Asbury Theological Seminary is a Christian

Wesleyan Wesleyan theology, otherwise known as Wesleyan– Arminian theology, or Methodist theology, is a theological tradition in Protestant Christianity based upon the ministry of the 18th-century evangelical reformer brothers John Wesley and Charles W ...

seminary A seminary, school of theology, theological seminary, or divinity school is an educational institution for educating students (sometimes called ''seminarians'') in scripture, theology, generally to prepare them for ordination to serve as clergy, ...

in the historical

Methodist Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's b ...

tradition located in

Wilmore, Kentucky Wilmore is a home rule-class city in Jessamine County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 3,686 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Lexington–Fayette Metropolitan Statistical Area. According to the United States Census Burea ...

. It is the largest seminary of the

Wesleyan-Holiness movement The Holiness movement is a Christian movement that emerged chiefly within 19th-century Methodism, and to a lesser extent other traditions such as Quakerism, Anabaptism, and Restorationism. The movement is historically distinguished by its empha ...

. It is known for its advocacy of egalitarianism, giving equal status for men and women in ministerial roles and for ordination. It is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) is an educational accreditor recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. This agency accredits over 13,000 public and priv ...

and the

Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada The Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada (ATS) is an organization of seminaries and other graduate schools of theology. ATS has its headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. History It was founded in 1918. The assoc ...

(ATS).

History

Asbury Theological Seminary was founded in Wilmore, Kentucky, in 1923 by its first president,

Henry Clay Morrison Henry Clay Morrison (March 10, 1857 — March 24, 1942) was a Methodist evangelist, editor, and president of Asbury College. He is not to be confused with Henry Clay Morrison (b. May 30, 1842), a Methodist bishop from Tennessee. Family Morriso ...

, who was at the time the president of Asbury College. In 1940, Asbury Seminary separated from the college in order to satisfy accreditation requirements. Because of the proximity of the two schools (across the street), similar name, and common theological heritage, many people confuse the relationship between the college and the seminary. While they are separate institutions, the schools maintain a collegial relationship that benefits both communities. The current president of Asbury Theological Seminary is Dr.

Timothy Tennent Timothy C. Tennent (born September 24, 1959) is an American theologian who is the current president of Asbury Theological Seminary. Education Tennent's education includes a B.A. from Oral Roberts University, an M.Div. from Gordon Conwell (1984) ...

, Ph.D., who has served as the eighth president since July 1, 2009.

Presidents

(1923–1942) # J.C. McPheeters (1942–1962) # Frank Stanger (1962–1982) # David McKenna (1982–1994) #

Maxie Dunnam Maxie D. Dunnam (1934-) is a United Methodist Church minister, evangelist, Bible commentator and writer. He is a past president of World Methodist Council. He is currently President Emeritus of Asbury Theological Seminary. Biography Dunnam was bo ...

(1994–2004) # Jeff Greenway (2004–2006) # Ellsworth Kalas (2006–2009) #

(2009–present)

Extended education

In addition to the main campus at Wilmore, the seminary offers courses at the Florida Dunnam Campus in

Orlando, Florida Orlando () is a city in the U.S. state of Florida and is the county seat of Orange County, Florida, Orange County. In Central Florida, it is the center of the Greater Orlando, Orlando metropolitan area, which had a population of 2,509,831, acco ...

, through online courses (Extended Learning), and extension sites in Memphis, Tennessee, and Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Accreditation

Asbury Theological Seminary is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award master's and doctoral degrees. It is an accredited member of The Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada. Asbury Theological Seminary does not, within the context of its religious principles, its heritage, its mission, and its goals, discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, physical impairment, or gender in administration of its admission policies, educational policies, scholarship, and loan programs, athletic or other school-administered programs. The seminary is authorized under federal law to enroll nonimmigrant alien students.

Academic Schools

Asbury Theological Seminary has five academic schools. * School of Biblical Interpretation * E. Stanley Jones School of World Mission and Evangelism * School of Theology & Formation * Beeson School of Practical Theology * Orlando School of Ministry

Notable faculty

Craig S. Keener Craig S. Keener (born 4 July 1960) is a North American academic, Charismatic Baptist pastor, theologian, Biblical scholar and professor of New Testament at Asbury Theological Seminary. Biography Keener was born on 4 July 1960. Education In 1982 ...

, professor of New Testament, known for his expertise in Greco-Roman and Jewish sources * John N. Oswalt, visiting distinguished professor of Old Testament, involved with the NIV and NLT Bible translations and author of a major commentary on Isaiah *

Ben Witherington III Ben Witherington III (born December 30, 1951) is an American Wesleyan-Arminian New Testament scholar. Witherington is Professor of New Testament Interpretation at Asbury Theological Seminary, a Wesleyan-Holiness seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky, an ...

, Jean R. Amos Professor of New Testament for Doctoral Studies and prolific author * Bill T. Arnold, Paul S. Amos Professor of Old Testament Interpretation and associate editor of NICOT a major Old Testament commentary series * Kenneth J. Collins, Professor of Historical Theology and Wesley Studies, prominent John Wesley scholar

Notable alumni

Jacob DeShazer Jacob Daniel DeShazer (15 November 1912 – 15 March 2008) participated in the Doolittle Raid as a staff sergeant and later became a Christian missionary in Japan. Early years DeShazer was born on 15 November 1912 in West Stayton, Oregon and gra ...

, a member of the

Doolittle Raid The Doolittle Raid, also known as the Tokyo Raid, was an air raid on 18 April 1942 by the United States on the Japanese capital Tokyo and other places on Honshu during World War II. It was the first American air operation to strike the Japan ...

prisoner of war A prisoner of war (POW) is a person who is held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610. Belligerents hold prisoners of wa ...

in Japan, and then a missionary to Japan in the Free Methodist Church *

Jim Garlow Jim Garlow is the former Senior Pastor of Skyline Church located in La Mesa, California, a suburb of San Diego. Garlow is often cited as an evangelical leader in the political arena, quoted on issues such as the 2012 Republican presidential prima ...

, pastor of

Skyline Church Skyline Church is an evangelical Christian megachurch located in La Mesa, California, a suburb of San Diego, affiliated with the Wesleyan Church denomination. The church currently averages 2,500 in attendance per week. History In 1954, Orval ...

San Diego San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the List of United States cities by population, eigh ...

* Alfred W. Gwinn, former United Methodist Bishop of the

North Carolina Annual Conference The North Carolina Conference is an Annual Conference (a regional episcopal area, similar to a diocese) of the United Methodist Church. This conference serves the eastern half of the state of North Carolina, with its administrative offices and t ...

Stephen Hance Stephen John Hance (born 16 April 1966) is a British Anglican priest. Since 2019, he has been National Lead for Evangelism and Witness for the Church of England. He was previously the Dean of Derby, and before that the Canon Missioner of Southwa ...

, Church of England priest and Dean of Derby Cathedral *

Joe Hilley Joseph H. Hilley (born June 29, 1956) is a New York Times Best Selling author. He was born in Birmingham, Alabama and grew up on the Gulf Coast in the town of Grand Bay, Alabama. He is a graduate of Asbury College, Asbury Theological Seminary, a ...

, (class of 1984), New York Times bestselling author *

James W. Holsinger James Wilson Holsinger Jr., (born May 11, 1939) is an American physician. A former Major General (United States), major general in the United States Army Reserve, U.S. Army Reserve (1962 to 1993), he has worked primarily in public health for ove ...

, M.Div., former chair of Board of Trustees, former member of the Board of Trustees, and nominated United States Surgeon General * David Seamands, United Methodist pastor and writer *

Ted Strickland Theodore Strickland (born August 4, 1941) is an American politician who was the 68th governor of Ohio, serving from 2007 to 2011. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served in the United States House of Representatives, representing ...

(class of 1967), 68th

Governor of Ohio A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

and former member of the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the Lower house, lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States Senate, Senate being ...

References

External links

Official website
{{authority control Seminaries and theological colleges in Kentucky Educational institutions established in 1923 Universities and colleges accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Buildings and structures in Jessamine County, Kentucky Christianity in Orlando, Florida Universities and colleges in Orlando, Florida Seminaries and theological colleges in Florida Education in Jessamine County, Kentucky 1923 establishments in Kentucky Methodist seminaries and theological colleges Methodism in Kentucky Methodism in Florida