Perkins in the World: Priscilla Pope-Levison builds on international scholarly partnerships

For this edition of Perkins in the World, Research Professor of Practical Theology Priscilla Pope-Levison spent the summer sharing decades of Methodist history research with audiences in England and Germany.

Over several weeks, Pope-Levison delivered keynote lectures to present her historical research. However, these opportunities did not begin with her published research. Rather, many of Pope-Levison's engagements this summer grew out of the academic relationships she has cultivated, sustained and contributed to over many years.

Furthering relationships

Pope-Levison's summer began outside of Oxford, England, at Yarnton Manor, alongside fellow Perkins Professor of Old Testament Interpretation and Biblical Hebrew, Jack Levison. The two professors co-presented a paper during the manor's weekly seminar for international scholars. Their presentation explored the Scots-Irish Presbyterian roots of American women's rights advocate Elizabeth Birch Wilson.

A week later, Pope-Levison delivered the keynote address at a seminar on Women in Methodism: Contested Identities, Past and Present at Wesley Memorial Church in Oxford. She later presented "The Emergence, Growth, and Decline of the International Methodist Deaconess Movement" as the annual lecture for the Manchester Wesley Research Centre at Nazarene Theological College, in Didsbury, England.

For Pope-Levison, returning to Manchester was rewarding in more ways than one. It also marked a return to the Manchester Wesley Research Centre, where she spent five weeks as a research fellow in 2016 and formed lasting relationships with many of the staff and faculty. Since then, she has continued those connections by serving as Perkins' representative on the Centre's board.

“It was personally and professionally meaningful to give the lecture in a familiar place and to people I know, both in person and through the livestream," said Pope-Levison. 

From research to publication

While England provided opportunities to present her research, Pope-Levison said one of the most memorable moments of the summer happened across the English Channel in Nürnberg, Germany. She returned to a community that had opened its doors years earlier to assist in her research.

Five years ago, Methodist deaconess Sister Roswitha Müller, one of the last remaining German Methodist deaconesses at the Motherhouse in Nürnberg, granted Pope-Levison unrestricted access to the Motherhouse archives. With the assistance of a translator, she accessed historical materials that became foundational to her research on Methodist deaconesses.

This summer, Pope-Levison returned to the deaconess Motherhouse carrying a finished copy of No Man's Land, the 2026 Wesleyan Theological Society’s Smith/Wynkoop Book Award.

"To return with the book in hand and see Sister Roswitha Müller’s delight in it filled me with joy and a deep sense of accomplishment," Pope-Levison said.

Pope-Levison is set to return to Germany in May 2027 to give a lecture on Methodist deaconesses at the Methodist seminary, Reutlingen School of Theology.

These visits to other countries reinforced one of Pope-Levison's central findings: Methodist deaconesses built an international community long before modern technology made global collaboration possible.

"What really blew me away is the courage of these young women," she said. "They mostly came from the country and ventured into the big cities... They felt called by God, and they brought the love of Christ to these people."

Bringing global perspectives back to Perkins

Pope-Levison's approach to teaching is strengthened by living and working in different countries, because it reminds her that effective ministry always begins with understanding the culture people inhabit.

"International travel brings front and center the significant role culture plays," she said. "Understanding the culture in which one is in ministry is fundamental to connecting deeply with folks within and beyond the church."

As she returns to Perkins this fall, Pope-Levison continues to bring global perspectives into the classroom through her relationships and research that span continents.