William J. Abraham
Theologian, Philosopher, Pastor
The Rev. Dr. William James Abraham (1947–2021) was a Northern Irish theologian, analytic philosopher, and Methodist pastor renowned for his work in the philosophy of religion, religious epistemology, evangelism, and church renewal. Born in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, he spent most of his career in the United States as the Albert Cook Outler Professor of Wesley Studies at Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University. He previously taught at Seattle Pacific University and served as a visiting professor at Harvard Divinity School. Abraham was associated with the Confessing Movement within the United Methodist Church and was a proponent of canonical theism, a church renewal movement that draws on the ancient ecumenical church as a source to renew mainline Protestantism.