The Encyclopedia of Protestantism: Volume 2 D–K
References and Further Reading
Fisher, Geoffrey Francis. The Archbishop Speaks: Addresses and Speeches by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend Geoffrey Francis Fisher. London: Evans Brothers, 1958.
——. Touching on Christian Truth: The Kingdom of God, the Christian Church and the World. Oxford, UK: A.R. Mowbray, 1971.
Carpenter, Edward. Archbishop Fisher: His Life and Times. Norwich, UK: Canterbury Press, 1991.
HELEN FARLEY
American Methodist minister and educator. Born in Vermont August 31, 1792, the son of a farmer, Fisk was educated at the University of Vermont and Brown University, graduating in 1815. After attending a CAMP MEETING and having a spiritual experience that led him to a PREACHING ministry, he was ordained in the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1822, serving in circuits in Vermont and Massachusetts. However, ill health affected his ministry and he declined offers of election as bishop.
In 1826 he was appointed principal of Wilbraham Wesleyan Academy, one of a growing number of Methodist schools whose cause he championed. His ministry thereafter was dedicated to the support of education and tract societies in the work of mission.
In 1831 Fisk became the first president of a chartered Methodist (Wesleyan) University at Middle-town, Connecticut where he served until his death in 1839. He viewed his institution as a place where “morality and religion” were to be taught, not through proselytism but by Christian example in teaching through a broad liberal education. He was, through his pattern of life and conversation, the means of the CONVERSION of many students. He initiated a wave of development of theological education in METHODISM, with his dictum that “a cultivated church will have a cultivated ministry.” His dying words were: “Education must go hand in hand with religion or the world will never be converted.”
As one of American Methodism’s first theologians he was a keen controversialist, writing Calvinistic Controversy in defense of ARMINIANISM in 1835. He was a fierce advocate of TEMPERANCE. In the SLAVERY debate he upset fellow Methodists by not aligning with abolitionists, favoring colonization instead, and was subject to much criticism in the North East Conference. His work became more widely known after a visit to Europe in 1835. He died February 22, 1839 after a short illness.
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