally renowned Methodist Archives and Research Centre (MARC) at the John Rylands University Library of Manchester and the Manchester Wesley Research Centre and Nazarene Theological College (NTC) libraries.

The MWRC promotes and supports research on the life and work of John and Charles Wesley, their contemporaries in the 18th century Evangelical Revival, their historical and theological antecedents, their successors in the Wesleyan tradition, and contemporary scholarship in the Wesleyan and Evangelical tradition. This includes areas such as theology, history, biblical studies, education, ethics, literature, mission, philosophy, pastoral studies, practical theology, and social theology.

The primary aim of the programme is to allow Visiting Fellows time and space to independently carry out their research; however, a Visiting Scholar will be able to take advantage of all or some of the following opportunities:

•  Access to the MARC, University of Manchester, MWRC, and NTC libraries
• Allocation of a dedicated study space in the MWRC Study Centre
• Where desirable, meetings can be arranged with MWRC Fellows in Manchester (see the list of Fellows at: http://www.mwrc.ac.uk/current-fellows/)
• Present a paper to the MWRC/NTC Research Seminar, which includes faculty, research students, and invited guests.
• Submit an article for publication in the Wesley and Methodist Studies, a peer-reviewed journal co-sponsored by the MWRC and Oxford Centre for Methodism and Church History (see: http://www.mwrc.ac.uk/wesley-and-methodist-studies).

Substantially discounted accommodation will be available for Visiting Fellows on the campus of Nazarene Theological College. However, a limited number of accommodation spaces are available; therefore, residency for the Fellowship will normally need to be between mid July and early September. The residency period of the Fellowship will normally be between two to six weeks. Other expenses will be the responsibility of the Visiting Fellow.

The closing date for applications for 2012 fellowships is 1 April 2012.  For enquires about or an application for the Visiting Research Fellow programme contact the MWRC Director, Geordan Hammond (ghammond@nazarene.ac.uk).

Methodist Review has just published a new article in its latest volume:

Glen O’Brien, “John Wesley’s Rebuke to the Rebels of British America: Revisiting the ‘Calm Address’”

Abstract:

This essay revisits John Wesley’s ‘A Calm Address to Our American Colonies’ in an attempt to contribute to the renewed interest in the global and transatlantic dimensions of the American Revolution, particularly its religious aspects. Mapping Methodist responses to the Revolution on both sides of the Atlantic may provide a helpful microcosm of responses in the broader religious world. It cautions against seeing Wesley’s political views as extreme Toryism and draws on recent scholarship to demonstrate that Wesley supported a constitutional monarchy since its finely tuned balance of power between king, parliament and people needed only to be preserved in order for genuine liberty to prevail. The myth that Methodists destroyed copies of the ‘Calm Address’ when they reached America in order to avoid being seen as Loyalists is disproved. Methodist responses to the Revolution were varied, ranging from strong opposition to active support, but Wesley’s political views were not unusual in the hotly contested world of eighteenth-century rhetoric on liberty even if Methodists would distance themselves from them in the more politically reformist atmosphere of the nineteenth century.

This article is now ready for reading in the current volume of the journal at http://www.methodistreview.org.

Thanks for your continuing interest in our work.

RDM

 Methodist Review Vol 4 (2012)

We are very pleased to share the news that Dr. Geordan Hammond, one of our Research Fellows and an Editorial Board Member of Aldersgate Papers has secured a Sugden Fellowship for 2012.  Here is the News Release from Queen’s College:

“The Principal Fellow of Queen’s College, Justice David Habersberger, and the Master, Professor David Runia, are delighted to announce that the Sugden Fellow for 2012 will be Dr Geordan Hammond.

Dr Hammond is a young scholar who is rapidly making a name for himself in the study of 18th and 19th century Church history. He is currently Lecturer and Research Fellow in Church History and Wesley Studies at Nazarene Theological Study, Manchester, UK. He is also director of the Manchester Wesley Research Centre which is based at the same institution.

After completing a B.A. in History at Point Loma Nazarene University, San Diego, California, and an M.A. in Theology and Church History at Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, California, he moved to the UK and commenced a Ph.D. in Church History and Theology at the University of Manchester. The title of his doctoral thesis was ‘Restoring Primitive Christianity: John Wesley and Georgia’ and he was awarded the doctorate in 2008. A revised version of the thesis is at present being considered for publication by Oxford University Press.

While resident at Queen’s Dr Hammond wishes to make full use of the extraordinary resources and treasures of the College’s Sugden Heritage Collections. These will aid him both in revising his thesis and in the research he is doing for the Oxford History of Anglicanism, where he examining Anglican missions and voluntary societies in the early colonies on this continent. But his stay here will also allow him to explore further interests that he has in relation to the history of Methodism. To this end he is seeking further contact with the History of Australian Methodism project. The College is delighted that it has been able to attract a promising young scholar who will be able to make full use of its very considerable resources in the field of Methodist studies.

Dr Hammond will be staying at the College for six weeks, from July 30 to September 9. Aside from his research he looks forward to participating fully in the academic and social life of the College for the period of his residence as Sugden Fellow.”

Congratulations Geordan and we look forward to welcoming you down under.

The ACWR had a good year in 2011.  Here are some highlights of our activity:

We have established formal links with two of the most outstanding collections of Methodist materials available to researchers in Australia. A formal agreement is to be drawn up between the ACWR and the Sugden Heritage Collections at Queen’s College in the University of Melbourne as well as with the Camden Theological Library, Sydney, located at the Uniting Church Theological College in Parramatta. It is anticipated that our Members and Research Fellows will receive access and some borrowing privileges where appropriate and that the ACWR will make an appropriate financial contribution to both libraries. These arrangements will link our Members and Research Fellows with high quality resource centres in addition to those already existing in our Partner Institutions.

The ACWR was recently a co-sponsor of two significant scholarly conferences.  In December we contributed financially and administratively to the second of a proposed three workshops on the History of Australian Methodism.  Held at Queen’s College, the keynote speaker was Dr. Russell Richey, Distinguished Professor of Church History at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia.  Around eighteen papers were given over two days, including presentations from Professors Hilary Carey, Ian Breward, Norman Young and many others. All of this is in preparation for a new published history of Methodism in Australia. Then between the 21 and 27 January 2012 we co-hosted, along with our Partner Institute Booth College, the visit of Dr. Ken Collins, Distinguished Professor of Wesley Studies at Asbury Theological College, Wilmore Kentucky in a three state series of Conferences on “The Practical Theology of John Wesley.” Audiences in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane were treated to this stimulating series of lectures. Participants and venues included Chinese Methodist, Church of the Nazarene, Salvationist, Wesleyan Methodist and Uniting Church, bringing together people from across the Wesleyan family of churches. We were very pleased that Nazarene Theological College in Brisbane, where the ACWR has its headquarters was host of the Brisbane event.

The publication of Aldersgate Papers vol. 8 (dated September 2010 but published in 2011) was a landmark issue as it was the first issue as the official journal of the ACWR, the first issue to include peer reviewed articles, and the first to be the product of an editorial team, rather than a single editor. It carried articles from two of our postgraduate student members and two of our established Research Fellows. We are still playing catch up but vol. 9 (September 2011) should appear over the next couple of months as final articles are reviewed and edited.  It will carry a collection of excellent papers from our Third Annual Conference.  Speaking of which…

The Third Annual Conference of the ACWR was held in Brisbane at the Nazarene Theological College 5-6 August 2011. The theme of the Conference was BEING OPEN TO GOD’S FREEDOM: WESLEYAN ROOTS AND CONTEMPORARY RELEVANCE.  Nine papers were delivered, five of which will appear in Aldersgate Papers after peer review and another has been accepted with minor revisions and will appear shortly in the peer-reviewed online journal Methodist Review https://www.methodistreview.org/index.php/mr We are very pleased that our next Annual Conference will be held in Auckland, New Zealand in association with The Stream theological conference sponsored by the Wesleyan Methodist Church of New Zealand and held 2-4 August 2012.

Our Membership has grown to a total of 20 Research Fellows, 11 Members (formerly known as Junior Fellows, most of whom are postgraduate students, though some have completed the doctoral degrees), 5 Partner Institutes – Asia Pacific Nazarene Theological Seminary (Philippines), Booth College (Sydney), Kingsley Australia (Melbourne), Nazarene Theological College (Brisbane), Salvation Army Training College (Melbourne) – 2 Library Partners (Camden and the Sugden Collection) and 1 Denominational Partner (Wesleyan Methodist Church of New Zealand).

One of our Partner Institutions, Kingsley [Australia], will dedicate its new site at Lakeside Drive Broadmeadows on February 26th.

If you are one of our Members or Research Fellows we would be very happy to receive news of any publications or other activities that we can add to the site.

The Methodist Review has just published a new article in its latest issue:

Benjamin L. Hartley, “‘That They All Might Be One’: John R. Mott’s Contributions to Methodism, Interreligious Dialogue, and Racial Reconciliation.”

Abstract: An extraordinary organizer and leader, Methodist layman John R. Mott (1865-1955) was influential in the establishment and growth of many different world-wide Christian organizations in the early twentieth century.  He was even asked to serve as ambassador to China by President Woodrow Wilson—a position he declined.  For his work in organizing people and resources for world peace Mott was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1946.

This article focuses on Mott’s efforts at ecumenism for the sake of Christian mission by analyzing three dimensions of Mott’s work:  Mott’s Methodism, his efforts in global interreligious dialogue, and work in racial reconciliation efforts at the end of the nineteenth and beginning of the twentieth centuries.  His work in relationship to these three themes is traced throughout his life in order to highlight the development of his ideas and activism as he interacted with many different ecumenical organizations and world Christian leaders.  The article illustrates the tensions and inconsistencies that emerged in Mott’s thinking and ecumenical practice as he sought to emphasize unity for the sake of mission in the many different facets of his work.

This article is now ready for reading at http://www.methodistreview.org.

Dr. Rex D. Matthews, Candler School of Theology, rex.matthews@emory.edu