Author Archives: Ben Hartley

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About Ben Hartley

Since 2024, I work at Eden Theological Seminary in St. Louis as Professor of Contextual Education, Mission, and United Methodist Studies. I previously served on the faculties of Seattle Pacific University (2021-2024), George Fox University (2016-2020) and Palmer Theological Seminary of Eastern University (2005-2016). I am an ordained deacon in the United Methodist Church.

Opening Eyes

Posted on July 10, 2025 by Ben Hartley

In June of 2025 I participated in a delegation with the Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center, a Palestinian Christian organization. We were mostly theological educators from five countries – Peru, Guatemala, Canada, the UK, and the USA. It was my first … Continue reading →

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Reforming Exile: Reflections from Palestine

Posted on July 5, 2025 by Ben Hartley

In June of 2025 I participated in a delegation with the Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center, a Palestinian Christian organization. We were mostly theological educators from five countries. It was my first time in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Below are … Continue reading →

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Remembering Celilo Falls

Posted on March 21, 2022 by Ben Hartley

This blog post first appeared at UM & Global on March 21, 2022 On March 10, 1957, over a span of just over four hours, the waters of the mighty Columbia River flooded and silenced the Celilo Falls.  The Dalles … Continue reading →

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UMC Deacons at 25: Rethinking Deacons’ Education

Posted on June 2, 2021 by Ben Hartley

This post first appeared on the UM & Global blog. Deacon Benjamin L. Hartley Benjamin L. Hartley is a member of the Oregon-Idaho Annual Conference.  In the fall of 2021, he will begin serving as Associate Professor of Mission and … Continue reading →

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UMC Deacons at 25: Claim the name “Deacon!”

Posted on May 26, 2021 by Ben Hartley

This post first appeared on the UM & Global blog. Deacon Benjamin L. Hartley is a member of the Oregon-Idaho Annual Conference.  In the fall of 2021, he will begin serving as Associate Professor of Mission and World Christianity at … Continue reading →

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UMC Deacons at 25: Picking up on an Old Conversation

Posted on May 21, 2021 by Ben Hartley

By Benjamin L. Hartley and Paul E. Van Buren This post originally appeared on UM & Global in May of 2021 Paul E. Van Buren is a retired deacon residing in the Nashville, Tennessee area. Benjamin L. Hartley is a … Continue reading →

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Ridge Beauty

Posted on May 12, 2021 by Ben Hartley

A different sort of blog post here written a couple years ago while visiting my home in Eitzen, Minnesota and our family farm a few miles south in Iowa. A few patches of April snow dotted the Minnesota prairie that … Continue reading →

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Becoming One, Becoming Holy: A Response to “Sent in Love

Posted on February 4, 2020 by Ben Hartley

Holiness is an integrating and animating idea and practice too often relegated to the “ash heap” of Methodist history rather than history’s “garden” from which United Methodists may still yield abundant fruit. Continue reading →

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Oregon-Idaho United Methodists Celebrating 200 Years in Mission in October

Posted on August 22, 2019 by Ben Hartley

The Methodist movement is at its best when it keeps the mission of God at the forefront of its collective heart, mind, and action.  The older I get (I turn 50 this year, so I can start saying that now) … Continue reading →

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Opening Up the Church so Wide…

Posted on August 22, 2018 by Ben Hartley

There are now nearly 70 million people living in our world who have been forced from their homes for a whole assortment of reasons.[1] I have been thinking and writing about refugees quite a bit recently.   November 11, 2018 will … Continue reading →

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