The United Methodist Church and Asbury Theological Seminary

The United Methodist Church recently announced that the graduates of Asbury Theological Seminary will no longer be accepted for ordination in the denomination.  This stunning decision was reached at the June 17-18 meeting of the University Senate, the body charged with determining which schools are approved to train future United Methodist ministers.   The reason for this decision was given by Roland Fernandes who serves as the top executive, known as the General Secretary, for the General Board of Global Ministries.  He said the following to the United Methodist News Service:  “The University Senate’s decision is intended to ensure that United Methodist candidates for ministry are formed in settings clearly aligned with United Methodist teachings, theology, leadership and values.”

Anyone who is familiar with the Methodist-Wesleyan world knows that Asbury is the center of gravity for the whole movement.  It is the largest wesleyan seminary in the world.  There is no place which has brought together more Wesleyan scholars than Asbury Theological Seminary.  They are among the most prolific Wesleyan writers anywhere.  Their textbooks on Wesleyan theology are used by students in seminaries and bible colleges around the globe.  Scholars like Ken Collins, Ben Witherington, Bill Arnold, David Bauer, Ruth Anne Reese, Brian Russell, Joe Dongell, Tom McCall, Fred Long, Lawson Stone, Steve Martyn, Craig Keener and John Oswalt are legendary throughout the Wesleyan world.  Asbury is led by Dr. David Watson, a well-known Methodist theologian.  If that were not enough, newer scholars are emerging at Asbury who will carry the torch for the next generation, including Joel Archer, Chris Bounds, Joel Chopp, Christine Johnson, Ken Kinghorn, Luther Oconer, Jonathan Powers and David Schreiner, to name just a few.  In addition to these remarkable Christian leaders, Asbury has schools of counseling and global missions which are also committed to applying the Wesleyan message to those contexts.  In short, Asbury’s commitment to Wesleyan theology, history and tradition is unparalleled.  Asbury not only has training sites all across the United States, but also across the world through its global partnerships.  Asbury is the founder of both the New Room Conference and Seedbed publishing which has brought resources for renewal to countless Methodists.   Asbury is funding dozens of new church plants which is desperately needed to reach a new generation for Christ. Asbury’s Hispanic initiative is training men and women for ministry in Spanish.  For the United Methodist Church to say that Asbury is no longer aligned with “Methodist teaching, theology, leadership and values” is tantamount to saying that the United Methodist Church is no longer aligned with the teaching, theology, leadership and values of John Wesley.

What message does this decision send to those who belong to the United Methodist Church?  First, this is the end of the notion of a “big tent” Methodism.  During the torturous period when United Methodist Churches across the world were reflecting on disaffiliation, there was a consistent message by our episcopal leaders that the denomination was not going to follow the well-trodden path of mainline Christianity by becoming just another outpost of worn-out liberal ideas which is hostile to historic orthodoxy.  Instead, they argued, the United Methodist Church was just expanding the circle of embrace.  There would be room in the “big tent” for both conservative evangelicals committed to historic faith as well as the new so-called “progressive” Christians who affirmed same-sex marriage and ordaining practicing homosexuals, etc.  Conservative United Methodist Churches were told that they had the freedom to dissent from this and still be faithful United Methodists.  Bishops promised to send them evangelical pastors and assured them that they did not need to disaffiliate from the United Methodist Church because, they insisted, “we are a ‘big tent’ denomination.”  However, the decision by the University Senate sends the strong message that the United Methodist Church no longer wants Asbury graduates filling their pulpits.  It must be deeply disturbing for the Asbury graduates who have been received into United Methodism since its inception (1968).  Asbury’s very name comes from the pioneering work of Francis Asbury who came to the United States in 1771 to spread the Wesleyan message.  The loss of Asbury graduates will result in a great loss for the denomination.  I had the privilege of serving Asbury Seminary for fifteen years (2009-2024).  I met hundreds of students during my years at Asbury.  They were the very men and women you long to have assigned to your church as your pastor.  They were well-formed, spirit-filled and committed to faithful preaching and pastoral care.

Second, this decision sends the message that the church’s views regarding human sexuality have become the new standard of “United Methodist Orthodoxy.”  It doesn’t matter how devoted you are to the historic Wesleyan message.  It doesn’t matter how deeply you have been formed by a Wesleyan ethos.  It doesn’t even matter how committed you are to historic Christian faith – the great semper ubique ab omnibus which has heretofore united all Christians throughout history.  If you do not affirm same sex marriage and homosexual ordination, then you are the new heretic.

I would like to give a word of advice to all United Methodists who were planning on enrolling at Asbury Theological Seminary.  Enroll anyway.  Don’t find yourself a different seminary, find yourself a better denomination.   Asbury’s steadfast commitment to the Word of God, even in the face of all this bluster, is precisely the place you want to be to prepare yourself to navigate a world where every vice imaginable roams wild and free.

I also would like to give a word of advice to all the wonderful donors and friends of Asbury Seminary.  Whatever you were planning on giving this year to Asbury Seminary, prayerfully consider doubling it.  Now is the time to send the strong message of support for a Seminary which for over 100 years has been faithful to its founding mission to “spread scriptural holiness throughout the world.”

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