Asbury Theological Seminary was founded in Wilmore, Kentucky, in 1923 by its first president, Holiness Methodist evangelist Henry Clay Morrison, 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 names, 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.
Asbury Seminary has had nine presidents since its founding. In December 2023, the seminary announced that Timothy C. Tennent, the eighth president, would transition out of the presidency to be a Professor of World Christianity. In May 2024, the seminary's board of trustees named David J. Gyertson interim president starting July 1, 2024. The following year, the board elected David F. Watson as the next president effective July 1, 2025.
Kenneth J. Collins — professor of Historical Theology and Wesley Studies
Craig S. Keener — professor of New Testament, known for his expertise in Greco-Roman and Jewish sources
John N. Oswalt — visiting distinguished professor of the Old Testament, involved with the NIV and NLT Bible translations, author of a major commentary on Isaiah
Ben Witherington III — Jean R. Amos Professor of New Testament for Doctoral Studies, and prolific author
↑Winn, Christian T. Collins (2007). From the Margins: A Celebration of the Theological Work of Donald W. Dayton. Wipf and Stock Publishers. p.115. ISBN9781630878320. In addition to these separate denominational groupings, one needs to give attention to the large pockets of the Holiness movement that have remained within the United Methodist Church. The most influential of these would be the circles dominated by Asbury College and Asbury Theological Seminary (both in Wilmore, KY), but one could speak of other colleges, innumerable local campmeetings, the vestiges of various local Holiness associations, independent Holiness oriented missionary societies and the like that have had great impact within United Methodism. A similar pattern would exist in England with the role of Cliff College within Methodism in that context.
[a] Resigned voluntarily amid internal institutional reprioritization and changes in international affiliations.
[b] Resigned citing theological drift and concerns that the council was becoming insufficiently conservative.
[c] Withdrew over the CCCU's response and deliberation process regarding member institutions hiring married same-sex faculty.
[d] Withdrew following changes to institutional employment policies regarding same-sex marriage that conflicted with CCCU membership guidelines.
[e] Voluntarily resigned after updating hiring policies to include same-sex married individuals, which prompted conflict with CCCU eligibility criteria.
[f] Lost institutional operations/accreditation status following severe financial difficulties and campus closure in 2023.
[g] Transitioned out following shifts in institutional affiliation, theological alignment, and board hiring policies.
[h] Withdrew due to differences over membership requirements, ideological alignment, and broader denominational ties.
[i] Withdrew in protest of the CCCU's prolonged decision-making process concerning schools that changed hiring policies on same-sex marriage.
