L. Wesley de Souza
Arthur J. Moore Professor in the Practice of Evangelism; Director of the World Methodist Evangelism Institute
Degrees
PhD, E. Stanley Jones School, Asbury Theological Seminary, 2003
ThM, E. Stanley Jones School, Asbury Theological Seminary, 2000
BTh, Methodist University of Sao Paulo (Brazil), 1982
Phone
(404) 727-7196
EMAILThe Rev. Dr. L. Wesley de Souza teaches in the areas of theology, leadership, mission and evangelism, spirituality, and church revitalization at Candler, where he has been a faculty member since 2005. He was instrumental in developing the new course Religion, Culture, Society, and Mission in Latin America, a real-time, long distance class between Candler and the school of theology at Methodist University of São Paulo, Brazil. He is also the coordinator of the Formation and Witness concentration as part of the Master of Divinity degree program, a member of the International Studies Committee, an instructor with the Course of Study School at Emory and serves as faculty advisor for the Candler Society for Multiracial Congregations and the Candler International Students Society. In 2017, he accepted a position as the director of the World Methodist Evangelism Institute.
de Souza’s research focuses on contextualization of the Gospel, renewal and revitalization of the church, classical Pentecostalism and Pan-Wesleyanism in Latin America. He has contributed to numerous books and scholarly publications, and serves on the editorial advisory boards for The Asbury Journal, Wesley and Methodist Studies Journal and Caminhando magazine.
A member of several scholarly guilds, de Souza is on the executive committee of the World Methodist Evangelism Institute, represents Candler on the governing board of the Hispanic Summer Program, and serves on the governing board of the Center for Studies in Global Christianity.
An ordained elder in The United Methodist Church, de Souza and his wife Vanice planted Communitàs, a Luso-Brazilian Ministry of the Atlanta-Roswell District of The United Methodist Church.
BOOKS
A Gente é Gente, Gente! Humanidade comum nos espaços religiosos, Editora Reflexao, 2022
CHAPTERS AND ARTICLES
“Reimagining Church for Discipleship from the Margins,” New World Outlook (The Mission Magazine of The United Methodist Church), New Series vol. 79, no. 2; Whole Series vol. 108, no. 4, Fall 2018
“Protestant Reformation: Between Innovation and Derailing (A Reforma Protestante hoje: Entre inovacao e descarrilamentos),” Expositor Cristao (Christian Expositor), Methodist Church of Brazil, September 15, 2015
“Baptism by Immersion in Latin American Pentecostalism: The Santa Cruz Case,” Religion as a Social Determinant of Public Health, Oxford University Press, September 11, 2014
“The Challenges of John Wesley’s Theology in Latin American Mission Contexts,” World Mission in the Wesleyan Spirit, Providence House Publishers, January 04, 2009
“Americanos e brasileiros: diferenças no pastorado (Americans and Brazilians: Differences in Pastoral Care),” Informativo do Instituto Jetro, Liderança Pastoral, September 01, 2009
“A gente é gente, gente! (We’re People Y’All!),” Revista Povos 1(3):8-9, Editora Betesda, April 01, 2006
“As falsas trindades (Fake Trinities),” Vida Acadêmica (Virtual Magazine), Editora Vida, March 14, 2006
“Fé na França (Faith in France),” Vida Acadêmica (Virtual Magazine), Editora Vida, April 09, 2006
“Duas indiazinhas e um velho mito (Two Little Natives and an Old Myth),” Revista Enfoque Gospel, 52nd edition, MK Publicitá, November 01, 2005
“A Igreja Sem o Propósito da Pureza e da Santidade (The Church without the Purpose of Purity and Sanctity),” Uma Igreja Sem Propósito (A Church Without Purpose), Editora Mundo Cristão, January 01, 2004
“‘The Wisdom of God in Creation’: Is There a Wesleyan Pentalateral?” Global Good News: Mission in a Postmodern Age, Abingdon Press, January 04, 2001
Sandy Ford Leadership Award, Foundation for the Carolinas, 1999-2001
Award for Excellence in Leadership, Brazilian Evangelical Alliance, 1995
Enabling an Evangelizing Church
Evangelism Regional Seminar
Mission Regional Seminar
Religion, Culture, Society, and Mission in Latin America
Renewal and Revitalization of The Church