Theological institutions in the Wesleyan and Methodist traditions in Europe are promoting this year’s edition of the European Methodist Lecture Program. The goal of the program is to reflect theologically on important Methodist topics, deepen knowledge, perceive the different contexts of our church (social, confessional, political) with their influences on our “being church”, and strengthen trans-regional connexional ties. The European Methodist Lecture Program started in 2021 by bringing together Dr. Meeli Tankler (Baltic Methodist Theological Seminary, Estonia) and Prof. Dr. emerita Ulrike Schuler (Reutlingen School of Theology, Germany). The program now continues with the support of Prof Dr Stephan von Twardowski (Reutlingen School of Theology, Germany) and in collaboration with Wesley House, Cambridge (United Kingdom). It is open to students and faculty at theological training centers in Europe which are related to the Wesleyan and Methodist traditions. The program is also open to other scholars as well as ministers and interested lay people from local churches.
In past years, European expert speakers have addressed the following topics:
- 2021 “Social Forms of Methodist Theology”
- 2022 “Wesleyan/Methodist inspiration and insights to the understanding of the Church”
- 2023 “Leadership and Ministry in Wesleyan Contexts”
In 2024, the topic is: “Love, Grace and Transformation: Worship as Ethics and Ethics as Worship in Methodist Theology”. About 100 people have registered to attend the various lectures. The lectures are recorded and made available to those who have registered, so that they can still listen to the topics they missed. The program also includes discussions in small groups, following the 45 minutes lectures and the concluding plenary discussion. This allows for the diversity of contextual perspectives from the 24 countries which are represented in the conversations. For more information, see the program and the content description of the European Methodist Lecture Program – 2024.