August 12—19, 2013

Christ Church, Oxford

Theme: Wesleyan Communities and the World Beyond Christianity

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List of Attendees
Working Group Descriptions
Working Group Rosters
Schedule of Sessions
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Application (deadline past)

The 2013 Oxford Institute of Methodist Theological Studies will focus on Methodist (Wesleyan Christian) engagement with persons and institutions outside of traditional Christian communities.

We will probe how Methodists from the Wesley age to the present have related to persons of other religious faiths, to persons with no traditional religious faith, and with secular institutions and movements. And we will pursue normative reflection, drawing on Christian scriptures, the broader Christian tradition, and Christian ecumenical work, as well as our own rich resources, to ask how Wesleyan communities today ought to relate to persons, communities, and groups that have a different comprehension of life, the world, and basic values—as these are manifested not only in religions, but in political or economical ideologies and stands, ethical attitudes, and philosophical systems. Throughout we will pay attention to how our engagement with non-Christian communities is connected to systems of power, both those embedded in our ecclesial and political contexts, and systems of power of those whom we seek to engage.

Most of the work on the conference theme will be done in six Working Groups, which are listed here, with several possible research trajectories listed in each case.