Catalyst: Contemporary Evangelical Perspectives

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Welcome to Catalyst on-line. United Methodist (UM) seminarians have been receiving Catalyst in their mail boxes since 1973.

What is Catalyst?
Four issues of Catalyst are mailed each academic year to some 5,000 UM theological students in more than 100 seminaries in the U.S.A.

AFTE
Catalyst is a project of A Foundation for Theological Education (AFTE).

What is the John Wesley Fellowship Program?
Each year AFTE awards up to five John Wesley Fellowships to assist gifted United Methodists in their doctoral studies at the finest universities.

Back Issues
Several back issues of Catalyst are now available on-line.

Subscriptions
Subscription is free for UM seminarians, and is available to all others for $5 per year.

The John Wesley Fellowship Program

The primary focus of AFTE has always been the John Wesley Fellowship program.

AFTE is committed to the renewal of United Methodist theological education in a more evangelical direction. To contribute to this task, AFTE provides the church with first-rate scholars trained in the classical Wesleyan tradition to fill faculty positions.

Each year AFTE awards up to five John Wesley Fellowships to assist gifted United Methodists in their doctoral studies at the finest universities. Candidates are selected for their commitment to Christ and the church as well as for their academic excellence.

Fellowships are usually given for four years. At present, the average fellowship grant is $10,000 per academic year. With approximately 12 fellows in the program at any one time, AFTE spends nearly $120,000 each year on direct grants.

The expense of the program is more than justified in light of the influence professors have. They affect hundreds of future United Methodist ministers during their careers. The possibilities for church renewal are exciting! From the point of view from the students, the Fellowship program is absolutely necessary. The cost of graduate school has skyrocketed. Tuition, not counting books, fees, room and board, easily exceeds $10,000 annually.

By the time students obtain their Ph.D.s, debts can surpass $60,000. This level of debt is very difficult for modestly paid professors to repay.

Results of the Program

Since 1977, over $2.5 million in grants has been awarded to 109 John Wesley Fellows. There are currently 96 John Wesley Fellows, many of whom teach in colleges and seminaries of distinction.

John Wesley Fellowship Facts

Seventy-four Fellows have received their Ph.D. degrees.
Presently, forty-four Fellows are teaching at theological seminaries, including Duke, Wesley, Asbury, Princeton, Garrett, Dubuque, and Perkins.
Fellows also teach at nineteen colleges and universities, including, Southwestern College, University of Indianapolis.
Fellows have studied at Princeton, Yale, Oxford, Duke, Notre Dame, SMU, and Drew to name only a few.

Encouraging Words

"I am very grateful to A Foundation for Theological Education for scholarship assistance during my three years of doctoral studies. But more importantly, I’m thankful for their continuing support in my career."
Dr. Ted A. Campbell
President, Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary

"I cannot begin to express what this fellowship has meant for me. I now proudly call myself an evangelical to anyone who will listen, in part because of the community I have found through AFTE...I would not be completing this degree in under 6 or 7 years without the financial assistance."
Dr. Amy Laura Hall
Duke Divinity School

How to Apply

John Wesley Fellowships are available to United Methodists who plan to pursue Ph.D. or Th.D. degree programs.

To receive information on how to apply, write, fax, or call the AFTE office—or click here and print the application and fill it out. The deadline for applying is January 20 of each year.