Wesley Fellows Podcast

The subject of today’s conversation is Collaborative Research and the opportunities that are available to John Wesley Fellows. We will discuss why someone should consider a collaborative research project, the challenges of such opportunities and how scholars and the church benefit from these experiences. 

In this episode Brian Yeich sits down with , Dr. Doug Strong, Dr. Edgardo Colón-Emeric and Dr. Steve Moore to discuss international teaching and the opportunities that are available to John Wesley Fellows. We discuss why someone should consider teaching internationally, the challenges of such opportunities and how both student and teacher grow from these experiences. 

If you are a John Wesley Fellow, we encourage you to visit our recently revised website at: https://johnwesleyfellows.org/ Under the Opportunities tab, you will find the criteria and an application for International Teaching grants. We encourage you to partner with another JWF and apply for one of these grants. If you need ideas about where you might serve, please get in touch. You can find contact information for AFTE on the website and we can connect you with someone who can help direct you to opportunities.  

In this episode, Brian Yeich sits down with three John Wesley Fellows colleagues to honor the work of Dr. Joel Green. Dr. Green became a John Wesley Fellow in 1982 while working on his PhD at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland, and he has served as the Editor of AFTE’s Catalyst since 1986. As a project of AFTE, Catalyst is an online newsletter for seminarians, pastors, and other Christian leaders, especially for those in the Wesleyan and Methodist traditions. Joel Green’s influence in both the academy and the Wesleyan movement has been significant and our conversation today will highlight his work as a scholar, teacher, mentor, and church leader. 

 Dr. Yeich is joined by Dr. Joy J. Moore, Professor of Biblical Preaching at Luther Seminary; Dr. Alan Padgett, Northwestern Lutheran Theological Seminary Heritage Professor of Theology; and Dr. Wade Paschal, retired pastor and scholar. 

In a wide ranging interview concerning worship and liturgical studies, John Wesley Fellows and Duke doctoral students, Glenn Stallsmith and Debbie Wong, interview Lester Ruth and Swee Hong Lim, about their new book, A History of Contemporary Praise & Worship: Understanding the Ideas That Reshaped the Protestant Church.

Steve Rankin interviews faculty from the United Methodist affiliated Huntingdon College in Montgomery, Alabama and leads a discussion on the history of the college, its unique place in Christian higher education and the formation of undergraduate students. Guests include:
Lane Davis, Instructor of Religion
Diana Abernathy, Assistant Professor of Religion, Old Testament
Stephen Sours, Associate Professor of Religion and Chair of the Department

Dr. Brian Yeich interviews Dr. Laceye Warner, Associate Dean of Wesleyan Engagement and Hybrid Programs at Duke Divinity School. This conversation covers questions ranging from  how we should be preparing students for theological education to tackling Dan Aleshire's challenge to think about the things that have been put in theological education's "attic" which might need to be retrieved. 

Dr. Dustin Benac interviews Dr. Greg Jones, outgoing Dean of Duke Divinity School and incoming President of Belmont University. In a wide ranging conversation, Dustin and Greg discuss the opportunities and challenges for the future of theological higher education, including the kinds of leaders and the type of leadership that will be required for the academy and the church. 

Dr. Stephen Rankin interviews Tom Albin, Executive Director of United Christian Ashram and former Dean of the Upper Room Chapel about concerns, challenges and opportunities for today’s Christian leaders as they engage in the work of discipleship and passing on the Christian faith to the next generation. 

Dr. Steve Moore interviews Shannon Sigler the Executive Director of Fuller Theological Seminary’s Brehm Center for Worship, Theology, and the Arts and her work surrounding how these areas intersect.  

Dr. Stephen Rankin interviews Dr. Ephraim Radner, Professor of Historical Theology at Wycliffe College about Radner’s recent article on theology after the virus and how the covid-19 pandemic has presented a new opportunity to engage in theological education.