Worth reading, part VI

I want to conclude this series of blog posts by recommending one more periodical in the Wesleyan/Methodist world. It is the Asbury Journal, which is the official publication of Asbury Theological Seminary.

The Asbury Journal is a biannual publication, which means it comes out two times per year (in April and October). Like some of the other academic periodicals I've recommended, the Asbury Journal is a peer-reviewed publication. That means all its articles have been read, critiqued, and approved by scholars. And that, in turn, means that it is going to offer solid content on topics in the Wesleyan and Methodist tradition. That's good news for you, the prospective reader!

Here's the description of the AJ offered on the journal's title page: "The Asbury Journal publishes scholarly essays and book reviews written from a Wesleyan perspective. The Journal's authors and audience reflect the global reality of the Christian church, the holistic nature of Wesleyan thought, and the importance of both theory and practice in addressing the current issues of the day. Authors include Wesleyan scholars, scholars of Wesleyaniusm/Methodism, and scholars writing on issues of theological and theological education importance."

My sense of reading articles from the AJ is that they are often aimed at the point of intersection between theory and practice. The above description mentions that emphasis, and what it means is that articles will often look at some aspect of Wesleyan theology or Methodist history with an eye to how it can inform current ecclesial practice. So in that sense, the AJ's articles have relevance for both the professor and the pastor, the seminary student and the church member.

The AJ is the successor journal to both the Asbury Seminarian and the Asbury Theological Journal. The latter title, in particular, was on the masthead until just a few years ago. So don't let that confuse you. From what I can see, the Asbury Journal is essentially the same publication and I imagine taking the word "theological" out of the title was simply to encourage the submission of articles beyond the realm of theology & doctrine (e.g., in history, various areas of practical theology, etc.).

I'll admit that the Asbury Journal is the one publication I've recommended in this blog series to which I do not personally subscribe. But that's mainly because the Duke Divinity School library subscribes to the AJ, and I can have access to its most recent issue anytime I like. It's an important periodical for our tradition, and I highly recommend it.

The subscription price for individuals is $20 per year, and you can find information for ordering a subscription at this link. So take advantage of it - then read, and enjoy!