The IAMSCU President, Adriana Murriello, Oxford Institute for Methodist Theological Studies, being held at Keble College, University of Oxford. This event occurs every five years at the University of Oxford and brings together scholars from various parts of the world who go back to the birthplace of Methodism to reflect on the history, current impact, and future prospects of the Wesleyan tradition. The first Oxford Institute was held in 1958, when more than a hundred scholars from the United States and England came together to share their research. Today, the Oxford Institute is in its 15th edition, now focusing on the theme “The World is My Parish: Glad Tidings of Salvation in an Age of Crisis.” This event is happening between August 4 and August 11, 2024, bringing together nearly 170 scholars. Today, the Oxford Institute is more diverse, less limited to the United States and Europe, and including diverse participants from five continents – Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and North America. The process of “regionalization” is very important for the future of the Institute, so there has been a important effort to engage with scholars from Fiji, India, Brazil, Germany, Ghana, and other places around the world.
The Oxford Institute of Methodist Theological Studies is an affiliate of the World Methodist Council. Its mission is to foster and support disciplined theological study among professional scholars and scholarly ministers and laypersons within the Methodist and Wesleyan traditions around the globe, with a goal of undergirding and enriching the ministry of these traditions in their global settings. This mission is embodied most prominently in an extended residential institute, currently held once every five years at Oxford University. For more details on the Oxford Institute, please visit their website: https://oxford-institute.org/