Wesley House is a Methodist theological college (or seminary) on Jesus Lane in Cambridge, England. It was founded in 1921 as a base for training Methodist ministers within the precincts of the University of Cambridge. It is part of the Cambridge Theological Federation.
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The college was founded and endowed by Michael Gutteridge, a Methodist businessman in Naples, well known in Italy for philanthropy. After four years at 2 Brookside, Cambridge, in cooperation with Cheshunt College, it moved in 1925 to its present site, which was purchased from Jesus College.
The principal's house was completed in 1929, and the chapel, which contains paintings by Harold Speed, in 1930. The buildings were designed by Maurice Webb. The chair of Systematics and Pastoral Theology was held by the first principal, Dr. H. Maldwyn Hughes, from 1921 to 1937. That of New Testament Language and Literature was held by the Revd Robert Newton Flew from 1927 to 1937, when he succeeded Hughes both as principal and professor. One of the earliest students was Donald Soper.[1] Flew, principal from 1937 to 1955, was one of the moving forces behind the establishment of the World Council of Churches.[2] Another alumnus was Bolaji Idowu, who headed the Methodist Church Nigeria from 1972 to 1984.
The three-sided court fronted by iron gates and railings became enclosed in 1973 by a new building housing flats for married students and a lecture theatre.[3]
The College is administered by a special board of trustees, under the direction of the Methodist Conference. There is room for some 30 graduate students. The present principal is Revd Dr Jane Leach.[4] Today, students working for the degrees of BTh, BA, MPhil and PhD are attached to a secular Cambridge University college as well as Wesley, while Wesley staff serve as associate lecturers of the university.[5]
The Centre for the Study of Jewish-Christian Relations (CJCR) and The Centre for the Study of Muslim-Jewish Relations (CMJR) are based at Wesley House.[6] Also taking place there are MA courses in Pastoral Theology and BA courses in Christian Theology run by the Institute for Orthodox Christian Studies.[7] Wesley House is a member of the Cambridge Theological Federation.
For more than 20 years Wesley House has worked in partnership with the Methodist Church of Southern Africa and Seth Mokitimi Methodist Seminary there. Each year probationer ministers from South Africa visit the UK for a month, and each summer Wesley House students have an opportunity to visit South Africa and work in a township.[8]