Wesleyan Philosophical Society
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The Wesleyan Philosophical Society (WPS) is an academic society largely represented by academic institutions affiliated with Christian denominations in the Wesleyan tradition. Despite its primarily Wesleyan orientation, there has been increasing participation from scholars in Catholic, Orthodox, and other Protestant (such as Lutheran and Pentecostal) traditions. Likewise, there are no formal doctrinal or affiliational requirements for membership in the society or participation (including as a presenter) at its conferences. Anyone with an interest in philosophical subjects pertaining to conference themes (broadly construed) is welcome to attend, regardless of his or her personal theological orientation or affiliation.
The society was conceived during a 2001 meeting of the Wesleyan Theological Society meeting at Azusa Pacific University in Azusa, California. Brint Montgomery, Thomas Jay Oord, and Robert Thompson served as the early organizing forces. The society first met in Hobe Sound, Florida in March 2002. The society has grown steadily since then, featuring up to approximately 30 papers (as space and time allow) per conference in recent years. Since the COVID-19 era, the WPS has remained on hiatus.
Publications
The WPS gives notice of its recent publications on its official website (see below). Typically, books result from the peer-reviewed process and presentation of annual papers at the conference. The WPS website is maintained by Brint Montgomery, professor of philosophy at Southern Nazarene University.
The society's published books:
- The Many Facets of Love: Philosophical Explorations. Cambridge Scholars Publishing, Thomas Jay Oord, editor. 2006 Select Proceedings.
- Holiness Unto Truth. Intersections between Wesleyan and Roman Catholic Voices. Cambridge Scholars Publishing, L. Bryan Williams, editor. 2007 Select Proceedings.
- I More than Others: Responses to Evil and Suffering, Eric Severson, editor. 2009 select proceedings and invited essay from John Caputo (professor emeritus, Syracuse University and Villanova University)
- Gift and Economy: Ethics, Markets, and Morality. Cambridge Scholars Publishing, Eric Severson, editor. 2011 selected proceedings and invited essay from Richard Kearney, Boston College (co-authored by Eric Severson)
- This is My Body: Philosophical Reflections on Embodiment in a Wesleyan Spirit Pickwick, John Brittingham and Christina Smerick, eds. 2016
- In Spirit and In Truth: Philosophical Reflections on Liturgy and Worship, Claremont Press, Wm. Curtis Holtzen and Matthew Nelson Hill, eds. 2016 selected proceedings and invited essay from Nicholas Wolterstorff
- Connecting Faith and Science: Philosophical and Theological Inquiries, Claremont Press, Matthew Nelson Hill and Wm. Curtis Holtzen, eds. 2017 selected proceedings and invited essays